Superman & Lois Season 4 Cast, Episode Count, Possible Plotlines And More Details
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With The CW in restructuring-related turmoil resulting from its purchase by Nexstar Media Group in 2022, much of its original programming ended up on the chopping block at the end of the 2022-2023 season. "Superman & Lois" has joined a select number of series that have managed to escape cancelation and earn a fourth season renewal. This was by no means a sure thing; comments from series actor Inde Navarrette indicate Season 4 came quite close to never happening at all. But the green light came, and this happy occasion means that the DC TV universe will thrive into 2024.
Viewers will have a full 10 episodes to enjoy, which will doubtlessly follow Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin), and their twin sons Jonathan (Michael Bishop) and Jordan Kent (Alex Garfin) as they cope with life as a superfamily. Here's what we know so far about the show's upcoming Season 4.
When will Superman & Lois Season 4 be released?
Trying to determine when Season 4 of "Superman & Lois" will air is kind of like trying to organize fish in a river. All of the action-drama series' seasons have aired as part of The CW's mid-season programming on Tuesdays at 8 p.m., but thus far, all three outings have begun and concluded in different months. Season 1 began in February 2021 and concluded in August 2021; Season 2 began in January 2022 and ended in June 2022; and Season 3 began in March 2023 and will conclude in June 2023. With that sort of discrepancy, anything is possible.
If we judge solely by the network's previous airing patterns, we can expect Season 4 to begin in the winter of 2024 and conclude early in the summer. But the 2023 Hollywood strikes introduced new variables. On August 8, 2023, Deadline reported that four scripted CW shows including "Superman & Lois" were being delayed, per Nexstar CEO Perry Sook. "The farther the strike goes on, they get pushed further and further into 2024," the exec remarked.
This is tough news. But the strikes are now over, and there's at least one positive thing we can tell fans: Deadline confirmed that Season 4 will contain 10 episodes. That's a big comedown, quantity-wise, since the show's first two seasons contain 15 episodes and Season 3 contains 13, but it's better than nothing — and, if enough people tune in, CW president Brad Schwartz has even implied Season 4 needn't be the series' end. Moreover, Variety has suggested "Superman & Lois" might air in summer 2024. It's only speculation, but it's worth fans' attention.
What is the plot of Superman & Lois Season 4?
Season 3's finale, "What Kills You Only Makes You Stronger," revolves around the return of Clark Kent's ultimate enemy, Lex Luthor (a guest-starring Michael Cudlitz, replacing Jon Cryer as the Arrowverse version of the character). Luthor, as always, has an eye on taking revenge on Superman after spending 17 years in prison. His release coincides with a meteor shower that holds Smallville spellbound. Elsewhere, Lois continues to recover from a double mastectomy and copes with her cancer treatments, and Inverse Superman rises from his stasis. Luthor uses the latter character for his own fiendish ends, transforming him into a violent monster via his unique powers of resurrection.
Ultimately, Season 3 ends on an intense note: Superman and Inverse Superman battling it out on the moon. This will keep fans invested until the new season airs, and sets Season 4 up for an explosive beginning. The fallout from this battle will surely play a major role in future episodes, as will Luthor's larger quest for vengeance. Lois' cancer battle will also continue, as will Jordan and Jonathan's complex experiences with their superpowers and social lives. As for Clark, we expect to see him survive his moon-bound battle, and continue to fight the evils of the world, with the help of his family.
Season 4's cast shake-up is sure to have a major impact on the story. Notably, Jordan's relationship with Sarah seems unlikely to get much closure. When a fan indicated this bond needed a proper ending on TikTok, Sarah's actor, Inde Navarrette, responded with a deeply skeptical series of expressions. Like so many "Superman & Lois" actors, Navarrette has been bumped down from series regular to guest star. Actors in this position will pop up in a reduced capacity, which will doubtlessly affect the plot, though we don't yet know how.
Who will star in Superman & Lois Season 4?
Here's the good news: It appears that the Kent family will enter Season 4 of "Superman & Lois" intact. That likely includes Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane, Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent, Michael Bishop as Jonathan Kent, and Alex Garfin as Jordan Kent. Michael Cudlitz, who plays Lex Luthor, will also be returning as a series regular.
