The creators of Smallville have shared a fresh update on the highly anticipated DC TV sequel series being developed by Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum. Although it has been over a decade since Smallville concluded, the story of this version of the Man of Steel might not be over just yet. Welling and Rosenbaum have been working on an animated continuation, but progress has been slow in the development phase.
On a recent episode of Welling and Rosenbaum’s Talk Ville Podcast, original showrunner Al Gough, who co-created Smallville with Miles Millar, briefly joined the discussion as they revisited the season 6 episode, “Subterranean.” During their chat, the animated sequel came up, with Welling and Rosenbaum expressing their desire to have Gough and Millar involved. As they wait for the right moment with Warner Bros. Discovery, Gough provided a key update on the biggest roadblock facing the project:
Al Gough: “That is the thing, I think the problem with most projects in development in any studio and/or any network is regime change. 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. Everything comes around in one form or another, I just read the other day that they are rebooting Buffy [laughs] for Hulu.”
What This Means for the Smallville Sequel
Gough’s insight makes sense, particularly with James Gunn’s Superman film set to hit theaters soon, helping to establish the new DC Universe. When ScreenRant spoke to Welling in November 2024 about the Smallville sequel, Warner Bros. Discovery had yet to respond to any pitches for a continuation—likely because their priority was the new Superman movie. However, the fact that neither Warner Bros. Discovery nor DC Studios has outright rejected the idea is a promising sign.
Gough also draws a compelling comparison to the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival on Hulu, as many beloved shows eventually return in some form. Bringing Smallville back as an animated series would likely be much easier for DC Studios than attempting another live-action continuation with the original cast. The Smallville animated sequel may simply need to wait until Gunn’s DCU takes shape before Warner Bros. considers expanding the Superman brand with additional projects, even if they exist outside the main continuity.
The Smallville Sequel Still Has a Chance
While a formal announcement hasn’t been made, Gough’s latest comments suggest that the Smallville sequel is far from dead. James Gunn and Peter Safran have emphasized that Elseworlds projects—stories set outside the primary DCU—can coexist alongside the main timeline. This is evident with The Batman universe by Matt Reeves, which is continuing with a sequel and The Penguin spinoff series on HBO.
Even projects that have been in development for years, like J.J. Abrams’ Black Superman movie, still appear to be moving forward at DC Studios, proving that multiple versions of Superman can exist simultaneously. As Gough mentioned, it seems likely that DC wants to establish its 2025 Superman movie first before exploring additional iterations of the character. That doesn’t rule out the possibility of revisiting Smallville, whether in animation or live-action, since it already has a well-established legacy on television.
Despite Superman & Lois facing cancellation after four seasons—reportedly due to Gunn’s Superman reboot—the Man of Steel remains a strong presence on TV. Adult Swim’s animated series My Adventures with Superman has been renewed for a third season and is even expanding its universe with My Adventures with Green Lantern. This demonstrates that an animated Smallville sequel could potentially coexist with the DCU’s Superman once David Corenswet’s version of the character is fully introduced.
Our Take on the Smallville Sequel Update
Based on Gough’s comments, there’s still a strong possibility that Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios will eventually greenlight the Smallville sequel. Given DC Studios’ willingness to explore Elseworlds projects, Smallville would fit perfectly into that category, especially considering its lasting impact. Until then, fans can revisit every season of Smallville on streaming platforms and Blu-ray/DVD.
