CW to Air Smallville Movie in February

Smallville is getting the big screen treatment on the small screen. The CW has unexpectedly decided to air a two-hour movie called Smallville: Absolute Justice on February 5 as a special event.

Entertainment Weekly reported the CW's decision to broadcast the feature, which will combine two previously planned episodes. The movie is being written by celebrated comic book writer Geoff Johns and will feature as guest stars DC Comics' super hero team The Justice Society.

Smallville: Absolute Justice will combine two scheduled Smallville episodes called "Society" and "Legends" which were to be the 11th and 12th episodes of the current season. The first hour of the movie will be directed by Glen Winter, and the second by Smallville star Tom Welling.

Smallville is in its ninth season on the CW network and enjoying something of a renaissance among fans and critics as the show has rebounded from a disastrous season eight finale to hit a creative stride.

The series, chronicling the continuing journey of Clark Kent (Welling) from farm boy to Superman, is posting solid ratings and getting enough buzz that talk of a 10th season seems much more confident than it did just months ago.

Smallville revolves around Clark's dual roles as a reporter at the Daily Planet in Metropolis and the city's mysterious hero known now as The Blur. Erica Durance plays Lois Lane, Callum Blue is the villainous General Zod, and Justin Hartley portrays Oliver Queen aka The Green Arrow.

The series has had many guest stars from the pages of DC Comics, including members of the Justice League such as Aquaman, Impulse, and the Black Canary. Last season Geoff Johns wrote an episode called "Legion" which featured members of another super hero team, DC Comic's Legion of Superheroes.

The Justice Society of America was the first team of super heroes in comic book history, appearing in the 1940s. It originally featured a lineup that included Hawkman, Doctor Fate, the Flash, and the Green Lantern among others.

Smallville: Absolute Justice will have a Justice Society lineup of Hawkman (Michael Shanks), Doctor fate (Brent Stait), Stargirl (Britt Irvin), and the Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris).

Out of the guest stars only Morris, as the Martian Manhunter, has previously appeared on the show.

According to TV Guide Magazine, the plotline of the movie will focus on the Justice Society as a group of heroes who were active in the 1970s and return from retirement to help out the heroes of Smallville.

"Clark and his friends are figuring out what their destinies will be," Shanks told TV Guide, "so there is a ripe opportunity for the Justice Society, who had been there done that, to offer some tough love teaching."

Smallville also stars Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan, a character who plays the role of Watchtower for the Justice League on Smallville. Shanks revealed to TV Guide that Hawkman in seen flying on both Chloe's Watchtower set and the roof of the Daily Planet.

Smallville fans, who were already buzzing about the upcoming appearance of the Justice Society, can now look forward to a first in the series with the two-hour CW movie event Smallville: Absolute Justice.

Sources:

Entertainment Weekly, The Ausiellofiles "Smallville Movie Gets a Title"

TV Guide Magazine, Hawkman Swoops Into Smallville!

CW Official Site, Smallville