It’s been over a decade since Smallville wrapped its 10-season run, but fans still can’t stop asking: “When is Clark Kent coming back?” And no, not the new guy in James Gunn’s reboot, David Corenswet, but Tom Welling’s flannel-wearing, reluctant farmboy hero who made Kansas cool long before the Arrowverse even knew what leather jackets were.
If you’ve been clinging to hope for a Smallville comeback, you’re not alone. Welling and co-star Michael Rosenbaum (aka the best Lex Luthor ever) have been quietly working behind the scenes on an animated sequel series for the last few years.
So what’s the holdup? Why haven’t we seen the animated return of Smallville‘s Justice League? Turns out, they haven’t even pitched it to Warner Bros. Discovery yet. Timing is everything, and apparently, the timing has been “off” since… forever.
“We haven’t gone to Warner Bros. yet,” Welling said on the Inside of You podcast with Rosenbaum. “It just doesn’t seem like our show is the type of show where that would happen. I’m smiling and saying it will probably never happen. But I love the idea!”
Tom Welling isn’t wrong to be cautious. DC Studios is currently all-in on James Gunn’s Superman movie. And Warner Bros. is treating anything Superman-adjacent like kryptonite. Just ask Superman & Lois and the Arrowverse, which got the axe to avoid clashing with the film and the DCU.
Original Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar are also on board for the reboot, which is a good sign, especially since they’ve recently found renewed success with Netflix’s Wednesday. But they know how the system works.
“The problem with most projects in development in any studio and/or any network is regime change,” Gough explained. “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, keeps our thing off the table for a bit.”
Still, he’s not giving up hope. “Everything comes around in one form or another. I just read the other day that they are rebooting Buffy for Hulu.”
Meanwhile, Rosenbaum, who is really good friends with James Gunn, the head of DC Studios, has flat-out said now is probably the worst time to pitch a Smallville sequel, which might explain why they’re holding back. But the plan is still there: get the original cast to voice their characters, stay true to the show’s tone, and pick up right where they left off.
Until Warner Bros. starts thinking an animated Smallville with Tom Welling is the way forward, the project remains in limbo.
But we’re convinced that Smallville‘s Clark will fly again. At some point. This time, with a voice cast. So don’t be surprised to hear Remy Zero’s “Somebody Save Me” again soon.
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