Smallville remains one of the most beloved comic book TV shows ever made and, for many DC fans, Tom Welling is their Man of Steel and Michael Rosenbaum is the Lex Luthor.
The series had a lengthy run, kicking off in 2001 before wrapping up in 2011 following a memorable 10 seasons (which somehow didn't see Clark Kent take flight and suit up until the final episode). Still, fans were left eager for more and eventually got a comic book sequel detailing the hero's time as Superman.
Welling and Rosenbaum have spent years teasing plans for an animated revival and, in an interview with ComicBook.com. the latter confirmed it remains in the very early stages of development.
"Tom and I are working on a Smallville animated series that we're trying to get made. It's gonna take time," the actor explained. "But the creators of Smallville are attached, they want to be a part of it. And we, you know, when it's the right time, we'll pitch it."
"You know, we're working on it and we have some loose animation that we've worked [on] with someone who was just awesome. It looks great. So if we can get that made, that'd be awesome."
Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios will ultimately make that decision. The latter is run by James Gunn, an old friend of Rosenbaum's, and the Smallville alum would go on to ponder an eventual DC return and jokingly wonder why he hasn't been asked to appear in 2025's Superman.
"Whatever comes to me, I look at it, and if it's not too silly, or if it makes me laugh, or I think I could do a really good job or I think I can make an impression, I'll do it. So I'm at that point in my career where I just want to do things that I love, that I want to do."
"I'd obviously love to work with my buddy James again. I asked him, 'Why am I not in Superman? Why am I not in the movie somehow?'" Rosenbaum added. "It was fine, though. I wish him all the happiness. He deserves all the success he has. He's enormously talented. When it's the right thing, he'll ask me. Or he won't."
"And that's aside from friendship. When your friends go off and do big things, you say, 'Hey, they know I'm here. They know my number.' And you just hope for the best."
Having Rosenbaum appear in Superman given his history with the character might have been a little too on the nose. Gunn did previously enlist the actor for the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, something Rosenbaum has also recently commented on.