Gotham Knights is The CW's cheapest DC series ever, according to a new report.
The report comes via The Hollywood Reporter. It cites unnamed sources close to The CW who claim that Gotham Knights costs less to produce than any other DC-inspired show in the network's history. If true, this would mean that the likes of Smallville, Superman & Lois and Naomi, as well as the entire slate of "Arrowverse" programs (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Black Lightning, Legend of Tomorrow and Batwoman) all boasted bigger per-season budgets than Gotham Knights. That said, The CW is yet to publicly comment on Gotham Knights' production costs, which means that this report should be taken with a grain of salt for now.
The supposedly low price tag attached to Gotham Knights Season 1 is part of a wider discussion about the Batman Family show's future. Insiders allege that Gotham Knights is in danger of cancelation, with The CW's top brass supposedly looking to further streamline the network's line-up of DC shows. In practice, this will apparently mean choosing between Gotham Knights and Superman and Lois, the latter of which has a bigger audience but is said to be markedly more expensive to make. The CW will reportedly release an official statement regarding Gotham Knights and Superman & Lois' respective fates before the end of May 2023.
Have Bad Reviews Hurt Gotham Knights?
It's impossible to say for certain which of the two series The CW will ultimately renew, especially given both have built devoted fanbases. While Gotham Knights doesn't boast the same viewership figures as Superman & Lois, it has overcome bad reviews to establish itself as one of the most in-demand series in the U.S. The show is also the third-most-popular title on HBO Max, with only heavyweights Succession and The Last of Us outranking it. It's unclear what bearing (if any) Gotham Knights' HBO Max success will have on The CW's decision-making process, however.
In the event Gotham Knights does land a second season, the show's cast and crew already have a good idea of where the show's story could head next. This includes Harvey Dent actor Misha Collins, who has been talking up his character's transformation into Two-Face ever since he signed on for the production. "[M]y character will be Harvey Dent for the whole first year," he said back in May 2022. "So I have a nice long stretch of not being two-faced. And then I become Two-Face [in Season 2]!"
Gotham Knights is currently airing on The CW, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays.
Source: THR