Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum's long-awaited Superman & Lois' finale in December 2024.
Smallville stars Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum announced their plans for an animated Smallville sequel series in 2021. Welling and Rosenbaum have kept their ion for Smallville alive in their podcast, Talk Ville, where they've interviewed co-stars and other celebrities, and their bond over their shared work on Smallville suggests their animated sequel idea is likely to materialize. However, it has been four years since the Smallville sequel was announced, yet the project hasn't moved forward. What's worse, a 2025 update on the Smallville sequel's plans suggests it may take longer to see the light of day than expected.
2025's Smallville Sequel Update Strongly Suggests The Show Isn't Coming Anytime Soon
The Smallville Animated Series Is Stuck In Development At The Moment
In March 2025, Smallville co-creator Al Gough revealed that the Smallville animated sequel needs approval from Warner Bros to move forward, but since Warner Bros. and DC Studios are "in the process of rebooting Superman again," the Smallville sequel will remain "off the table for a bit." (via Talk Ville Podcast ). Given that James Gunn's Superman movie is gearing up to launch the DCU's live-action project slate in July 2025, Warner Bros. and DC Studios must be putting all their focus on it. Having more than one Superman portrayal at a time could distract from the DCU's most important project.
23 Years Later, I’m Fascinated To Think How Smallville’s Original Season 1 Ending Plans Could Have Changed The Show
Plans for the ending of Smallville season 1 were originally very different, and featured a surprisingly dark twist to the Man of Steel’s story.
Superman & Lois was canceled despite its popularity and its potential for many more seasons. While Superman & Lois' cancelation wasn't explicitly attributed to the DCU's Superman, it's clear that Warner and DC are looking to keep all attention on David Corenswet's Superman, at least while James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe finds its footing. DC Studios is also working on many live-action and animated movies and shows at the moment, with at least twelve Gods and Monsters projects in the works over the following years.
The Latest Comments About The Smallville Sequel Make It Seem Like It Will Happen Eventually
Warner Bros. May Introduce More Elseworlds Supermen In The Future
While David Corenswet's Superman may be Warner Bros. and DC Studios' top priority in 2025, the studios might loosen up a little within a couple of years. After the DCU's first chapter is established, it may be possible for other Superman iterations to star in their own projects not connected to the DCU. Nevertheless, these alternate-universe Superman may need to take the DCU's plans for David Corenswet's Superman into . For example, if DC Studios plans to feature Corenswet's Superman in a DCU animated show like Creature Commandos, other Superman shows should avoid following similar plotlines or using similar characters to avoid confusion.
For years, DC TV shows were prohibited from using Batman, as the Dark Knight was exclusively reserved for big-screen appearances. This is the reason why Batman never appeared in shows like Smallville or the entire Arrowverse.
There have been two, or even three simultaneous Batmen on the big screen: Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton's Batmen returned for the last time in The Flash, Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight will star in Matt Reeves' The Batman - Part II, and the DCU's Batman will make his debut in The Brave and the Bold after a cameo in Creature Commandos. The DCU's Batman will be the prime version of the character, while Robert Pattinson's portrayal will be an Elseworlds Batman. Likewise, David Corenswet's Superman could be the prime Superman while Tom Welling's Clark Kent continues his own story in an Elseworlds Smallville animtated sequel series.
The DC Universe Has Already Shown It's Willing To Have Alternate Universe Versions Of Superman
The DCU Already Spared One Alternate Superman Portrayal
David Corenswet's Superman is taking the spotlight in the DCU with no competition in 2025. However, there's another Superman portrayal that will continue to star in his own show parallel to the DCU's Man of Steel. My Adventures with Superman seasons 1 and 2 were very well received in 2023 and 2024. Instead of canceling it to make more room for the DCU's Superman, Warner Bros. renewed My Adventures with Superman for a third season, and the studio greenlit a spinoff series, My Adventures with Green Lantern.
Tom Welling's Recent Comments About Why Smallville's Clark Kent Didn't Appear In The Arrowverse Until Crisis On Infinite Earths Makes The Crossover Even More Special
The Tom Welling Arrowverse crossover was one of the most exciting moments in the entire franchise, but it wasn't Welling's first invite to come back.
Similarly to animated Elseworlds series like My Adventures with Superman, My Adventures with Green Lantern, and Harley Quinn, a Smallville animated sequel series could stand on its own parallel to the DCU and the rest of DC's Elseworlds titles. Of course, James Gunn's Superman would still need exclusivity all throughout 2025, but the DCU's first Superman movie doesn't necessarily require Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum's Smallville sequel series to be canceled altogether.
