DC’s Legends of Tomorrowis no more. The long-running show, which premiered in 2016, has been canceled by The CW just two months after its seventh season concluded. The disappointing announcement arrived on the same day thatThe CW pulled the plugon another DC Comics show,Batwoman. Keto Shimizu, who has been serving as the co-showrunner onLegends of Tomorrowsince season 4, broke the news onTwitter. In a heartfelt statement, Shimizu thanked the cast and crew for their contributions and the fans for their support. Here’s what he said.
“Well, folks. It’s been an incredible run. However, the CW has let us know that there will be no season 8 of #LegendsOfTomorrow. We are heartbroken, but also immensely grateful for the amazing work our cast, crew, and writers have contributed to the little show that could. Thank you to our fans; your love and passion for our strange band of misfits has made every break, every script, every daily, every cut, and every mix worth all the hard work. We see you, we love you, and you’ll always have a place on the Waverider.”
Legends of Tomorrowis the fourthArrowverseshow, and it features characters previously introduced inThe FlashandArrow.It was created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer.The show follows a team of superheroes and villains who are recruited by time traveler Rip Hunter (played by Arthur Darvill) to save humanity. The show received mixed reviews in the first season but enjoyed high viewership.
In season two,Legends of Tomorrowunderwent significant tonal changes and has since become a fan favorite, with some even considering it to be the best DC Comics show on The CW. ButLegends of Tomorrow’sratings have continued to fall even though each season of the show has been better than the previous one.
However, anyone familiar with The CW’s past would know that even if things aren’t going in their favor, shows usually get renewed for a final season to bid goodbye to fans. And suddenly canceling a show after 7 seasons is just bizarre and an utter disservice to the fans. However, the network has been put up for sale by current owners WarnerMedia and Paramount. That could be a factor behindLegends of Tomorrow’ssudden cancelation.
Related:Here’s Every Series in The CW’s Arrowverse, Ranked
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Has a History of Abrupt Decisions
Last April, series regularDominic Purcell announced his exit fromLegends of Tomorrow. The actor was reportedly unhappy with the studio, claiming it “does not care” about the actors.
“Time to move on and see how sh*t unfolds. [Caity Lotz and Nick Zano], look after the kids coming through. They need education. They are a number- teach them to not rely on loyalty from the studio. The studio does not care. The actors work ethic and talent must give them the confidence to question authority. Much love to all. It’s not lost on me how very fortunate I am,” Purcell wrote on his Instagram.
ThePrison Breakstar later clarified that he was just venting about the tough shooting schedules, but he didn’t return in season 7. Brandon Routh, who played Ray Palmer/Atom too, was “forced” to leaveLegends of Tomorrowafter the showrunners prematurely ended his story arc.
While The CW has renewed several of its most popular shows likeTheFlash, Riverdale, Superman & Lois,andWalker,it appears the less profitable shows are getting the ax. Hopefully, theLegends of Tomorrow characterswill show up in otherArrowverseshows or perhaps a TV movie to provide closure to fans.
