MICHAEL ROSENBAUM RETURNS AS LEX LUTHOR FOR THE SMALLVILLE SERIES FINALE

February 16, 2011 (Burbank, California) - Michael Rosenbaum will reprise his role as Lex Luthor in the series finale of SMALLVILLE on Friday, May 13 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.)

"I'm delighted to return for the series finale," says Rosenbaum. "I'm simply doing it for all of the fans out there who made SMALLVILLE the great success it is. I appreciate all of their passion, their relentlessness and even their threats. Ha ha. I can't wait to hug the old crew back in Vancouver one last time and see all of my old friends once again. Oh, and for Lex to become the badass he's destined to be."

Executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders added, "It feels like the stars are aligning, literally. We couldn't be more excited about having Michael back. And as far as the way he returns, there'll be no doubt about how Lex becomes the great rival in Clark Kent's life. He is the villain of the story."

Rosenbaum exited at the end of season seven after Lex confronted Clark (Tom Welling) in the Fortress of Solitude. Years of secrets came to a head as Clark's former friend finally discovered the truth about Clark's alien heritage. The rivalry between the two culminated into a final showdown and crumbled, literally, under an icy avalanche as the Fortress fell. Lex's body was never found. Now, Lex has risen from the ashes to fulfill his place in destiny as Clark Kent's greatest nemesis.

SMALLVILLE was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar ("Shanghai Noon," "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"), based on the DC Comics characters. Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins, Joe Davola and Tom Welling. The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink and Warner Bros. Television. SUPERMAN was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.