Latest news with #Lex
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
If you loved ‘Superman,' you need to watch ‘Smallville' — and you can stream all 10 seasons on Hulu
There's a new Superman in Metropolis, and while his face is new, he feels eerily familiar. Since the beginning, Superman has always felt like two characters: Kal-El and Clark Kent. Every hero has a secret identity, but few are as tricky to balance. Most actors tend to favor one over the other. But in 2025's "Superman," David Corenswet nails both. He brings classic charm and moral clarity while making the character his own. We meet him already established at the Daily Planet and as a hero — no tired origin story, just immersion. While Corenswet shines, what thrilled me most was the film's embrace of Clark's roots. Too often, Superman movies skip over what actually makes him Clark: the Kents. Watching certain scenes, I felt like I was back in 2001, reliving Tom Welling's journey from farm boy to hero in "Smallville." Now that Kansas is back in the spotlight, it's the perfect time to revisit Clark's coming-of-age. While "Smallville" is largely pre-cape, its monster-of-the-week structure gives us a deep dive into Clark's most complex relationship: Lex Luthor. And with Nicholas Hoult's sharp new Lex still fresh, now's a great time to binge-watch all 10 seasons of "Smallville" on Hulu — whether it's your first watch or your hundredth. One month free trial! Try Hulu free for 30 days and check out movies like "The Amateur" at no cost. Yes, Clark is an alien. But what most Superman movies overlook is the fact that he was raised human. The Kents didn't just give him shelter — they gave him his values. Like the new film, "Smallville" focuses on life on the farm, showing Clark's version of a 'normal' upbringing. The Kents may not be wealthy, but they raise him with humility, kindness, and a deep respect for life. In "Smallville," John Kent won't let Clark accept a new truck from Lex, even after saving his life. The lesson? You don't get rewarded for doing the right thing. Without that foundation, Clark could've easily gone the way of Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern — or worse, become someone like Lex, who masks selfishness with noble intent. The Kents in "Superman" (2025) are even more grounded. Their house is run-down, their farm modest. But what they give Clark is priceless: identity, purpose, a compass. 'It's who you are, not where you come from,' John tells him — a sentiment echoed throughout "Smallville." Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I've said it for years: Michael Rosenbaum is the best Lex Luthor. Most versions dive too fast into villainy, skipping the complexity. Lex isn't just a criminal — he's a brilliant, obsessive, deeply broken man. "Smallville" took liberties with Clark and Lex's origin, but their bond is the soul of the show. It's layered, tragic, and unforgettable. No surprise the top "Smallville" fanfiction ship is Clark and Lex. Over time, Lex becomes obsessed with Clark's secret, and their trust slowly unravels. Rosenbaum gave us a slow, painful descent into darkness, as Lex's curiosity morphs into paranoia. Hoult's Lex in "Superman" echoes that same DNA: unhinged brilliance fueled by insecurity. Both actors capture Lex's deep need for power and control, laced with just enough humanity to make you flinch. I don't usually feel for villains — but Rosenbaum's Lex gets me every time. People love to complain that superhero movies are 'too political' now. But Superman's always been political. He's an alien immigrant who fights for the powerless — that's baked into his DNA. The 2025 film leans into that legacy, just as the original comics tackled war, corruption, and inequality. "Smallville" isn't overtly political, but it still explores power and morality — especially through Lex's rise in later seasons. If the movie's commentary hit home, you'll find quieter echoes in Clark's small-town struggles and Lex's ambition. And importantly, neither version gives us a perfect hero. Corenswet's Clark is cocky and stubborn, and some of the film's chaos is his own doing. Same goes for "Smallville's" Clark, who hides the truth from Lex and walks away when honesty might have changed everything. Superman's strength isn't just in flight or heat vision — it's in trying to do the right thing, even when he fails. And that drive doesn't come from Krypton. It comes from the Kents. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Neurodivergent students complete 1,000-mile cycle
A boy who completed a 1,000-mile (1,609km) cycle challenge says it shows neurodivergent people are "capable of anything".Lex, who has ADHD and dyslexia, took off from John O'Groats on 19 June to cycle to Land's End with a team of students aged 14-16 from Appleford School in Shrewton school is a specialist centre for children aged seven to 16 with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties such as dyspraxia and dyscalculia."It just shows we can do everything we want to and, as young people, we are entitled to do anything we want to," Lex added. He told BBC Radio Wiltshire the whole challenge was "amazing" but he particularly loved Scotland."Seeing all the mountains and just the landscaping, it's so different to the south coast," he said. The student completed the challenge with 11 other pupils from the who also took part, said he "loved all of it" and was missing getting on his bike every he was tired when the team finished, with his longest day being a 90-mile cycle, Monty said the whole experience was for team member Aubrey, Dartmoor and the "rolling hills" were the highlight."I'm very glad I've been able to do it. The confidence throughout [the team] has risen," she said. Lex's mum, Angela, said the challenge had helped the children "come out of their shells"."Two of them, on speech day, stood up and said what it meant to them and their story."Doing things like this, we've heard their voice for the first time," she said the team's success was "awe-inspiring"."It's absolutely unbelievable what they've achieved. The students want to achieve something and make the most of every opportunity," she added.
