According toSmallvilleactor Tom Welling,DClegend Christopher Reeve wanted him to be Superman on the big screen in the mid-2000s. While there have been severallive-actionSupermanTV showsand movies over the decades,Smallvillestill holds the record of being the longest-running one, with Welling having played the heroic icon longer than any other actor in live-action. During Welling’s era, multiple Superman actors came onSmallvilleas part of the show’s legacy casting, including Reeve in the earlier seasons.
Welling recently appeared at Steel City Con 2024 (viaWelling Durance Fans) with his fellowSmallvilleco-star Erica Durance, who played Lois Lane, as they looked back on the beloved DC TV drama. While talking about working with Reeve during his guest spots on the show, Welling revealed a sweet story about how the former Man of Steel wanted theSmallvillestar to be Superman on the big screen forSuperman Returns, sharing the following:
He [Christopher Reeve] said, ‘I’m really happy they chose you to be the next Superman,’ and I said, ‘Well, they didn’t…’ because Brandon Routh was doing the movies and he goes, ‘Well, they should have!’ and I always remember that feeling really good.
Why Tom Welling Dodged A Bullet Missing Superman Returns
While it would have been a major deal to see Welling headlineSuperman Returns, him missing out on the film gig arguably worked out for the best. In the long run,Superman Returnscould have potentially hurt Welling’s career, as the 2006 installment didn’t perform well at the box office and also struggled with its critical reception. That is why Warner Bros. ended up rebooting theSupermanfilm franchise with 2013’sMan of Steel, seeing the need for a fresh start.
It’s also crucial to remember that if Welling had starred inSuperman Returns, that would have likely meant the end ofSmallville, as there potentially wouldn’t have been a reason for Warner Bros. to have Welling star in bothSmallvilleas well as a hypotheticalSupermanmovie franchise, hadSuperman Returnsbeen successful. SeeingWelling’s Superman inSmallvillegrow into the DC legend for a decade was far more worth it than a two-hour film, including the fact that The CW drama paved the way for the Arrowverse and other comic book TV shows.
The bigger question that remains aboutSmallvillethese days is whether or not the popular DC TV show may ever come back. With Welling and his co-star Michael Rosenbaum, who played Lex Luthor, developingaSmallvilleanimated sequel show, time will tell if the world will get to revisit these characters sooner rather than later. But until that happens,Smallvilleis available through Blu-ray/DVD and streaming for any new or old fan to catch.
Smallville
Cast
Smallville chronicles the journey of Clark Kent, portraying his origins from Krypton to his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as the iconic hero, Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas.
Superman Returns
Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns follows the events surrounding the hero’s return to Earth after a five-year absence. When Superman (Brandon Routh) arrives back on Earth, he discovers that Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has developed a plan to use kryptonite crystals to establish a new landmass that he intends to sell off to the highest bidder. With Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) now married with a child, Superman must come to terms with everything he left behind to stop Luthor’s villainous scheme.
