Now that Superman & Lois has reached its curtain call, its actors are reflecting on their work on the hit CW series. Title stars Tyler Hoachlin and Bitsie Tulloch headlined the show for 4 seasons alongside Alex Garfin as Jordan Kent and Jordan Elsass and Michael Bishop as Jonathan Kent. Other performers include Michael Cudlitz as Lex Luthor, Wolé Parks as John Henry Irons/Steel, and Dylan Walsh as Sam Lane, among others. Superman & Lois has its roots in the Arrowverse, as Hoechlin’s Superman originates from Supergirl and numerous cast members reprise their roles from that franchise. However, the latter series breaks continuity with the Arrowverse in a variety of ways, such as recasting Lex Luthor.
Showrunner Todd Helbing noted that these characters are doppelgängers of the Arrowverse iterations. In a panel hosted by Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier at the San Francisco Fan Expo, Hoechlin and Tulloch unpacked their thoughts on this. With the ending of the series in mind, Hoechlin stated that he “got really lucky” and “kind of got [his] biggest wishes.” The actor continued that his wishlist included Lex and Doomsday, and he was “excited about those two and the fact that we’ve gotten see them together a lot.” As a result, Hoechlin feels that asking for more would have been “getting greedy.”
For her part, Tulloch also had hopes for potential Arrowverse crossovers. In particular, she “really wanted Melissa Benoist to show up at some point for a cameo.” The actress explains that originally Supergirl star Benoist had a photo taken with Hoechlin and Tulloch, which she wanted “on Lois’s desk in the daily planet during the pilot.“ The picture was taken out because “that was around when the discussions were happening about us maybe not being a part of the Arrowverse per se.” Even so, Tulloch hoped for an eventual appearance by Benoist, “because we kind of originated on Supergirl, it would’ve been nice to have Melissa.”
Additionally, Superman & Lois was originally meant to have a crossover with Batwoman, but that never came to fruition for a variety of reasons. Tulloch explained: “we started shooting in October of 2020, so there were really, really strict Covid restrictions and there was some talk of maybe doing a crossover with Batwoman, and then they were like, let’s just, no.” Beyond the unfortunate timing, the series were also filmed in different formats, with Superman & Lois using Atmos.
What Tyler Hoechlin & Bitsie Tulloch’s New Quotes Mean
Superman & Lois Almost Had More Ties To The Arrowverse
While Hoechlin sounds more satisfied with the series’ Arrowverse ties than Tulloch, both actors sound genuinely pleased with what their show has done. Their regrets are few, and Hoechlin, more or less, said that his wants for Superman & Lois crossovers were met. That aside, it makes sense that the Superman series never had any bigger connections to the Arrowverse, both for story and practical reasons.
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Story-wise, Superman & Lois choosing to branch into its own continuity meant that it was unburdened with that which came before. While some characters like John DIggle made the leap and references to the Justice League were made, the series was able to craft its own distinct world and characters. For example, Cudlitz was brought in as a new, more brutal Lex compared to the John Cryer version in the Arrowverse, who was a more weaselly, Gene Hackman-like take on the character.
Our Take On Superman & Lois’ Lost Crossovers
Superman & Lois Stands On Its Own
Though crossovers featuring Arrowverse characters such as Supergirl would have been welcome, Superman & Lois is a solid show in its own right. Because it had the freedom to explore the Superman lore without being beholden to previous shows, it crafted a distinct appeal. Audiences would certainly enjoy more Arrowverse content, but Superman & Lois worked well as an independent continuity.
Superman & Lois, the seventh Arrowverse spinoff series, will take the titular characters from Metropolis to Smallville. The CW series is set in the aftermath of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, which saw the multiverse collapse and the merging of worlds into what is now Earth Prime. Superman & Lois sees Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) and Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) dealing with all the pressures of their jobs, along with being parents to two teenage sons. Lois and Clark are no strangers to the Arrowverse, with Hoechlin’s Superman having been introduced all the way back in Supergirl season 2. Meanwhile, Tulloch’s Lois made her debut in the 2018 “Elseworlds” crossover. The duo is joined by a growing cast of characters that includes a new iteration of Lana Lang.