One Smallville star still has the perfect idea for a potential sequel series, and it could actually happen. Since the hit teen superhero drama ended in 2011, fans have called for a revival. Warner Bros. has yet to provide a full-fledged follow-up, instead opting for smaller continuations of this unique Superman story, such as the beloved Smallville Season 11 comic book. That has not stopped those involved in the classic DC series from talking about bringing it back from the dead.
During an appearance at Liverpool Comic-Con, former Smallville star Michael Rosenbaum was asked about how he would like to see the hit WB series return. He replied, bringing up the long-discussed animated Smallville sequel series. The Lex Luthor actor said he would still love to do it, but it has "gotta be the right time when you pitch" (via SuperSagaNews):
"It's gotta be the right time when you pitch and you gotta make sure the studio is wanting to do something like that right now."
No plans for a Smallville follow-up have been officially announced by Warner Bros., but now may be the perfect time for it to come back. With James Gunn now leading DC Studios, nothing feels off the table for his super-powered plans (both in and out of the DCU canon).
In fact, Gunn directly referenced the former DC series in his 2025 Superman movie. In that film, he pointed out that Lex Luthor's in-universe company was called LuthorCorp, not LexCorp, just as it was in Smallville. In a June 2025 interview, the DC Studios head commented on this small detail, positing that he is a massive "Smallville fan:"
"Well, I really, when I was making this movie, I really was taking stuff from all sorts of different comic books and TV shows and movies, and I'm a 'Smallville' fan, you know. It was LuthorCorp in 'Smallville,' so it is that, but it also left the door, you know... First of all, most people don't name their corporations after their first names. So, I believed it more in terms of that, and, also, it leaves the door open for, 'Was his father ever in any way a part of this, or his mother?'"
If Gunn is such a huge fan, then why wouldn't he be interested in honoring that part of DC history with a potential follow-up?
It is worth noting that those involved in the former WB series have been hesitant about bringing it back since Gunn was promoted to the top of the DC Studios pyramid.
During a March conversation on Rosenbaum's TalkVille podcast, Smallville co-creator Alfred Gough said that the animated sequel was "off the table for a bit" following the regime change, but that could change now that Gunn has settled into his new role and expressed his love for the series publicly.
Smallville ran on The WB and The CW for 10 seasons from 2001 to 2011. The super-powered teen drama followed a teenage Superman/Clark Kent as he grew up and discovered his powers in the small Kansas town from which the series takes its name.
Will Smallville Ever Come Back From the Dead?
Fans have been talking about this animated Smallville sequel for years at this point.
All the way back in 2021, former series lead Tom Welling revealed that the project was officially in development, utilizing as many of the original cast members as possible. Of course, more than four years later, the series has not seen the light of day, and (at least in the minds of its creative team) may never do so.
However, I would not be so quick to count out Smallville entirely. Yes, as series co-creator Alfred Gough said, regime changes can mean that anything on the table from before the passing of the guard is no longer something of interest. That may not be the case, specifically for James Gunn and his takeover of DC Studios, though.
Gunn has proven that, at heart, he is a diehard comic book fan. He loves all things DC, including the former Superman TV series. If Michael Resnbaum and the rest of the Smallville brain trust are passionate about making the animated sequel series, there is no way Gunn and co. would at least have to think about making it happen.
