HBO Max and DC’s Titans loves to add new characters to its already impressively long roster, and coming in the next season is none other than Lex Luthor, who will be played by Titus Welliver (Bosh, Sons of Anarchy). The first image of Welliver in the role was shared this week and … he has a beard. I’m into it. Very … into it.
Showrunner Greg Walker talked to Entertainment Weekly about tapping Welliver for the role and finding out the actor was a huge fan.
“When I called to kind of lure him in, I could barely get a word in,” Walker said. “We were talking on the phone and he was just walking through his library, telling me about all his Wolfman/Perez Titans editions. He’s a giant, giant fan. He’d watched every episode of the show, and could tell me about certain stories, certain shots. It was the most unexpected call I’ve ever had.”
Lex Luthor has not appeared onscreen yet, but his presence has been felt, especially when the character of Superboy/Conner (Joshua Orpin) was introduced. Conner was created combining Superman’s DNA with Luthor’s, something that has always been a huge source of emotional conflict for the character of Conner. This season, Walker promises that will play a big role in the story.
“We’re really going deeper in all these characters and shaking them up,” Walker says. “What shakes Conner up is an identity story. He’s explored his Superman self, but he has not really explored his Lex self. What does that mean when you do? What happens when you give that self the keys to the car? Does it start driving the wrong way at rush hour 100 miles an hour?”
We got a taste of that when Conner dated Blackfire, and his more douche and controlling side came out. As for Luthor himself, Walker has talked about what makes the character such an interesting villain, especially in this series.
“He has a very sensitive, thoughtful approach to evil and power,” Walker explained. “You know what he’s done, what he’s capable of doing, except like many of those people, he’s personable. He doesn’t have a cat on his lap. Yeah. He’s curious, which I think is very interesting about his character. He wants to know about people and what makes them tick, and how they’re different from him. He sees the world through the lens both of his own power and his own inadequacy, and tries to compensate for both.”
Titans has, at times, made some interesting choices with its older cast, but this is one of the cases where I’m very interested to see where it goes. I’m not saying that his beard makes him hot enough that it almost makes me want to reconsider capitalism, but … I enjoy a new look at a character we’ve seen so many times across the DC Universe. Bring on the bearded Luthor.
Titans season 4 premieres on HBO Max this November, and fingers are crossed that this amazing mess makes it to season 5.
(via EW, image: Warner Bros.)
