Stargirl‘s cancelation has continued the downward trajectory of the Arrowverse. Once a thriving property and arguably the most successful superhero TV universe at its peak, the Arrowverse now appears to be in its final phase. Its path toward completion began in 2020 when Arrow finished after eight seasons. At the time, the show’s end appeared to be a natural conclusion, and not a negative sign for the rest of the Arrowverse. That perspective began to shift a year later when Supergirl came to a close with its sixth season. That was followed by the cancelations of Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman in 2022. Shortly after, it was revealed that The Flash would end after its ninth season. Now, Stargirl has joined the CW’s DC cancellations, as it was announced the show would be finishing with its third season. With that, only Superman & Lois and Gotham Knights remain.
Though neither one takes place in the CW’s Earth-Prime, Clark Kent’s solo series is set in the company’s multiverse, and the same could reasonably be the case for Gotham Knights. However, despite the shows’ brand connection, the Arrowverse remains a far cry from its former status. Superman & Lois is set in its own continuity, while Gotham Knights became embroiled in controversy following a much-criticized trailer. Justice U, a spinoff centered around John Diggle mentoring a group of young heroes, is still technically in development. However, the series has not had major updates aside from David Ramsey stating a writer was in place. With Stargirl now over, the Arrowverse ending entirely is a likely scenario, especially given the reasoning behind the show’s cancelation.
Why Stargirl Has Been Canceled
In October 2022, the Nexstar Media Group officially acquired 75% of the CW, with Paramount Global and Warner Bros. each keeping a 12% stake at the network. The company announced a very specific business trajectory for the network, which, when taken into account, provides context for Stargirl‘s cancelation. As Nexstar CFO Lee Ann Gliha explained in August 2022 (via Deadline), the company plans to cut costs at the network and focus on cheaper content in order to make The CW profitable (the network formerly operated at a loss):
“It’s no secret that the CW is not profitable, but this is not typical for fully-distributed broadcast or cable networks. In fact, according to SNL Kagan data, no other broadcast network operates at an ongoing loss. […] We expect to invest a low 9-figure amount over this 3-year period as we implement our plan. We view this amount as a proxy for a purchase price—or an investment made over time—rather than an ongoing drag on cash flow. You know us. We are profit and cash flow focused and expect this asset to achieve profitability.”
The new strategy has been reflected in the network’s many cancelations over the course of 2022. Some of the most high-profile series that were canceled throughout 2022 include Riverdale (ending after season 7), Nancy Drew, and the aforementioned Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman. Stargirl‘s end could also be explained by the fact that, though The CW’s shows are targeted at younger audiences, the network’s average viewer age is 58 years old. Thus, Stargirl, much like the other canceled shows, may not be of interest to the network’s regular audiences. Though two other CW-set superhero shows remain, their existence may not be assured as Nexstar moves away from the network’s business model in favor of a new approach toward profitability.
Why The Arrowverse’s Future Now Looks So Bleak
The Arrowverse is all but gone. Though Superman & Lois remains, even more cancelations of CW shows are expected. With Nexstar moving to cheaper content offerings, Superman & Lois, despite its promising setup for future stories, could be one of the projects next ushered out of the network. As for Gotham Knights, Nexstar has decided against giving back orders to its freshman series, so its future also remains unclear. The approach makes sense on paper, given how the show hasn’t yet premiered. However, taking into account the heavy cutback of content that has occurred at the network, the apparent lack of a concrete future for the series could point to it being a one-and-done project. The Batman universe series is also arguably facing an uphill battle in the eyes of viewers following a much-criticized first trailer.
The Arrowverse had an important part to play in solidifying superheroes as part of mainstream entertainment on television. Its end would mark the closure of a significant era for comic book media. The Arrowverse still exists, of course, and will return with The Flash in 2023. Furthermore, though Superman & Lois has not been renewed for a fourth season, no ending has been announced for it, which is a promising sign for the show’s future. The same could be said about Gotham Knights, provided it finds an audience that’s older than the one for Stargirl. Even with the positives, it’s fairly clear that the Arrowverse is steadily coming to a close.
