‘Legends of Tomorrow’ and ‘Batwoman’ Cancelled by The CW
The Arrowverse just got a lot smaller — The CW yesterday confirmed that both Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman would not be returning, cancelling the series after seven and three seasons respectively.
News of Batwoman‘s cancellation came first, with showrunner Caroline Dries posting the following message on Twitter:
Just got the sad news that #Batwoman will not be seeing an S4. I am bummed, but full of gratitude. What an honor to make 51 episodes. So many inspiring, brilliant people contributed to this series. Thank you producers, cast and crew. Thank you, fans! We love you. ❤️
— Caroline Dries (@carolinedries) April 29, 2022
Soon after, Legends co-showrunner Keto Shimizu revealed that time had also been called on DC’s favorite band of misfit heroes, writing:
Thank you to our fans; your love and passion for our strange band of misfits has made every break, every script, every daily, every cut, and every mix worth all the hard work. We see you, we love you, and you’ll always have a place on the Waverider. ❤️
— Keto Shimizu (@ketomizu) April 30, 2022
Fans of both series had been hoping that The CW would grant them shorter final seasons to wrap the shows up and give them a proper sendoff, something the network is known for doing for its longer-running series. However, this was not to be, and the two series became the first shows in the Arrowverse to end without a planned final season.
The CW did not say why they chose not to grant wrap-up seasons, but it seems likely that the potential sale of the network, as well as Warner Bros. Discovery’s wider plans for DC properties may have played a role in the decision.
Whilst Batwoman teased a mystery villain at the end of its third season, it left the heroes in a good place with their story arcs largely resolved. Legends of Tomorrow, on the other hand, ended with the introduction of Booster Gold and a major cliffhanger that may now go unresolved.
The cancellation of Legends and Batwoman leaves the Arrowverse with three shows on The CW. The Flash, Superman & Lois, and Stargirl, which is set on a different Earth. The Flash and Superman & Lois were both recently renewed, though The Hollywood Reporter has suggested that this season of The Flash may be a shorter final season. Stargirl‘s third season is due to air this summer, so it is unlikely that we will hear about a potential fourth season until later in the year.
Outside of the Arrowverse, Naomi is still waiting to hear whether it will receive a renewal for a second season, and Gotham Knights is waiting to hear if it will receive a series order following the recently shot pilot.
As long as the Arrowverse continues, there is always the chance that the heroes of Gotham and the Waverider may still appear in potential crossovers, such as The Flash‘s recent Armageddon event — even though the shows are over, this may not be the last we have seen of these characters and their adventures. As the writers said in their goodbye message, “Legends never die.”