Michael Rosenbaum Confirms Smallville Could Return (But Not How You Might Think)
Long before live-action comic book-based shows became commonplace, "Smallville" ruled the small screen roost. The CW series spotlights a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling) as he navigates growing up on Earth with his extraordinary Kryptonian abilities. Though Welling didn't want to suit up in the series finale, Clark finally donning his Superman attire is teased in the closing moments of the 10th and final season. Thus, there are many out there hopeful that "Smallville" could return down the line, explaining what the Man of Steel and his supporting cast have been up to.
As it turns out, the iconic DC show's comeback isn't as much of a pipedream as it might seem. According to Lex Luthor himself, Michael Rosenbaum, in an interview with Screen Rant, an animated revival isn't out of the question. Of course, in order for such an endeavor to become a reality, the timing has to be just right. "We had the strike, we had a change of executives at DC — one being one of my best friends in the world, James Gunn. When the time's right, I think it's something that's a no brainer, unless they have other ideas," Rosenbaum shared.
Even better, Rosenbaum isn't the only "Smallville" alum interested in returning to the beloved DC continuity in an animated format.
Multiple Smallville alums are up for an animated revival
While it would be fun to see the "Smallville" timeline continue in animated form, getting back the original cast is paramount to its success. How Michael Rosenbaum and his co-stars brought their characters to life and interacted with one another in live-action is one of the main reasons why the series is so well-remembered. Sure, fans wouldn't see their actual faces in a cartoon, but their vocal performances would very much channel the same energy of the original show. Thankfully, according to Rosenbaum, he's not alone in wanting to lend his voice acting talents to a "Smallville" animated series.
"We'd like to do it — the whole cast would like to do it. They would voice their own character from the show, and we have a concept of what the show is," he told Screen Rant, adding that the minds behind "Smallville," Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, have given their support. Rosenbaum also shared that he recently spoke to Tom Welling about a new "Smallville" project and that the two of them would even be willing to take part in a live-action film. "I think we'd have fun going back, but we'd have to really work to get back into those characters in that mindset because we're a lot older. But if you shaved my head and you put makeup on me, it still works," he said.
With a live-action "Smallville" movie far less likely to come to fruition, at least fans can potentially look forward to an animated revival series in the coming years. Hopefully, such an endeavor won't fall apart, like The CW's previous attempt at bringing back the Lex Luthor of "Smallville."