The upcoming fourth season of The CW’s “Superman & Lois” may not be the end after all, according to Brad Schwartz, the new entertainment president of The CW network.
Back in June came the news that the acclaimed series had survived the content purge by the network’s new owners Nexstar and had managed a shortened ten-episode fourth season renewal – one of four shows to make the grade (“Walker” & the two “All American” shows being the others).
It came at a cost of budget cuts which leaves only the core four Kent family actors, and Michael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor, returning as regulars whilst much of the supporting cast has been jettisoned.
Until now, it has been assumed this fourth season will be the show’s final run, even though The CW didn’t indicate that was the case with its renewal order.
Schwartz, speaking on a THR podcast this week, discussed his network’s new direction and the decisions made in recent months. He indicates as long as the show continues to be profitable, they see no reason to scrap it:
It’s obvious that those would be the four [series] to come back; those are all million-viewer shows that do well in linear and on digital. We were able to work with our studio partners in both of those occasions [Superman & Lois, Homecoming] to make sure that the show is profitable for everybody. Sometimes when you re-address something like that, you have to make tough decisions.
We’ve gotten those shows to a place where, why couldn’t they continue if they’re profitable? Those will be conversations we have with the producers to see the appetite to keep going. But if they’re profitable and successful, and some of our highest-rated shows, why wouldn’t they?”
With the simultaneous strikes happening, the television industry has hit a pause on production. “Superman and Lois” generally films from around September-October through to the following March-April – that won’t be the case this year, so it’s not clear when the show will be able to resume.
