Why DC’s Legends of Tomorrow was cancelled

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow was a staple of The CW for years until the network abruptly cancelled the legendary Arrowverse series after seven seasons. Why did they do it?

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow was one of the longest-running superhero shows of all time. It was also part of the most successful superhero franchise on network TV and a staple of The CW for seven years. Unfortunately, none of that was enough to earn it the conclusion that it deserved.

The show was cancelled by The CW after seven seasons in April 2022, shocking fans who were hoping it would be renewed for an eighth.

While it was clear the show had more seasons behind it than in front of it, the shock stemmed from the fact that its conclusion was abrupt, coming in the form of a cancellation instead of getting the concluding final season that its fellow Arrowverse counterparts Arrow, Black Lightning and Supergirl got.

So why did DC’s Legends of Tomorrow end without getting the conclusion it deserved?

Why was DC’s Legends of Tomorrow cancelled?

The cancellation of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow came as The CW was in the midst of negotiating its own sale. With the majority share of the network being sold by parent companies Warner Bros. and CBS (possibly to Nexstar), it became clear that the TV season of blanket renewals The CW was known for may be over.

That put all bubble shows in jeopardy and fans were concerned about Legends when it wasn’t among the network’s early renewals for the year (particularly as it had been part of the early renewals every year since its debut). That said, they held out hope that a show on-air for as long as this one would at the very least be granted a final season to bow out on its own terms. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Legends of Tomorrow – which was also surprising considering it was one of the network’s best performing “bubble shows”.

It seems that The CW was willing to take that into account, as a report from The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the network had planned on renewing both Legends and Batwoman but that Warner “no longer wanted to pay the leases on the studio space”. That would explain why the cancelation of both Arrowverse shows were announced ahead of the rest of the cancelations (which didn’t come until nearly a month later).

While rumors will continue to swirl about the CW’s infamous cancellations (and fans will continue to campaign for renewals, revivals or farewell TV movies), it does seem that the network was planning to give its time-travelling outcasts and misfits at least one more season. It’s such a shame that wasn’t able to happen, because it’s clear that both it and Batwoman (and indeed the rest of the network’s shows) deserve better than that.

Here’s hoping we see a conclusion one day so that the beloved Legends of Tomorrow aren’t stuck in that cliffhanger ending forever. The fans deserve closure from the beloved show.

Were you shocked by Legends of Tomorrow‘s cancellation? Would you have liked to see the show get an eighth and final season? Let us know in the comments below!