With both Arrow and soon Supergirl coming to an end and Superman and Lois and Wonder Girl only getting ready to launch, it's safe to say the face of the Arrowverse (or CWverse) is changing. The shared universe continues to reinvent itself in the wake of 2019's Crisis on Infinite Earths, which saw some soft continuity reboots, the death of Oliver Queen and the incorporation of Black Lightning into the Arrowverse. Now could be the perfect time to bring another fan-favorite character into the fold: Terry McGinnis, the Batman of the future.
The Arrowverse has been exploring future timelines ever since the launch of Legends of Tomorrow back in 2016, while Batwoman has introduced Gotham City and the world of Batman to the TV universe. As Greg Berlanti et al continue to expand the plethora of DC TV series, 1999's animated series Batman Beyond is ripe for a live-action reboot.
Batman Beyond to the world was set in a future Gotham where an aging Bruce Wayne had given up the cape and cowl after a heart attack. After the murder of his father, the teenage Terry takes on the mantle of Batman under the tutelage of Bruce. Terry dons the high-tech Batsuit Bruce had used in his final years as Batman to enhance his strength and physical capabilities in his old age. The series took place in the cyberpunk-styled city of Neo-Gotham, plagued by villains old and new.
There have already been allusions to the world of Batman Beyond in the Arrowverse, ranging from small details like Barry Allen's daughter from the future, Nora, using the Neo-Gotham slang "schway," to the much larger nod that came in the form of a retired future Bruce Wayne in Crisis on Infinite Earths. While the Bruce of this reality was primarily inspired by comics like Kingdom Come and The Dark Knight Returns, he was played by none other than Kevin Conroy, the voice of Bruce Wayne in Batman Beyond. The score and set design for his scenes also drew inspiration from the animated series. This Bruce was ultimately killed in a struggle with Kate Kane, but with the conclusion to Crisis rewriting continuity and the multiverse opening up countless possibilities, the opportunity for Conroy to return to his role as an older Caped Crusader remains. Following his beloved performance in the animated series, his live-action turn as Bruce was understandably well-received. It would make sense for The CW to find a way to bring him back.
There is clearly a desire amongst the Arrowverse creators to tell more futuristic stories. It is not yet clear in what year the Wonder Girl series will be set but the character has only recently been introduced in the comics as part of DC's Future State event. If the series keeps the comics' near-future setting, it would make sense for other future-based heroes to exist. While Green Arrow and the Canaries is no longer going ahead, it would have marked the first of The CW's DC shows to be set entirely in the future. Its cancellation could potentially leave an opening for a futuristic show like Batman Beyond. Further, Neo-Gotham is not a far cry from Mia Smoak's crime-riddled and futuristic Star City. Of course, Legends of Tomorrow has already been busy exploring future realities through its time-traveling adventures. Perhaps a Legends/Batwoman/Wonder Girl crossover event could provide the perfect launch for a live-action Batman Beyond series somewhere down the line.
While this is all speculation, for now, there's no denying Batman Beyond would be a perfect fit for the Arrowverse. Kevin Conroy has previously expressed an interest in the idea and Arrowverse concept artist Andy Poon has already tried his hand at a live-action Beyond Batsuit. Only time will tell if Terry McGinnis will make the leap to live-action.