Smallville 25th Anniversary Interview: Tom Welling Reflects On The Past, Present & Future For His Superman

Published Oct 16, 2026, 10:01 PM EDT

Andy Behbakht has worked as an entertainment journalist since 2010, covering all the latest in Hollywood on both the big and small screens, from staying on top of the biggest breaking news, analyzing movies and television shows in Hollywood, to in-depth interviews with actors and storytellers.

Andy's career includes having worked for publications such as FanSided, KSiteTV, TV Fanatic, It's Just Movies, Heroic Hollywood, TV Overmind, and more. Outside of his career as an established reporter, Andy is the host and producer of The Showrunner Whisperer, The Flash Podcast, the editor-in-chief of Multiverse of Color, and the network director of DC TV Podcasts.

Pop culture has come a long way when it comes to adapting superheroes from the pages of comics to the big and small screens, but in the early 2000s, before there were ever any Marvel or DC cinematic franchises, Smallville brought a new spotlight to Superman by telling the ultimate Clark Kent origin story.

On October 16, 2001, The WB premiered the first installment of what would become a decade-long saga for the DC icon, taking viewers to the early days of Krypton's last son, as he tries to figure out his place in the world, where he came from, while learning to master his abilities before becoming the Man of Steel. For 10 seasons, the world watched Clark take the steps he needed before suiting up as Superman, with various trials challenging and preparing him to become the world's greatest hero.

Nearly two years after our exclusive interview with him at Comic-Con Stockholm, I reunited with Tom Welling for a special chat to celebrate Smallville's 25th anniversary and look at the legacy the DC prequel has to this day, as he and the cast continue to celebrate the show through conventions, podcasts, and more.

Smallville's Growing Legacy Over 25 Years

At the start of our interview, Welling discussed whether the growing popularity of Smallville since the show's end in 2011 has hit him yet, especially with it being one of the longest-running sci-fi fantasy dramas of all time.

"It's funny, I don't think about it all that much, but doing these interviews and talking about this anniversary, it's come more to the front of my mind. And the other day, I was with Michael doing something in New York, and I was like, in the middle of the interview, 'I realized I've known you for 25 years!' And he was like, 'Yeah, I guess you're right' and so that was something I hadn't really thought about before. It's great the fact that it can still have this amount of attention 25 years later. It's just not something you think about when you're doing it at the beginning."

Smallville was made during a very traditional TV era, where audience members were given 22-episode seasons, which is not as standard anymore in the current era where more properties are being tackled in the world of streaming. For the leading man himself, it has been fascinating to follow the industry's evolution when it comes to weekly storytelling.

"Yeah, I don't know if I would do 22 episodes of any show anymore [laughs]. I can tell you that! The industry has certainly shifted, but I think it gave the show an opportunity to really get into people's hearts. To have 22 weeks of a year. - and a couple breaks in between [with] holidays and whatnot - people really got invested, and now we meet people who watch it with their parents and their children, and bring them to the cons for fan meets and stuff like that. It's humbling. It's heartwarming, and I think it's cool."

Experiencing Smallville Through TalkVille

Over the years, Welling has also taken on podcasting, as he and his Smallville co-star, Michael Rosenbaum, are hosting TalkVille Podcast, as they rewatch and relive the series together with viewers and listeners all over the world. They are currently covering season 9 of the DC TV drama, as Welling opened up about what has stood out about getting to experience the work he did over a decade ago now as a viewer himself.

"Well, especially in season 9, because season 9 is a little bit of an odd season so far. Michael's not a big fan. I'm trying to keep my Rosenbaum ratings up, but in rewatching it, more to your question, we're about halfway through season 9, and as I watch the show, I'm like, 'Oh, that's what that was about. Oh, I see now these big arcs that were happening!' Because while we were filming, we didn't know where it was going to go. We got our scripts week to week. We never had these big arcs that we were a part of knowing or understanding, and I think that's the biggest thing that I get out of the podcast is like, 'Oh, that's what that was about, I see now!'"

When I reacted by saying that the ninth year of the show was one of my personal favorite Smallville seasons, Welling enjoyed how Rosenbaum and I have very different viewpoints, as the final three years of The CW drama became the Metropolis era. One of the elements that drove season 9 was the progression of Clark's relationship with Lois Lane, as they began to acknowledge the romantic sparks, while dealing with various adventures.

Whether it was running away from zombies or going after corrupted district attorneys, Lois and Clark had their hands full that season. While they are still in the first half of Smallville season 9, time will tell how the response is to the second half of the episodes, as Welling admitted that it has given him a new way to look at it.

"Well, I think you and Michael are seeing the same thing, but in a positive-negative duality in that Michael seeing it, [for him] 'Season 9 is not Smallville anymore,' and what you're saying is, 'This is not Smallville anymore. [This is the] Smallville that I'm finally getting to see that I want to see.' I think that you guys are both on opposite sides of the coin in a great way. I'm glad you said it that way because now I'm going to see it a little differently."

