The Man of Steel is putting down roots in the Arrowverse. The CW superhero universe is expanding in 2021 with Superman and Lois, which will bring the eponymous duo into the CW lineup after they were first introduced on Supergirl.
Created by former Flash showrunner Todd Helbing, the Supergirl spin-off puts Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) and Clark (Tyler Hoechlin) front and center as they juggle parenthood with their demanding jobs. Balancing saving the world with tight newspaper deadlines and raising rambunctious twin boys is sure to keep this dynamic duo on their toes, setting the stage for an interesting journey ahead. And given everything they went through in the 2019 Arrowverse crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths, we’re hoping life in Smallville won’t be quite as traumatic.
With so many questions looming about the show, we’re snatching up all the intel out there to keep you updated. Here’s everything we know about Superman and Lois so far.
Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch, Supergirl
Superman and Lois will arrive in 2021. Superman and Lois will premiere on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 9/8c on The CW, immediately following the Season 7 premiere of The Flash.
Season 1 will consist of 13 episodes. The CW put in a 13-episode order for the Supergirl spin-off. With production schedules so tight due to the pandemic, expect the first season to be shorter than a normal superhero series.
Superman is getting a new suit: Warner Bros. released a photo of Hoechlin in a new suit in mid December. He’s wearing some new “super boots,” combined with a redefined neckline and cape. New muscle lines have been added, and this new iteration of the suit has a fresh paint job from the one Hoechlin has worn on Supergirl and during the Arrowverse crossovers.
Helbing previously teased a makeover for the iconic Superman costume. “Originally [Hoechlin] came on for the crossovers and that suit wasn’t built to sustain a series. And I think in just everything that we were talking about, we have a fresh slate,” he said at DC’s Fandome. “There’s going to be a really badass Superman suit in this show that we’re pretty excited about.”
Tyler Hoechlin, Superman & Lois
We’ve got a first look at Lois and Clark. In December, The CW released a new image of Tulloch and Hoechlin as Lois Lane and Clark Kent, giving fans a look at their more casual side.
Tulloch said in a statement, “From the very beginning, going back to when she was introduced in 1938, Lois Lane as a character defied society’s expectations of how women should behave. Women at that point were more typically portrayed as demure, but Lois was always opinionated and unapologetic and uncompromising and a career-woman. Part of why she has remained so compelling for so many years is that she’s also vulnerable and fallible, romantic, and goofy, and a clutz… I find Lois inspiring in how little she gives a crap about what anyone thinks of her. She’s not doing the work for glory or more Pulitzers, she’s doing it because she believes in justice and truth.”
Elizabeth Tulloch and Tyler Hoechlin, Superman and Lois
Filming on the series began in the fall. Tulloch revealed via Twitter that the cast began quarantining in Vancouver in mid-September ahead of shooting. “The last of the cast landed in Vancouver today to start their quarantines. Getting close!” she wrote.
The show has enlisted some heavy hitters behind the scenes. In addition to creating and writing the series, Helbing will serve as an executive producer alongside Arrowverse architect Greg Berlanti, super-producer Sarah Schechter, and former DC Entertainment COO and producer Geoff Johns.
Get ready to see Superman and Lois struggle with parenting. The series will follow the famed superhero and renowned journalist as they deal with the stress and complications that come with being working parents in today’s world. According to Tolluch, we’re going to see the pair in a different light.
“When Todd Helbing, who’s our showrunner, was telling me about the story for the pilot script for Superman & Lois, I got chills,” Tolluch previously told TV Guide. “It’s so good, and it’s so something we haven’t seen before with them, so I think it’s going to be great.”
Crisis on Infinite Earths confirmed that they have two sons — Jonathan and Jordan — which probably means the pair is in for twice the trouble. Talking about Clark and Lois’ new challenge at DC’s Fandome, Helbing said, “I think as a father who happens to have two boys, that felt like a really great way to bring in some personal experience and just to tell really a different story.”
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The series has found its Lana Lang. Emmanuelle Chriqui is set to take on the iconic role, previously played by Kristen Kreuk in Smallville. In Superman and Lois, Lana Lang-Cushing is a loan officer at Smallville Bank who stayed behind while everyone else went on to pursue bigger and better things outside of the small town. According to Deadline, she reconnects with her old friend Clark Kent during a difficult time in her life.
The rest of the cast is starting to come together. Graceland‘s Erik Valdez will play Lana’s husband, Kyle Cushing, Smallville’s heroic fire chief who doesn’t like the big city and often clashes with people from there. Inde Navarrette will also star as Sarah Cushing, Lana and Kyle’s super smart wild child with some demons of her own who befriends Lois and Clark’s sons.
In addition, Nip/Tuck and Blue Bloods alum Dylan Walsh will portray Lois’ father, General Lane. The no-nonsense army general‘s main concern is protecting his country and the world from threats, both within the planet and beyond. Per Deadline, he’s a workaholic with high standards for everyone in his life, including his daughters Lois and Lucy. Glenn Morshower previously portrayed the character in a recurring capacity on Supergirl.
We know of at least one villain. Deadline reports that The Vampire Diaries alum Wolé Parks has joined the cast of Superman and Lois as a mysterious villain called The Stranger. All we know about this character so far is that he’ll be a visitor hellbent on proving to the world that it no longer needs Superman.
Superman wants you to wear a mask. A poster released by The CW showcases the Man of Steel in a mask with the caption, “Real heroes wear masks.”
Superman and Lois Source