Smallville adapted an impressive range of DC heroes for TV over its ten-year run, even featuring a number that have yet to make it into the Arrowverse – including Aquaman, Cyborg and Booster Gold. One of those few that got away, though, was Batman. And it’s something that Welling still wishes they’d been able to work out.
The star attended Fan Expo Canada this weekend and was asked by someone during a panel which character he’d most liked to have seen on the long-lasting CW Superman prequel. Welling immediately landed on the idea of a Smallville version of Bruce Wayne, saying:
“I can tell you what I wish we would have seen, was some version of a Bruce Wayne that fit in with what we were doing. I think that would have been cool.”
SV fans may know that the writers attempted a few times to introduce Bruce, but rights issues stood in the way. Notably, season 3’s Adam Knight (Ian Somerhalder) was originally envisioned as a young Wayne. Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow later joined the show in season 6 and essentially stood in for Batman, serving as Clark’s closest super-friend. Along with Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, the Bat was ultimately introduced in the official Smallville Season 11 comics.
Welling’s revealed himself to be a bit of a Batman fan of late as well. He recently suggested that he’d like to swap the blue and red for a black cape and cowl and play the Dark Knight in the Arrowverse. Legendary voice actor Kevin Conroy actually has this gig in the upcoming “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, but there’s still hope that Welling will reprise SV‘s Clark Kent in the event, so all’s not lost. Maybe Welling’s Clark and Conroy’s Bruce will even share some screentime and kind of belatedly achieve his Smallville dream? Fingers crossed.
