Superman & Lois May Join The CW Family
by Erik Amaya
Superman may not have a home in films anymore, but The CW would love to help find housing on their broadcast network.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network is developing Superman & Lois, another Arrowverse show from producer Greg Berlanti. Tyler Hoechlin, who has played Superman on-and-off since Supergirl‘s second season premiere, will reprise his role as the Man of Steel with Elizabeth Tulloch returning as Lois Lane, a part she first played in last year’s “Elseworlds” crossover event. Former The Flash showrunner Todd Helbing, who walked away from that series to develop Superman & Lois, will serve as the potential program’s executive producer and write the pilot. Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Geoff Johns will also sever as executive producers. If it makes it to air, the series will revolve around “the world’s most famous super hero and comics’ most famous journalist [as they] deal with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society.”
That prompt means Jon Kent will also exist in the Arrowverse. Is that a “Crisis on Infinite Earths” spoiler?
Since the end of Smallville, Superman’s television appearances have been limited thanks to the presumed development of feature films featuring the character. But since his last appearance in Justice League, Superman’s cinematic future has been one of the great mysteries of Warner Bros. Pictures overall plans for the DC Comics superheroes. Now, it would seem there will be no Superman movies for the foreseeable future.
Back on television Superman & Lois represent another step in The CW’s “next generation” of Arrowverse shows. The first, Batwoman, hit the air this month while the second, Green Arrow and the Canaries, will debut as a backdoor pilot during the latter part of Arrow‘s final season. The premise features Katherine McNamara as Mia Smoak, the new Green Arrow, who teams up with established Canaries Dinah Drake (Juliana Harkavy) and Black Siren (Katie Cassidy-Rodgers) to defend Star City.
It is unclear if the development of these shows means one or more established Arrowverse shows will reach their end in the near future or if The CW is happy to expand its DC Entertainment content to more nights. It is also unclear how quickly Superman & Lois will make it to air, should The CW pick it up, but the time it took Batwoman to premiere as a series in its own right suggests the program could debut as early as next Fall.
