Tom Welling reflects on missed Batman opportunity in Smallville

Tom Welling shares his thoughts on missing out on Batman while filming Smallville.

Tom Welling expresses regret on absence of Batman in Smallville

Tom Welling recently revealed how much he wished Batman could have appeared in Smallville. At Terrificon 2024, he shared his vision for a scene where Bruce Wayne interacts with Lex Luthor. Due to the separation between DC movies and television, the show was unable to use Batman throughout its run ending in 2011. Although Smallville introduced many iconic characters, Batman remained a notable absence until the series was continued as a comic. In the Smallville season 11 comic, Batman finally appeared, allowing Welling's Superman to cross paths with the Caped Crusader after the show concluded.

Welling's reflections point to a larger challenge in adapting comic book stories for television. The lack of communication between DC's film and television divisions has restricted character collaborations. Batman's absence from the show not only disappointed fans but also limited the potential for deeper storylines. The eventual introduction of Batman in the comic series highlights what could have been, illustrating the missed opportunities of the original show. As fans continue to discuss what could have been, these anecdotes draw attention to the complexity of transmedia storytelling in the superhero genre.

Highlights

Fans still hope for crossovers in future DC adaptations.