Doing Justice To Lois Lane & Clark Kent's Epic Romance With Erica Durance

Courtesy: Everett Collection

Lois and Clark - a.k.a. Clois - fans have shared year after year how much they love what Welling and Erica Durance, who joined the Smallville cast as the iconic Daily Planet reporter in season 4, did with their relationship in the later years, especially season 9. For the DC actor, as he is getting to witness that story unfold as part of co-hosting TalkVille, Welling had nothing but praise for the actress and how they together explored what is arguably not only one of the most iconic couples in comics, but in Hollywood.

"I think we did a great job in watching the show; I always had fun working with Erica. I always love seeing her. I tend to remember more of the behind-the-scenes stuff with Erica, as far as how we got to the scene and how we made the scene work, than I do what the scene was about. And I think that speaks to the chemistry that her and I had as coworkers, as teammates. We kind of had some ridiculous things to do together, and we would just be like, 'All right, let's go, let's make this work,' and I think you truly believe that those characters are made for each other. I think we accomplished that."

Smallville seasons 8, 9, and 10 really became the era where the TV series embraced more comic book elements, after the groundwork that the first seven seasons laid out. With the current season they are covering on TalkVille, Welling elaborated on the aspect of seeing players like Michael Shanks' Hawkman get introduced, and the evolution of Phil Morris' Martian Manhunter. While he was still holding on to the "No Flights, No Tights" rule, Welling admitted that he definitely has a new appreciation for what the show did in those regards during a time when the Arrowverse had not been born yet, while the MCU was still in Phase 1.

"Well, there was a big transition. I remember - you brought up Michael Shanks, who I adore. The first time that he walked in as Hawkman with the actual wings in reality that he had to maneuver through set, [laughs] I was like, 'Okay, this is different! We're in a different world now.' There was a little time there where they were like, 'So what do you think about this suit?' and I was like, 'Nope, nope, nope, nope!' [laughs] But I was trying to keep it Clark as long as I could, until obviously, the finale, spoiler alert, he soars, and we know he's out there, but we can't go with him. Let the imagination run, and that was something that I always held dear to my heart the whole time. Smallville was about Clark before he was who we all know he's going to be."

Does Smallville's Animated Sequel Have A Future At DC Studios?

Over the last few years, Welling and Rosenbaum have sparked buzz with the fandom of a potential Smallville animated sequel TV show, which would feature the original actors voicing their characters. A lot has happened since then, as Warner Bros. and Paramount are going through with the Skydance merger.

When asked if there has been any progression, or if he thinks this merger will maybe delay things further, Welling stressed that he is optimistic that it will happen. But it will all come down to them getting to use the IP.

"It was an uphill battle before the whole merger thing, and I don't pretend to understand any of that. But I think this is a labor of love for the fans. The idea would be that it would be animated, but all the original cast members would voice their characters, and every cast member we've talked to has been like, 'That would be awesome. Let's do it.'

We have some early renderings from an artist, we have a poster for it already that, obviously, we can't share, but the actual answer is Warner Bros. has to give us the green light. They have to let us use their IP, and that just hasn't happened yet. But we're still fighting. Yeah, we're optimistic about it."

Al Gough and Miles Millar, who created Smallville, would also come back for the revival. When Welling was asked if he could share how far they got into the story process, and if he could actually share any details, including whether or not it would undo the twist revealed in Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths where viewers saw that Clark no longer had his powers, while now being a father and husband.

"Al and Miles have very much said that they'd be on board. In my mind, it would pick up relatively quickly after Smallville ended, and we would do our own spin on what happens after that. That's my idea. Whether that's the case, I don't know."

As they are busy with Netflix's Wednesday, Welling praised the two creators and would love to reunite with them in the Jenna Ortega-starring series if ever offered.

"For sure, I would always love to work with those guys. I mean, Michael's writing scripts; he's going to direct a movie soon, and I even say to him, 'Hey, if you want me to be the guy in the background, I'm there for you.' When you work with people like that who you love so much, and you're still so close to, there's no better gift than being able to work with people you care about who care about you.

I think that's what it's all about. And you start your career where that's maybe not the case, not in a bad way, but you're just trying to get the job. You're trying to just be there and be the guy and as you go on, you create these friendships in the industry, and you're like, "Why don't I just call my friend who's really good at this, and we do it together? What about Glenn Winter, who's one of the best DPs you'll ever see in the world forever. Why don't we get him to shoot it?' Why not look at the people you know that you care about and work with them?"

Glen Winter, who was the beloved Director of Photography on Smallville, ended up also having a lot of impact on the Arrowverse franchise, as those projects were filmed in Vancouver, Canada, which is where Welling's series were based for a decade. For him, it has meant so much to see folks like Winter and many crew members from Smallville carry over to series like Arrow and The Flash.

"Oh yeah, for sure, and setting the tone and the style of the show whether it was Al and Miles early on, with Greg Beeman, Glen was a huge part of setting the visual tone of the show, and the lighting and the color and the camera movement were a big thing. Greg was a big fan of that as well. That was something I grew up [with] for 10 years, I grew up in film school. One of the things that we did on Smallville, I don't know if you heard this before, in our tone meetings, before we start each episode, no one was allowed to reference any other television show.

