Today the CW will start playing a promo forecasting the final episodes of “Smallville” and hinting at Clark Kent’s transformation into Superman. It seems like we’ve been saying that forever, but rest assured, you’ve never heard a “Smallville” promo like this.
That’s right, the CW went ahead and licensed John Williams’ classic score from 1978’s original “Superman.” (This track is titled "The Planet Krypton.”) As pointed out by EW, it is also worth noting the word “believe,” part of the iconic 1978 “Superman” tag line, “You will believe a man can fly.”
As the show about Clark Kent comes to a close it seems to be making a concerted effort to connect with the Richard Donner film, while current and future Superman projects look decidedly past that part of the character's legacy. Whether for nostalgia or cohesiveness, "Smallville" creators have made a prestigious purchase in licensing the score, which was nominated for an Academy Award.
It remains to be seen how much of the final episode will feature Tom Welling's Clark as Superman in his full caped glory. As hinted by co-creator Al Gough, it might be as brief as a single scene.