Business Insider
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Every actor who's played Lex Luthor, ranked from worst to best, including Nicholas Hoult
When you think of comic book villains, the Joker would likely come to mind first. After a few tries, you'd no doubt get to Lex Luthor, the bald baddie obsessed with taking down Superman — and that would bug him to no end. What makes Lex a compelling villain is that, despite having the most powerful hero of all time as a nemesis, he's actually a worthy opponent. His intellect, wealth, and enormous reserve of hatred for our favorite Kryptonian are more than enough to concern Superman time and time again. In every version of on-screen Superman (or Supergirl), there has been a Lex, including in the latest film, "Superman," starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. We've gone through every major version of Lex — sorry, to the extensive list of animated DC TV movies, but we'd be here all day if we included them — and ranked them from worst to best. Here's how Hoult stacks up to every Luthor before him. 13. Ike Barinholtz ('The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,' 2019) Due to the nature of his time on screen — essentially a cameo as a brainwashed version of Lex, who was friends with Superman and the rest of the Justice League — Barinholtz's version of the character is at the bottom of this ranking. But we'd like to see Barinholtz take another crack at it. Please give us a sequel to "The Lego Batman Movie," Warner Bros.! 12. Lyle Talbot ('Atom Man vs. Superman,' 1950) This is the first on-screen depiction of Superman's greatest foe, just 10 years after his comics debut — and before his background was revamped for the Silver Age of comics in 1960. Therefore, Talbot's version of Lex is just too different from the character we've come to know and love (to hate) over the last 65 years. This serial is fun, though, for any fan of Superman who wants to be a completionist. 11. Titus Welliver ('Titans,' 2022) Welliver was in just one episode of "Titans" before the character was killed off, but he made an impression. However, his version of Lex can't be any higher because we barely saw it. Welliver's performance, though, does have the inherent malice and manipulation skills needed to be a solid Lex. We just wish we'd seen more. 10. Jesse Eisenberg ('Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,' 'Justice League,' and 'Zack Snyder's Justice League,' 2016-2021) Far and away, the most controversial portrayal of Lex is Eisenberg's version of him in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe. The first issue? It takes him the entire movie to be bald. We just can't abide by that. Secondly, Eisenberg's version of Lex is too motormouthed and manic to be intimidating. And his plan in "Batman v Superman" is too convoluted to be scary. Remember the jar of pee? Eisenberg himself knows that he wasn't the most popular version of the character. "I was so poorly received," he told Dax Shepard on an episode of " Armchair Expert" in 2024. "I've never said this before and it's kind of embarrassing to admit, but I genuinely think it actually hurt my career in a real way." 9. Michael Cudlitz ('Superman & Lois,' 2023-2024) Cudlitz popped up in the final two seasons of The CW show "Superman & Lois," which followed Supes and Lois on their journey as parents to twin teenagers. His version of Lex is more of a brawler than some others and, weirdly, not that smart, which is a problem since his intellect is usually what makes him a formidable foe. 8. Jon Cryer ('Supergirl,' 2018-2021) In a funny bit of meta-casting, Cryer was tapped to play this bald baddie 31 years after playing Lex's nephew Lenny in "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace." However, Cryer (best known for his comedic roles in "Two and a Half Men" and "Pretty in Pink") just wasn't quite intimidating enough to be a plausible threat to Supergirl and the rest of the heroes from the Arrowverse. 7. Giancarlo Esposito/Lance Reddick/Wendell Pierce ('Harley Quinn' and 'Kite Man! Hell Yeah,' 2019-2025) We're lumping the three vocal performances across the "Harley Quinn" and "Kite Man" universes together, since they're equally brilliant, but ultimately, Lex isn't a big enough character in the "Quinn"-verse to rate higher. 6. John Shea ('Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,' 1993-1997) This version of Lex brought the idea of Clark/Superman and Lex as romantic rivals to our TV screens, as both were in love with Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher), a plot that was also used in "Smallville." Shea was only a series regular for the first season of "Lois & Clark," so we didn't get to see much of the arc between Superman and Lex, but he was a suitably sinister Lex. He was also quite believable as a snarky businessman, a key part of the character. 