Smallville Animated Series Update From Tom Welling Isn’t Good

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Key Takeaways

  • Warner Bros. hasn’t responded to Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum’s pitch for a Smallville animated series.
  • James Gunn’s DCU reboot may hinder Smallville’s revival due to different Superman versions.
  • With Warner Bros. focusing on Gunn’s projects, the Smallville animated series faces uncertainty.

As a long-time Smallville enthusiast who’s been through the rollercoaster of expectations since its final season ended a decade ago, I can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment with Warner Bros.’ seeming reluctance to greenlight an animated series continuation of this beloved show.

The animated adaptation of the popular TV show “Smallville” is currently under development by its original cast members Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum. Lately, Tom Welling shared some insights with fans regarding the progress of the Superman project, along with Warner Bros.’ reaction to their proposal.

Smallville concluded its 10-year journey in 2011 when Tom Welling’s character, Clark Kent, accepted his fate and assumed the Superman role. The finale was largely appreciated by audiences, though some viewers were disappointed that Welling didn’t wear the complete suit, given the anticipation of 10 years to see Superman on Smallville. An additional season was published as a comic book, but in 2021, Welling revealed he and Rosenbaum were developing an animated Smallville series to carry forward the story. Unfortunately, there seems to be minimal advancement on this project from Warner Bros., and Welling’s latest update is not promising.

At Comic Con Stockholm, during an interview with ScreenRant, I shared that the progress on our proposed Smallville animated series is contingent upon receiving a green light from Warner Bros., which we haven’t received yet. When inquired if this indicates a lack of interest in a Smallville animated series or just no response, I made it clear that they haven’t contacted us back. I speculated that perhaps the reason Warner Bros. hasn’t responded to our pitch is because they might be preoccupied with other projects.

[Laughs] We’ve yet to receive a reply! It’s quite peculiar since this project originated from fans. It won’t be a box office hit, nor will it bring significant financial gains for any of us. However, we enjoy each other’s company and working together, and if given the chance, it would be enjoyable. Unfortunately, Warner Bros., who I want to emphasize I have no ill feelings towards, haven’t responded yet. It seems this project isn’t a priority for them right now, much like someone not returning calls. [laughs]

Warner Bros. might hesitate to revive Smallville due to James Gunn’s DCU franchise, a reboot of the DC Extended Universe intended to have a more interconnected storyline across films, TV shows, and video games. Although Gunn has mentioned that past DC media remains canonical if it’s referenced in a DCU project, the emerging franchise is primarily starting fresh with new interpretations of classic comic book characters. However, Rosenbaum, who happens to be friends with Gunn and played Martinex in Gunn’s last two Guardians of the Galaxy films, suggested that Welling should ask Gunn about the possibility of a Smallville animated series when he was told this, and the actor agreed.

I know! We joked about it. Michael says, ‘Oh, James is so busy.’ I think it’d be a fun idea. We already have the animation done. I don’t know if Michael shared it already, but we have a poster for it. It’s [with] the cast and Lionel Luthor looming behind [them.]

It seems that Warner Bros. is hesitant to have multiple interpretations of Superman, given the upcoming release of James Gunn’s new Superman movie next summer, which will kickstart the DCU film franchise. Consequently, the TV show “Superman and Lois” was discontinued, as Warner Bros. didn’t want it to clash with the movie. It’s not surprising, then, that they are reluctant to greenlight a “Smallville” animated series.

Although it might displease many supporters, it’s understandable that Gunn desires a new beginning within the DC Universe, given the mixed reception of Zack Snyder’s DCEU projects among critics and the confusion about their narrative connections that frustrated fans. Warner Bros., in an effort to create a cohesive franchise similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, assigned Gunn the task of developing a new series without any lingering issues from the DCEU. Since The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker characters are now part of the DCU, but Gunn was previously involved with these DCEU projects, he’s comfortable working with that material. This is likely why Sasha Calle, who played Supergirl, was replaced. Although it might appear unfair, this is currently Gunn’s approach for the DC Universe.

Smallville is available on Hulu and Prime Video.

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2024-11-11 23:25