‘Gotham Knights’ Showrunners Admit Continuation Is “Virtually Impossible”, Reveal Warner Bros. Discovery Tried And Failed “To Find A New Home” For The CW Series
Spencer Baculi
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In a blow to the show’s extremely miniscule viewerbase, followings its official cancellation by The CW, the showrunners behind the widely-panned Gotham Knights has revealed that there is practically no hope for a series continuation – in large part because no other network wants to pick it up.
The Court of Owls leaves a message in Gotham Knights Season 1 Episode 1 “Pilot” (2023), The CW
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The defeat of Gotham’s all-teen super team was first confirmed on June 12th when it was discovered that the series had been left out of a recent 2023-2024 programming schedule released by the network.
In a particularly apt condemnation of the series’ quality, Gotham Knights‘ cancellation was revealed prior to the series’ first season finale, which is currently set to premiere on June 27th.
Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan) vows to pick up his father’s legacy in Gotham Knights Season 1 Episode 1 “Pilot” (2023), The CW
A wildly misguided attempt to establish a successor continuity to the wildly popular Arrowverse, Gotham Knights centered on original character Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), the adopted son of Bruce Wayne.
Finding himself framed for orchestrating the cold-blooded murder of The Dark Knight, Turner proceeds to go on the run from the Gotham PD, vowing all the while to do what he can to clear his name.
In service of this goal, Turner teams with the three individuals accused of having actually pulled the trigger: The Joker’s Daughter, Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan), Harper Row (Fallon Smyte) and Cullen Row (Tyler DiChiara), all three of whom have a similar interest in finding the real killer.
Its roster rounded out by Turner’s Gotham Academy classmate Stephanie Brown (Anna Lore) and a race-swapped version of Carrie Kelley (Navia Robinson), the titular team’s amateur sleuthing eventually finds them drawn into the middle of – and fighting to stop – a larger plot against the city involving the Court of Owls.
The team unites for in full for the first time in Gotham Knights Season 1 Episode 1 “Pilot” (2023), The CW
Despite the series cancellation at The CW, many fans held out hope that the series could find a new home at a different network.
However, this optimism was quickly shut down by showrunners James Stoteraux and Chad Fiveash, who issued a joint statement on June 14th confirming that “Unfortunately, despite all their efforts, The CW wasn’t able to renew the show, and the studio wasn’t able to find a new home for it.”
“We can assure you all that it wasn’t for a lack of trying or a lack of enthusiasm,” they explained. “Even in a time of severe belt-tightening, the studio spent money and resources in the hope of continuing the show. And though they ultimately weren’t successful, their efforts deserve our gratitude.”
Archive Link James Stoteraux via Twitter
“We’ve seen your tweets and we appreciate your resolve and commitment to getting the show a new home,” the pair continued. “It means so much. This show was the work work of hundreds of people displaying relentless passion day in and day out.”
“We would all love nothing more than to keep telling this story,” they wrote. “After all, this is a show based on looking for hope when hope seems lost. But as the showrunners, the two of us feel like we owe it to the fans to be realistic about the chances of the show continuing. At this point it’s virtually impossible.”
“There’s a million mind-numbing production logistics working against us at this point, and resurrecting the show would be extremely cost prohibitive,” the showrunners detailed. “Trust us, the executives truly do love the show, and hear your dedication to it, but they unfortunately can’t make the numbers work. Just speaking from our hearts, we can’t in good conscience let a community that we love and care about expend resources without being totally honest about the realities.”
A Talon strikes in Gotham Knights Season 1 Episode 2 “Scene of the Crime” (2023), The CW
After confirming the show’s death, Stoteraux and Fiveash turned to leave their viewers with a number of suggestions as to how they could refocus their energies towards real world issues.
“But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do,” the two then asserted. “Gotham Knights is a show about the power of each of one of us to become a light strong enough to defy the darkness. Right now, there are a lot of people hurting financially – and we would humbly suggest that perhaps fans direct resources and passion towards being that light wherever you can.”
“Thousands of crew members are out of work in an effort to fight for fair wages,” they explained. “If you have the means, please consider donating to the Entertainment Fund. Or add your voice to the growing chorus of people demanding better working conditions and more pay across ALL industries. Or support Misha Collins’ de-mining fund on behalf of the Ukrainian people. Or donate or volunteer at your local food back. If you don’t have the resources, even speaking out in support of social justice can work wonders. We honestly can’t imagine a better legacy for the show.”
Carrie Kelley (Navia Robinson) runs from a Talon in Gotham Knights Season 1 Episode 2 “Scene of the Crime” (2023), The CWDrawing their statement to a close, the directors exclaimed, “So, thank you again for embracing and supporting Gotham Knights – and for being totally and wonderfully weird about it!”
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” they concluded. “So much love to you all.”
NEXT: Race-Bent Robin Arrives In New Trailer For The CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’
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