LOL! Here's the thing - remember people generally congregate with other like opinionated people. If you have opinions that are in stark contrast to those of the majority, you're probably not going to enjoy conversation there for very long - not unless you're the type of person who enjoys arguing and getting nowhere.
Even in our own little niche, group opinion among SV fans is splintered. If you have strong opinions about one or more characters, chances are there's a BBS somewhere out there where a majority of people posting share your opinion. And most of them will be fairly elitist about it.
Fans are fans, and Superman fans are no different.
Smallville has been on the air for seven years. Some Superman fans love the show. Some hate it. I've never met a Supes' fan that doesn't have an opinion about SV, though interestingly enough, there ARE SV fans that are indifferent to Superman. For example, if you take a stroll over to K-Site, you'll find polls that ask users their opinions of the Superman costume, and if fans want to see it. Not
when they want to see it, but
if they want to see it. Some users think it looks silly and can't imagine their Clark Kent wearing such a thing. (There's irony in there somewhere.)
SV fans are often seen as the red-headed stepchildren of Superman fandom, and that's why you'll see 'tudes on various Superman specific message boards. For a show that is the longest running live action superhero series ever (not just Superman - but ALL super heroes), it's still not taken very seriously by elitist Superman fans. They say it targets teenyboppers (it doesn't), that it'll be forgotten quickly (it won't), and that very few people even know about it, much less watch it (nonsense!) So the very idea that the star of the show would even be considered for the role of Superman in a film - never mind actually be asked - is ludicrous to these people. And until an announcement is made, that is the opinion you'll continue to see be held.
So, given existing attitudes, here's my predictions for after the announcement:
Welling is not cast in JL:
SV/TW fans who are okay with another actor in the role (provided he's phenomenal) will be fine with it - just like any other fan who wants a good movie despite not getting their cast preference.
SV/TW fans who ONLY wanted to see TW in the role will be bummed and vocal about it. There will be some resentment, but everything should return to "normal" eventually. Technically, nothing will have changed for these people. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain. SV will continue to grace their living rooms every Thursday, this forum will still exist, and discussion about TW as Superman will continue - much as it has done so for years.
Welling is cast in JL:
Picture... downtown Beirut on a warm, summer day. SV fans are going to come out of the woodwork in droves. JL boards from here to Timbuktu are going to swarm with hundreds of "new" fans, and they're going to drive those elitist Superman fans I referenced earlier completely NUTS.
^ I'm not kidding.
Regardless of what happens, this thread won't move. It's applicable to TW's character in SV since Clark is also Superman - just minus the tights and flights. Another thread would be created in the JL forum for the JL Superman. If that Superman is played by Tom Welling too, so be it. I think the Hype can handle two threads for TW as Superman. The Hype's users... well... that might be a different story.
