Potential CW Sale and the end of the Arrowverse

[ZakuConvoy]

I"m going to end up getting a reputation if I keep this up *sigh*. Supposedly, there's the possibility of Warners selling off the CW so they can focus more on streaming. The company that's made a offer to buy the channel wants to turn it into a political channel.

REPORT: The CW's Potential Sale May Kill Its Original Programming

A new report suggests The CW's potential sale by WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS could result in the network's original programming being scrapped.

www.cbr.com

This is all in the extremely early stages, so I wouldn't worry too much yet, but it seems like a possibility.

 

[MrBlud]

The CW has *never* turned a profit as a Network so if it can’t with one of the most popular comic universes in existence you’d have obviously have to try something besides scripted programming if you’re gonna buy it.

 

[G.B.Blackrock]

I"m going to end up getting a reputation if I keep this up *sigh*. Supposedly, there's the possibility of Warners selling off the CW so they can focus more on streaming. The company that's made a offer to buy the channel wants to turn it into a political channel.

REPORT: The CW's Potential Sale May Kill Its Original Programming

A new report suggests The CW's potential sale by WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS could result in the network's original programming being scrapped.

www.cbr.com

This is all in the extremely early stages, so I wouldn't worry too much yet, but it seems like a possibility.

I'm less bothered by the possible sale of the CW than I am of the possibility that we could get stuck with yet ANOTHER political channel (and one on broadcast, no less). The LAST thing this country needs more of....

 

[The Predaking]

I'm less bothered by the possible sale of the CW than I am of the possibility that we could get stuck with yet ANOTHER political channel (and one on broadcast, no less). The LAST thing this country needs more of....

This. Just this......

 

[Dvandom]

And yet, CW keeps announcing new Arrowverse projects....

---Dave

 

[ZakuConvoy]

Yeah, the annoucement of Justice U does kind of point to this rumor being false.

David Ramsey To Star In Arrowverse Series ‘Justice U’ In The Works At The CW

David Ramsey is putting together a new gang of superheroes for The CW. The actor, who plays John Diggle in Arrow as well as a number of other DC-related series, is to headline Justice U, which is in development at the youth-skewing broadcaster. Ramsey’s Diggle is a former bodyguard and master...

deadline.com

But...maybe it's a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing? Or maybe all the shows will just move to HBO Max. Or...maybe the pilot just won't go anywhere, like the Green Arrow and the Canaries pilot. It's hard to say with rumors, sometimes.

 

[The Predaking]

I honestly stopped caring about the arrowverse so long ago.

 

[Pocket]

People are always talking about "taking money out of politics"; the easiest way they could do that is just have the FCC ban all political advertising. I bet it'd be real popular with people who live in swing states too.

 

[MrBlud]

Well sure, until any Supreme Court ever would throw that out for being blatantly unconstitutional.

 

[Pocket]

The FCC already has rules on the books that only avoid running afoul of the first amendment because they claim to literally own the airwaves. Rules against salty language, racial slurs, nudity—and the Fairness Doctrine back when that existed. No one has ever stood in the way of that. A rule that exists to stop elections from being a pay-to-win system (and, as a nice side effect, save people from having to sit through politicians bickering when they just want to watch their stories) is at least as nobly-intentioned as any of that, and if any Supreme Court thinks the Constitution says otherwise, then we either need a new Supreme Court or a new Constitution.

 

[G.B.Blackrock]

The question would simply be "how do politicians get the word out to potential voters if not through paid advertising?"

There are potential answers to that question. Whether or not they would be considered viable is a different matter.

 

[Dvandom]

Please take it to P&R.

---Dave

 

[ZakuConvoy]

Everyone got their bags of salt ready?

The CW is considering not renewing Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and Naomi. Or...rather they're being pitted against each other, along with a potential new show Gotham Knights (Which is about the adopted son of Batman after he goes missing...again), to see which 2 shows will actually go forward. And it sounds like they're still considering Justice U (Which is about a school for teen superheroes) as a show for later.

CW Update Could Spell Bad News for Arrowverse Fans

Recent reports suggest the CW may be cutting its list of DC shows in half, with Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman and Naomi on the chopping block.

www.cbr.com

And, they might also be thinking about giving The Flash a shortened final season.

