‘Smallville’ co-creator provides updates on series’ animated sequel amid ‘Superman’ reboot

Fans eager for a Smallville revival will have to wait a little longer, as co-creator Alfred Gough recently revealed that the animated follow-up is currently on hold.

And the reason? Warner Bros. is busy gearing up for James Gunn’s Superman.

Speaking on the Talk Ville podcast with Smallville alums Michael Rosenbaum and Tom Welling, Gough explained why the sequel project isn’t moving forward just yet.

“Warners has obviously gone through a lot, and I think the fact that they are in the process of rebooting Superman again, kind of unfortunately, I think, keeps our thing off the table for a bit,” he shared.

However, he remains optimistic, adding, “Everything comes around in one form or another, I just read the other day that they are rebooting Buffy for Hulu.”

Created by Gough and Miles Millar, Smallville had a legendary run, spanning 217 episodes over 10 seasons on The CW. The series chronicled a young Clark Kent (Welling) discovering his superpowers in the small town of Smallville, Kansas—long before donning the iconic cape.

Another challenge for the Smallville animated project, Gough noted, is the “regime change” at Warner Bros. Since 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran have taken the reins as co-CEOs of DC Studios, overseeing all things DC at WB.

“That is the thing, I think the problem with most projects in development in any studio and/or any network is regime change,” Gough explained.

Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie, set for release on July 11, is seen as a major test for his vision of the DC Universe, particularly as superhero fatigue lingers at the box office.

While Smallville fans may be disappointed by the delay, it looks like patience is key—because in the world of superheroes, reboots and revivals are always just around the corner.