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Doomsday Entering SMALLVILLE, Luthor Departs

By: Jarrod Sarafin
Date: Friday, May 02, 2008
Source: CW Press Release

As expected and rumored, leading star Michael Rosenbaum has left "Smallville" as it's set to begin production on Season 8. Also, a press release has indicated that Doomsday will be featured in the upcoming season, which you can see below.

Here's what he had to say to the fans.

Dear Smallville Fans,

Well, it's been seven wonderful years. Your support is what has made Smallville so successful, and I appreciate you all more than you know.

That being said, it is time for me to start the next chapter of my life and career. I hope that I gave you some enjoyment over the years, and that you found my portrayal of Lex Luthor to be satisfying. I am truly grateful, as Smallville fans are the best fans out there. I sincerely hope that you will continue to follow my career through my hair growth period and beyond.

I'm very excited about what the future holds, but certainly, Smallville will always be a part of me. I will definitely miss the greatest crew in the world, and the wonderful cast that has been like a family to me.

Thank you Al and Miles for creating the show. Thank you writers, producers, directors and editors. Thanks Tollin, Robbins and Davola for being there for the pilot. Thank you Peter Roth for employing me for ten years. Lisa Lewis, I miss you already. John Glover, thanks for helping me feel more comfortable touching other actors, while acting. Bizarre, but helpful.

Mostly, I want to thank Greg Beeman for directing the "Oh Sherry" video, by Steve Perry, back in the 80's.

Thanks crew. Thanks fans. Thanks Smallville.

I love you all,

Michael Rosenbaum

Here's the CW press release, which says that Doomsday will be featured in the eight season.

Joint statement from "Smallville" Executive Producers Darren Swimmer, Todd Slavkin, Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson; The CW Network; and Warner Bros. Television regarding Michael Rosenbaum's departure from "Smallville":

"It has been an honor and pleasure to work with Michael for the past six seasons. He is one of the best actors on television and has never failed to bring a new layer to the character of Lex Luthor in every episode. While Michael won't be a series regular and we won't have the pleasure of working with him on a weekly basis this fall, we like to think that we haven't seen the last of Lex Luthor. Stay tuned."

Details for Season 8:

Additionally, two new villains will join the cast of characters on "Smallville" this season: the legendary, unstoppable Doomsday, and a female antagonist who will challenge Clark in ways never before imagined. Casting is underway for both roles.

Doomsday: In season eight, Clark will face his ultimate challenge with the appearance of the legendary, unstoppable destroyer Doomsday, who appears on "Smallville" for the first time. As comic book fans know, Doomsday is notorious for being the only character in the DC Comics universe to have killed Superman.

Female villain: Doomsday won't be Clark's only nemesis in the upcoming season. The executive producers are tight-lipped about a new female villain they will be introducing, but they can say she will be familiar to many fans and will set her sights on Clark in ways Lex never could. Intelligent, brilliantly manipulative, and dangerously sinister, our gorgeous new villain has one more weapon in her arsenal: Her mutual attraction with Clark may prove to be as deadly as kryptonite for him.



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Comments/Responses
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WISEGUY562 • May 02, 2008, 12:44am •
IRON MAN......Always been a huge fan of IronMan,(since those old Marvel cartoons with hardly any animation) one of the big hitters of the Marvel Universe. Defended him through out the Civil War and I'm glad as hell he finally got his due. I just can't overstate how big a fan I've always been, not a johnny come lately. Then again growing up a Marvel zombie I guess is understandable................... Caught the 8 o'clock show then the midnight show. I'm revved up so high is unbelievable. Right now I'm putting this as one of the best superhero movies ever. It was fucking awesome, action and cgi were just out of this world, just enough comedy and still didn't take away from a terrific plot. Gwyneth Paltrow, who I've never being big on, stole my heart and was perfect for her role. The entire cast was on the money. I love how they've laid the ground work for the Mandarin with the "Ten Rings" in the future. Will definitely see it again during the weekend. Can't remember the last time I was compelled to go see multiple viewings of a film during the same weekend, not to mention the same night, that's how good this was. I just can't say enough about it. The scene and final line after the credits made me want to wet myself. I'm just giddy right now. Everybody go see this film and take the whole family.................By the way the Hulk trailer looked even more amazing on the big screen and the response from the audience gives me hope that it will be well received....Go MARVEL..............This is the only topic worthy of discussion this weekend. I must spread the word.

