It’s clear that James Gunn’s Superman pays homage to the Man of Steel’s history on the big screen (see: the use of John Williams’ iconic theme in the trailers), but the reboot also has some nods to DC’s past in the TV medium. In an interview with ComicBook to promote Superman, Gunn shared that he included a major reference to the TV series Smallville. Dating back to the first Superman teaser trailer released late last year, fans have known that the DC Universe’s Lex Luthor is in charge of LuthorCorp, which is a Smallville Easter egg.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“When I was making this movie, I really was taking stuff from all sorts of different comic books and TV shows and movies,” Gunn said. “And I’m a Smallville fan. It was LutherCorp in Smallville and so it is that. But also, first of all, most people don’t name their corporations after their first names, right? So, I believed it more in terms of that. And also, you know, it leaves the door open for, you know, was his father, in any way, ever a part of this, or his mother.”
Though Superman represents the dawn of a new era for the character and DC, Gunn has found numerous ways to pay respect to the character’s rich legacy across various mediums. With its tone and storytelling approach, the film is harkening back to the Christopher Reeve movies, looking to entertain audiences with an optimistic tale. Gunn has also pulled key elements from the comics, such as Clark Kent’s hypno glasses.
In the DC Extended Universe, Lex’s company was called LexCorp. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s revealed that Lex’s father, Lex Luthor Sr., had founded it years prior. On Smallville, the company eventually changed its name to LexCorp, but it was introduced as LuthorCorp. Created by Lex’s father Lionel Luthor, LuthorCorp initially focused on agricultural products before expanding its horizons. Biotechnology, weapons, and electronics were among the areas the company added to its portfolio.
Smallville is a huge part of Superman history, earning a loyal, passionate fan base across its 10-season run. Though it’s been off the air since 2011, there’s still interest in seeing some sort continuation; Smallville co-creator Al Gough remains hopeful a planned sequel series will eventually see the light of day. Considering Smallville‘s place in the zeitgeist, it’s nice to see Gunn tip his hat to the long-running TV show. Though this obviously isn’t the same as seeing Tom Welling back in action as Clark Kent, fans will likely appreciate this Easter egg that acknowledges Smallville‘s impact in the overall Superman franchise.
Outside of the Smallville connection, Gunn’s reasoning for going with LexCorp is practical. It’s common for characters/people to use their surnames when naming a company. Marvel has multiple instances of this, including OsCorp (founded by Norman Osborn) and Stark Industries (founded by Tony Stark). So it’s just logical for Gunn and the DCU to run with LuthorCorp. It’ll be interesting to see if Superman dives into Lex’s family history and details whether or not his family have any role with the company.
