The Best Lex Luthor Is Joining The DCU In A New Role

Clancy Brown, the voice of Lex Luthor from DC Animated Universe, has been cast as mobster Sal Maroni in The Penguin.

By Lyndon Nicholas | Published

Lex Luthor, voiced by Clancy Brown, in the DC Animated Universe

Some people revel in being the bad guy and given the amount of them that he’s played, including the iconic Superman foe Lex Luthor, actor Clancy Brown might be one of those people. Now, according to an article from Variety, The Batman HBO spin-off series The Penguin has cast Clancy Brown as one of its many villains.

In The Penguin, Clancy Brown will be playing the mobster and crime boss Salvatore Maroni. At one time a prominent force in Gotham City’s organized crime scene, Maroni’s arrest preceded the rise of Carmine Falcone and directly influenced the events of the recent film The Batman. It should be interesting to see how the mob boss’ character will come into play and what kind of relationship he has with The Penguin.

The Penguin television series, now starring Clancy Brown, will reportedly pick up where The Batman film left off. Colin Farrell will lead the series, reprising his role as the titular supervillain The Penguin. He will be joined by Cristin Milioti, Michael Kelly, Deirdre O’Connell, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Rhenzy Feliz.

Lauren LeFranc is the writer, executive producer, and showrunner of the eight-episode The Penguin. She is known for production work on the series Impulse and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and as a writer for Chuck. Although it is still fairly early in the production process with no release date at this point, optimistic viewers are hoping for a release in late 2023 or early 2024. 

The Penguin’s Clancy Brown is a veteran actor who, if readers don’t recognize his face, will certainly recognize his voice. He’s been a prolific voice actor, with credits for over 100 animated series and films. Brown’s iconic voice and intimidating demeanor have made him popular for villainous roles.

clancy brown the boys
Clancy Brown in Dexter: New Blood

Brown may best be known for voicing Lex Luthor in various projects throughout the years or as the voice of everyone’s favorite money-grubbing, restaurant-owning crustacean Mr. Krabs in the Nickelodeon cartoon series Spongebob Squarepants. The list of his works is truly too long to be included in this article, but some other shows he’s worked on include Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Jackie Chan Adventures, and Gargoyles

Outside of his voice acting, Brown has also had a career in live-action acting. His most famous roles include features in Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers, and Promising Young Woman. He recently had a role in the Dexter revival series Dexter: New Blood, and is slated to appear in the upcoming action thriller John Wick: Chapter 4 later this year.

Brown has done voice work for several video games outside of television and film. His voice appears in well-known games, including Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, and God of War III.

The Penguin’s choice to add Clancy Brown bodes well for those who want to see the series succeed. Whatever villain he plays is sure to have an air of gravitas that only a veteran presence like Brown can provide. Excited fans should stay updated with the latest details and news about the series.