The CW Is Considering Canceling The Flash With a Shortened Final Season

Sources claim The CW is considered ending The Flash, the longest-running Arrowverse show in its line-up, with an abbreviated final season.

www.cbr.com

I guess that leaves Superman and Lois as the last CWverse show standing.

Again, all rumors, but something to keep in mind.

 

[Steevy Maximus]

Guess this means Grant Gustin will be available to pick up the DC movies Flash role after Ezra Miller's shenanigans seem to have gotten him fired.

 

[Powered Convoy]

I take it that Stargirl doesn't factor, because it's separate and inherently better?

I know it's already been renewed for next season.

 

[ZakuConvoy]

Yeah, I have to wonder if the Flash movie will even come out, given everything that's happened with all that.

And, yeah, Stargirl should be safe for the moment, too. I kind of forgot they had Jay Garrick connect Stargirl and the Flash together, now.

 

[Shadewing]

Flash I don't mind if its the last season, it's had a good long run. I think only Legends would be missed if it wasn't renewed. Batwoman doesn't seem to have much of a following, and Naomi I forget even exists. Gotham Knights is what I am most interested in... largely because it's supposed to have Harper and Cullen Row; who are big breakout characters of recent years in the comics and both LGBT, so having them get more exposure would be great.

Justice U could be potentially interesting; plenty of Teen heroes they can tap into, and would be up CW's wheelhouses of Teen School Drama and Superhero Drama. So long as it isn't 'Teen versions of the classic characters' like that Gotham High cartoon that got pitched (or was that fake? I really can't remember) I'll likely give it a try if it ever materializes as Teen Heroes tend to be my favorites.

 

[Dessl0ck]

Superman & Lois is really better than it deserves to be. It is not typical Arrowverse drek (and I mean that in a good way, I liked all of the shows), it hasn't even acknowledged the Arrowvewrse, I don't think, since it started. Part of me want's it to move to HBOMax for a bigger budget, but I think it needs the CW to keep more viewers/eyes on it. Honestly it is the best DC series on a non-streaming network at the moment.

 

[Sabrblade]

it hasn't even acknowledged the Arrowvewrse, I don't think, since it started.

John Diggle guest-starred in an episode, at a point when he was guest-starring in one episode of every Arrowverse show in lieu of a traditional annual crossover thanks to the pandemic.

 

[ZakuConvoy]

So long as it isn't 'Teen versions of the classic characters' like that Gotham High cartoon that got pitched (or was that fake? I really can't remember) I'll likely give it a try if it ever materializes as Teen Heroes tend to be my favorites.

Oh, that was a real pitch.

Gotham High (lost production material of cancelled Batman animated TV series; 2009) - The Lost Media Wiki

lostmediawiki.com

And, if Justice U were to happen, I'd probably expect it to be a combination of Young Justice and Teen Titans Academy characters. Maybe some forgotten legacy characters from JSA in there, too, like the Crimson Avenger. Thing is...the CW already has Legacies, its own show about a school for kids with powers so I feel like it has the least chance of getting picked up. And I don't know how I feel about ANOTHER Batman show without Batman in it. This would make 4, right? Gotham (I know we got Bruce in this...but not technically Batman, much), Pennyworth, Batwoman, and now Gotham Knights. I'd rather give the shows we already have a proper send off.

As for the shows themselves...I'll admit, I'm ready for the Arrowverse to be over. It was a fun ride, but I feel like they lost a lot of steam after Crisis. They didn't really seem to have a plan for what to do going forward after that. I'll be a little sorry to see it all go...but I think I'm ready to let it go.

Personally, though, if they are going to end all these shows, or if the rumors about selling the CW turn out to be true...I'd like them to do one last big crossover event between all the shows one last time. At least then we can say they TRIED to go out with a bang.

And you know what event I think would work best as a swan song? DC One Million. That way, the shows might not NEED to actually have the actors physically interact with each other across the different shows (who knows what the situation will be in 6 months), but they could still connect together by doing some world-building in this new future world. They could even change things so we see what Episode One Million would look like for each of these shows. It could be fun.