Tom Welling talks about the return of Lionel Luthor in the animated return of Smallville
In a recent interview with Screen Rant during Stockholm Comic Con, actor Tom Welling shared fascinating details about the long-awaited return of Smallville in animated format. Known for his iconic role as Clark Kent during the series’ 10 seasons, Welling revealed that this animated project, developed with Michael Rosenbaum, will pick up the story after the end of the original series.
Who returns from the afterlife?
“I think it would be a fun idea. We have already made some animations. I don’t know if Michael has shared this yet, but we have a poster of it. This [con] the cast and Lionel Luthor lurking behind [de ellos]Welling confessed, thus ensuring Lionel Luthor’s inclusion in the animated series despite his tragic fate at the hands of his son, Lex Luthor, in season seven.
Although it is still a mystery how the creative team plans to reintroduce Lionel into the series, the original universe of Smallville already explored the existence of an alternate Lionel from Earth-2 in its final season. This Lionel sacrificed himself to allow Lex Luthor’s resurrection from Earth-1. There is speculation that the new series could opt for a similar line, introducing a clone of Lionel or perhaps another alternate version of the character.
The cast is ready to return
In addition to Welling and Rosenbaum, Erica Durance has confirmed that she will reprise her role as Lois Lane. Although an official cast list has yet to be revealed, Rosenbaum indicated in March 2024 that “the entire cast would like to participate”, suggesting that other core members such as Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang), Eric Johnson (Whitney Fordman), Sam Jones III (Pete Ross), Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan), Annette O’Toole (Martha Kent) and John Schneider (Jonathan Kent) have given their verbal agreement to return.
Welling and Rosenbaum worked on the sequel to the series from 2021. Despite the interest expressed by fans, Welling told Screen Rant that Warner Bros. hasn’t given them the “green light” yet. According to him “it’s not a priority for them. “It’s like they don’t return calls.”
An iconic villain
Lionel Luthor, masterfully played by John Glover, has become one of the most complex and charismatic From Smallville. His relationship with his son Lex and his influence on Clark Kent’s development towards his destiny as Superman are key aspects that make him a centerpiece of the series. Not only the possibility of his return revive old conflictsbut it also promises to explore new dimensions of his manipulative nature.
Additionally, the decision to reintroduce Lionel could offer a unique opportunity that writers can play with multidimensional narrativea technique that has gained popularity in the universe of comics and series adaptations. This approach would not only appeal to fans of the original series, but could also capture the attention of a new generation of viewers, eager for plots that challenge temporal and spatial linearity.
The incorporation of alternative versions of Lionel Luthor could enrich the mythology of Smallville and offer new perspectives on his legacy and his influence on the main characters. Explore how different decisions and paths could have altered the destinies of Clark, Lex and Lionel himself, provides a rich background texture for the development of reasoning. Furthermore, this would enable the creators experiment with themes of redemption and corruptiondelving into how circumstances can shape or distort a character’s moral values, thus keeping the audience engaged and anticipating the plot’s twists and turns.
The complete series is still available
For nostalgics who wish to relive the adventures of Clark Kent, the ten seasons of Smallville are currently available on Hulu, allowing fans to catch up while they wait for news on this promising animated series.