Over 20 years after its debut, Smallville is still beloved and has amassed a firm fanbase. That sheer level of love is the reason why many are still hoping that the Superman prequel series might continue in some form. For some time now, two of the show’s lead actors, Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum, have reportedly been looking to get an animated revival series off the ground alongside the original series’ OG producers. Updates on the project have been few and far between, but a fresh update now has me feeling disappointed.
Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Welling have been co-hosting the Talkville rewatch podcast since 2022, and they frequently welcome special guests. During the most recent installment, which is on YouTube, they spoke to producer Alfred Gough on the phone. Talk eventually turned to the possibility of the animated series. Gough still seems to have interest in joining the project should it ever happen, but it seems changes at Warner Bros. are holding it up:
That is the thing, I think the problem with most projects in development in any studio or at any network is regime change. And Warners has obviously gone through a lot. And I think the fact that they are in the process of rebooting Superman again, kind of unfortunately, I think, keeps our thing off the table for a bit.
At present, DC Studios is indeed working on a new production involving the Man of Steel. James Gunn’s DCU continuity is taking shape, and the first film in that franchise will be the highly anticipated Superman, which opens in theaters this coming July. It’s an exciting prospect, though it’s bittersweet, considering that it may be hampering any kind of Smallville follow-up. The presumed logic here is that WB wouldn’t want a specific property being split between two mediums. It was previously reported that such thinking factored into the cancellation of The CW’s Superman & Lois (though cast member Elizabeth Tulloch said that went beyond Gunn).
So it would appear that the chances of fans seeing Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Welling reprise their roles in the near future are slim. Nevertheless, when it comes to this ever-evolving media landscape, one can truly never say never. Alfred Gough alluded to that notion later during his conversation with his longtime colleagues:
As you know, everything comes around in one form or another, I just read the other day that they are rebooting Buffy for Hulu.
Smallville, which premiered on The WB in 2001 and ran for 10 seasons, has had significant staying power. Even after the show ended, the continuity continued through the Season 11 comic book series. And, back in 2020, Tom Welling appeared as Clark Kent again, when he decided to join the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, which encompassed the various Arrowverse shows. In my eyes, Welling was the “perfect” Clark, while Michael Rosenbaum defined the role of Lex Luthor for a generation.
Needless to say, I’d be delighted to see both stars take on their characters once more. That may not be in the cards right now but, at a time like this, I’ll simply hold onto an ideal that’s synonymous with Superman – hope. In the meantime, stream all 10 seasons of Smallville now using a Hulu subscription.
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