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Two huge DC TV shows are canceled: James Gunn responds

The big superhero shake-up of DC shows and movies continues.

Two huge DC TV shows are canceled: James Gunn responds

By Marc Chacksfield

26 January 2023

HBO has revealed that two of its biggest TV shows will be ending after their fourth seasons, marking yet another slew of comic-book show cancelations.

Both Titans and Doom Patrol will join the likes of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, ending their run when their fourth, and now final seasons, end.

Both of the dramas, like the recently ended CW shows, are Greg Berlanti produced but they have been aimed at a slightly older market, thanks to streaming on HBO Max.

Titans is a show based on the DC Comics run of Teen Titans and first aired back in 2018. It has a revolving cast but the main players include: Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), Kory Anders (Anna Diop), Rachel Roth (Teagan Croft), Gar Logan (Ryan Potter).

The fourth (and now final season) of the show premiered on HBO Max November 2022.

Doom Patrol first aired in 2019 and focuses on the lesser-known group of superheroes who all gained powers from tragic circumstances.

The show had a backdoor pilot on Titans and stars, among others, Diane Guerrero, Timothy Dalton and Brendan Fraser. Its fourth season premiered in December 2022.

The good news is that both shows have an ending, with HBO noting in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “While these will be the final seasons of Titans and Doom Patrol, we are very proud of these series and excited for fans to see their climactic endings.

“We are grateful to Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television for making such thrilling, action-packed, heartfelt series. We thank Titans showrunner Greg Walker, executive producers Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, Richard Hatem, and the team at Weed Road Pictures.

"For Doom Patrol, we celebrate showrunner Jeremy Carver and executive producers Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, Chris Dingess and Tamara Becher-Wilkinson. For four seasons, fans have fallen in love with the Titans and Doom Patrol, investing in their trials and tribulations, and in their legendary battles saving the world time and time again.”

Given the news, fingers may be pointed at James Gunn for these cancelations, given he has been given the monumental task of rebooting and rebuilding DC Studios going forward (alongside Peter Safran), but Gunn took to Twitter to respond to the news, wishing everyone well but revealing that this wasn't his decision.

The decision to end the series precedes us. But I certainly wish the best for the talented group of creators, actors, and the rest of the crew that produced both shows. https://t.co/jdqDc9TqU1
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 26, 2023

The cancelations of both Doom Patrol and Titans is yet another sign of a studio on flux. In the last year we have seen the shock shuttering of HBO Max movie Batgirl (which had finished filming and was in post production), the re-hiring of Henry Cavill then him stepping down from the role of Superman, the third Wonder Woman movie put on hold and the hiring of James Gunn to navigate a way through the situation, while also writing a new Superman movie with a younger Supes.

We have been promised more information about the future of DC on the big and small screen soon, so let's hope it's news about the new movies and shows to expect, rather than having to say goodbye to another beloved franchise.