The Man of Steel has been back in the news once again as hype continues to build for the Superman: Legacy motion picture coming in 2025. Written and directed by James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad fame, the film will usher in the new big-screen DC Universe, reintroducing the Last Son of Krypton and his supporting cast to moviegoers everywhere.
Besides Clark Kent himself, Superman: Legacy will feature new incarnations of iconic DC characters like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and even Krypto the Superdog. Unsurprisingly, Superman’s infamous arch-nemesis Lex Luthor will be appearing in the film as well, though it’s currently unclear what his role in the story will be. And while Luthor isn’t the type to play second fiddle to another villain, there are a few very important reasons why letting Lex take a backseat in the upcoming film could actually be a major benefit.
Lex Luthor Could Still Be Important to the Plot
For starters, it’s important to clarify that even if Luthor isn’t the main antagonist of Superman: Legacy, that doesn’t mean he’d be relegated to a cameo appearance — or worse yet, a post-credits tease. After all, modern depictions of Luthor don’t typically place him in the role of a would-be world conqueror. He’s more at home plotting behind the scenes than trying to seize power directly. As such, it’d be all too easy for Luthor to be introduced as a secondary antagonist while a more overt threat drives the plot.
So far, all of James Gunn’s superhero films have featured a third-party antagonist that serves as a wild card in the conflict between the protagonists and the big bad. The first GOTG had Yondu, Vol. 2 had Ayesha and the Sovereign, and most recently, Vol. 3 had Adam Warlock. Even The Suicide Squad is no exception, with Peacemaker’s sudden betrayal interfering with the Squad’s mission. Naturally, Lex Luthor would be an ideal fit for this role in Superman: Legacy.
According to Gunn, the central theme of the film will be Clark trying to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. As such, it’d make perfect sense to have him face both a human and alien antagonist over the course of the film, with Luthor serving in the former role. And considering Luthor’s vehement hatred of aliens and view of himself as Earth’s true protector, the movie could even end with an uneasy alliance between Superman and Luthor, teaming up against a common enemy. This is all merely speculation, of course, but the fact remains that Luthor could still have a pivotal role in Legacy even without being its main antagonist.
Lex Luthor Should Still Have a Bigger Role to Play Later On
However, Luthor obviously can’t stay a side villain forever. Sooner or later, he’ll have to step into the spotlight and assert himself as Superman’s true archenemy. So by being introduced in Legacy as a secondary antagonist, Luthor would already be established as a significant force in the new DCU when he takes the big bad seat in an eventual sequel. Think Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta in Aquaman — while he’s ultimately subordinate to Ocean Master within the film’s story, he’s still a major threat who’s set up to become Aquaman’s main nemesis in the future.
Alternatively, stepping out of the DC Universe, an even better comparison would be Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rather than serving as a one-and-done antagonist like so many other superhero movie villains, Loki sticks around for several films, with his role growing and changing over time. He goes from a personal nemesis to Thor to a threat to the entire planet, before eventually becoming something of a hero. While the DCU’s Luthor certainly shouldn’t follow Loki’s exact character arc, he’d still be effective in a similar role, serving as a recurring antagonist for the Superman movies instead of merely the villain of a single film.
The Movie Should Use Other Classic Superman Villains
However, the biggest advantage to using Luthor as a secondary antagonist in Legacy is that it would finally give a new Superman villain a chance to shine on the big screen. Superman has been appearing in feature films since the 1950s, yet over the decades, only a handful of his comic book foes have appeared in the movies. By giving Luthor a reduced role in his DCU debut, it’d allow some much-needed limelight to a Superman villain who has yet to make their cinematic debut.
The most obvious candidate for the main antagonist role in Legacy is Brainiac, likely the most prominent Superman villain who’s never appeared on film. As a powerful alien invader who even has close ties to Krypton in some portrayals, Brainiac would be a perfect fit for the aforementioned themes of the film. But besides Brainiac, there are plenty of other members of Superman’s rogues’ gallery who could easily make their first big-screen appearances in Legacy, from Metallo to Parasite to Mongul to the Ultra-Humanite.
There are so many major Superman villains in the comics who have gone decades without even coming close to a movie role. So by letting a brand-new bad guy take Luthor’s usual role as main antagonist, Superman: Legacy could provide a fresh new adaptation of the Superman mythos while still paying homage to the source material. But even if he isn’t the film’s primary villain, Luthor could still have a critical part in the story, setting him up as a major player in the DCU. Though only time will tell what role he has to play in the upcoming film, Superman: Legacy could very well be the start of a bold new era for Lex Luthor on the big screen.