We're getting the first live-action TV Superman in almost 20 years this year.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

With Superman confirmed to appear in at least a couple episodes of the next season of Supergirl, we're getting the first live TV Superman since Dean Cain (Welling never was Superman on-screen). Few thoughts:

1. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

2. This means we'll get him teaming up down the line with either Flash or Arrow. This is inevitable, as is him mentioning to Arrow that he reminds him of a grumpy ally back in his own dimension.

3. Casting? Really, they should just get Brandon Routh (they've got a whole multiverse doppelganger thing going on in Flash right now; they could have Dean Cain as older Earth-3 Superman too), but that won't be happening, not least of which because they said they're casting rather than just giving him the role. Personally I'd root for Josh Boultinghouse to get the part, that'd be fun.

4. Superman spinoff show? Unlikely, but the seal has officially been broken on using him. Speaking of which...

5. While obviously the limitations might be slightly lesser with him given that he was kind of already present, if the years-long embargo on using him on TV has been shattered even though he's going to be in movies, along with Flash getting to appear on TV as well as onscreen, how far can they go now? Can they introduce Green Lantern on Flash and Arrow the way they've clearly been dying to for awhile now? Will Batman and Wonder Woman get to show up? Could we get a TV Justice League (I'd already thought they could go with Supergirl/Green Arrow/Vixen/Flash/Firestorm/Martian Manhunter/Atom as a decent TV JLA, but the options might be more open now)? The Flash show already implied that a version of the team will one day be formed. I'd also dig bringing in Justin Hartley as Aquaman; they nearly mentioned Aquaman in the first episode of Flash anyway.

In any case, we've now got a DC TV Multiverse that includes Superman and Supergirl, Flash, Batman/Wonder Woman/Green Lantern by implication, Green Arrow, Firestorm, Atom, Rip Hunter, the Legion of Superheroes, Earth-2, the JSA, Hawkwoman and Hawkman, John Constantine, Martain Manhunter, Red Tornado, and Vibe. Things are strange this days.

[manofsteel1979]

I think Routh would be awesome. Plus, I'm hoping that arrow-verse Ollie and Barry upon meeting are like "wow. You look EXACTLY like Ray Palmer" or actually have Ray and Supes interact and getting a little weirded out over the fact they are twins. Heh.

If they go with outside casting, why not Jon Hamm or Matt Bommer?

[misslane]

I feel like I just had a television live action Superman in Tom Welling's Clark Kent on Smallville. The show delved into the mythology, the iconography, and the ideology behind the character and had Clark make the final transformation in the finale. However, I welcome a new live action Superman.



While I love Routh, I can understand why they wouldn't use him. I also am not sure this is anything more than baby steps. For all we know, they'll only be featuring Superman in flashbacks. It's still fun to speculate, and I certainly hope this means that Lois Lane isn't too far behind. The show has her father and sister on already, she's been referenced a few times, and I want the show to finally do her justice instead of the crap they've been doing by having her bashed constantly without anyone or herself to provide a counterpoint.

[Sacred Knight]

I'd be down for some Welling. No Routh though. Smallville had its problems but I mean...it was never SR. Nothing against Routh but that film just has too much terrible tied to it.

Hell go for broke and snag Erica Durance too.

[RoyImpulse]

I'd prefer Routh but Welling would have an incredible media buzz and buildup if it were him.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

It occurs to me that Geoff Johns' new position may have something to do with this. Now that he's heading up both TV and movies for DC, he's in a position to overcome internal resistance to character-sharing on both ends. If so, this may not be a one-off allowance, but the herald for a lot more big names showing up on the small screen.

[Sacred Knight]

Well for all my irritation on his recent ideas within the comics, if he's responsible for putting the kibosh on such stupid restrictions that do nothing more keep iconic characters from being saturated into modern entertainment mediums, then I applaud him.

[Flash Gordon]

I think Routh would be awesome. Plus, I'm hoping that arrow-verse Ollie and Barry upon meeting are like "wow. You look EXACTLY like Ray Palmer" or actually have Ray and Supes interact and getting a little weirded out over the fact they are twins. Heh.

If they go with outside casting, why not Jon Hamm or Matt Bommer?

No way Jon Hamm would be on the CW.

I'd love to see him play Superman someday though.

[Sacred Knight]

While this is definitely interesting though, what I really would like to see is a new Superman animated series.

[Harpsikord]

I definitely want it to be Tom Welling, personally, but I'm down for anyone they get as long as he fits.

Also - they're probably merging the universes, so it might be explaining how Supes fits in.

[NYCER]

With SUPERGIRL moving to The CW, it'd be great if they could get Tom Welling to do this gig.

Matt Bomer would be a good choice too.

No to double casting Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer and Superman.

[Harpsikord]

Matt Bomer would be a good choice too.

This would be unfortunate with Stephen Amell poo-pooing the idea of the four way crossover being a musical. :P

[Punisher007]

And Matt Bomer has played the character before (albeit in a voice performance for an animated film) and I believe that he's auditioned to play Superman before (but don't quote me on that one).

http://www.emmys.com/sites/default/f...?itok=4sY4Y3km

[Robotman]

I guess I'm in the minority but I didn't like Tom Welling as Superman/Clark. He had that dopey Derek Zoolander face. "The Man of Blue Steel"

I think they'll still with tradition and cast an unknown as the new Superman.

[SuperCrab]

It would be grest if this led to a spin-off Superman show. I don't know of they've really done a straight forward show about Superman. They did Smallville, a teen drama from before Clark became Superman. If youngo back 25 years, they did The Adventures of Lois and Clark, which was very close, though it was a twist on the concept to some degree. There was the old black and white TV show I've never seen.

How about a modern Superman shown about Superman? In the vein of Arrow or The Flash. Regular setup where he is Clark Kent, reporter, and Superman, Man of Steel. Maybe not a spinoff just to give them the freedom tobuse characters like Jim Olson and Cat Grant.

One thing I think could really do well would be an R-Rated Mad Men type show set in the 50s. There's the fedora, trench coat, telephone booths, cold war, cigar chomping Perry White, etc.. Youncan reclaim alln te traditional tropes but still jave a Superman in his 20s or 30s, and make it an adult show with sex, violence, etc.. Good ides for a comic line as well, I've mentioned it before. You embrace the history and legacy aspects on the surface much morentham you could do with Suoerman set in the present, *but* you can make it gritty, edgy, realistic, and without the cheesiness factor. Like Game of Thrones or something.