An HBO Max executive has addressed what the chances are for The CW's Arrowverse shows to move to the HBO-owned streaming service in the future. The CW kicked off 2022 with some big news as Paramount (formerly known as ViacomCBS) and WarnerMedia announced they are officially looking at selling the network. Having existed since 2006 after The WB and UPN merged into one, The CW has reportedly never been profitable, with its revenue coming mainly from streaming and international business. The initial report revealed that Nexstar was, as of January 2022, the top potential buyer. It has yet to be clarified whether the two companies are selling The CW completely or retaining a minority stake.
All of this uncertainty has caused a number of renewal delays for some of the network's shows as several dramas are waiting to find out their fate. Legends of Tomorrow season 7 and Batwoman season 3, which both have only two episodes left in their run, have yet to learn if they're coming back in the fall. Even though The Flash hasn't been renewed yet, Grant Gustin is reportedly finalizing a deal to return for season 9. Nancy Drew season 3 aired its finale on January 28 and the showrunners are now waiting to hear if season 4 is getting a greenlight.
With the potential sale delaying the renewal process, it remains to be seen what will happen with The CW shows, especially the Arrowverse franchise, which has largely proven to be the network's bread and butter. However, depending on the result of the potential sales, it's possible that the Arrowverse dramas could head to HBO Max. In a new THR interview with HBO Max executive Casey Bloys, the programming chief briefly spoke about working with DC TV producer Greg Berlanti on the streaming service. At one point, Bloys was asked if there is a chance that the ongoing Arrowverse shows could move to HBO Max depending on what happens with The CW sale. While Bloys isn't directly involved with those negotiations, the HBO Max chief content officer did stress the success of those shows on the streaming service, sharing the following:
"We’ll see what happens. I don’t know, in that sale, what they’re looking to do or not do but those shows do really well when they come to HBO Max in a window deal. They’re really well done and valuable shows to us. I’m not involved in the Nexstar or The CW negotiations or anything like that so I don’t really know but generally speaking, the shows that Greg does for The CW are very valuable and perform well on HBO Max."
Currently, HBO Max already has the streaming rights to Superman & Lois, Batwoman, and Stargirl. Meanwhile, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Black Lightning are still licensed to stream on Netflix after every new season of the ongoing shows completes airing on The CW. However, that deal is most likely coming close to expiring, meaning that Warner Bros. TV could have the option to move the past seasons over to HBO Max down the line. While HBO Max already has a line-up of DC TV properties, adding the entire Arrowverse would help expand their library.
Should The CW sale cause Warner Bros. to move the shows over to HBO Max, there are a lot of advantages that come with that. For starters, it could see a significant budget increase for future seasons. Secondly, as HBO Max is becoming available across the world, it would give WarnerMedia a new platform through which to release its content, similar to Peacemaker, Titans, and Doom Patrol. It will be intriguing to see what the Arrowverse will look like as it searches for a new home, and HBO Max is looking like a good fit.
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Source: THR