Superman Returns Star Brandon Routh Wishes Tyler Hoechlin The Best On Supergirl

Ten years ago today, Superman Returns sped into theaters and Brandon Routh became inextricably bound to the Man of Steel.

Now, of course, he's starring on DC's Legends of Tomorrow in his fourth comic book role (following Superman Returns, Dylan Dog, and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), playing Ray Palmer, The Atom.

During the course of the upcoming TV season, DC's Legends of Tomorrow will cross over with Supergirl on The CW, bringing Routh onscreen opposite somebody wearing a version of the fabled costume he wore in his biggest film role to date.

Before that, Tyler Hoechlin will appear on the first two episodes of Supergirl Season Two as Superman, bringing that character to the small screen for the first time since the end of Smallville and introducing him to the larger DC Universe in live action for the second time this year (the first, of course, being Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, whcih is available digitally today and out on Blu-ray and DVD in two weeks).

During a Reddit AMA today, fans asked Routh what he thought of Hoechlin as Superman.

"I wish him the best," Routh wrote, "and hope to meet him if Ray gets to crossover to Supergirl!"

When Supergirl started, it felt a bit like the universe of one of the pre-Iron Man superhero movies, where the only character with powers and abilities in the whole world happens to be the one you're following (and/or the film's villain). Over the course of the season, of course, the show gradually introduced moreand more villains, and more heroes -- most notably the Martian Manhunter. Now, the series will be joining the "Berlantiverse," the DC superhero universe shared by Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow. In it, Supergirl might encounter dozens of superheroes and -villains, including The Atom.