SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Credits SMALLVILLE For Big Lex Luthor Change
Superman may have launched a brand new era of the DCU, and director James Gunn is happily tipping his hat to the past, specifically Smallville, for one of the movie’s key choices involving Lex Luthor.
Fans have noticed that Nicholas Hoult’s version of the character runs LuthorCorp in Gunn’s film rather than the often used LexCorp, and it turns out that shift was directly inspired by the long running CW series.
A fan on Threads asked Gunn why Lex would name his company after his first name, and the filmmaker quickly pointed them to the real source.
He explained that we can “Thank Smallville” for the change, and when someone else suggested that Lex’s ego would absolutely push him toward naming the company after himself, the director offered some practical reasoning.
Gunn replied, "Well, someone's last name is more rare than a person's first name. So it makes sense to me he would name it LuthorCorp and not LexCorp."
It is a simple shift that fits neatly into Gunn’s grounded approach to the Man of Steel. He has mentioned before that he wants to leave the door open for Lex’s parents to appear in future stories, that would be an interesting dynamic considering the character’s time behind bars in Superman.
Someone clearly needed to take charge of LuthorCorp during his absence, which could set up a strong narrative thread for Man of Tomorrow.
Gunn has never hidden his affection for the iconic villain, even sharing that he sees a bit of himself in Lex. Hoult’s portrayal made a strong impression in Superman, and the character is already set to return for the sequel.
This time Lex and Clark Kent will be forced into an uneasy alliance when Brainiac descends on Metropolis. Earlier this year, Gunn teased just how central Lex will be, saying, "It is a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat. And it’s more complicated than that, but that’s a big part of it. It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie."
Hoult also shared that Man of Tomorrow begins filming in April and calling Gunn’s script “awesome.” It sounds like the next chapter in the DCU is shaping up to be something special.
Superman, the first feature film from DC Studios, arrived in theaters this summer and introduced audiences to a new vision of the legendary hero. In classic James Gunn fashion, the film blends sweeping action with humor and genuine heart, presenting a Superman driven by empathy and a belief in the good within people.
Superman is now streaming on HBO Max and available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu ray, and DVD.