Superman Returns was an incredible movie, as long as you fast forward through every single Kevin Spacey scene.

Superman Returns was an incredible movie WITH Spacey in it. So I’m happy.

I’m torn on this. I thought Spacey did a good Lex, but I sort-of wish that they could put Lex on the back burner for a movie or two. It’s not as though The Joker is in EVERY Batman movie, after all.

And imagine the great “reveal” scene at the end of the third or fourth movie if up to that point, we haven’t seen Luthor in a while!

I disagree. Lex seems to occupy a different role in Superman’s life than Joker does for Batman. In the Superman comics, Luther is almost always in the background of most storylines (if he is not the central villain). Joker, on the other hand, can’t appear in a Batman comic without taking center stage. I wouldn’t mind if Luthor occupied this role in the next movie–not the main bad guy, but someone who antagonizes Superman for a scene or two and maybe contributes to the mayhem. However, I agree that Lex can be overused. Here’s hoping that Singer and co. use him sparingly in the next movie.

Kevin Spacey was the worst part of the film! And Lex Luthor is the ultimate evil, a C.E.O. that never gets his hands dirty not some campy idiot.

I liked Spacey as Lex, and I do think he needs to be in the movie. However, I don’t think he needs to be, and hope that he’s not, the central villain. I’m hoping for Bizarro!!! Or Mxyztlpk (or however you freakin’ spell it…)

I have a feeling that Luthor will be one of two villains that Superman will have to deal with. And, if they’re going “Wrath of Khan” on this one, hopefully, Lex will be far, FAR more menacing and evil than he was in “Returns.”

I’m am very upset to hear that Bryan Singer is returning to screw up Superman again. People shouldn’t blame Kevin Spacey for the lousy role Lex Luthor had in Superman Return (here for to referred to as Singerman Repugnant). Kevin Spacey is a fine actor and did portray Lex Luthor well, but there is nothing you can do with with a bad script. Bryan Singer’s tweaking this and that took what would have been an excellent movie into a high budget disappointment. As I am certain he will do again. With the exception of Lois Lane the movie was excellently cast. But once you add the costume change, the kid, Richard White, Superman the wussy crybaby and peeping tom and myriad of other flaws in characterization and continuity not to mention his Lex Luthor Lite or what ever it was you go from Superman Returns to Singerman Repugnant. For you the Lex Luthor flaws stood out but you shouldn’t hold Kevin Spacey responsible for that.

Worst Superhero movie ever gets a sequel?? Maybe Singer can direct a heterosexual Superman that throws a punch and doesn’t rehash the plot from a previous Superman film

I like Spacey. I liked Superman Returns. That said, I’ll wait for the DVD on this one. Why? Because Superman has been around since what, 1949? You’re telling me that in a film franchise that will now have 6 films, your only viable villain for the big screen is Lex Luthor? I’m just tired of it and it speaks volumes abou the utter lack of creativity in Hollywood.

This is unwelcome news. Spacey is a great actor, but his Lex was not near the terror he could have been.

This movie needs action….Brainiac, General Zod, Mongul, Silver Banshee, a combination of Toyman/Prankster/Metallo, Ultra-Humanite (going from scientist to woman to ape), even the ’70s style Terra-Man….not Lex…

My votes for Superman villains if the movie were not going to have Lex:

Desaad (with Darkseid only hinted at)
Brainiac
Manchester Black
Ultra-Humanite (though it would be a pretty different sort of movie)

I just have to say that Superman is more interesting up against the smart villains. It’s brain vs. brawn that makes for the best Superman stories. More action is not really the answer, without the real interest of problem solving.

I don’t have a problem with Kevin Spacey returning as Lex Luthor. I think he did a fantastic job as Luthor in Superman Returns. My problem is with the fact that in total this is the 6th Superman movie with Lex Luthor in it.

Hopefully they will choose another villain for the movie, maybe somebody who will force Superman and Luthor to team-up. Otherwise, I am afraid Man of Steel will be just like Superman Returns. Beautiful to look at but virtually void of anything new.

