The Fortress of Solitude is getting a familiar voice. Michael Rosenbaum, best known to DC fans as the definitive Lex Luthor from Smallville, has confirmed that he’ll appear in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film — albeit in a smaller, voice-only role. During a panel at Fan Expo Dallas hosted by ScreenRant’s Joseph Deckelmeier, Rosenbaum was asked whether he would be involved in the new DC Universe. He gave fans exactly what they wanted to hear:

“I don’t know. James asked me to do something fun, so I have a couple of lines that I voice. It’s funny, in a way… Anyway, there was nothing in this one, but he’s the head of DC, so I think he can stick me in a movie or something. He’s thoughtful, so I hope that happens. But I think the movie’s gonna be great. It comes out on my birthday!”

Rosenbaum added that Gunn, one of his best friends, has poured his “heart and soul” into Superman, and described the project as “exciting.” The film marks the first live-action entry in the new DC Universe, which Gunn is building from the ground up as co-head of DC Studios.

Tom Welling, Rosenbaum’s former Smallville co-star and on-screen Clark Kent, also chimed in during the panel when the discussion came up. Reflecting on Rosenbaum’s track record with this kind of material, he said:

“I will say, to your point, I’ve never seen anything that involved Michael go wrong. Everything that exists, or that is going to happen? Once [Michael] gets involved, it’s better.”

Who Will Cameo In ‘Superman’?

Gunn has already cast Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in the new film, which seemed to leave little room for Rosenbaum to return in that iconic role — unless a multiverse twist is in store. But his recent comments suggest that, like Alan Tudyk and Michael Rooker, he’ll be voicing one of the quirky robots populating Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. Still, fans haven’t ruled out a future on-screen role, perhaps as Lionel Luthor, Lex’s father — though the 17-year age gap between Hoult and Rosenbaum might make that difficult unless flashbacks are involved. Previously, Rosenbaum addressed the idea, saying:

“If that ever came to the table, I would certainly consider it.”

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for all the latest updates on the first chapter of James Gun’s new DC Universe.

Source: ScreenRant