5. Kevin Spacey ('Superman Returns,' 2007) Spacey's performance as Lex is another controversial one, as he was supposed to be a continuation of Gene Hackman's version of the character (more on that next), but the two weren't all that similar. Spacey's version of Lex has more barely suppressed rage than Hackman's, and while he might be even hammier than his predecessor, we'd argue that he's almost as compelling. Two scenes of Spacey's stand out to us. First, when Lex is demonstrating his evil plan to his team on the model town, and he slowly disappears into the darkness. It's genuinely eerie stuff. Second is when he's captured Lois on his megayacht, and he's begging her to say that Superman will "never let you get away with this!" … only to scream "WRONG" in her face. 3. Gene Hackman ('Superman,' 'Superman II,' and 'Superman IV: The Quest for Peace,' 1978-1987) Hackman, who played Lex across three movies, is still probably the best-known and beloved version of the character. He's a perfect foil to Christopher Reeve's Boy Scout-esque version of Superman — while Superman is selfless, Lex is only interested in the bottom line. Our only knock is that Hackman's performance gets campier and more outsized as the movies go on, capped off by the abysmal "Quest for Peace." But if we limit his performance to the first two films, Hackman belongs on the comic-movie-villain Mount Rushmore. 4. Nicholas Hoult ('Superman,' 2025) Yes, he might be new, but Hoult's version of Lex is an all-time, No. 1 Hater of Superman, which is really what the character boils down to. He just hates Superman's guts and everything he stands for. Hoult is also perfectly calibrated to director James Gunn's wild and wacky tone, so his over-the-top moments don't stand out. And, while a bit silly, he manages to be quite menacing throughout and unafraid to get his hands dirty to take down the Man of Steel. There's a speech Lex makes in this movie that also explains why he hates Superman so much: He's jealous of him. That might be a simple idea, but it's not one we've seen depicted on screen many times. 2. Clancy Brown (The DC Animated Universe, 1996-2006) One of two Lex Luthors who played their character for a decade, Brown's vocal performance as Lex is a standout in an animated universe that's filled with iconic performances (Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman, Mark Hamill as the Joker, Dana Delany as Lois — we could go on…). Brown's version of the character is never anything less than cool. He's smart, he's rich, he's got an iconic lair surrounded by an aquarium of sharks, and we wouldn't want to cross him. What more could you ask for from Lex Luthor? 1. Michael Rosenbaum ('Smallville,' 2001-2011) Are you surprised? Rosenbaum had seven seasons (plus a series finale cameo) to build his characterization of Lex. He starts the show as one of Clark's friends and ends it as his biggest enemy (and also the president of the United States, somehow). We got to learn about Lex's tortured relationship with his father, his insecurities about his intellect, and his insatiable curiosity. It's the most fully realized version of the character, and for that reason, Rosenbaum ranks No. 1.
Tom's Guide
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I actually love ‘Superman' — but I have 3 big issues we need to talk about
Let me start with a confession. I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with Superman. Every single time "Man of Steel" comes on TV, I just drop what I'm doing and start watching. My kids recently got me a framed illustration of myself as Superman that hangs in my home office. And when it came time to watch "Superman" in theaters on opening day, I wore a Superman T-shirt with the new logo along with my daughter. And I felt more proud than embarrassed. So when I say I have some issues with the new "Superman" movie, you should know that it's coming from a place of love. Overall, I really enjoyed the film, and especially liked the heartfelt performance from David Corenswet. His Superman is a bit self-righteous and impetuous in this first installment from James Gunn, but there's a warmth and self-doubt in the character that I appreciate. I also liked Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) as a reluctant hero who manages to steal the show during the most thrilling action scene in the film, and overall, there's some welcome levity to balance the intense action and some impressive special effects. But I also have some issues with "Superman" that I need to get off my chest, and I'd like to know what you think. I will warn you that there are some spoilers ahead, so if you haven't watched yet, be warned! Listen, I get that the Fortress of Solitude is fairly secure in that it disappears into the frickin' ice when Superman isn't home. Plus, you need to have Kal-El's DNA to unlock the door. But how could Superman not plan for the very remote possibility that someone could break in? This movie is supposedly set in 2025. Do security cameras not exist in the DC universe? And once Lex Luthor, Ultraman and The Engineer enter the premises and start wreaking havoc, I had questions: 1. Why can't the robots contact Superman in some way? A beeper? Something! 