The Arrowverse‘s popularity remains high more than a decade after the DC franchise launched, as confirmed by official Netflix viewership data. DC has had multiple franchises across movies and television in the past few years, including the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), the Arrowverse, and the Tomorrowverse. These four franchises have all confirmed their conclusion, with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Justice League: Apokolips War, Superman & Lois season 4, and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths providing the final chapter, respectively. Some franchises have been more popular than others, but the Arrowverse’s lasting impact is undeniable.
An immense interconnected franchise filled with famous and obscure DC characters would have seemed like an unlikely scenario when Arrow debuted in 2012. Yet, with each Arrowverse season and show, the CW’s DC universe continued to grow at an impressive rate. The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow finished establishing a vast live-action DC universe on the small screen, with Constantine, Black Lightning, and even Brandon Routh, Tom Welling, and Tyler Hoechlin’s Supermen taking part in Arrowverse crossovers along the way. And while Superman & Lois season 4 represents the end of DC’s successful TV reign in 2024, the Arroverse’s popularity endures.
Netflix’s Arrowverse Viewership Data Explained
According to Netflix’s What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report, the Arrowverse shows The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Black Lightning are still immensely popular by the second half of 2023. Netflix’s metric is solely based on the total number of hours viewed in the last six months, which means that the longer a show is, the easier the number can increase. Still, at an average of 45 minutes per episode and with a runtime of around 138 hours, a show like The Flash could have been watched more than 2,250,000 times in its entirety on Netflix just in the last six months. See the data below:
Show | Viewership | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
The Flash | 311,000,000 | 9 |
Arrow | 159,700,000 | 8 |
Supergirl | 60,600,000 | 6 |
Legends of Tomorrow | 37,100,000 | 7 |
Black Lightning | 34,600,000 | 4 |
Arrowverse Total | 603,000,000 | 5 shows, 34 seasons |
Why Only 5 Arrowverse Shows Are On Netflix
Apart from the five CW shows available on Netflix in late 2023, Batwoman, Stargirl, and Superman & Lois are also considered part of the Arrowverse. However, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Black Lightning premiered while Warner Bros. was licensing their DC shows to Netflix. Meanwhile, the Arrowverse’s last three shows found their home on Max after Warner Bros.’ streaming service was launched. Considering how popular the Arrowverse continues to be, it’s possible that Warner Bros. will eventually move every Arrowverse show onto their streaming platform.
Why The DCEU & Arrowverse Didn’t Combine (Despite The Crisis Crossover)
The Arrowverse’s Crisis on Infinite Earths event included a DCEU crossover, but there are key reasons why the two universes were never combined.
Will The Arrowverse Ever Be Revived Despite Ending This Year?
The Arrowverse’s successful 12-year run will end on a high note with Superman & Lois season 4 in 2024. Although Superman & Lois is set in a different, more self-contained continuity than the rest of the Arrowverse, it still upholds The CW’s DC legacy. However, the Arrowverse’s definitive conclusion is irreversible, as The CW has been sold to Nexstar, DC shows are extremely expensive to make, and the Arrowverse’s interconnectivity and crossovers were increasingly difficult to maintain. Besides, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe will expand not only in film but also in animated and live-action TV, starting in 2024.
How James Gunn’s DC Universe Can Honor The Arrowverse
James Gunn’s DC Universe won’t be connected to any other DC franchise, but it can learn from the strengths of previous successes from the Arrowverse. For instance, each Arrowverse show’s character dynamics were the heart of the franchise, as Oliver Queen’s allies, Team Flash, and the Arrowverse’s blooming Justice League grew close together across multiple seasons and different shows throughout a decade. These relationships were the narrative and emotional foundations for the Arrowverse’s ambitious crossovers, beginning with Oliver Queen and Barry Allen’s first team-ups, which eventually led to an all-encompassing crossover event as big as Crisis on Infinity Earths.
A more subtle way to honor the Arrowverse within the DCU than bringing back its characters through the multiverse is to avoid similar storylines and characterization. For instance, crossovers between the DCU’s Flash, Green Arrow, and Supergirl could be included as nods to the Arrowverse’s fans, but a deeper dive into their dynamics as a superhero team could risk copying The CW’s DC shows and reminding the audience of the Arrowverse’s definitive conclusion. On the other hand, Arrowverse actors could eventually land new roles in the DCU, which would both preserve their legacy and give them new material to explore as DC heroes or villains.
Key Release Dates
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Release Date:2023-12-22
Joker: Folie a Deux
Release Date:2024-10-04
Superman: Legacy
Release Date:2025-07-11
The Batman – Part II
Release Date:2025-10-03
