“What’s in the pod?” is so two months ago. As of today, the new question plaguing fans of The CW’s Supergirl is: “Who will play Superman in Season 2?” And we’ve got a few suggestions.
Per Supergirl‘s timeline, Superman (aka Kal-El, aka Clark Kent) should be somewhere in his thirties; 13-year-old Kara was trapped in the Phantom Zone (where time doesn’t move) for 24 years when Clark was still a baby, meaning he’d be roughly 11 years older than her at this point.
With that in mind, Team TVLine whipped up a list of some actors we think would fill Superman’s red boots quite nicely — a crew ranging from White Collar‘s Matt Bomer, who already played the Man of Steel in a foreign car commercial, to Pretty Little Liars‘ Ian Harding, who certainly knows a thing or two about playing a character with secrets.
We also posed this casting quandary to our readers, a request which elicited a lot of the expected responses — “Tom Welling,” “TOM WELLING!!!” and “It’s too bad Brandon Routh is already playing A.T.O.M — as well as a few interesting left-field names, which you can peruse at your leisure below. (And let’s not get too nit-picky about ages. This is The CW, after all.)
Browse our selection of potential Supermen, then drop a comment below: Did your favorite make the cut?
From Ur list my wish would be Chris Graham. Zachary Levi would fit the role as well, Daniel Gillies and David Boreneaz as previously suggested.
Just now thought of David Boreanaz and thought I’d be the only one to have the idea. Guess not.
David Boreneaz is too old for this part.
Even though it definitely seems unlikely, so here for Brett Dalton in the role.
I think any of these choices could work with the exception of Joe Manganiello.
Matt Bomer would be a fantastic choice!
but he’s a bit on the short side
He’s 6ft, isn’t he? Not too short…
He’s 6′ she’s 5’8″ … seems perfect.
The problem is, they cast a Jimmy Olsen who is 6’3″ so they need a tall Superman.
I find it hard to believe he’s as tall as 6′ from seeing him on Chuck and White Collar–but he’d did some spectacular acting on WC and was a super spy on Chuck, so I think he’d be a great foil for Supergirl.
I actually like all the choices except for Brett Dalton–I just think it will be some time before I could see him as a good character after his great but creepily evil role as Ward. Still get shivers from seeing his photo, yikes!
Tom Welling to bring Smallville to the Arrow verse!
I agree 100%
I think Tom Welling is too old at this point. It would have been okay if it happened 5 years ago but I don’t see it happening unless the CW coughs up a lot of money for him to return. That money could be diverted to even better special effects if they get a lesser known actor. Plus, a new actor could bring longevity to the character if they want to do repeat appearances, especially during crossovers with the other shows (which I doubt will happen until we get a Justice League set up happening).
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love Tom Welling to come back and do it. I just don’t see it happening.
Actually, did some google-fu earlier. According to dialog from the show, Clark was born in ’79 making him 36 or 37. Tom Welling is 39, so its actually almost perfect. Its a little weird, but Supergirl-Clark is actually fully into his adulthood. Left a newborn, Kara was in “stasis” 24 years (so Clark was roughly that old when we see him greet her in the pilot) and then she spent 12 years with the Danvers before the show began, so right at 36.
Which means Kara is technically 50 years old. heh.
PERFECT opportunity for Tom Welling to grace our TV screens once again. Man it would be super cool if the CW could pull this off!
Thanks for throwing Chris Wood in the mix! I brought him up in the other article and others thought he might be too young, but I’m sure the show can explain that away. ☺
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Another name someone else there out was Josh Henderson (Dallas), and I like this choice too.
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Then someone else threw out Matt Dallas (Kyle XY) & again I liked that. Would be unexpected but could really work.
a Million Times Tom Welling, don’t think it’ll happen…then Matt Bomer…don’t think it’ll happen, so if not one of those two…yeah will be meh, at least for me
Bomer would be soooo great!
Matt Bomer would be a super ‘Superman’.
Tom Welling didn’t want to get in the suit at the end of his own show. What makes you think that he would want to now?
Actually, he wouldn’t need to. He can show up only as Clark and not the Superman persona. I think this will play much better in Supergirl, as it will not take the focus away from the main character, Supergirl. Whereas, with Tyler Hoechlin as Superman, some of the spotlight will be diverted.
Yes, to Christopher Gorham. The rest, probably not! I love Tom Welling but I think it would be confusing to the audience.
Tom Welling. Period.
Without a doubt, Matt Bomer. I think he has the sexiest eyes.
I could completely see Chris Gorham picking it up. That Matt Bomer commercial is a scream!
Why not throw in General Hospital’s Ryan Paevey into the mix. Since it’s only for a few episodes, I’m sure GH would let him take some time off for this gig. He’s got the Superman look.
