Warner Bros., Not The CW, Ended SUPERMAN & LOIS Due To Concerns It Would Compete With SUPERMAN: LEGACY

Warner Bros., Not The CW, Ended SUPERMAN & LOIS Due To Concerns It Would Compete With SUPERMAN: LEGACY

Up until now, we've largely seen The CW blamed for Superman & Lois' cancellation, but a network executive has confirmed the call came from Warner Bros. and, presumably, DC Studios. Read on for details...

By JoshWilding - Feb 17, 2024 03:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman & Lois
Source: The Wrap

When The CW changed ownership (and leadership), alterations to the network's content immediately started taking place. Several scripted series were scrapped, and a number of those already on the air ended up being cancelled; they also wasted no time in getting out of the DC business. 

The plug had already been pulled on the Arrowverse and, understandably, Gotham Knights was next. As for Superman & Lois, it looked like the costly show would end prematurely with its third season.

Instead, we're getting a truncated fourth season with fewer writers and regular cast members. That's better than nothing and more details have now been revealed about why Superman & Lois was scrapped.

According to The Wrap, The CW's executives examined the network's slate of scripted originals and decided only four were worth investing in: All American, All American: Homecoming, Walker, and Superman & Lois

"We went to our partners at CBS and Warner Bros., and we just were like, 'We’re partners on these things, you sell them randomly around. Here’s our economics...' We can’t keep losing the amount of money we were on the shows," entertainment chief Brad Schwartz explained. "Very collaboratively, everyone got together and we pushed these four shows forward."

The trade goes on to explain that, despite how well Superman & Lois was performing, the decision to end the show was made by Warner Bros., and not The CW. "They don’t want a competing Superman product in the marketplace," Schwartz confirmed, referring to Superman: Legacy.

With DC Studios looking to create a single shared DC Universe, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that this series was axed; plus, it may be hard to sell people on a new Superman movie when they can see another version of the hero in action at home for free!

Oh, and before taking aim at James Gunn and DC Studios, bear in mind that it was likely the Superman: Legacy helmer who gave that fourth and final season the green light in order to make fans happy and lessen the blow of all those DCEU recastings!

Superman & Lois was developed by Todd Helbing and Greg Berlanti for The CW network. Theshow stars Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent/Superman and Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane. It follows the iconic superhero couple as they navigate the challenges of parenthood while also dealing with the responsibilities and dangers that come with being Earth's greatest protector.

The premise of Superman & Lois diverges slightly from traditional Superman stories by focusing more on the family dynamic between Clark, Lois, and their teenage sons, Jonathan and Jordan Kent. The series explores how Clark balances his duties as Superman with his obligations as a husband and father, all while living in the small town of Smallville.

Superman & Lois is set to return to The CW this fall.

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marvel72
marvel72 - 2/17/2024, 3:30 PM
I can see that but we are going to have two Batman's eventually.
CoHost
CoHost - 2/17/2024, 3:35 PM
@marvel72 - To be fair, one's an older version while the current one's younger and without Robin.

These Supermen have Lois as their main character.
marvel72
marvel72 - 2/17/2024, 3:39 PM
@CoHost - I guess but if you can have Elseworlds Batman why not make CW say another Earth or Elseworlds.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 2/17/2024, 7:12 PM
@CoHost - But I doubt he's gonna have teen kids and live in Smallville.
MG0019
MG0019 - 2/17/2024, 7:57 PM
@CoHost - Lois as the main character? Have you actually seen this show? Lol. And how would you know anything about Legacy, that is under lock & key.
DesiSpiderman
DesiSpiderman - 2/17/2024, 3:33 PM
Superman and Lois has been such a refreshing take on Superman. Seeing him the family dynamic was very cool.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/17/2024, 3:36 PM
@DesiSpiderman - agreed.

I haven’t seen My Adventures with Superman yet but in terms of live action , it’s been my favorite version of the character and his world in awhile.
eagc1995
eagc1995 - 2/17/2024, 3:34 PM
Yet are fine with having a Matt Reeves Batman and DCU Batman at the same time

Or Joaquin's Joker, Reeve's Joker and potentially a DCU Joker at the same time.
Arthorious
Arthorious - 2/17/2024, 3:40 PM
@eagc1995 - shoot they still will have two Superman movies because JJ Abrams movie is still in the works.
eagc1995
eagc1995 - 2/17/2024, 9:16 PM
@Arthorious - Exactly, so why should that affect this Superman and heck we are in the age of multiverse in superheroe movies/shows, so you have shown to the general audience that multiple versions of the same character can co-exist at the same time. doesn't have to be 1 iteration.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 2/18/2024, 5:28 AM
@eagc1995 - Having more than one iteration at any one time dilutes the brand. That's why public domain characters like Dracula are no longer a strong brand.
On the plus side you get to see lots of different versions of the character. It'll just never again be a big thing like it used to be.

The same thing will happen to Batman and Superman soon when they become public domain and you will be able to have shows like Superman and Lois again (as long as they don't use names like Lana Lang or Jon Kent, etc).

The downside to that is that characters like Superman and Batman will no longer be marketable characters like they used to be. Vaguely marketable, like a Scooby Doo Vs. Dracula or Hotel Transylvania.
Maybe we'll get a Lilo and Stich Meet Batman and Frankenstein DTV or a Hotel Krypton franchise from Pixar.

Finally taking charge of their IP is a good thing. While they still can.

Yet they're still acting like their characters are public domain by having two separate big screen movie franchises based on Batman and another franchise based on the Joker.

To see how this might affect their revenue, just look at the last year, when they followed up their Batman reboot by continuing with the DCEU franchise that it replaced. Yes, the DCEU was on a downward spiral with a succession of flops before The Batman, but as soon as they continued making DCEU movies AFTER The Batman, that's when became an unsalvageable franchise. Because it was a dead franchise.

