10 Comic Book Characters Who Were Better On TV Than In Movies
2. Lex Luthor
Superman's arch-nemesis Lex Luthor has appeared in numerous films over the years, with easily the most iconic cinematic version being that played by Gene Hackman in the Christopher Reeve movies. But as iconic as Hackman is, you won't find the best live-action Lex Luthor in any movie. You'll find him in Smallville, Kansas.
Not unlike Arrow after it, The WB's Smallville certainly divided fans over the course of its decade-long run. But if there's one character the Superman prequel series got absolutely right, it's Lex.
Played by Justice League Unlimited alum Michael Rosenbaum, Smallville's Lex Luthor is easily the most fleshed out we've ever seen on-screen. The years and years' worth of hour-long television episodes chronicling his tragic transformation from Clark Kent's best friend to Superman's worst enemy is something almost no movie could ever hope to replicate.
Smallville also changed Lex's mythology for the better with the introduction of his father, Lionel Luthor, whose cruelty added a whole extra dimension to the supervillain-to-be's fall from grace. Couple that with consistently great performances by Rosenbaum, and you have a version of Lex Luthor that isn't likely to be surpassed anytime soon.