Remember, whoever they cast also has to have chemistry with James Olsen, his supposed best friend.
I like the Ryan Paevey suggestion on general principle.
Good Lord. I just googled the guy. He’s incredibly handsome.
My vote is for Matt Bomer all the way
Another big question then is who is going to play Lois Lane with her sister and father already on in the verse. As yu carnt have one without the other.
Tom Welling. There is no one else!
The Ian Harding suggestion gave me a nice belly laugh, while I remembered that one time he took his shirt off on PLL and it was INCREDIBLY obvious that he had spray on abs and pecks because his profile did not match the view from the front. As much as I genuinely like him as is, there is no way The CW would cast him without some serious body building.
Yup , Bomer all the way . Harding and Routh are pretty puppies but i don’t buy either of them as super heroes . They might as well give the cape to er.. Colton Kaynes , sp .
I like Matt Bomer or Ryan McPartlin or Brett Dalton. Chris Wood wouldn’t fit the rol. Superman is suppose to be older than Kara, at least 10 years older and Chris is younger than Melissa and most importantly, he doesn’t look older than she. Never like Smallville so I’m not thrilled with the idea of having Tom Welling doing the part.
Just a side note but three of the 10 guys you listed all went to Carnegie Mello University for College. No one may be able to name a professional athlete from my alma mater but they sure can name our actors. They are Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello and Ian Harding btw…
It has to be Tom Welling!
“We’d just have to make sure Welling’s Superman never encounters Indigo (played by Laura Vandervoort, aka Smallville’s Kara) or else the universe might straight-up collapse.”
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Or the Danvers, since Dean Cain played Jack the Ripper on Smallville, and Helen Slater played Lara-El. Although a comment about “Did I ever tell you how much you looked like my mother?” would be great in the latter case.
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Chris Gorham intrigues me… and I love the idea of Captain Awesome.
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The CW could (and almost certainly will) skew younger; Supes ages slower than us mere mortal, so who’s to say that a Kryptonian mid-30s will look anything at all like a human mid-30s. I figure they’ll go for somebody in the late 20s. Especially since, y’know, CW.
Captain Awesome = SuperAwesomeMan! Ryan McPartlan would be great.
CHris Wood , Matt Bomer
Greg will probably cast someone who has worked on one of his previous show. I like James Wolk who is currently on Zoo or Dave Annable, who show Heartbeat got cancelled. I like both Matt Bomer and course, Tom Welling. Too bad Brandon Routh is too busy on Legends or I would have placed him on the list.
Sean Maher! He’s like Matt Bomer with more sci-fi cred.
He’s already appeared as shrapnel on arrow, so I doubt they would use him for superman.
I want to see Tom Welling have the chance to fully embrace Superman, but Chris Gotham and Ryan McPartlin are some fantastic casting choices I can’t help but love.
Auto correct sucks! Correction: Chris Gorham.
Matt Bomer: Yes, would love this. Would 100% work.
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Joe Manganiello: Yes, would love this. Would totally work but he is definitly the most manly of all the options. My only concern is I still want him for a DC/Marvel character in the movie universes, so if this hurts his chances of getting one then no, pass.
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Brett Dalton: Wow I wouldn’t have though of him but he’d really work.
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Tom Welling: My current favorite pick and what I have been hoping for since Supergirl premiered. He would both be PERFECT as Superman/Clark Kent, and also give some awesome fan service by letting us finally see him in the suit and play Superman. No issues with him having been on Smallville IMO.
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Ian Harding: Who? Looks like a typical CW option for Superman. Meh.
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Tyler Hoechlin: I wouldn’t straight up dislike this casting, he is close enough to the look but eh, he would be a TV version of Superman at best, unlike Bomer or Welling or maybe even Dalton who could play him in a movie and it be good.
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Chris Gorham: Eh, I just don’t see the look. I love Chris and his personality would actually be great for both Clark and Superman (going off Cover Affairs) but he doesn’t look anything like Superman to me.
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Chris Wood: Eh, pass. He looks like a classic CW/MTV actor, aka a pretty boy trying to be a man. He is too young looking (looks like a 25 year old with a beard, not a 30+ year old MAN). He would most definitely be a “TV Superman” like Hoechlin. Not anywhere near the tier that Welling, Manganiello, Cavill, etc are in.
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Finn Wittrock: Who? Eh, looks creepy not handsome boy scout like Superman is supposed to be.
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Ryan McPartlin: Ohhhh I like this pick! He’d totally work as a TV Superman.
I’d be absolutely fine with the Tom Welling casting choice, and I wasn’t even a big Smallville fan.
Tom Welling! The multiverse can even keep Smallville’s cannon safe in another ‘verse. Who knows? Maybe Flash can pop over the Smallville’s universe and say hello to that Clark, Lois, Ollie, and Chloe.
