Tom Welling takes flight as top choice for next Superman

Actor Tom Welling is emerging as a favorite to play Superman in the next film.

Welling, 31, playing a teenage Clark Kent in Smallville on TV lived the first years of a superhero. The show is entering the eighth - and possibly final - season.

The late actor Christopher Reeve, who played what many consider the definitive first Superman film series, said Welling would be ideal to play the part of the screen.

Several new petitions supporting the idea and one poll named Welling as Superman's favorite actor.

For many, Welling embodies the character of Superman, for others, there is nothing more than a television actor. But with the Welling campaign momentum, many fans clearly believe he has super powers required for the role.

An online petition has 1,482 names calling for Tom Welling to become the next big screen Superman. But the big question is whether this will lead people to believe that the film was a direct continuation of Smallville.

With Warner Bros. has announced that the next Superman movie will certainly be a reboot, the debate has intensified over who will be the next star of the franchise - and the next director.

Obviously, a reboot means that Bryan Singer, Superman Returns, 2006, and Brandon Routh, who played the hero in this film would not return to the franchise.

Manyonlinepollsandsuperherofanshavemissedthiscrucipoint.Itmakes no sense, like Bryan Singer on a survey of directors as possible, and no points, including Brandon Routh in a feasibility study for the next Superman.

Other polls have asked readers to vote for their favorite Superman. However, the vote on George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain and Brandon Routh - none of them will be back in the paper - is also unnecessary. George Reeves died in 1949, Christopher Reeve died in 2004, Cain is now 42 years, and Routh was disappointing in the film Superman before.

This type of survey are trapped in the past in the same way that Superman Returns ended up being a tribute to a bygone era previous Superman films. It really is time to move on. Nostalgic attachment to the supermen of yesterday is not helping someone to choose the man of tomorrow.

However, when we look at the polls, a blog on the Superman fans Showtime decided Welling in the lead with 47 percent of the vote, followed by Brandon Routh to 28 percent, Christopher Reeve, 24 percent Dean Cain, then with 1 per cent.

Apart from Welling, there are other options. Little-known television actor DJ Cotrone, 28, was due to play the role of Superman in the movie proposed (and now stalled) Justice League.

A selection of fans to the party leader is James Caviezel (pictured above left, who played Jesus in The Passion of Christ) who had the lead role in Superman Returns singer. Nicolas Cage was considered for the lead role in the film of the miserable life of Superman being developed in the period 1996-1997, and Ben Affleck was the preferred choice of scribe Kevin Smith projects. Josh Hartnett was offered the role of Superman in Superman vs. Batman project pilot, which began development in 2002.

Matt Damon mentioned the type of actor they are looking for, although he has never been faced with Warner list - or Batman or Superman roles - like Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, James Franco, Jude Law and Paul Walker.

In Superman: Flyby film that has become a trend, in 2002, but has never been done, Brett Ratner signed, and directly approached Hartnett and Jude Law is a key element. Christopher Reeve became a consultant for the project and the popular Tom Welling as the ideal choice for Superman, but Reeve has also added that the actor chosen is unknown. However, Wellington was at that stage still relatively rare, Smallville and begins about a year before.

Kutchertestedfortherole,andherefused.PaulWalkerhasalso been offered the part, and David Boreanaz, Brendan Fraser and Matthew Bomer auditioned. Mutant X actor Victor Webster (right) made a screen test, which included costume fittings as Clark Kent and Superman.

And 'course, is support for Welling to be Superman - Christopher Reeve, even thought it was perfect. As I said before, Smallville has gone as far as possible without Clark Kent finally become iconic costume. Wellington is a great work for the chops Hollywood films remains to be seen - after seeing the remake of the Fog I am not entirely convinced.