You could only reference films, and that was to elevate what we were trying to accomplish. I think one time I brought up something from Miami Vice because I grew up watching that, and they were like, 'Nope, nope, nope, that's a TV show,' and I was like, 'I can't even say this?' [laughs] [They would say,] 'Nope, we don't want to hear it,' in a fun way. But we were always referencing huge blockbuster films, as far as something to strive for."

Superman's New Era In James Gunn's DC Universe

When we spoke in November 2024, it was months before James Gunn's Superman had come out, starring David Corenswet as cinema's newest Man of Tomorrow. While the film is not tied to the show itself, Corenswet has spoken about how he grew up with Welling as his Superman when watching Smallville as a kid. Welling has not had a chance to see the 2025 feature yet; there is a very good reason for that.

"I'm actually looking forward to it so much. It's on my queue. I want to watch it with my two little boys when they're ready to watch it. So technically, I haven't seen it, but I've heard great things. I know people who've met him and say he's great, and I'm sure he's great in it. So I'm waiting for my boys to be ready to sit down and watch it with me."

One of the things that Smallville did so well was legacy casting, and that has continued in other DC properties, including Gunn's Superman, as Rosenbaum had a voice cameo in the DCU entry. If Welling is ever given the chance to join DC Studios' ongoing franchise, he shared that he is open to it.

"Well, I've learned enough in this industry that you don't do yourself any service saying no before anything. [laughs] You got to keep your mind open, so that's how I kind of feel about it."

Welling did acknowledge that back when he was offered Smallville, he didn't necessarily have that mindset at first. As it took Gough and Millar several tries to get him to test for the lead role, Welling still remembers how it was the pilot script that finally convinced him.

"The thing about that story is they weren't releasing the script for months, so nobody knew what it was, and it wasn't until they allowed me to come in and read it after I signed an NDA, where I was very quickly on board, after that."

Will Superman Ever Get The Spider-Verse Or No Way Home Treatment?

Custom image by Andy Behbakht

Welling shared on Instagram lately that he reunited with Superman & Lois' Tyler Hoechlin, as they even got to share the screen together during Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2019. As it is always a blast for viewers of the same properties to see actors who played the same role engage in real life, the star suggested on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum in 2021 that a film where several Superman actors come together would be a big treat.

During our interview, he was directly asked if he and other stars who have played the DC legend have ever talked about trying to approach Warner Bros. and DC about a project öike that. Even the idea of a reunion on a podcast where they get to share their experiences with one another, Welling shared the following response:

"I didn't think about that. Well, there was a point - I think last year - [where there] was a big push on the con circuit where we were all seeing each other a lot. There was a big push for getting all the Supermen together, so we did have a bunch of conversations like, 'Yeah, why don't we all work together?' But nothing formal about exactly what that would be. But we all get along so well, whether it's Brandon [Routh,] we're all buddies. We all share this same but different experience, and they're great guys, they're all good people."

ScreenRant: I think it's a golden idea-

Tom Welling: It's a no-brainer? [laughs]

ScreenRant: Yeah! I don't know if you saw those animated Spider-Man movies, but when multiple Spider-Men come together, it does well!

Tom Welling: It's cool! You almost have to watch it twice to understand exactly what happens, in a good way. But when Tobey Maguire came back and they did Spider Man [No Way Home] a couple years ago. I was like, 'That's awesome. I really enjoyed watching that movie!'

While celebrating 25 years of Smallville, Welling is also excited for the world to see his next project, as he revealed a release update on the latest gig he had:

"I did a movie called Chasing Summer with Iliza Shlesinger, and I believe that's getting close to being [released.] They won't tell me exactly, but I think they finally figured it out, there might be a theatrical release coming up in the next few months, which I'm really happy [about] because it's been out on the festival circuit, and it's won a lot of awards. I've seen it already a couple [of] times with audiences, and I feel like every beat worked for the audience. I laughed both times I watched it. It's such a good film, and I can't wait for people to see it."

Why The World Still Holds On To Smallville After 25 Years

Superman has stood the test of time, and always will be, but Smallville will continue to hold a special place in the DC icon's media legacy. Welling shared in depth why he thinks the show continues to mean as much as it does today and, ideally, in the next 25 years, too.

"Well, thank you. That'd be great. [laughs] I'll see you in 25 more years if we're still around! I really do believe that because of the 22 episodes, because of the 10 seasons, we had the time to explore this area of this legendary character's life that hadn't truly been explored before in a way that we did.

I think it came with a lot of heart, and I believe that every story you ever hear is about one thing: it's identity. Who am I? What am I supposed to be? What do I do with these things that I can do? How do I get through adversity? How do I become who I'm meant to be? And what does that mean? I think at the end of the day, it's heart.

I think that's what brings people who watch it with their parents, watching it with their children. To me, I think it boils down to that one word: heart. It's also a time capsule, because if you watch the show when you're 10 years old, and then you watch it when you're 25 years old, when you're 40 years old, and you're watching with your kids, you're going to have a different experience because of your life experience. So I think that's the beauty of what we created. "

Smallville is available for streaming on Hulu (via Disney+) and through home media release.