Superman & Lois Casts Michael Cudlitz as New Lex Luthor for Season 3
Don’t call it a recast. (Or do! Who are we to pretend to understand the multiverse at this point?)
When Superman & Lois returns for Season 3, the CW series will introduce yet another Lex Luthor, this time played by The Walking Dead‘s Michael Cudlitz, TVLine has confirmed.
Per his official description, Cudlitz’s character is “known to the world as the visionary billionaire behind LexCorp, but secretly, the criminal underworld knows who Lex truly is: a brutal psychopath who terrorizes anyone he crosses paths with. When Lex debuts this season, it’s been years since he dropped out of the public eye and he’s re-emerging hellbent on correcting a personal injustice by enacting revenge on the two people he feels have wronged him — Superman and Lois Lane.”
Jon Cryer was the first actor to play the Arrowverse‘s Lex, making his debut on Supergirl in 2019 before tangling with other superheroes in The CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Wolé Parks was briefly believed to be a new version of Lex in Superman & Lois‘ series premiere, but that turned out to be a misdirect; he was later revealed to be John Henry Irons.
Superman & Lois‘ third season premieres on Tuesday, March 14 at 8/7c.
EW was the first to report Cudlitz’s casting. Your thoughts on the new(est) Lex? Drop ’em in a comment below.
My guess is that the showrunners know the odds of a season four are low and decided to go out on top. After all, Superman’s greatest enemy is and always will be Lex Luthor. Really a confrontation between them is the only way it should end.
Or… They pull another Titans. “Here’s Lex Luthor! … Gotcha!”
How ironic! He went from one The Walking Dead show to another.
Ouch
hahaahaha!!
I wish they decided to stick with Jon Cryer. He was excellent as Lex Luthor on Supergirl.
Jon Cryer is fantastic but if I’m correct in my guess on the version of Lex this show is bringing in then he wouldn’t have worked and this casting fits much better.
It’s because at the end of season 2 general lane established this earth’s Superman wasn’t on earth prime but a diffrent earth
Jon has a new show and previously said he probably couldn’t do it even if asked. Since they shuffled them off to another earth… I’m just going with it.
Unexpected choice but one I’m really on board with. Great show and he’s a fantastic actor. Looking forward to see this show’s take on Lex and Michael & Tyler going head to head.
Well, that’s disappointing. Cryer’s Lex great.
So hyped for season 3 and can’t wait to see this. From Bitsie’s twitter response he’s not on set yet so it must be in the last third of the season Lex appears as they’ve just wrapped episode 9.
Knowing how this show does things, it will turn out that he’s the one pulling the strings and causing chaos behind the scenes. Clark and Lois will only realise this in the latter third of the season. Hoping we get some flash back and back story episode on the relationship with Lois, Superman and Lex.
Part of what has always made Lex so formidable is his brazenly public, “upstanding citizen” persona. An “off-the-grid vigilante” Lex feels like a less interesting story – like a sane Joker, or an army-less Darkseid.
Then again, they basically already did the Lex thing with Morgan Edge (adding the Kryptonian twist), and then again with Ally Allston, so mixing it up makes sense.
I like this casting. I think he’ll add a gravitas to the character that’s needed in this show. Really like him in Southland and The Walking Dead, Will be good to see him in scenes going up against Bitsie and Tyler.
I’m sorry for being completely out of touch with the cool kids but who or what is Bitsie?
Elizabeth Tulloch used to be credited in things as Bitsie Tulloch until the last season of Grimm in 2017. Not sure why the switch.
Everything I’m hearing and seeing so far for season 3 has me really excited. Interesting casting choice. Intrigued to see it in action.
Same. Can’t wait for March
Cudlitz and Luthor make a great pairing… if completely unnecessary.
I would have liked Titus Welliver. He was wasted in Titans.
Tbh pretty much everyone is wasted on that show
This Show! Just makes good choices.
I’m sure he’ll be fine but this has to be the burliest actor they’ve ever cast as Lex. But nothing wrong with a different look.
This seems like a good opportunity for the show to do another flashback episode to Superman and Lois’s early years when they first encountered Lex. Season 3 ep 11?
Pretty good casting.I enjoyed him on Walking Dead and Clarice.I wonder if S & L is the reason Titans was only allowed to use Lex Luthor for one episode ths season?
I was really hoping Superman and Lois would avoid the cliche route of using Lex Luther. Jon Cryer was amazing as Lex on Superman, but he ended up being a plot crutch to be honest. I really don’t want to see the same thing on Superman and Lois.
I had really hoped they were going to bring in darkseid this season as secondary threat instead, like Im beyond tired of lex luthor at this point imo.
Interesting how the description refers to LexCorp when the show already established LuthorCorp in multiple episodes during season 1… Oh wait that was before the obvious/obnoxious Arrowverse retcon in the season 2 finale 😒
Exactly. This sudden “Oh wait, it’s not in the Arrowverse” thing is just so stupid. Especially when it really look like it’ll only for one season as well.
Interesting choice but I’ve enjoyed this actors performances in other shows. Really hope this show manages to get a 4th season. While I know the odds are against this due to both Nexstar and DC changes, it would be great to have 4 seasons and 60 episodes. I’d be satisfied to say goodbye after that.
Viva Michael “Tony Miller” Cudlitz
I would prefer if they kept Jon Cryer. Even on different Earth it would still make sense- But they could do way worse than Michael Cudlitz. It will be interesting to see what he’ll do with the role.
Why not…
Every time I see Cudlitz or Shawn Hatosy in anything (or Regina King, for that matter), all I can think is, “Man, I miss Southland.”
Lol I liked michael in TWD. He is a great actor. I’m excited to see him in one of my favorite shows on cw. I wonder what he will look like with a bald Head lololol. Good luck see you In March.
I really wish we were talking about Cudlitz and another season of The Kids Are Alright but I digress…any chance to see him is great. He elevates everything he’s in.