Young Justice co-showrunner Greg Weisman has confirmed that the DC animated series' fourth season, Young Justice: Phantoms, will go on hiatus by year's end before returning for its second half on HBO Max in spring 2022.
Young Justice: Phantoms surprised fans by dropping its first two episodes on HBO Max on Saturday, Oct. 16 -- during the DC FanDome virtual convention. Phantoms' third episode followed suit on Thursday, Oct. 21. In a post shared to his website, S8.org, Weisman explained that new episodes of Phantoms will continue to air on Thursdays up until Episode 13 on Dec. 30. The back half of the season, consisting of Episodes 14-26, will then drop weekly starting in spring 2022.
"I'm truly excited for the fans to see the season -- and evil creator that I am -- also glad that the show isn't all dropping at once," Weisman said. "I firmly believe television -- especially a show like YJ -- is a better experience if you have time to savor and sort and absorb and predict for a week in between episodes."
He also explained that the first 21 episodes of Young Justice's fourth season are already "in the can and ready to air." The last five episodes, meanwhile, have all been animated and are currently in post-production. Weisman expects that all of Season 4's episodes will be completed by the end of November.
Additionally, Weisman clarified that Young Justice has not yet been picked up for Season 5, and whether or not the show returns for more episodes after Phantoms comes down to the HBO Max viewership numbers for all four seasons. "[I]f fans want more of Earth-16, the answer is simple: #KeepBingingYJ (all four seasons) over and over. And over and over. And help us #SpreadTheWord. We want to #SaveEarth16," he wrote.
Young Justice originally premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010, with its first season concluding in 2012. Cartoon Network canceled the show following its second season, Young Justice: Invasion, which aired from 2012 to 2013. Years later, the now-defunct DC Universe streaming service revived Young Justice for a third season, Young Justice: Outsiders, which aired in 2019. Amid the restructuring of DC Universe, the show jumped ship yet again, this time to HBO Max.
New episodes of Young Justice: Phantoms air Thursdays on HBO Max.
Source: S8.org