Wait…..Kevin Spacey was the worst part of Superman Returns???? Did eveyone fall asleep in the first 25 minutes of the movie?? How about a gay Superman for 1, or maybe the worst part was when Sups still had all his powers WITH A FREAK’N HUGE SHARD OF KRYPTONITE STABBED INTO HIS KIDNEYS…did that bother anyone???
Guess not, lets all wine that poor Kevin Spacey is giong to be in the movie, boo hoo.

O, and can anyone point out where in the article it says that Lex will be the Main Villian????? Anyone….

Even ignoring what people may have thought of the 2006 film, let’s note that Luthor is ALWAYS the bad guy. Four of five films, Smallville, the animated series, and comics. The only places he’s not are the 50s TV show and the bulk of Lois and Clark.

It’s time that we saw someone else from that collection of Superman enemies get a chance. One of them must be interesting enough, right?

I really could care less about the Superman sequel. What rankles me is that I JUST READ NOT MORE THAN A WEEK AGO that Kevin Spacey is retiring from acting. What does he think playing the part of the fictious Lex Luthor is. What a jackass….

I thought Spacey retired from acting??

As a lifelong Superman fan I want to say that the only Superman movie I can stand to watch is the one with Richard Pryor.

Superman, as a character, is a hero … yet the character they have chosen to show in the movies has yet to show a true aspect of heroism.

He has sex with Lois Lane, a woman he’s supposed to love, then because he gets his powers back, decides that his secret identity is more important than Lois, and erases her memory.

Then we continue into the latest chapter where we learn that after wiping her memory, he dropped her off at home and heads out into space for 5 years.

When he returns he finds that Lois has a 5 year old child and doesn’t know who the father is. How big of a moron would he have to be not to make the immediate connection?

So, he knows he’s the father but does he appologize? Does he try to explain to Lois what happened? Does he try to make things right or at least offer to take some responsibility? NO!

In the real world, he would probably be charged with date rape, and at the very least be labelled as a deadbeat dad.

They had the opportunity to make a truly heroic movie and to make a new generation gain a little respect for a character who truly deserves it, they failed miserably.

Yeah, Spacey did retire – to run a theatre he just started up, I believe. So count me as one who IS kinda surprised.

But happy.

Wish I could say this was exciting news! Too bad they made Luthor out to be a baffoon. Spacey was alright but did he do any more than channel Hackman? I’d rather see Clancy Brown shave his head and take over the role….least he knows the character.

Maybe with any luck, Lex will kill Superman’s son, go to jail just in time for Brainiac to come around less than halfway thru the movie.

Well, I hated Superman Redux. Bad script, lousy casting (esp. Lois), the kid, plot holes you could drive a truck through, little to no action. NOW you’re telling that (yet again) Luthor’s back. I guess it makes sense to get him off that stupid little island he ended up on, but COME ON… Why do we need to see him in practically every Superman flick?

I was planning to sit out this undeserved sequel anyhow, waiting to rent the DVD only if the reviews/fan opinion was decent, so it really doesn’t matter much to me anyhow. But it’s looking less likely I’ll even want to bother with renting it.

Too bad really… A truly EPIC Superman movie, something on a galactic scale with truly imposing villains, would be a lot of fun. God forbid we get a Superman for the 21st century! Why WB decided, instead, to do pointless rehash of the quaint, outdated 1978 Donner film is a mystery.

I can only pray this means much, MUCH more parker posey as Kitty. Really, nothing says “Superman” more than Kevin and Parker vamping it up. Perhaps a musical number?

I thought that Superman Returns was a pretty boring movie and kind of silly with “Super Baby”. I do recognize that in some ways it was Brian Singer’s love letter to the original Superman movie but what dissapoints me about the upcoming Man of Steel is that from what I understand it is going to be “Superman II redux” with the return of Zod (I think Jude Law is supposed to play him). We have seen all this before. So many great villains and possibilities and the Superman movies just rehash and rehash.

Yeah we need some new damn villians! I’m sick of Lex Luthor.

Alright!! I can’t wait to see Spacey’s Luthor get his comeuppance after his heinous actions in Superman Returns. While I loved the movie and its subtext (Superman as a lonely alien? Love it!) I was let down by the lack of a climax. Still, it was far better than the comics have been in the past decade….

