Clark Kent/Superman and Lex Luthor actors Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum open up about how the Arrowverse timeline, Smallville was the first superhero drama for the network, following The WB/UPN merger, which brought the Superman drama over to the new channel. Even though Smallville ended in 2011, its relevance and influence in the current superhero landscape haven't gone unnoticed.

In the newest issue of Wingman magazine, Welling and Rosenbaum looked back at the larger legacy of Smallville, but also its impact on what became known as the DC TV era on The CW with the creation of the Arrowverse. The Smallville stars reflected on how their show launched during a time when the superhero genre wasn't where it is today, while stating the following on the birth of the Arrowverse:

ROSENBAUM: I think the last few seasons of "Smallville" they started doing digital. And then all these other shows that came out were all digital, which I think it lost a little bit of its luster, maybe. But those shows all did great, and they were all people that I loved working with, and I have a lot of friends on them, and they were all enormous shows. But I love that you said that we were the first because I feel like we were. They looked at our show and said "Wow! This worked, how do we do another one of those?" What happens when something works in the entertainment industry? They try and recreate it, and they did it with "Arrow," and "The Flash," and "Superman and Lois." By doing that, they say thanks without ever saying thanks. But we're aware, and they're aware that we were the 1st of all those shows. And I think that you know that makes me feel good, knowing that we were the 1st of many.

WELLING: I think that we were very fortunate that when "Smallville" started, visual effects had become affordable or within the means of a television budget. And we had some really interesting people around us who were able to maximize that. And it set a tone. And, Mike, you know, you talked about going from film to digital. I think one of the things that maybe gets lost in translation is that film is very expensive. So, when the camera rolls, it's really important that everybody's ready. Looking back, I see that when we went digital, which wasn't right away, but there was more like, we'll do it again. Yeah I'm sorry I forgot your question already [Laughs.]

ROSENBAUM: No, you're right. A lot of these shows came after "Smallville" and I think even movies. There were more of these kinds of movies made, and they saw them, and were in awe that we're doing it on the small screen. They didn't try and emulate it, but took our formula and said, "How can we do this in our own way?" They had a lot of the same crews, same directors and DPs on "Arrow" and on "The Flash." They wanted to do what they knew worked. So, it made perfect sense.

What Tom Welling & Michael Rosenbaum's Smallville Comments Meant For The Arrowverse

As Rosenbaum and Welling pointed out themselves, it's crucial to that when Smallville premiered back in 2001, the comic book genre's place in Hollywood was minimal. After the genre's downfall in the late 1990s, studios were extremely hesitant to invest in superhero properties across the big and small screens. Even for network television, the Smallville TV show was the only active comic book series until its end in 2011.

Smallville proved to network executives that there was an audience who would invest in weekly stories about superheroes, which is why it didn't take long for The CW to then develop Arrow before that show spun out a whole interconnected universe. Even the Arrowverse has acknowledged the effect Welling and Rosenbaum's show had on the franchise. That became evident in Smallville cast co-star Erica Durance, reprised their roles as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, giving their show a moment to be celebrated in Greg Berlanti's franchise.

Our Take On Tom Welling & Michael Rosenbaum's Arrowverse-Smallville Comments

Hearing Welling and Rosenbaum's appreciation for the Arrowverse, while also seeing how Smallville paved the way for the franchise, makes The CW's DC TV legacy feel even more special, as there arguably wouldn't have been all of these shows had the Superman prequel not succeeded. While comic book TV shows are more common, it may not have been the case if Smallville's legacy had never happened. While Smallville and the Arrowverse have finished their run, the world can continue to relive every single moment of them through Blu-ray/DVD and streaming.

DC Movie Releases

• 

  Superman

  Release Date

  July 11, 2025

  Powered by

  

  Expand Collapse
• 

  Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

  Release Date

  June 26, 2026

  Powered by

  

  Expand Collapse
• 

  The Batman Part II

  Release Date

  October 1, 2027

  Powered by

  

  Expand Collapse

Source: Wingman