It is confirmed that Superman & Lois Season 4 will see a delay, which previously has been said to be due to the actors and writers strike but now it is also added the delay is because of the VFX.
The previous seasons of Superman & Lois premiered in February 2021, January 2022, and March 2023, with THR offering Superman & Lois Season 4 won’t get released until after April next year to allow time for the VFX:
The CW, now controlled by Nexstar, has only four holdovers from its Mark Pedowitz-led regime and the Brad Schwartz-run network is looking at April for the returns of All American and its Homecoming spinoff and Walker. All three of those are expected to air 13-episode seasons that spill over into the summer. Superman & Lois, which will return with 10 episodes, will come later to allow time for visual effects work.
Superman & Lois Season 4 sees big cuts
It is also already known that Season 4 has seen big cuts.
Deadline reported back in June with the news of the renewal that Season 4 is seeing significant budget and cast cuts.
The entire Smallville cast has been cut and only the main cast in addition to Michael Cudlitz as Lex Luthor will be returning for Superman & Lois Season 4.
Tyler Hoechlin and Elizbeth Tulloch will be back along with Michael Bishop as Jonathan Kent and Alex Garfin as Jordan Kent.
Exiting, but possibly returning in guest starring roles include Dylan Walsh as Sam Lane, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang, Erik Valdez as Kyle Cushing, Inde Navarrette as Sarah Cushing, and Sofia Hasmik as Chrissy Beppo, with Wolé Parks as John Henry Irons, and Tayler Buck who plays his daughter Natalie Irons also out.
It’s speculated the setting for Season 4 may move from Smallville to Metropolis, which would explain why no Smallville cast and would still include Michael Cudlitz as Lex Luthor who is phenomenal in the role.
Deadline also previously offered that “in addition to trimming the cast, the series likely would lean more heavily into its core premise as a family drama going forward while still honoring its superhero roots.”
Problems with VFX?
Regarding the VFX and the “superhero roots,” insiders actually filled me in at Comic-Con that Superman & Lois is a complete disaster with plans to depower Superman to save costs on the VFX.
My insiders went so far as to say things are so bad that Season 4 shouldn’t even bother to get made.
Perhaps with THR reporting they are going to spend time on the VFX that those plans changed and they are giving Superman & Lois a great sendoff (unlike The Flash).
Superman & Lois Season 4 the final season?
It is guessed Season 4 may be the final season with James Gunn introducing his own Man of Steel with David Corenswet in the DCU’s Superman: Legacy that gets released on July 1, 2025.
The writing seems to be on the wall that Superman & Lois Season 4 is the final season due to all the budget and cast cuts in addition to the shortened 10-episode season, as well as that The CW was recently sold off and canceled all of its shows accept for a handful.
Superman & Lois has been really great and a big standout in a sea of eyesores from both DC and Marvel, with Tyler Hoechlin as a really inspiring and hopeful version of both Clark Kent and Superman. It will be missed.