Is James Gunn to blame for the Smallville animated series getting delayed? The long-awaited sequel project has been put on the backburner due to the upcoming Superman reboot.
Most of the DC Universe fandom’s attention these past few years has been focused on the upcoming franchise reboot on the silver screen helmed by James Gunn and Peter Safran. However, it’s not the only project that has been toiling in the background. For years, it’s been confirmed that Smallville co-creator Alfred Gough has been working with Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum on an animated series that would serve as a sequel to the beloved television show.
Despite it being nearly four years since the revival was first announced, there’s been very little news about the status of the Smallville animated series. Most fans simply forgot about it, lost in the hype for James Gunn’s Superman film. However, it may be that very same DC Universe reboot to blame for the lack of developments, with Alfred Gough admitted that the sequel isn’t high on the docket for the studio at this time.
“Warner’s 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,” Gough explained on the Talk Ville podcast, which is meant to be a companion rewatch podcast for Smallville. “Everything comes around in one form or another, I just read the other day that they are rebooting Buffy for Hulu. That is the thing, I think the problem with most projects in development in any studio and/or any network is regime change.”
Is The Smallville Animated Series Cancelled?
This news shouldn’t come as a shock to DC Universe fans. Reports suggest that Superman and Lois was cancelled for a similar reason, as to not compete with James Gunn’s upcoming reboot. Smallville is a massive franchise on its own, and having a new animated series focused on their incarnation of the characters may prove confusing as the franchise attempts to bridge its live-action and animated sides of production.
However, it’s important to note that the project appears to be delayed, not cancelled. Even though it makes sense to put everything the studio can behind the Superman reboot, James Gunn has been open about his desire to tell Elseworlds stories in the DC Universe. A Smallville animated series could fall into the same realm of the Suicide Squad‘s Ayer Cut. Though if either come to fruition will likely only be seen multiple years down the line.
The Smallville animated revival is currently halted in development, and there’s no word on when the series could release. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
