The entirety of the DC multiverse isn’t under immediate threat. Not when iconic heroes like Batman and Wonder Woman rule the big screen.
But the combined cancellations of Batgirl and dismissal of the J.J. Abrams/Matt Reeves-led Batman: Caped Crusader isn’t particularly reassuring either. The publicized strategy shift by post-merger Warner Bros. Discovery has left fans wondering about the future of their favorite DC shows.
DC shows that currently call HBO Max home, like the raunchy adult animated Harley Quinn and live-action Titans and Doom Patrol, all appear safe. At New York Comic Con, DC announced the upcoming Season 4 premiere dates for both Titans (November 3) and Doom Patrol (December 8). Harley Quinn fans were reassured earlier this summer with a Season 4 renewal.
But what of the future for DC? How safe are the Titans and Doom Patrol from the savage brutality of modern TV economics? At New York Comic Con, Titans showrunner Greg Walker and Doom Patrol star Joivan Wade (“Cyborg”) commented to the press on the future fates of their shows.
While attending a roundtable interview with outlets including Inverse, Titans showrunner Greg Walker said that everything is “in a wait and see mode” regarding the future.
“You know as much as I do,” Walker said. “We’re excited about this season. HBO Max is incredibly supportive of the show and really helping us become the show we want to be, and get us in front of as many people as possible.”
Walker added that anything else is up to the uncontrollable, unpredictable dynamics of the “world economy.” “If you’ve got an idea where it’s going, let’s meet and have a conversation,” Walker said facetiously, “because I want to know.”
Joivan Wade, who plays Victor Stone/Cyborg in Doom Patrol, says actors are regularly left out of conversations that decide the fate of shows. Despite his onscreen role as Cyborg, an ex-football star who has the power to hack devices and collect top-secret data, Wade cannot actually know more than he’s allowed to know.
“We’re as left in the lurch as you guys are, to be completely honest with you,” Wade tells Inverse alongside other outlets.
“Only once a series comes out, do we ever hear [anything],” the actor explains. “Sometimes you’ve been fortunate to hear a little bit before. We’re signed up for some reasons. And then off the back of that, we just wait every year to see whether or not they’re willing to bring it back.”
Wade adds that only fans watching Doom Patrol enough on HBO Max can guarantee longevity.
“With the hope you guys enjoy the season, then God willing, that will continue,” he says. “If we get to the point where fans are like, ‘We’ve had enough,’ then I suppose the big leagues will decide. But it’s a cut above my pay grade. Right now I have no clue. But hopefully one day, they’ll give me the insight into what’s going on.”
For now, fans of the DCU can rest knowing there will always be a Batman movie in theaters and at least another season of Titans and Doom Patrol to binge. What happens next is anyone’s guess. And DC fans know more than anyone how dangerous it is to mess with the timeline.
Titans Season 4 premieres November 3. Doom Patrol Season 4 premieres December 8. Both on HBO Max.
