Arrow - the series which kick-started The CW’s popular shared superhero universe known as the Arrowverse - is finally coming to an end - with a 10-episode season 8. Nothing has been said yet about how the show will come to a close, but it’s believed that it will tie into this fall’s annual crossover event - Crisis on Infinite Earths.
First airing in the fall of 2012, Arrow centered upon the adventures of Oliver Queen - a shipwrecked billionaire playboy who returned to his hometown after five years determined to save it from the various evils that threatened in. That mission never changed, though the show’s cast fluctuated wildly over the years, spawning several sister series like The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, along with one of the most inspired and revolutionary shared universes in television history. The announcement of the show’s coming to a close comes as something of a shock, as Arrow was renewed for another full season along with the majority of The CW’s line-up.
Variety reported upon the announcement of Arrow coming to a close. The news was also confirmed by series’ star Stephen Amell, in a tweet from his personal Twitter account, which can be viewed below. Arrow’s executive producers also released the following statement.
Arrow’s influence upon modern television cannot be understated. Beyond inspiring a flood of comic-book inspired offerings hoping to ape the show’s critical and commercial success, the show’s stuntwork and special effects set a new standard for what could be done on a television series budget. It seems highly unlikely that series such as Daredevil or Jessica Jones would ever have been produced had Arrow not already proven the market for dark, mature superhero series existed.
“This was a difficult decision to come to, but like every hard decision we’ve made for the past seven years, it was with the best interests of ‘Arrow’ in mind We’re heartened by the fact that ‘Arrow’ has birthed an entire universe of shows that will continue on for many years to come. We’re excited about crafting a conclusion that honors the show, its characters and its legacy and are grateful to all the writers, producers, actors, and — more importantly — the incredible crew that has sustained us and the show for over seven years.”
It remains to be seen just how Arrow will close out season 7, and how the annual crossover event will tie in to the series’ conclusion. Theories already abounded for months, however, that Oliver Queen might not be long for this world given the events of last year’s crossover, Elseworlds. The one thing that seems certain is that with a new Batwoman series starring Ruby Rose in the works and rumors of other new superhero shows on The CW being planned, the Arrowverse will go on in some form or fashion.
Source: Variety
