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On December 2, 2024, Superman and Lois ended their four-season run on the CW. However, if things had gone differently, the show would’ve been on the air for a few more years. In 2022 Nexstar purchased the CW television network and began making programming changes. Nexstar plans to phase out the CW’s scripted dramas, with more of a focus on reality shows and cheaper programming.

Since the Nexstar acquisition, all of DC’s primetime superhero dramas have ended. Some, like Stargirl and Legends of Tomorrow, were cancelled. Others, like The Flash, ended on their own terms. By 2024 Superman and Lois was the last DC Universe show airing on the CW, but it had to make some sacrifices to get there.

The budget for final season was trimmed. As a result, season four had a shortened episode order, and many of the regular cast members were demoted to recurring guest roles. However, this allowed  Superman and Lois to plan for their final season and wrap up their storyline in a satisfactory way.

Nexstar president Brad Schwartz disputes some of this narrative, claiming that Warner Bros. Television cancelled the series because DC Studios didn’t want a television series competing with James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film. Bitsie Tulloch, who played Lois Lane on the series, has responded to the report, saying James Gunn isn’t to blame.

During a spotlight panel at Fan Expo San Francisco 2024, Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch spoke about the original plans for the show. According to Tyler, Superman and Lois was originally expected to have at least seven seasons.

“I don’t know if seven was the actual number, but I think ballpark the assumption was somewhere around seven or eight seasons,” Tyler said. “At least seven,” Bitsie added. This number is in line with what was typically expected of CW primetime dramas before the network was purchased by Nexstar.

While the scripts for those hypothetical seasons were never written, Tyler and Bitsie had some ideas about what they would’ve liked to explore.

“I think it would’ve been fun to do an episode where [Lois] had powers. But I saw him struggling with the suit, because it’s heavy, so I think I would’ve wanted one and done,” Bitsie said.

“I would’ve liked to have seen them handling the kids going off to college. Empty nest now,” Tyler said. “I think we would’ve been like, let’s bone,” Bitsie joked.

Later on during the panel, Bitsie and Tyler were asked about potentially reprising their roles and continuing the story.

“I would totally do animation,” Bitsie said.

“I don’t have to put the suit on for that,” Tyler added.

“I’ll call Jim Lee. I’ll say there’s been demand for it,” Bitsie joked.

While Tyler would love to play Superman again, he is proud of the way Superman and Lois wrapped up the character’s journey. “I think the fact that we got to come back for the fourth season to wrap up the story and really put a bow on it was a really nice opportunity we got. Could there be spinoffs from there? The great thing about the genre and the multiverse is that there is always opportunities for that, so the answer is always yes. But I’m very content with the writers put together for us in the fourth season.”

A new era will begin with David Corenswet’s debut as the Man of Steel in DC Studios’ Superman, releasing in theaters this June. However, the thought of seeing Tyler and Bitsie in their roles again isn’t so crazy. Don’t forget, John Wesley Shipp reprised his role as the Flash in the 2018 Elseworlds television crossover, 27 years after his television show was cancelled. Michael Keaton suited up as the Dark Knight in 2023’s The Flash movie, 31 years after his stint in Batman Returns. The DC Universe is a multiverse, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Tyler’s Superman and Bitsie’s Lois again.

After all, they don’t call it the never ending battle for nothing.

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