“Lex is getting darker and lets all his colors show! All hell will break loose!”

Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) has confirmed that next season will his last, and most likely the show’s last season as well. Here’s what else he had to say:

Shmuel Reuven (SR): So how’s the shooting going on Smallville?

Michael Rosenbaum (MR): We’re finishing up; Monday’s my last day, and then I’m going to Paris for a while, but it’s really great, I have to say. It’s a great year, the ratings are consistently high. It’s great when you’re on a show that has that longevity, but it’s even better when a show’s ratings are so high; our show’s ratings are just as high as the first couple seasons. We’re creating more and more fans, and I know we’re going next year. That will be my final year, and then I can hopefully delve into more comedies. For me, it’s great work and I think the show is getting intense as we go; Lex is inevitably getting darker, and next year is when he lets all his colors show.

SR: You’re finishing up the season finale on Monday?

MR: Yeah, it’s my last day on the finale; we’re finishing it.

SR: Is anything going to happen with Lex on in the upcoming remaining episodes of this season?

MR: Lex Luther and Lana Lang just got married; Lana was pretty much forced into getting married to Lex. Lionel Luther pretty much forced her into doing so. Lex really thinks he established true love; he doesn’t always do the right thing, but I think he really loved Lana. And Clark’s torn because he really thought Lana was going to marry him and not Lex; something happened in the last episode, Promise, that now their marriage is on thin ice, it’s not going as planned. Lana’s finding things out about Lex and things about her pregnancy. It’s getting a lot darker than it has in years. Lex has a project he’s been working on, and he definitely has ulterior motives and he is ambitious, but I think that ambition gets the best of him. He’s still trying to hold on; he’s trying not to go to the dark side, but it’s pretty inevitable.

SR: You’re in the sixth year now –

MR: Yeah, we’re finishing up our sixth year and next year is the last year.

SR: Have you become Lex in your off-Smallville time? Have you grown into the character?

MR: Yeah, I found it in the first couple years, I was a little nervous; in the first year, I was trying to find the character. You want to please the audience, but you want to bring some humility to the character; I don’t want him to be a cartoon. I try to make every character I do, and that’s who he is – as long as you stay in that box. And I’ve been pretty lucky, but I guess, over the years it’s become easier and easier.

SR: What’s it like to have a director like Rick Rosenthal come back to direct certain episodes?

MR: Yeah, Rick directed some of my favorite movies; he directed Bad Boys with Sean Penn. He’s a joy to work with; he directed the big marriage episode. He’s one of those guys who’s really easy going, he’ll let you do your own thing; but he definitely knows a lot, and he likes to let you know – (in his best Rick voice) “Well, let me tell you, Michael, if you’re going to do that, I know this from experience…’ He’s just a great guy and he has a great vision; it’s great working with him always.

SR: If there’s one thing to intrigue the fans a little for the next few episodes, what would it be?

MR: This year is a big year, but next year is going to be the biggest year of all; it’s the final year and everyone’s going to see what Lex Luther is really capable of. All hell’s going to break loose!

Catch the final episodes of “Smallville” Thursday’s at 8PM on The CW.

Also, don’t forget to see Michael’s dance skills in “Kickin’ It Old School”; in theaters April 27th. It stars Jamie Kennedy and Maria Menounos, among some of your favorite 80’s TV characters including Knight Rider himself, David Hasselhoff and Webster’s Emmanuel Lewis!