Fans of The CW's sprawling Arrowverse franchise are in mourning.
Following the announcement that The Flash, the longest-running series in the Arrowverse, will conclude with Season 9, enthusiasts believe the shared superhero universe is finally coming to an end. Many fans suspected that the end of the franchise was near after several major series such as Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman were all abruptly terminated in the span of six months. Arrowverse fans flocked to social media to express their disappointment, with many hoping that The Flash is able to effectively wrap up the entire franchise.
The CW confirmed that The Flash will return for a truncated Season 9 which is expected to wrap the series' plot and resolve any ongoing story threads. Showrunner Eric Wallance addressed the show's conclusion, noting that while he's sad that it must end, he's satisfied with the journey fans' enjoyed. "Nine years of saving Central City while taking audiences on an emotional journey full of heart, humor and spectacle," Wallance said. "And now Barry Allen has reached the starting gate for his last race."
Despite the slew of Arrowverse cancelations seemingly ending the entire franchise, fans are still able to get their superhero fill with Superman and Lois, another CW series. While it previously crossed over with The Flash and Supergirl, the adventures of the Kent family were confirmed to exist in a different universe. The show was originally intended to be a fixture within the Arrowverse but showrunner Todd Helbing explained that the creative team opted to separate it due to the complexity of establishing its place within the canon.
"Originally, if you look at the original script [for the pilot episode] -- I think it’s online somewhere -- there are a lot of references to [Arrowverse crossover 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'], with Clark and his family because of it," he said. "We went from having one infant to two teenage boys, that was a huge part of it. But it’s just felt like, it was opening a can of worms and required so much explanation to, someone like, let’s say my mom, a new audience member, that it wasn’t going to play in the way that we originally intended.
The Flash Season 9 does not yet have a release date.
Source: Twitter