The CW has provided early renewals for much of its scripted schedule, including Lightning.
The network has also been renewed All American, The Flash, Kung Fu, Nancy Drew, Riverdale, Superman & Lois and Walker.
Traditionally, the youth outreach network distributes early renewals, sometimes as early as January, to the majority of its board – a blessing for its owners CBS and Warner Bros.
Scorecard for cancellations / renewals: TV broadcasts ended or will continue in the 2021-22 season
This year, however, the television company’s future is in the air with the local affiliate group Nexstar circling, and Deadline understands that a new majority owner is likely to influence some of its renewal decisions. The network must also take into account elements such as streaming rights to shows and other variables that determine a pickup.
The renewal of the flagship series Lightning for a ninth season, making it the network’s longest-running Arrowverse series, taking over the mantle of Arrow, which ended after eight seasons, was paved earlier this year with the news that star Grant Gustin was in negotiations for a new deal. There’s still nothing from The CW about whether season nine will be The Flash’s swan song.
Some of the other renewals were more given than others. All American was expected to return for season five and Superman and Lois and Walker were good for the third season.
Riverdale was also expected to return for its seventh season, but similarly, there is no word on whether this will be its final season or not.
Kung Fu launched only its second season earlier this month, but is now returning for a third season.
Nancy Drew, however, is thought to be a little more on the bubble and is now returning for a fourth season. It comes as a spinoff series Tom Swift has also not yet launched on the network.
There are two other tranches of shows that the network has yet to make renewal decisions on – and these are expected to come in the next month or so ahead of Upfronts in May.
4400which was launched in October, Naomiwhich premiered in January, and All American: Homecomingwhich started last month, everyone will be hoping for a second season.
There are also questions about the future of Legends of Tomorrowwhich is in its seventh season, Dynastywhich is in its fifth season, Charmet and Legacieswhich is in their fourth season, and Batwomanwhich is in its third season.
Stargirl’s third season and In The Dark’s fourth season also has yet to premiere, while Roswell, ny Mexico was picked up for a fourth season prior to his third season.
The scripted updates follow a batch of unscripted updates, including Penn & Teller: Fool Us and The masters of illusionboth returning for their ninth season, and The world’s funniest animal, which is heading into season three.
Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO of The CW Network, said: “As we prepare for the 2022-23 season, these script series, along with the alternative series we renewed earlier, will serve as the start of a solid foundation by using some of our most watched series that we can build on for next year and beyond.These dramas are also important to our overall digital strategy as they are some of our most streamed and socially engaged programs and we look forward to adding more new and recurring series to help strengthen and expand our multiplatform footprint. “