Chris Gorham could be an intriguing and inspired choice–but is it me but doesn’t he resemble Grant Gustin (the Flash)?
maybe he could play future Barry Allen…
Great idea!
Tom welling of course
Atom is on Earth 1… So Brandon Routh could be Superman on Whatever Earth Supergirl is on, though not sure how the Alien Identity fits in there. Tom Welling is great, though I would think he needs to be as tall as Jimmy/James Olson
As a Smallville fan, I want Tom. From a ratings standpoint, he’s also the best choice, part of the problem of Super Girl is that show never really found it’s footing, the last few episodes were a step in the right direction and with the move to The CW it’s a fresh start and gives the creators a bit of a reboot.
That said, they still need to win back fans and/or gain new ones and if they got Tom Wells to be Clark Kent, they would get people to watch. The decision to finally cast a Superman is proof they know they need to do something big to start the 2nd season.
It will probably take money to get him and that’s a big issue, but they have to cast someone known enough to make a big enough splash anyways, which means spending money, he can’t be a no name. And if they are already spending money, they might as well go with Tom, because no one is going bring the ratings like Tom will, no one outside of a huge star, no one thought would do a tv show, that is.
I would love it to be Tom Welling. Since the Flash made it possible to link different Earths. The normal Flash/Arrowverse is Earth 1. Earth 2 is the place where basically all the Earth 1 main characters are villains. They could call Supergirl’s universe Earth 3 and have Tom Welling being the Superman in that world. Smallville could be technically Earth 4 so it would make sense that Tom Welling is Superman in both Earth 3 and Earth 4 even though the Supergirl is different between the two universes.
TOM WELLING!!!
Ian Harding ! I feel like he could portray a great Clark Kent/superman he’s got that charm and Superman’s stature
Look, Supergirl is a fan of the wink and nod to former iterations. Tom Welling can play Supergirl’s Superman and it doesn’t have to relate whatsoever to Smallville. Maybe Smallville takes place on Earth-5.
Tom Welling, no doubt.
Tom Welling is already in the minds of all, because of their participation as the main star of the series Smallville as the young Superman for 10 full seasons.
Tom Welling all the way!!!!!!!
This would be fantastic. There’s no chance in hell of it happening, of course. But a girl can dream.
All the others being mentioned are way to wimpy looking (or old) for the Man of Steel.
From that list my vote would be Gorham or Bomer. And please NO BRETT DALTON!. Get over the obsession with him.
Matt Bomer would be perfect. Besides chances are a large group of the viewers would take one look and him and say “Whoa! how did CW manage to get Henry Cavill on Supergirl?? Are they rolling the CW DC series in with the movies?!?”
Seriously, Matt Bomer and Henry Cavill look eerily similar, except Matt is more pretty and Henry’s more manly. Which only makes Matt even more perfect for the role (CW is very much about the Pretty)
Otherwise, as a former Smallville fan, I would love for Tom Welling to do it (but only if he is willing to show up occasionally throughout, like Dean Cain is doing. I want more than a “One and Done” I want recurring.)
My vote goes to Tom Welling, all the way. That way, if they ever do decide to pursue bringing Lex Luthor on for whatever the reason, they can attract Michael Rosenbaum back as well. Now that pairing is pure chemistry!
An older Superman and Luther. It fits if they wanted to do the part because given that Kara was stuck in the phantom zone all this time, he would be older than her. They could change it and make an older superman, not mid 20s superman. Welling/Rosenbaum made a good pair.
Chris Wood, Hoechlin, didn’t watch Smallville but cool with Tom Welling. basically anyone but Brett Dalton.
Matt Bomer, YES.
Tom Welling, a big fat NOOOO!
Welling is not a Superman material, never liked his Smallville show
Zach Levi has to be at the top of the list for any Chuck Alum. Plus the jokes when he finds out Ray tried to date felicity in season 3 of arrow practically write themselves.
Otherwise David Schwimmer as an older Superman. He has the physical stature, he’s the same age as Kat Grant and he’d bring a level of Doucheyness that would explain why he wasn’t there all the time
Would love to see Tom come back but if he don’t how about Nathan Parsons or Josh Henderson
You keep mentioning the car ad, but Bomer also portrayed Superman in one of the animated features.
Brett Dalton? Come on. That guy lasted on AoS two seasons too many. Great at action stuff, terrible actor.
Bomer & Welling are inspired, but doubt they’d happen. Big Joe could fill out the suit, but I’ve only ever seen him as Alcide, could he pull off the performance?
Please not Tom Welling. The man can’t act.
Matt Bomer is already a super hero in our eyes :) Matt has said in previous interviews that he is ready to throw a cape on any time and dive into that world, and has mentioned on more than one occasion that he’d love to play Nightwing. Matt would make an awesome superhero. We hope he’s given that opportunity some day.