2. Why is there not a protocol in place to self-destruct or at least render the data that villains might want to steal useless? Instead, Superman figures out his Fortress has been violated only after a video of his parents' private message to him airs on TV. It's time for some upgrades, people. Here's a head scratcher. As Superman is taken away as a prisoner into a pocket dimension, Lex brags about his army of literal monkeys that are posting misinformation and hatred about Superman. It's a mildly humorous scene seeing all of these monkeys typing away, but why does Lex need them? We're talking about a super genius who has managed to create a pocket dimension, forge a clone of Superman and use an AI algorithm to anticipate Superman's fight moves and beat him in battle. But he's not smart enough to create an AI program to trash-talk Superman on social media? Maybe he just likes having lots of pets as slaves. In the film, Jimmy tries to convince Lex's girlfriend, Eve Teschmacher, to supply evidence that would implicate Lex in his plan to help Boravia invade a neighboring country. Eve says she's willing to give him that evidence, but only if Jimmy is willing to spend an entire weekend with her, as she has a crush on Olsen. But then Jimmy does the unthinkable. With Superman currently abducted and the fate of the world in the balance, he actually ponders this decision. Now, this 'dilemma' did generate some nervous laughter in the theater (and I was one of those laughing), but this is one of those times where you don't think about it and take one for the team. At least Jimmy ultimately does the right thing. Ultimately, I really liked "Superman" and I think it sets the stage for a fun new DC universe. But I found a few flaws with the film. Let me know if you agree or not. Now I'm going to go watch "Man of Steel" again until 'Superman' comes out on streaming.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Millennials And Zoomers Are Locked In A Battle Over Phone Etiquette, And I NEED To Know Whose Side You're On
Well... it's happening again. One generation is being called out by another, and for once, millennials are not the target. Gen Z is on the hook (that's a phone pun for those of you who haven't used a landline) this time for the way they answer the phone. Over on Twitter (now known as X), Lex (@jorilextera) shared their recent experience with Gen Z's phone etiquette. "i'm a recruiter so i do a TON of phone interviews and something i've noticed about gen z specifically is that a lot of them answer the phone and don't say anything. like i can hear their breathing and the background noise, but they wait for you to say hello first." Related: Yes, you read that right. Some Zoomers are picking up the phone and then just sitting there, breathing, waiting for the caller to address them. Lex clarified that these are scheduled, planned phone calls, so they shouldn't come as a surprise. But the fact that some Zoomers are totally silent when they pick up — well, that did come as a surprise to most millennials. And of course, they weighed in immediately with their thoughts. "WHY TF WOULD YOU NOT ANSWER A PHONE CALL THAT YOU KNOW IS HAPPENING WITH HELLO????????" this person said. "If you answer a call, YOU say hello so the other person knows you answered omfg" Related: "You mean there's an audio version of the Gen Z stare?" "if you know how to have a normal human interaction with another living person, you are in the top 1% of your cohort..." Gen Z clapped back, saying that rampant spam phone calls make them wait to say anything until the caller has identified themselves. "When 90% of the phone calm you get are scam calls and you hear about AI duping your voice to trick your loved ones into scams you become skeptical of everything" Related: "lmao I do this ... although it sounds pretty conspiracy theoryish , i heard once that callers can record your voice, alter it, then try to call your family to scam them pretending to be you..." "Once those spam calls bots hear voice detected it's game over ... But if you're quiet, they hang up after a few seconds." Others felt like this was just a normal rule. "Isn't it a universal law that the person who's doing the calling should be the one to say hello??" "Respectfully if you called me I expect a hello from you first... Idc if it's a scheduled call whoever makes the call should say the first hello." "Why can't you speak first? You literally called?" this person asked. Related: But millennials just weren't having it. "Why would you answer the call just to breathe in the phone like a weirdo and not say anything. If it's a spam call, just hang up." "If someone calls you, you say hello first. I am stunned at how many people sincerely believe the caller should talk first. Pick up the phone and say hello has been the standard forever." "the whole point of the word 'hello' was to have a SPECIFIC greeting to signal that you picked up the phone." And finally, this person tossed out an inspired suggestion: "this why we gotta bring the 'whussaaaaap' commercials back. so these kids learn a major social contract." Now, I've gotta know: what do you think? Is saying "hello" when you answer the phone the proper etiquette? Or is the caller supposed to be the one who introduces themselves first? Let us know in the comments below: Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds:
