In a recent podcast appearance, Smallville creator Al Gough confirmed that there are no sequels or reboots to the series currently in progress, despite former confirmation otherwise.
Back in 2021, Smallville star Tom Welling (Clark Kent/Superman) confirmed that an animated sequel of the hit series had been in development, with a goal to bring in "as many original cast members as possible."
Since then, though, things have changed behind the scenes.
The DC Sequel That May Never Happen
In an appearance on the Talk Ville podcast, Smallville creator Al Gough confirmed that the formerly confirmed animated series is no longer happening, explaining that regime changes are likely part of why.
When the topic of the animated series came up, Gough explained that "the problem with most projects in development" ultimately comes down to "regime changes," adding that Smallville is no different.
With that in mind, he said that the animated series is "off the table for a bit," citing the current regime's prioritization of the Superman reboot:
"I think the the problem with most projects in development in any studio or at any network is regime change, and Warner has has obviously gone through a lot. And I think the fact that they're you know, in the process of of rebooting Superman again, you know, kind of, unfortunately, I think keeps our thing off the table for a bit."
Gough did add, though, that this does not mean it is out of the question forever, just for the time being, and he thinks "it could come back around." He also reiterated that any future return to Smallville will likely be animated, as "animation just feels like the best way to do it:"
"I do think we'll have our time. It could come back around. Animation feels like the the best way to to do it to be honest, just given the amount of of time and, you know, the story — you can still tell stories post-the series, but, you know..."
Warner Bros. 'Regime Changes' Have Impacted Other DC Projects Too
Several DC projects have become victim to regime changes and shifting priorities at Warner Bros. (now Warner Bros. Discovery), not just the planned Smallville animated series.
Arguably, the most well-known example is the cancelled Batgirl movie starring Leslie Grace. It was first developed under Jason Kilar and Ann Sarnoff, and, despite reportedly being close to finished, cancelled when David Zaslav took over.
That is not to imply that the regime change is what killed Batgirl, but rather that with the regime change, the company shifted its priorities — be they financial, or regarding whether Batgirl could work as a full, theatrical release.
Chris McKay shared on the Reel Cinema podcast in 2021 that his Nightwing movie had been scrapped because of priority shifts too.
Additionally, in 2023, Justice League: Warworld producers Butch Lukic and Jim Krieg told ScreenRant that the regime change when James Gunn and Peter Safran took over marked a halt in development of an animated Kingdom Come adaptation.
These are not the only projects to see this result after a regime change, of course, and it is more than likely that other factors contributed to their cancellations, but it is a noteworthy pattern to see, especially now that the Smallville animated series has joined the list.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
