20 Greatest Performances In Superhero Movies
13. Gene Hackman - Lex Luthor (Superman I & II)
Gene Hackman kick-started the trend of Lex Luthor being a character played by an A-list actor who gets to have a little fun and overact to their heart's content.
Hackman's scenery-chewing performance is extremely divisive among fans, but it's nothing if not extremely entertaining. It's a far cry from the comic book interpretation of the character, Hackman had a reputation for being difficult on set, and he totally phoned in the fourth movie (honestly, who can blame him?), but for a time he cemented himself as probably the biggest a**hole in superhero cinema.
He may not be much of a match for Christopher Reeve's Superman overall, but he's an absolute blast to watch, especially during his scenes with Ned Beatty's bumbling henchman Otis.