Or it could just be that I’m not a kid anymore and so the adventures of an infallible alien aren’t particularly interesting to me. Either way, Superman Returns was a great shot in the arm for the age old mythology. “You will see your life through my eyes, and I through yours.” Great stuff.

The problem with the Luthor portrayal in the movies is that he is shown as just a criminal (ambitous, sure, but nothing more than that). Only out for money.

Luthor’s greatest quality is that he see’s himself as mankinds savior. In his mind, all of his plans are for the betterment of society. So you can kind of relate to that aspect of his character. Being able to see the villans point of view makes for a much better antagonist.

As CEO of Lexcorp, he would have a public facade of philathrapist and do-gooder (while still scheeming against Superman in his mean time). He would have access to cutting edge technology (ie: military projects, cloning, Metallo, etc). He could even get to play the mad scientist role as seen back in the silver age!

Singer lost the opportunity to give this character a little more room for growth or story potential by pigeonholing him into the money-grubbing Luthor again. Another real estate scheme? C’mon! That wasn’t that great of a plan back in 1978.

As Superman’s greatest foe, the character deserves better treatment than just as a swindler of old maids and crooked real estate agent.

It’s like Time Warner can’t burn their money quick enough.

They just don’t have a clue do they?

This is great news as far as I’m concerned, though I do hope they go a bit deeper with the character this time around. I really enjoyed Superman Returns, but I have faith that Man of Steel will blow it out of the water – much like the case with Singer’s X-Men movies.

I hope he decides to play Luthor this time, and not Gene Hackman.

Also, I want Brainiac.

Yea! Another uninspired Spacey performance! I’ll probably fall asleep watching this one too…

I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass on this.

When Superman was licensed for development into movies this time around, which villians were included in that package? It could be that the producers can only use a limited amount of characters in this movie. If this is so, then they need to renegotiate this deal.

More people got pissed at Lucas for changing Star Wars IV, V and VI some 20 years after the fact, and Singer looks like he’s doing the same to the Superman franchise.

Can’t Hollywood understand that they need something new here? How can Smallville survive for years on TV yet the 21st century movie languishes in mediocre plot and bad characterization?

I want to see Superman. Not weak superman, not Jor El flash-back Superman, not I don’t know how to be a human Superman.

I want Superman. I guess I’ll watch the Machine Playtoy Neo vs. Multiple-Man Agent Smith fight for my fix.

YAY! Kevin Spacey gets to work for 6 weeks and collect a fat check!

Superman Returns was the most boring comic book adaptation ever made. I would rather watch Batman & Robin as well–at least that was entertaining.

The only people involved with the project with any iota of talent were Kevin Spacey and Parker Posey.

While I liked Superman Returns,I can see how todays audiences just aren’t as hyped about this project. Singer did the first 2 X films. But went too retro with S.R. I’m hoping he won’t do the same thing,but this doesn’t look promising. And I didn’t like the kid either.

I hated all of Superman Returns, the story was so boring,the acting was all Drama queen-ish, not believable, and the director had no direction.

I want a SUPER-MAN to live up to that title let him fight Lobo or Bizarro, and get rid of that cape or make it longer and wider.

I’ll be back to see a Superman movie when that happens, Or get Todd Mcfarlane to direct and write, with Alex Ross on the visuals/costumes!

oooooouuuuuu…..THE PARASITE….now that would be awesome. parasite and metallo…thats gotta have some punching in it….

I understand that it was a ‘sort of’ sequel to Superman II. But the fact is that the Superman of the last 25 years isn’t that Superman. While those movies were great, the problem is that isn’t what Superman or his supporting cast is any more. Incuding Lex Luthor. Keven Spacey played Gene Hackman. Not Lex Luthor. Luthor could be in every Superman movie until the end of time as far as I’m concerned. Just make the character what he is. Powerful. Dangerous. Frightening. Not comic relief.

I’m not crazy about it. :p

wow…superman returns was terrible…maybe this sequel can revive the series.