Two More Superhero Series Are About To Get Canceled
The CW will likely cancel both Superman & Lois and Gotham Knights.
The Arrowverse is coming to a close, and now the two DC shows in their own universes might be gone as well. As reported by The Direct, Superman & Lois and Gotham Knights are on the chopping block at The CW. If the shows are canceled, the upcoming Season 9 finale of The Flash will be the final outing for the network’s DC superhero universe.
The CW has not officially announced the end of Superman & Lois, which is in the middle of its third season, or of Gotham Knights, currently in its first. News outlets have reported conflicting outlooks on the series’ futures, with some predicting that one series will remain on air, and others reporting that both are likely to get the ax.
Between the two, Superman & Lois is the far better ratings performer, but also the more expensive of the two. Gotham Knights is the cheapest superhero outing The CW has had to date, but it is also one of its lowest-rated efforts.
The CW is undergoing a strategic shift that has eliminated most of the network’s scripted shows. The reboot of Kung Fu and the Supernatural prequel The Winchesters are the latest in a long line of scripted series to be canceled. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The CW is down from 18 scripted series a year and a half ago to just five, only two of which are guaranteed to continue past this season.
In the place of shows like The Flash and Riverdale, The CW has a lineup of unscripted reality shows. The strategy came about after years of The CW losing millions of dollars in an attempt to make the network profitable. It also largely protects The CW from the impacts of the WGA writers’ strike.
For DC Studios, the conclusion of the Arrowverse declutters the identity of DC characters moving forward. The Flash, starring Ezra Miller, is scheduled to hit theaters in June and hit the reset button on the DC movie canon. That, in conjunction with the end of superheroes on The CW, will give James Gunn and Peter Safran a totally fresh start for their new vision of the DCU.
DC movies are on borrowed time as the impending reboot looms. The remaining DC shows on The CW may be in the same situation as inevitable cancellation hangs over all that remains on the network. The only scripted shows expected to carry over into the next season on The CW are All American and Walker.
Superman & Lois has been one of the best-received DC shows on The CW. The show’s version of Superman, played by Tyler Hoechlin, was introduced to audiences in The CW’s Supergirl series back in 2016. Many fans of the character regard him as one of the best to take on the role in live-action.
Gotham Knights, on the other hand, has been viewed far less favorably. The series follows the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s death. Without Batman to protect the city, Wayne’s adopted son teams up with the children of infamous Batman villains to become the new guardians of Gotham.
The CW has yet to give the final word on the two series, but the flurry of cancellations leading up to this point indicates that the network is ready to leave the Arrowverse, and the rest of DC, in the dust with the conclusion of The Flash later this month.