WISEGUY562 • May 02, 2008, 12:50am •
Doomsday, Now I just know this is in no way going to be the same version from the book. Doomsday was just a killing machine, unstopable, so I guess we can expect a pussified version just like we get for most characters on this show. I still won't miss a moment of it though. Bringt it on. I am having a hard time guessing who the female villain might be, my mind is still in a daze from watching the great, the Invincible Iron Man.

lazerman • May 02, 2008, 01:31am •
I love SUperman, have "THE DEATH AND RETURN OF SUPERMAN" Symbol tattooed onto my right shoulder, and I love watching SMALLVILLE when it comes out on DVD and go on a BINGE, but season 7 does NOT impress me, and I just wish it would freakin END!

It is time for the MAN to become SUPER!

mlaforcer • May 02, 2008, 02:07am •
Wiseguy...I am now concerned for you and feel that you may have forgotten what all these other threads are for...here is a different thread psychologist, she can help you with your thread confusion...www.differentthreadpsychologist.com...Good luck on that...

ponyboy76 • May 02, 2008, 04:15am •
If they are pulling Doomsday out then this season 8 will definitely be the last season. I hope they actually end it on a good note. I`m going to miss Lex. He is one of the big reason that I`ve kept watching. His transition into the soul-less bastasrd that is Lex Luthor has been awesome. I hope this last season they get some better writers or have these writers come up with some better stories.------------------------------------I`m going to catch Iron Man in about 2 hours so I`m excited.

Dazzler • May 02, 2008, 04:34am •
Can't wait to see their take on Doomsday. Probably a human.

I guess it was time to move on from overused Lex anyway. But he was great on the show starting off as Clark's B.F.

Female villain coming up....I don't read the comic since it's crappy D/C (go Marvel) but in the toons I think there was a female that wanted to mate with Superman. Forgot her name. She was a strong as Superman and if anybody got her way watch out. Barda maybe?

syxxblade • May 02, 2008, 04:47am •
You're thinging of Maxima...

That wouldn't be a bad twist actually..

emaldonado20 • May 02, 2008, 05:05am •
It does suck to see Micheal Rosenbaum leave Smallville, because he did an amazing job playing lex luthor, I'm sure he'll make at least one or two guest appearances at the most for the last season. As for bringing Doomsday in the mix, I'm not really feeling it. You can't make Doomsday different from what we all know him to be, an unstoppable killing machine. A mindless monster with all those crazy boney spikes coming out of his body, if they make him any different, that will suck. Hopefully they end Smallville with a bang, with clark leaving smallville to become the hero he's meant to be.

xpaladinx45 • May 02, 2008, 05:40am •
First, hate seeing Michael leave, as i've always loved his portrayal of the young Lex. Second, Doomsday on small is a VERY bad BAD idea. It was bad enough that the story of the Death of Superman was as bad as it was in the animated movie they made, I can only guess at how bad it is going to come across with Doomsday on Smallville. Will I be watching? Yea. Am i fully expecting to be cussing at my tv screen next season? yup. Most of season 7 wasn't all that good. Season 8's only chance is if they get some better storytelling going again, adn the Doomsday angle just really doesn't give much hope.

monkeyfoot • May 02, 2008, 06:51am •
Well, we knew it was coming and since the show is (or should) be
winding down its probably about time for his career. Good luck to him.
Doomsday will of course be the "pussified" version mentioned above.
They simply do not have the budget for a massive Hulk-like behemoth.
More than likely he will be very human in appearance and played by a
wrestler or bodybuilder. He'll probably talk and come up with schemes
to get Clark instead of just smashing everything in sight (That's
expensive!)
But whattdahell, it's Bizarro Superman world and I'll watch for the fun
of it. It would be a pretty cool idea to have him be played by Lou
Ferrigno.
Anybody have an idea of the female villain? I can't think of who that
could be.I've never heard of the Maxima character.

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