The CW is losing another show. “Stargirl,” the channel’s teen superhero drama, will conclude with its ongoing third season, IndieWire has confirmed.
The show, which airs on Wednesdays, premiered its third season in August. The final episode will now premiere on December 7.
The news comes shortly after The CW was acquired by station group Nexstar, in a deal that has been accompanied by several cancellations and endings for many of the network’s series. In May, ahead of the official deal, the channel canceled over half of its scripted programming lineup. Nexstar officially took control in October, with plans to retool the famously unprofitable channel to focus on acquired programming and cheaper original series. The change was accompanied by CEO Mark Pedowitz stepping down from his post after more than a decade at the channel.
Last week, the channel’s “Nancy Drew” announced it would conclude with its next season, while two of its longest-running hits — “The Flash” and “Riverdale” — are set to wrap up their runs. Once “The Flash” concludes, the only DC Comics shows that the CW will air are “Superman & Lois” and the upcoming “Gotham Knights” — a far cry from several years ago, when its programming was dominated by series set in the universe of its 2012 hit “Arrow.”
Created by Geoff Johns, “Stargirl” starred Brec Bassinger as the titular DC Comics character, known by the civilian name of Courtney Whitmore, who wields a special cosmic staff and becomes a key member of the Justice Society of America. Johns developed the character in 1999 with artist Lee Moder, naming her after his late sister, who died in 1996.
“‘Stargirl’ has always held a special place in my heart for many reasons,” Johns said in a statement. “With all the brewing changes at the network, we were aware this was possibly the last season, so we wrote with that in mind and have delivered what I believe to be the best season of ‘Stargirl’ yet, with complete creative closure. The cast and crew are extraordinary, and I’d like to thank them for helping me bring this series to life. Brec embodied Courtney in every way possible — with grace, strength and humor — exceeding my wildest expectations. I am grateful to WBTV and The CW for giving us a home to tell this story and to honor my beloved late sister, and I’m beyond thankful to the press and fans who have always championed us for three amazing seasons. Most series never get this far. We couldn’t be more proud of our show and the fan community it’s built!”
The show began in 2020 as an original series for the DC Universe streaming platform, which has since been retooled and relaunched as a digital comics subscription service. After its first season, which aired episodes on the CW a day after they dropped on DCU, the show moved permanently to the network for its following seasons.
Aside from Bassinger, “Stargirl” also stars Luke Wilson as Courtney’s stepfather Pat Dugan who brings her into the world of superheroes, and Joel McHale as Starman, the original owner of Courtney’s cosmic staff. Other cast members include Yvette Monreal, Anjelika Washington, Cameron Gellman, Trae Romano, Meg DeLacy, Amy Smart, Hunter Sansone, Alkoya Brunson, Neil Hopkins, and Joy Osmanski. Johns executive produced the series with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. The series was produced by Berlanti Productions and Mad Ghost Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
“Getting to play Stargirl and be a part of the DC Universe has been the greatest honor, and I am so grateful for every moment of it,” Bassinger said in a statement. “I would like to thank our fearless leader Geoff Johns, along with WBTV, The CW, the cast and crew of ‘Stargirl,’ and of course, the fans. Thank you. This show will forever live in my heart.”
The show, which airs on Wednesdays, premiered its third season in August. The final episode will now premiere on December 7.
The news comes shortly after The CW was acquired by station group Nexstar, in a deal that has been accompanied by several cancellations and endings for many of the network’s series. In May, ahead of the official deal, the channel canceled over half of its scripted programming lineup. Nexstar officially took control in October, with plans to retool the famously unprofitable channel to focus on acquired programming and cheaper original series. The change was accompanied by CEO Mark Pedowitz stepping down from his post after more than a decade at the channel.
Last week, the channel’s “Nancy Drew” announced it would conclude with its next season, while two of its longest-running hits — “The Flash” and “Riverdale” — are set to wrap up their runs. Once “The Flash” concludes, the only DC Comics shows that the CW will air are “Superman & Lois” and the upcoming “Gotham Knights” — a far cry from several years ago, when its programming was dominated by series set in the universe of its 2012 hit “Arrow.”
Created by Geoff Johns, “Stargirl” starred Brec Bassinger as the titular DC Comics character, known by the civilian name of Courtney Whitmore, who wields a special cosmic staff and becomes a key member of the Justice Society of America. Johns developed the character in 1999 with artist Lee Moder, naming her after his late sister, who died in 1996.
“‘Stargirl’ has always held a special place in my heart for many reasons,” Johns said in a statement. “With all the brewing changes at the network, we were aware this was possibly the last season, so we wrote with that in mind and have delivered what I believe to be the best season of ‘Stargirl’ yet, with complete creative closure. The cast and crew are extraordinary, and I’d like to thank them for helping me bring this series to life. Brec embodied Courtney in every way possible — with grace, strength and humor — exceeding my wildest expectations. I am grateful to WBTV and The CW for giving us a home to tell this story and to honor my beloved late sister, and I’m beyond thankful to the press and fans who have always championed us for three amazing seasons. Most series never get this far. We couldn’t be more proud of our show and the fan community it’s built!”
The show began in 2020 as an original series for the DC Universe streaming platform, which has since been retooled and relaunched as a digital comics subscription service. After its first season, which aired episodes on the CW a day after they dropped on DCU, the show moved permanently to the network for its following seasons.
Aside from Bassinger, “Stargirl” also stars Luke Wilson as Courtney’s stepfather Pat Dugan who brings her into the world of superheroes, and Joel McHale as Starman, the original owner of Courtney’s cosmic staff. Other cast members include Yvette Monreal, Anjelika Washington, Cameron Gellman, Trae Romano, Meg DeLacy, Amy Smart, Hunter Sansone, Alkoya Brunson, Neil Hopkins, and Joy Osmanski. Johns executive produced the series with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. The series was produced by Berlanti Productions and Mad Ghost Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
“Getting to play Stargirl and be a part of the DC Universe has been the greatest honor, and I am so grateful for every moment of it,” Bassinger said in a statement. “I would like to thank our fearless leader Geoff Johns, along with WBTV, The CW, the cast and crew of ‘Stargirl,’ and of course, the fans. Thank you. This show will forever live in my heart.”