The CW has said goodbye to one of its longest-running superhero series, as Legends of Tomorrow has officially been cancelled after seven seasons of time-travel adventures starring some of the most unlikely characters in the Arrowverse. The news comes just hours after the reports of Batwoman's cancellation after three seasons, and Legends executive producer and co-showruner Keto Shimizu shared her "heartbroken" reaction that there will be no Season 8.
Keto Shimizu took to Twitter to share the news of the cancellation with fans, many of whom have been campaigning for a renewal ever since the Season 7 finale cliffhanger in the 2021-2022 TV season and Legends being left out of the mass CW renewals (which included The Flash) back in March. She wrote:
Well, folks. It’s been an incredible run. However, the CW has let us know that there will be no season 8 of [Legends of Tomorrow]. We are heartbroken, but also immensely grateful for the amazing work our cast, crew, and writers have contributed to the little show that could. Thank you to our fans; your love and passion for our strange band of misfits has made every break, every script, every daily, every cut, and every mix worth all the hard work. We see you, we love you, and you’ll always have a place on the Waverider.
The co-showrunner's message conveys the heartbreak and disappointment that Legends of Tomorrow – which was technically the third show to debut on The CW as part of the Arrowverse following Arrow and The Flash, since Supergirl started on CBS and didn't switch networks until after Legends' first season – won't see Season 8, but also expresses gratitude to the fans who have followed the Waverider throughout time and space.
Any Legends fan knows that "strange bands of misfits" is a good thing when it comes to this show, which survived cast changes, bonkers plot twists, and an almost complete shift in tone from its first season. Keto Shimizu wasn't the only person who helped craft the long-running show to take to social media to share a message about the end of the show. A post from the Legends of Tomorrow Writers Room account reads:
Thank you for being the greatest fans and sticking with us for seven seasons ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎Once a Legend, always a Legend. pic.twitter.com/5D8chctUo6April 30, 2022
It's only fitting that the writers of Legends of Tomorrow mentioned some specific storylines from the seven seasons, ranging of course from Camelot to the inside of a computer. The post doesn't mention the legendary Beebo, but perhaps Beebo's legacy speaks for itself. He did get his own Christmas special, after all! And fans who already anticipate desperately missing the time travel show can know that the writers will feel the same.
It's especially tragic that the cancellation comes nearly two months after Season 7 ended on some wild cliffhangers, plus the introduction of none other than Booster Gold himself. That twist was in fact so wild that The Flash included an Easter egg nod to Donald Faison's new (and now, temporary) superhero character. Fans can always hope that the stories of Sara Lance and the rest of the Legends will continue in the form of comics, or at least learn from the writers what the plan was to resolve the cliffhanger.
In the wake of the cancellation – which follows the ends of Arrow, Supergirl, Black Lightning, and most recently Batwoman – the Arrowverse is looking a whole lot smaller than it once did. You can revisit the heyday of Legends of Tomorrow with a Netflix subscription, as all seven season are available streaming now.
