Movies

James Gunn’s Superman: Smallville Season 11 on the Big Screen?

BBG News

It appears that James Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie may resemble Smallville season 11 quite closely in live-action. The forthcoming live-action DC Universe film, set for release in 2025, promises to usher in an exciting new era for the Man of Steel. Nevertheless, it seems there will be certain elements reminiscent of the classic Smallville series that aired on the CW, which could potentially hint at a continuation of its storyline (this is by no means a negative aspect).

The television series called Smallville, which aired from 2001 until it concluded after 10 seasons in 2011, followed Clark Kent during his high school years and early adulthood as he honed his powers, built significant relationships, and molded himself into the hero who would eventually wear the cape and embody Superman. This influential show served as a precursor to the entire DC Arrowverse on the CW network, and the continuation of Smallville’s universe was explored in Smallville Season 11 comics. There have also been suggestions for creating an animated revival series. Nevertheless, I feel that James Gunn’s portrayal of Superman will essentially fulfill the role that Smallville Season 11 would have played on the big screen.

James Gunn’s Superman Won’t Be An Origin Story

But Clark Kent Will Still Be Figuring Out The Job

In contrast to traditional superhero origin tales, the upcoming film featuring Superman, as indicated by director James Gunn and trailer previews, will depict David Corenswet’s Clark Kent/Kal-El as an established Man of Steel, albeit still relatively new to his career as Superman. This mirrors Matt Reeves’ Batman movie, where Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne was already in his second year as the Dark Knight.

In essence, when the upcoming DCU movie starts, Superman will already be recognized as a well-known figure and Clark Kent will be employed at The Daily Planet in Metropolis. Moreover, it’s been confirmed that Clark has started a budding relationship with Lois Lane, portrayed by Rachel Brosnahan. However, it’s important to note that Superman is yet grappling with the challenges of reconciling his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing in Kansas.

The New Superman Will Have A Few Things In Common With Smallville Season 11

There Will Undoubtedly Be Some Key Similarities

Considering all that’s been said, it’s not difficult to see a similarity between the finale of Smallville and the Smallville Season 11 comic series. To put it simply, the TV show ended with Tom Welling’s character, Clark Kent, putting on the Superman suit for the first time officially, marking a new phase in his heroic journey (even though he had been a hero before, both at home in Smallville and elsewhere as his powers developed). In the Smallville Season 11 comics, we follow Superman during the early stages of his career, which mirrors his typical status quo from the original comic books as it begins to solidify.

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the striking similarities between James Gunn’s reimagined Superman and Tyler Hoechlin’s Man of Steel in the DC Universe. While Superman is already an iconic figure, he seems to be navigating some intricate aspects of his persona within this universe, much like a work in progress.

One such element is his age-old rivalry with Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor. From the trailers, it appears that Luthor has nurtured a deep-seated grudge against Superman for years. It’s also worth mentioning that in this DCU, Luthor’s company is named LuthorCorp instead of LexCorp, as seen in Smallville before Rosenbaum’s Luthor changed the name by the series’ end. It’s intriguing to speculate if the DCU’s Lex will follow suit and make a similar change.

Could This Be A Reason Why The Animated Smallville Series Is On Hold?

The First Live-Action DCU Movie Needs To Be The Focus For Superman

According to the latest news, Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum, famous for their roles in Smallville, have proposed an animated revival of Season II to DC Studios. So far, they haven’t received any confirmation regarding its approval. An animated series based on Smallville could be intriguing and enjoyable, and it aligns well with the DC Universe’s plan to explore Elseworlds tales outside their primary narrative continuity.

As a movie critic, I can’t help but notice that DC might be hesitant to release James Gunn’s Superman film, given its similarities to an upcoming series. With the immense responsibility of ensuring Superman’s success to launch a fresh, interconnected universe of movies, TV shows, and more, it seems sensible for DC Studios to avoid self-competition. While a Smallville-style reality series could potentially materialize in the future, I don’t foresee it happening anytime within the next few years.

Superman releases in theaters on July 11th from DC Studios.

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2025-04-25 06:38

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