Despite DC’s intentions to go the un-Marvel route of keeping their universes separate across film and TV, The CW is the one place to find major costumed crossover action. (Probably not the best Google-able string of words.) Even though newcomer hit The Flash and the always popular Arrow are expanding their characters’ worlds to incorporate more of their shared corner of the DC Universe, there are places that the shows just can’t go. Like, say, Gotham City and Metropolis, arguably the comic company's two most important locations.
A screening was held for the two-episode crossover event between The Flash and Arrow, and producers spoke about how far they’re allowed to go within their fictional territory. Here’s how executive producer Andrew Kreisberg put it, according to ComicBook.com.
There are things we can do, and there are things we can’t. I’m a huge fan of Nightwing. But there are cities we can use, and then there’s everything else. You won’t be hearing Gotham or Metropolis on the show any time soon.”
Now, neither The Flash nor Arrow needs to branch out into those territories anyway, as they’re doing perfectly fine building up Central City and Starling City. No point in cashing in on Batman or Superman lore when it doesn’t need to. And really, not being able to show those cities on GPS systems doesn’t automatically rule out either show using characters from those heroes’ worlds. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Barry Allen zip through a muddy puddle that gets Bruce Wayne’s nice clothes dirty when he’s in town for a big convention.
Kreisberg brings up Nightwing, whose Blüdhaven headquarters gets namechecked in Arrow and is closely related to Gotham. So it looks like that’s the closest we’ll get to that crime center, for now at least. Arrow producers have said in the past that they’re bringing in characters and references in Season 3 that wouldn’t have been allowed in Season 1. Assuming both of these series last as long as the cast, crew and fans hope for, it’s entirely possible that future seasons could incorporate some of the big boys. That’s good news to both people who want it to happen, as it remains a possibility, and to those who don’t want it, as it’s definitely not happening for a while. Both worlds: sated.
Networks can’t, or at least usually don’t, crossover with each other, though it seemed that way last month, when Gotham appeared to throw Queen Consolidated a nod in one episode. It turned out to be nothing but a fluke, but a memorable one nonetheless.
Tune in to The CW for the epic crossover event on December 2 with “Flash vs. Arrow” episode of The Flash, followed on December 3 by Arrow’s “The Brave and the Bold.”
