The CW president of entertainment Brad Schwartz has revealed how DC‘s Superman & Lois avoided cancellation, despite all the cuts at the network.
Superman & Lois is one of only four original dramas The CW has renewed for new seasons — the other three being Walker, All American, and All American: Homecoming. In a recent interview with TheWrap, Schwartz explained that — amid the network’s quest for profitability — saving these shows just made more financial sense than canceling them.
According to the exec, All American, All American: Homecoming, Walker, and Superman & Lois are The CW’s four biggest shows. More specifically, All American and its spin-off are the biggest in terms of linear viewership among audiences aged 18 to 49. Meanwhile, Superman & Lois and Walker are the biggest in terms of total linear viewership. Finally, Superman & Lois, All American, and All American: Homecoming boast the strongest digital numbers on The CW app. Said Schwartz, “Homecoming and All American specifically are a large percentage of our streaming. Those shows are monsters.”
Superman & Lois skirted The CW’s cancellations
However, while Superman & Lois has been picked up for Season 4 on The CW, the show did not get that renewal unscathed. The next season of the acclaimed superhero series will have a reduced budget, resulting in a smaller roster of series regulars than before. The same can be said for All American: Homecoming following similar budget cuts.
Still, Superman & Lois now holds the distinction of being the last remaining DC show on The CW. Earlier this year, The Flash wrapped up its ninth and final season on the network. Additionally, Gotham Knights has been canceled after just one season. Outside the DC sphere, CW shows like The Winchesters, Walker: Independence, and Kung Fu have also gotten the ax. Meanwhile, Riverdale and Nancy Drew are currently in the midst of their own respective final seasons on the network.
The CW’s drastically reduced slate of original dramas comes in the wake of the network’s acquisition by the Nexstar Media Group in October 2022. Following the deal, Nexstar has a 75 percent stake in the network. Previous 50-50 owners Warner Bros. Discovery (DC’s parent company) and Paramount Global held onto 12.5 percent each.