What's the bad news? A staggering number of "Superman & Lois" cast members will be leaving the drama as regulars with the Season 3 finale. Deadline reports that Dylan Walsh (Sam Lane, Lois' father), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Lana Lang, whom Clark dated when they were both teenagers), Erik Valdez (Kyle Cushing, Lana's independent-minded son), Inde Navarrette (Sarah Cortez, Lana's daughter and Jordan's love interest), Wolé Parks (John Henry Irons, friend and fellow superhero), Tayler Buck (Natalie Lane Irons, John Henry's daughter) and Sofia Hasmik (Chrissy Beppo, a co-worker of Lois and Clark's) have all been demoted or outright cut. Walsh's exit was confirmed through a statement made by his wife Leslie Bourque-Walsh to The Direct, which reads, "Congrats to the families of S&L for finally getting the update of their fate. We now know General Lane was cut due to budget. It was a fun ride. Bye."
This basically makes up the show's entire supporting cast. The good news is, some of these actors will pop back up in guest starring or recurring roles. As Navarrette put it in a TikTok, "So basically, me and a few other people from the cast are now guest stars instead of series regulars ... we'll be in about three episodes at least. But, at least you guys get a Season 4. We almost got canceled." This certainly isn't ideal, but it's better than nothing. Fingers crossed they get to take their characters to some satisfying places, despite this upheaval.
Who is showrunning, producing, and writing Superman & Lois Season 4?
We don't yet know the full extent of how the show's shake-up will affect Season 4's writing, producing, or directing processes. We do, however, know certain details. The CW has not announced a showrunner for Season 4 at this time. Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher ran the show during its first three seasons, and while they're probably likely to continue in that role, we can't say for sure — especially since "Superman & Lois" has been subject to so much change as of late.
Sarah Schechter and Geoff Johns join Fletcher, Helbing, and Berlanti as executive producers. There is no word as to who, if anyone, will be leaving the producing team. We do know, however, that the writers room has been trimmed down from eight people to five. We also know that writer Adam Mallinger will be among those not returning to the show. Mallinger has been involved with the series in some fashion since Season 1, which makes this a real blow.
Will Season 4 be the end of Superman & Lois?
Even as news of abbreviated writers rooms and smaller cast lists made headlines, "Superman & Lois" fans hoped their beloved show had a future. Sadly, on November 2, The CW announced that Season 4 of the superhero series will be its last. Brad Schwartz, The CW's president of entertainment, bid it adieu with some kind words, remarking, "We are grateful for the years of hard work and graceful storytelling from the show's writers, producers, actors and crew, as well as our terrific partners at Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions. As Superman embarks on his final flight, the team is leaving us with an absolutely epic 10-episode must-watch-every-minute farewell to one of the most legendary CW families ever."
This cancelation stings, to be sure. But Season 4 promises to be excellent, which should comfort upset fans. Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher made this particularly clear in their statement. "We're thrilled about what we have in store in our final season," the showrunners said, "and can't wait for everyone to watch as Superman, Lois and all our heroes face off against the biggest threat in the show's history — Lex Luthor." If the good times have to end, that's certainly a solid way to do it.
Where you can watch Superman & Lois
Those looking to catch up on the first three seasons of "Superman & Lois" before its next season kicks off have a few options to watch the show.
The first is The CW's official website, which has the entire Season 3 up for streaming with advertising support. One of The CW's biggest issues with "Superman & Lois" was its lack of out-of-season streaming rights; Deadline reports that this has changed as part of the negotiations for Season 4, so perhaps the show's first three seasons will show up on the drama's landing page.
The second is through Max, which has the show's first two seasons up ad-free. Max offers two different kinds of subscription plans, with the cheapest package starting at $9.99 a month with ads or $15.99 for an ad-free experience.
Want to sample individual episodes? "Superman & Lois" is available for $1.99 per SD episode or $2.99 per HD episode and $24.99 per season on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV +, Vudu, and Prime Video. Any of these options will have you ready to fly into Season 4 of "Superman & Lois" fully prepared for whatever Intergang or Lex Luthor could possibly throw at you.