Summary
Superman and Loiswill end after its upcoming fourth season on The CW. While the showrunners weren’t happy to say goodbye to the DC series, they had a heartfelt message for the fans who made it a success.
Superman and Loislaunched as an Arrowverse spinoff starring Tyler Hoechlin as the Man of Steel and Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane, who first appeared inSupergirlandThe Flash’s “Elseworlds” episode, respectively. However,theSuperman and Loisseason 2 finalerevealed the series takes in a separate universe, paving the way for future seasons to follow its own continuity without connections to the Arrowverse.
Unfortunately,Superman and Loiswould only continue for two more seasons, asThe CWannounced the show would end after its 10-episode final season. After reports of theSuperman and Lois season 4 release datebeing delayed, the network confirmed the show will not return until 2024. “Over the last three seasons, SUPERMAN & LOIS redefined both the superhero genre and family drama as Tyler, Elizabeth and the entire cast effortlessly portrayed these classic characters with new layers of depth and complexity that had never before been explored in the Superman universe,” said Brad Schwartz, President of Entertainment, The CW Network, in a statement. “We are grateful for the years of hard work and graceful storytelling from the show’s writers, producers, actors and crew, as well as our terrific partners at Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions. As Superman embarks on his final flight, the team is leaving us with an absolutely epic 10-episode must-watch-every-minute farewell to one of the most legendary CW families ever.”
“While we’re sad to say goodbye to SUPERMAN & LOIS at the end of Season Four, we’re grateful for the time we’ve had with our amazing cast, crew, vfx teams, editors, musical geniuses, and writers. Since the day this show was first discussed, it was about family. And that’s what was created—on and off screen,” executive producers and co-showrunners Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher said in a statement. “We’d like to thank our partners at Berlanti Productions, DC, WB and The CW for their endless support and enthusiasm during this journey…and give a very special thank you to all the fans for tuning in.” The co-showrunners concluded their statement by expressing excitement about fans being able to watch Superman, Lois, and their alliesface off against Lex Luthor.
While disappointing, the show’s cancelation likely isn’t surprising to most fans.Superman and Loismade significant cutsto return for a fourth season, including cast reductions and downsizing in the writers' room. Consequently, only 4 of the 12 season 3 series regulars will return forSuperman and Lois' final season, and the number of writers went from 8 to 5. These sacrifices result from Warner Bros. Television’s agreement to deliver the series at a reduced license fee due to The CW’s new cost-cutting measures.
With the cancelation ofSuperman and Lois,the fan-favorite Arrowverse showsare all officially over. While there has been no official statement from Warner Bros. or DC attributing the cancelation to James Gunn’s upcoming DC Universe franchise, fans may find it difficult to avoid reaching that conclusion. Gunn’s DC Universe aims to connect DC projects in a cohesive universe consisting of movies, TV shows, and video games, and having Hoechlin’s Superman exist alongsideSuperman: Legacy’s David Corenswet wouldn’t fit that plan. Now,Superman and Loisjoins a growing list of DC projects that won’t make the transition into the DCU.
Superman and Loisseason 4 will premiere on The CW in 2024.
