Summary
It has been revealed that Stephen Amell’sArrowwas responsible for saving The CW. Before James Gunn’s upcomingDC Universeor even themovies of the old DCEU, The CW was the home of DC’s live-action shared universe, the Arrowverse. It all started in 2012 withArrowseason 1, and the fate of the entire network hinged on how the superhero series would perform, according to one of Arrow’s co-creators.
OnThe Showrunner Whispererpodcast,Marc Guggenheim revealed the story of howArrowsaved The CW. According to Guggenheim, Peter Roth — the President of Warner Bros. TV — revealed to theArrowteam over lunch that if the show was not a success, “there would be no more CW.” The creatives behind the DC series then had to contend with the pressure of making the show successful and keeping its network on the air. In the end, it all worked out, withArrowhaving an eight-season runand leading tomultiple Arrowverse series. Check out the full quote:
“Shortly after the pilot got ordered to series, Peter Roth [president of Warner Bros. TV] took us out to lunch and basically laid out for us, in incredible detail, the reality that if Arrow wasn’t a hit, there would be no more CW. So it was the pressure of having a show and keeping the show on the air – that’s one thing – but now we also have the pressure of keeping the whole network on the air. That’s another thing.”
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Amell’s DC Series Led To An Unprecedented Feat
The first season ofArrowwas pitch-perfect. The show followed a different version of Green Arrow, with Oliver Queen’s origin story playing out as he searched for revenge for his father’s death.Arrowwas dark, gritty, violent, and emotional. All that was anchored by a strong performance from leading man Amell. AfterSmallvilleended in 2011, there was a gap for a good live-action superhero series, andArrowfilled that hole masterfully.
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Arrowwas so big of a hit that The CW and the creative team behind the show quickly moved towards the idea of expanding the franchise. Grant Gustin appeared in two episodes ofArrowseason 2 as Barry Allen, serving as an appetizer for what would come a year later inThe Flash. That series would surviveArrow’s ending, withThe Flashseason 9 being the final entry in the Arrowverse, taking the franchise to the finish line in 2023.
Amell’s hit series would name the shared DC TV universe at The CW, which would continue to be known as the Arrowverse even after its flagship series came to an end in 2020. After eight seasons and countless multi-season live-action spinoffs, groundbreaking crossover events, and even animated projects, it is safe to say thatArrowwas the success The CW was hoping for and much more. Now that the Arrowverse has ended, James Gunn’s DCU will carry DC’s legacy of live-action universes.
Arrow
Cast
Arrow is a television series that debuted in 2012, featuring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, a billionaire playboy who returns to Starling City after being stranded for five years. Transformed by his experience, Queen becomes a vigilante archer, aiming to purge his city of crime and corruption.
