Arrow may be ending on The CW, but things are really just getting started. As reported by Deadline, the network is moving forward with a female-led Arrow spin-off. The show will see Katherine McNamara, Katie Cassidy and Juliana Harkavy as Smoak and the Canaries, respectively. At present, few specific details have been made available, but this shows the network's dedication to keeping the ArrowVerse train on the tracks for years to come.
The spin-off hasn't been ordered to series just yet. Instead, the pilot episode of the show will air as an episode of Arrow season 8. This is what's known as a backdoor pilot and is sometimes utilized by networks instead of going through a traditional pilot process. The CW has done this several times in the past, perhaps most notably, not once, but twice, with Supernatural. Both times failed to yield a series order.
Producers on the new, untitled show include Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Beth Schwartz, Marc Guggenheim, Jill Blankenship, and Oscar Balderrama. Berlanti has served as the architect of the ArrowVerse and is one of the most prolific producers in Hollywood right now. Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros Television will co-produce. Schwartz, Guggenheim, Blankenship and Balderrama will write the episode.
Given what's been going on in Arrow, it's safe to assume this show will take place in a future version of Star City. Ultimately, it will follow the adventures of Mia Smoak, who takes up the mantle of Green Arrow. With Stephen Amell set to hang up the bow and arrow after this eighth and final season, this feels like a logical continuation.
It had previously been hinted at by The CW network head Mark Pedowitz that a spin-off may be in the works. Aside from Arrow, the network also has The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning, as well as Batwoman, which is set to debut in the fall. But both The Flash and Supergirl and entering their later years and Legends of Tomorrow isn't getting any younger.
"The fact that seven years ago, we introduced Arrow, who would have thought it would have spawned six shows, a whole universe that they managed to create," Pedowitz said in an interview in August. "It's quite a remarkable feat. We believe these franchises, this universe will continue for many years, so it's important to ensure that you have characters that will keep the fans coming back. How that universe plays out, time will tell."
The ArrowVerse is going to come to a head this December with the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. Maybe we'll get some clues regarding the spin-off then? Even if this show doesn't work out, it seems The CW has no intent on letting the DC brand slip away from them anytime soon.
So what do you think? Is an Arrow Spin-off a good idea? Sound off in the comments!
