The CW Exec Explains How Superman & Lois Avoided Cancelation
Superman & Lois is continuing to soar, with confirmation last month that the series has been renewed for a fourth season on The CW. The question of whether or not Superman & Lois would be picked up for another season was speculated about quite a bit, especially amid sweeping changes and budget cuts from The CW's new parent company, Nexstar. While we've already begun to see the impact of those changes on Superman & Lois, as a number of the show's series regulars have been demoted for Season 4, it sounds like those decisions will be worthwhile. In a recent interview with The Wrap, The CW president of entertainment Brad Schwartz explained the decision to renew Superman & Lois, along with Walker, All-American, and All-American: Homecoming. According to Schwartz, the streaming performances of the four shows, as well as the success they've had on either Netflix or Max, ultimately influenced the decision.
"It was very easy to focus on those four as our biggest shows and best performers. And then it was also easier to have conversations with CBS and Warner about 'How can we make these shows work for everybody?' because there was a successful track record," Schwartz said. "CBS and Warner Bros. know what they make on them internationally, know what they make from their Netflix and HBO sales. We know how they do for us. They can project what a library of 60 or 70 episodes is going to make for them forever. You can put all the math together and be like, 'Is there a path for us as partners?'"
Who Will Return for Superman & Lois Season 4?
Last month, it was confirmed that seven of Superman & Lois' cast members have been demoted to recurring or guest starring roles in the show's ten-episode fourth season. These choices impact Dylan Walsh (Sam Lane), Emmanuelle Chiriqui (Lana Lang), Erik Valdez (Kyle Cushing), Inde Navarette (Sarah Cushin), Wole Parks (John Henry Irons), Tayler Buck (Natalie Irons), and Sofia Hasmik (Chrissy Beppo).
Going into Season 4, this leaves Tyler Hoechlin (Clark Kent / Superman), Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois Lane), Michael Bishop (Jonathan Kent), and Alex Garfin (Jordan Kent) in their series regular roles for Season 4. Additionally, Michael Cudlitz has been promoted to a series regular role for his portrayal of Lex Luthor.
Will Superman & Lois get renewed for Season 5?
After fellow DC shows The Flash and Stargirl were confirmed to be ending after their current seasons, some fans have wondered about the long-term future of Superman & Lois. Even as James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios will be rebooting the man of steel with 2025's Superman: Legacy movie, it has sounded like the series could still continue for a while.
"It's a show everybody likes, so it's going to keep going for a little bit," Gunn told reporters during a presentation in January.
Are you excited for Season 4 of Superman & Lois? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!