New “Man of Steel” castmember Christopher Meloni, whose role has yet to be announced, might not be playing the oft-speculated Lex Luthor after all. Instead, the actor tells Vulture that he’s playing a General. The only General that comes to mind in Superman lore is, of course, General Sam Lane – Lois’s father.

There were rumours a couple of months ago that the ‘General’ would be one of the central villains in the new “Superman” film. No solid evidence emerged to back up the rumours but now, with this revelation that Meloni could be playing Lane, one has to wonder whether there might be something to those thought-dodgy ‘Lane/Metallo’ rumours.

Among the actors that have portrayed General Sam Lane on the screen – Dennis Arndt (on “Lois & Clark”), “Herbie” star Dean Jones (who voiced the character on “Superman : The Animated Series”), Michael Ironside (The “Total Recall” star played Lois’s father on four episodes of “Smallville”), and Kirk Alyn (plays an plain clothes Sam Lane in Richard Donner’s “Superman : The Movie”).

As good as Meloni would be as Luthor, he’d probably also make a good Sam Lane – authoritative yet a charming snake; more so, Meloni’s one heck of a versatile actor, check out say, “Wet Hot American Summer” and “Runaway Bride” and then an episode of his work on “Law & Order : SVU”, you’d swear it’s a different guy.

Vulture reports :

When Vulture caught up with the now ex-Law & Order: SVU star at the Public Theater Gala earlier this week, he told us he’d be instead playing a general in the movie. But when we pressed for more information about the role, he said, “I can’t tell you, or I’d have to kill you.” We did manage to learn that he starts filming at the end of August and he’ll shoot his part over the course of five months in locations including Chicago, Vancouver, and Edwards Air Force Base.

What do you think? Is the character Sam Lane?