It wasn't a lame duck because of Gunn's DCU announcement (which only us fans really know about), but because of the massive blockbuster Batman movie reboot they had the year before.
Origame
Origame - 2/17/2024, 3:38 PM
I mean, this is obvious. Cw has no reason to cancel it due to how popular it is. And wb has been preventing small screen versions of the big 2 competing against the movie versions for years. It's why batman and superman keep getting prequels or spin offs where they never become heroes for most of the series, and why the cw universe focused on green arrow and the flash.
xfan320
xfan320 - 2/17/2024, 3:38 PM
I hate how studios just assume the audience is too stupid to keep up with "competing" characters on screens.

TV and Film can be separate.

Live-Action and Animation can be separate.

We're ready.
TheOtherOn
TheOtherOn - 2/18/2024, 11:02 AM
@xfan320 - They are actually "smart" in their own stupid ways. They simply didn't want to have a better product on TV than whatever they are gonna present on big screen.

Knowing very well how poorly DCEU was received and how popular and well liked Arrowverse shows were, there was no way they would let those shows continue for fans to eat their cake on smaller screen while ignoring and bashing big screen bad movies.
Arthorious
Arthorious - 2/17/2024, 3:39 PM
WB really is helmed by incompetent bozos. Concerned that Superman & Lois would compete against Superman Legacy, yet JJ Abrams Superman film still has a green light and Reeves has his Batman sequel in the works with the new Brave and the Bold movie in the works too.
Ginley
Ginley - 2/17/2024, 8:30 PM
@Arthorious -

What do you think "green light" actually means?

The film is in development. That's not a greenlight.
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 2/18/2024, 12:50 AM
@Arthorious - You're also forgetting that they haven't said no to Michael B. Jordan's Val-Zod project either nor closed the door with the African American Superman being written by Nehisi Coates. WBD are the worst hypocrites in the entertainment business.
TheShape9859
TheShape9859 - 2/18/2024, 3:26 AM
@Ginley - it is. It's the greenlight to develop it
Arthorious
Arthorious - 2/18/2024, 7:38 AM
@Ginley - which mean it’s not cancelled. Even James Gunn stated that it’s in development. (granted some movies never see the light of day when they are in development)
Ginley
Ginley - 2/18/2024, 7:54 AM
@TheShape9859 -

That's not what greenlighting means.

It's not about writing a screenplay.

It specifically refers to a studio formally committing to the financing of a production.

The project is currently in development hell.
Ginley
Ginley - 2/18/2024, 7:55 AM
@Arthorious -

James Gunn claimed that there was no Middle East plotline in Legacy.

Gunn is the King of Half-Truths and Misinformation. 
Arthorious
Arthorious - 2/18/2024, 9:03 AM
@Ginley - You're not wrong about that, there was that whole Gal Gadot Wonder Woman fiasco last year.
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 2/17/2024, 3:41 PM
I blame Marvel for this.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 2/17/2024, 4:01 PM
@harryba11zack
This mf user always cracks me up, lol.
Origame
Origame - 2/17/2024, 4:06 PM
@harryba11zack - I blame Donald Trump for this.
tylerzero
tylerzero - 2/17/2024, 6:59 PM
@Origame -

GhostDog
GhostDog - 2/17/2024, 3:41 PM
Dumb reason if they intend to have 2 Batmen at the same time. WB is run by idiots sometimes. But the show is nearing an obvious end too. It’s time.
TheLight
TheLight - 2/17/2024, 4:16 PM
@GhostDog - "WB is run by idiots sometimes."

Correction. They've been run by idiots for decades. It's just people are finally seeing this.

Arthorious
Arthorious - 2/17/2024, 5:52 PM
@TheLight - too true, I’ve been looking back at their track record on business decisions and it really makes you scratch your head.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 2/17/2024, 6:58 PM
@GhostDog -
@TheLight -

LORD willing, insulting isn't right.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 2/17/2024, 3:42 PM
Yeah... cause CW has a massive audience and because people are just that stupid... if the series is good, wouldn't that get more people interested in the damn movie?
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/17/2024, 3:45 PM


But apparently having a DCU Batman and then Matt Reeves Bat-verse at the same time isn’t an issue?.

Anyway , really sucks that the show is being cut short but I hope the upcoming final season ends it well since it’s been a strong entry imo in Superman’s live action canon!!.
AvalonX
AvalonX - 2/17/2024, 3:46 PM
I mean, they have had three Batmans the same time if you count Keaton in the Flash, Patterson and Afflack's. If it was successful, why kill it?

Sounds like dumb people making dumb decisions.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 2/18/2024, 5:35 AM
@AvalonX - And how did that work out for them?

Also Smallville was out at the same time as Superman Returns and Man of Steel and how did that work out for them...

And how did it work out for them when the y had a lesser movie Flash at the same time as a TV Flash...

Not well.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 2/17/2024, 3:46 PM
WB always re-affirming they are not the leaders of the game.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 2/17/2024, 3:49 PM
If the multiverse wasn’t done to death already they could have had both the movie and show going, then done a Crisis Crossover
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 2/17/2024, 3:50 PM
Shame. Hoechlin has easily been one of the more stronger actors to portray the character as both Clark and Superman.
Superspecialawesomeguy
Superspecialawesomeguy - 2/17/2024, 3:50 PM
Yeah I figured that's what it was.


Spidey91
Spidey91 - 2/17/2024, 3:51 PM
I'll never understand WB's logic when it comes to having several versions of a character out at the same time, how the f*ck does a TV show "compete" with a big budget theatrical film? Both products are yours, they're not competing you idiots.
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