Smallville's Lex Luthor actor, Michael Rosenbaum, reveals he lost a role in an upcoming DC show. Rosenbaum became famous for giving life to Superman's greatest rival, Lex Luthor, over seven of Smallville's ten seasons. Smallville allowed Rosenbaum to become the best live-action Lex Luthor for many, as the actor got the chance to bring incredible nuance to the character, portraying him first as Clark Kent's best friend before the two became bitter rivals. Rosenbaum has another famous DC role, voicing Wally West/ The Flash in multiple shows. The actor recently tried to add another DC show role to his resume but was not successful.

Speaking on his podcast, Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, the Smallville actor revealed he auditioned to play Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Batman: Caped Crusader. The animated series got picked up by Amazon Prime Video after being axed by HBO Max. Batman: Caped Crusader hails from executive producers Matt Reeves, J.J. Abrams, and Bruce Timm. According to Rosenbaum, he got a callback for the role and thought the executives were happy about his Batman but not his Bruce Wayne. Check out the full quote below:

“We had another [audition], remember? The Batman series… It was JJ Abrams and Bruce Timm who created Justice League: Unlimited. It got just axed, but I remember going for a callback with him and everybody. And you know, I think my Batman was really good. I think they were really happy with Batman, but the Bruce Wayne, I don’t think they were happy with. I could tell.”

Could Michael Rosenbaum Be Part Of James Gunn’s DC Universe

James Gunn with Superman from the comics on his right and the DC logo on his left.

DC is currently undergoing major changes, with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over as DC Studios co-CEOs and charting the next decade of DC content. The executives are rebooting the controversial DCEU with the new DC Universe, with Gunn also writing and directing 2025's Superman: Legacy. The movie will be the first film release of the new DC Universe, with previous Superman actor Henry Cavill leaving the role in favor of a younger actor playing Clark Kent in the new DC Universe.

Rosenbaum's most famous role is directly connected to the project, as the actor's time on Smallville made him synonymous with Lex Luthor. If Cavill has been recast, the same should happen to DCEU Lex Luthor actor Jesse Eisenberg. It is possible that Rosenbaum could once again inhabit the Superman villain's shoes, especially since Rosenbaum has been good friends with Gunn for quite some time. The director has worked with the actor multiple times, even adding Rosenbaum to his Guardians of the Galaxy franchise at Marvel.

However, at 50, Rosenbaum is likely too old to play Lex Luthor to the younger Superman of the new DC Universe, as the studio will likely cast the movie's main characters around the same age. While a Lex Luthor return might not be in the cards, Rosenbaum's talents could lead to him playing a number of other roles for DC, with the actor having the ability to excel in both comedy and drama, a tool Gunn has shown to give great appreciation towards in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and that works in the Smallville actor's favor.

Source: Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum

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