It was revealed during the DC FanDome panel for the upcoming The CW series Superman & Lois that Superman is going to be getting a new suit. During the panel, the show’s creator Todd Helbing (The Flash) offered an explanation as to why the decision was made to give the Man of Steel a new look. He explained he felt the suit Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf) wore in the “Crisis” crossover event wasn’t strong enough to sustain a full series.
“Since we have this fresh slate, we thought, ‘Let’s make a new suit.’ So, there is going to be a really badass new Superman suit on this show that I’m pretty excited about,“ said Helbing.
Helbing explained the series will pick up after the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover storyline and will see Clark Kent and Lois Lane making a new life for themselves and their teenage sons in Smallville. The series will not focus on Clark and Lois as Superman and an award-winning journalist but rather as parents raising their two sons and what it’s like when you have jobs like that.
“As a father who happens to have two boys, that really felt like a great way to bring in some personal experience, just to keep it as grounded as it can be for a Superman show,” said Helbing.
The DC FanDome panel also confirmed the superhero couple moved from Metropolis after a “tragic” event which the cast and creator refused to reveal.
Helbing hinted at the possibility of a love triangle and all the complications that come with that dynamic. Clark’s first love, Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui, Entourage), will re-enter his life and become a point of tension for the couple. “I think it’s an interesting dynamic as an adult, how you deal with that relationship,” explained Helbing. However, he made it clear Clark will never have an affair, but that Lois has her doubts and does feel threatened by Lana.
Even with Lana added into the mix and Lois and Clark busy as parents of teenage boys, Helbing assured fans the series wasn’t going to be just a family drama but would also have action-packed, set-piece-filled stories of superheroes and supervillains.
Series stars Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch (Grimm) also participated in the DC FanDome panel. Discussing playing the Man of Steel once again and what makes Superman Superman, Hoechlin said, “I think what makes Superman so important in my eyes is that he is someone that without fail chooses to do the right thing and all the good that they can do. That’s really all it is, whether that is saving one person from getting hit in the street, or saving people from a falling skyscraper, it’s the quality of the effort and the work – not the quantity.”
Hoechlin acknowledged the opportunity to play the iconic superhero came at a good time in his life. Taking on the role has given him much needed hope as he was exiting a cynical phase of life. He added that he feels the show will debut when the world needs a bit of optimism.
Tulloch said she’s read two scripts and finds the storylines with Lois and Clark’s sons compelling. “I think one thing that she bumps up against is being really dedicated to her career and her job. She is doing this for good and she believes in what she is doing,” explained Tulloch. “Lois wants to change the world with words and Superman does it with his power, but how much is that alienating our kids? And how good can you really be at your job if you have two teenage boys who both have distinct needs? So, I think for me that is what was compelling. I was really excited when I heard it would be older kids.”
The CW’s Superman & Lois is set to debut in January 2021.
The Plot, Courtesy of The CW:
In Superman & Lois, after years of facing megalomaniacal supervillains, monsters wreaking havoc on Metropolis, and alien invaders intent on wiping out the human race, the world’s most famous superhero, The Man of Steel aka Clark Kent and comic books’ most famous journalist, Lois Lane, come face to face with one of their greatest challenges ever – dealing with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society.
Complicating the already daunting job of raising two boys, Clark and Lois must also concern themselves with whether or not their sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass, Little Fires Everywhere) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin, The Peanuts Movie) could inherit their father’s Kryptonian superpowers as they grow older.
Returning to Smallville to handle some Kent family business, Clark and Lois are reacquainted with Lana Lang, a local loan officer who also happens to be Clark’s first love, and her Fire Chief husband Kyle Cushing (Erik Valdez, Graceland). The adults aren’t the only ones rediscovering old friendships in Smallville as the Kent sons are reacquainted with Lana and Kyle’s rebellious daughter, Sarah (Inde Navarrette, Wander Darkly).
Of course, there’s never a dull moment in the life of a superhero, especially with Lois’ father, General Samuel Lane (Dylan Walsh, Nip/Tuck) looking for Superman to vanquish a villain or save the day at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, Superman and Lois’ return to idyllic Smallville is set to be upended when a mysterious stranger (Wolé Parks, All American) enters their lives.
