Who was the best Luthor?

[kingdom warrior]

Gene hackman would be my first choice I loved his portrayal in the first two movies.

Kevin Spacey was really god too a little darker.

I really enjoy Michael Rosenbaums version but he get's to work it better because of the run of the show.

Lyle Talbot was really good in the Seriel very Golden age Luthor
and Clancey Browns version I love his voice is what I hear when I read a story with Luthor in it.

[The Sentry]

Sherman Howard who played him from season two onward on Superboy was the best purely EVIL, demented Lex. Great performance. Too bad we'll probably never see Superboy season 2 on DVD due to low sales of season 1 and all the Superboy legal issues.
Chris

Wow! I didn't kow "Bub" (The smart zombie from my favorite Romero film"Day of the Dead". Bub's also my favorite zombie ever!) played Lex! I'll definetly have to look into that!

For me I will have to say Spacey did the role justice! I was taken back by his performance as the cunning villian! I always liked Lex Luthor. He was besides Dr. Doom the epittamy of bad assness! Spacey played it to the hilt! Even shanking Supes in the back with the kryptonite shard and pushing him off into the water! That was prolly the most brutal scene in a comic book movie I have ever seen! The look on his face was priceless too! (I only own the Luthor figures from the new Superman movie cause he was just too damn bad for his own good.........kinda like the comic book Luthor!

[MegoMonk]

I am a big fan of Rosenbaum on Smallville. His scenes with John glover as his father are usually the best part of Smallville.
BTW, was there ever a Lionel Luthor in the comics???

[The Toyroom]

BTW, was there ever a Lionel Luthor in the comics???

To my knowledge, Lionel is an original creation for Smallville...

[huedell]

I think Clancy Brown should've reprised his role as a "live" Lex Luthor
---that animated Lex was just delicious (as was Hamill's Joker)

In light of using a different "sort" of actor...

I do think Spacey's portrayal of Lex was just fantastic in my opinion

Hackman and Reeve hold a special place in my heart, but my thoughts are
that I'd prefer to see the Routh/Spacey team go three more movies and keep
Reeves/Hackman as a fond "second place/silver medal" memory that
helped jumpstart movies that are less rough around the edges than the
Salkind tainted, mishap chocked, older movies

I really enjoyed Superman Returns desperate attempt to link the two
waves of the WB Superman franchises---it was charming, and I
sincerely hope its given a chance to blossom

....and that Kevin Spacey has a few happy returns as Lex Luthor

Of course my dream movie would be:

WORLD'S FINEST
starring
KEVIN SPACEY - HEATH LEDGER - CHRISTIAN BALE - BRANDON ROUTH

Directed By
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN & BRYAN SINGER

[Goblin19]

I love Gene Hackman, but wish Lex was a more serious villain in the first movies. He;s a little too comical. Spacey did a great job in the new movie. Again, Clancy Brown's vocal performance really makes you hate Lex in the cartoons.

[Brue]

John Shea (Lois and Clark) may win the award in my book for worst portrayal of Lex ever, except I can't remember the Superboy TV show well enough to comment on that version.

Oh yeah with the Shea comment and as for the Superboy Lex (there were actually 2)- terrible.

I think hackman tried to go too campy and put out some of his worst work for those films.

Spacey fixed his problems.

I'd toss it up between spacey and rosenbaum
(talbot wasn't bad though)

[Customslab]

boy from smallville and the new lex was good imo the g.hackman lex was just bad written role

[samurainoir]

For me Smallville has created the most compelling Lex, but this is not the more "iconic" Lex from the comics. Hopefully we'll be able to that side of him once he descends completely into his dark side before the end of the series.

As much as we love the nostalgia of Hackman's Luthor, there was never the weight and threat from him... too much of the comedic approach for any sense of true menace to come through.

I think the animated universe really managed to find the balance of Lex as Mad Scientist and Businessman.

[jayihdz]

The animated version is one of my favorites.