As is the case in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, doppelgängers/variants in the Arrowverse’s multiverse don’t all look alike. As such, even though Jon Cryer played Lex Luthor for multiple seasons on Supergirl, that doesn’t prevent other DC TV shows from casting other actors to portray the bald supervillain, such as Titus Welliver’s brief appearance as Luthor in Titans Season 4. Now it’s been announced that Superman and Lois has cast its Luthor for Season 3, with The Walking Dead fan favorite Michael Cudlitz filling in the role.
Along with revealing this casting to the world, EW shared what we can expect from Michael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor in Superman and Lois Season 3. While the general public knows this version of Luthor as the visionary genius in charge of LexCorp, the criminal underworld knows him as a “brutal psychopath who terrorizes anyone he crosses paths with.” When Superman and Lois Season 3 begins, Luthor has been absent from the public eye for years, but he’s resurfaced to enact revenge on Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman and Elizabeth Tulloch’s Lois Lane, the two people he feels have wronged him the most.
Michael Cudlitz is best known for playing Abraham Ford on The Walking Dead, first recurring as the character in Season 4, then becoming part of the main cast in Seasons 5-7, along with making two guest appearances following his character’s death and directing four episodes in Seasons 9-11. Prior to joining the AMC zombie series that concluded last November, Cudlitz was recognizable for playing Sgt. Denver "Bull" Randleman in the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers and John Cooper in the crime drama Southland, and in more recent years, he’s starred in the short-lived shows The Kids Are Alright and Clarice. Superman and Lois will be Cudlitz’s second time performing in a comic book adaptation, as he previously voiced Josef/Red Rush in an episode of Invincible Season 1, which can be watched with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Given that Superman and Lex Luthor have been arch-enemies in the comics and other media projects for decades, it’s good to see that Superman and Lois won’t forgo depicting their adversarial relationship. Michael Cudlitz’s Luthor is the second villain to be announced for Season 3, with Chad L. Coleman already on board to play Bruno Mannheim, the leader of Intergang, though it’s unclear how Luthor and Mannheim’s goals will connect to one another. Cudlitz is the third new actor overall who’s attached to Superman and Lois Season 3, as Jonathan Kent is now being played by Michael Bishop following Jordan Elsass’ departure from the role.
Superman and Lois Season 3, which premieres March 14 on The CW, will also see Alex Garfin, Sofia Hasmik, Wolé Parks, Tayler Buck, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Erik Valdez, Inde Navarrette and Dylan Walsh reprising their respective roles. Check out our 2023 TV schedule to discover what other premieres are coming up soon.
