Are we sure he has what it takes to play a bald scientist/criminal-mastermind?
(Gene Hackman/Kevin Spacey playing the lead villain for laughs was the worst thing about the Cristopher Reeves movies though, so hopefully Cranston will play it more Walter White and less Hal)
Has there even been a truly good adult Lex luthor?
Cosmicbooknews is a website of questionable veracity and the only source that’s claiming this so far.
Plus the creators themselves have said they see Luthor as a Richard Branson/Brad Pitt combo. A handsome adventurer type.
Nothing personal, pet peeve: Reeve.
George Reeves.
Christopher Reeve.
Simple mnemonic: each name only has one s.
Yeah, John Shea in the Adventures of Lois and Clark. Outside of that, not that I know of.
“The Breaking Bad star is said to have signed up to play Superman’s long-time nemesis for a minimum of six films which could extend to ten.”
Dubious. I don’t think actors typically sign up for a minimum of six films at once.
And would they really plan to have six to ten films with Luthor as the villain?
No, but they might plan for six to ten films in which they want to allow for the character to appear. How many times has someone else had to play a character in a film just because no one ever thought to go ahead and get the original contractually obligated to do the sequels?
They may be thinking along the lines of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. He may only show up a few minutes in a Marvel movie, but it added a lot towards continuity up to the Avengers.
I enjoyed Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor on Smallville.
Exactly, yes. He may not be the villain, but they may want to “allow for the character to appear,” was what I was getting at.
Bryan Cranston—isn’t he the guy who played the dad on Malcolm in the Middle? I like him, but I’m not sure how well he’ll be able to handle a darker, more serious role.
Have you not seen Breaking Bad? The dude can do dark and menacing quite well.
He also played dentist Tim Whatley in Seinfeld.
Methinks Chefguy got whooshed. 
“Again”, is what you meant to add.
There was very recently a highly voted post with a picture of Cranston and something saying how he should play Luthor. The timing of this news seems to be inspired by that post, so I don’t believe it’s true.
Combine these in a remake of Marathon Man: “Is it safe?”
I like Gene Hackman in the first two Superman movies.
Samuel L. Jackson originally signed up for six Marvel movies and I believe Mark Ruffalo is contracted for four. It happens.
Both Hackman and Spacey did fine jobs as Luthor. The only problem Spacey had was that he was in a really boring movie.