Netflix’s confirmation that The CW’s Arrowverse is as popular as ever proves just how popular Grant Gustin’s DC performance as Barry Allen in The Flash really is. The CW’s DC shows are a TV phenomenon, having introduced increasingly bolder storylines and even incorporating multiple non-Arrowverse characters into the franchise in the span of a little over a decade. What started with a solo Green Arrow show slowly became a DC crossover franchise that featured Arrow and The Flash working together. Then, a few years later, Oliver Queen and Barry Allen’s popularity had already led to a multiversal event as ambitious as The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover.
As all things must come to an end, the Arrowverse’s inevitable ending came with the cancelation of multiple shows from 2020 to 2023. With Nexstar acquiring The CW, and with James Gunn’s DC Universe expanding its reach to live-action TV, the possibility of an Arrowverse revival is almost nonexistent. However, that doesn’t mean that the franchise has lost its following. On the contrary, official viewership reports confirm that the Arrowverse continues to be popular on streaming. And even though the DCEU’s The Flash movie was released precisely in time to replace its Arrowverse counterpart, The CW’s The Flash is still particularly popular.
The Flash Was The Most-Watched Arrowverse Show On Netflix In 2023
According to Netflix‘s What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report, the Arrowverse has still been immensely popular on the streaming platform in the last six months. Not only that, but The Flash still leads the Arrowverse with around 311 million hours watched on Netflix in the second half of 2023. Of course, The Flash has the advantage of releasing its last season from February to May 2023, which in turn may have inspired fans to rewatch past seasons and new viewers to binge-watch the whole show. Still, more than 300 million hours watched speaks volumes about The Flash‘s enduring popularity. 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 | 64,600,000 | 4 |
Arrowverse Total | 603,000,000 | 5 shows, 34 seasons |
How The Flash Movie Compares To The Flash TV Show’s Viewership
The DCEU’s The Flash underperforms in comparison to The CW’s The Flash. The Flash movie’s estimated budget of above $220 million failed to be covered by the film’s $270 million worldwide gross, making it the worst box office bomb in Warner Bros.’ history. The Flash movie also struggled to win over critics and general audiences, and its poor reception may have been a major factor in the poor performance of its DCEU successor, Blue Beetle. According to Samba TV (via Deadline), The Flash debuted to 1.1 million households over its first weekend on Max — lower than other DC underperformers such as The Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman 1984, and Black Adam.
Grant Gustin Vs. Ezra Miller: Which Version Of The Flash Is More Powerful
Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller have long-running performances as The Flash, but one beats out the other as the most powerful live-action Flash.
The CW’s The Flash would have always topped its DCEU counterpart given the show’s long runtime, its multiple seasons and crossovers, and its availability over almost ten years. Besides, viewership metrics are inherently different for movies and shows, as the number of hours watched will always be higher for shows, and the number of households reached by a movie will always be at their peak during its debut. However, The Flash show’s long-term endurance and its influence on the popularity of other Arrowverse shows clearly overshadows the movie’s poor reception both in theaters and streaming.
Key Release Dates
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Release Date:2023-12-22
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Release Date:2024-10-04
Superman: Legacy
Release Date:2025-07-11
The Batman – Part II
Release Date:2025-10-03
