After just three seasons on The CW, Batwoman has been canceled and will not be getting a season 4. The series joined the Arrowverse line-up in 2019 with Ruby Rose playing the titular superhero. After season 1, however, Rose exited Batwoman — the first of any Arrowverse lead to do so. Not long after Rose announced her departure from, Javicia Leslie joined the series in the title role, playing Ryan Wilder, an original character written for the show and who later made her DC Comics debut.
Batwoman was in a difficult position following Rose’s exit as Kate Kane, but Leslie’s Ryan Wilder breathed fresh air into the series. The writers managed to create an all-new character, tying her story with the already established cast, going in a wholly different direction that worked out for the narrative and characters involved. Ryan even crossed over to The Flash during the series’ five-episode special event, called “Armageddon,” in the fall of 2021. Things seemed to be looking up for a show that seemed to hit a major roadblock only two years prior. However, Batwoman’s longevity was not meant to be.
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On April 29, Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries announced the show was officially canceled after season 3. The cast, including Leslie, Meagan Tandy, and Camrus Johnson, took to social media to express their sadness over the cancellation and their gratitude for having worked on the show for as long as they did. But what was the real reason Batwoman was canceled after only three seasons, the shortest run in the Arrowverse thus far?
Why The CW Canceled Batwoman After Season 3
Batwoman’s ratings might have been a factor, which were down almost 20% from season 2. But the Arrowverse series actually did better than Riverdale and Nancy Drew, both of which were renewed. Historically, The CW is known for renewing most of its TV shows from year to year despite ratings. Even when Arrow and Supergirl were canceled, the announcements came in advance, with each series having a whole season to wrap up storylines before it was all over. The culprit behind Batwoman’s cancellation might be the fact that The CW’s future is no longer clear. The WB and ViacomCBS, co-owners of the network, could be selling off The CW and a report from Deadline suggests the final decision on Batwoman (and Legends of Tomorrow, which was also canceled) may not have been up to CW President Mark Pedowitz. It was also expected that only two of four shows — Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Gotham Knights (which has yet to get a series order), and Naomi — would get new seasons. All of this is in addition to Warner Bros. being acquired by Discovery, which has already seen changes among executives, so the odds seemed stacked against Batwoman unfortunately. Perhaps if none of these changes had occurred, Batwoman would have gotten a season 4.
What Would Batwoman Season 4’s Story Have Been?
Batwoman’s season 3 finale wrapped most everything up for the characters while leaving off on a bit of a cliffhanger to tease what might have come next. With Marquis now cured after using the Joker Buzzer to reverse his condition, Batwoman season 4 would have focused more on Ryan’s relationship with the Jets. Season 4 would have also featured more of Sophie and Ryan’s dynamic after they officially entered into a romantic relationship at the end of season 3. Of course, Batwoman season 4 would have also dealt with the changes around Gotham City following Marquis’ acid bomb catastrophe. Ryan and the Bat Team managed to save most everyone from the fallout, but there were some citizens who were likely exposed to the acid bomb, including an emerging villain who killed a journalist in the season 3 finale.
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