James Gunn’s 2025 movie Superman may have been hailed as a brilliantly original take on the iconic big-screen superhero, but the writer-director owes a debt of gratitude to cult franchise TV show Smallville. Now, 25 years on from when it first aired on television, the show is experiencing a resurgence in popularity around the world.

Gunn himself acknowledges the role Smallville played in inspiring him to make the best Superman movie of all time, and would be delighted with the renewed attention the series is getting. Back in 2001, it was arguably the first iteration of Superman to give the Man of Steel a grounded backstory, and portray him as a flawed human being.

The past 10 years have seen superhero TV masterpieces proliferate across various streaming platforms, but Smallville was far ahead of its time. In fact, it laid the blueprint for the realism we see throughout the genre’s small-screen releases today. Without it, the likes of The Boys, Daredevil, and Invincible simply wouldn’t exist.

Superman TV Show Smallville Debuted On TV 25 Years Ago

It was October 2001 when Smallville first landed on The WB, portraying Clark Kent as a teenager living in a remote area of Kansas. It served as an origin story for Superman grounded in realism, explaining how his heroism developed in terms of events in everyday life with which we could identify.

The series lasted 10 successful seasons, developing a cult following among lovers of the superhero genre and fans of coming-of-age dramas alike. Its cult status has only increased since it ended in 2011. In the subsequent decade and a half, various other superhero TV shows tried and failed to be the next Smallville.

Smallville Was A Major Inspiration For James Gunn’s Superman Movie

As the writer-director of 2025’s Superman has admitted himself, Smallville influenced James Gunn’s movie in several key aspects of its premise, plot, and visual aesthetic. Gunn’s adaptation adheres to the TV show in naming Lex Luthor’s company LuthorCorp, and in making Clark Kent’s transformation into Superman a decision he chooses.

The 2025 Superman is also much closer to the bright and vivid visual style of Smallville than the darker Zack Snyder movies of the 2010s. In narrative terms, Gunn’s film seems to pick things up where the TV show left off, with some fans subscribing to the theory that it’s essentially the big-screen equivalent of Smallville season 11.

25 Years On, Smallville Is More Popular Than Ever

Thanks to Smallville’s arrival on Netflix in several countries this month, it’s now riding high in the streaming charts of several countries worldwide. This newfound popularity is testament to the show’s enduring appeal, which James Gunn undoubtedly tapped into when he used it to inspire elements of his Superman movie.

Far from being a noughties fad which never completely took off, Smallville is a timeless TV classic, which revolutionized the small screen’s superhero genre when it was first released, and continues to find fresh audiences among new generations of fans. Its influence can be felt across DC’s recent TV releases, from Superman & Lois to The Penguin.

James Gunn will continue to reinvigorate the Superman franchise in the coming years, from his stewardship of the Supergirl movie, to his own directorial sequel Man of Tomorrow, penciled in for a 2027 release. Meanwhile, Smallville is set to keep going from strength to strength in syndication, and DC should resist the temptation to reboot this classic show.