Arrowverse

Arrowverse refers to a media franchise and shared universe of American television series based on DC Comics superheroes, airing on The CW. The term originated with Arrow (2012), created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, which launched a connected universe. The continuity expanded to include additional series that share characters, references, and occasional crossovers.

Key features include annual crossover events and a multiverse concept that allows different Earths and versions of characters to exist within the same overarching continuity. The franchise is known for the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover (2019), which unified multiple shows’ realities into a single continuity and reintroduced a combined universe for the subsequent series.

Major series in the Arrowverse have included Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and Superman & Lois. The lineup changed over time; Arrow concluded in 2019, and several other series continued or concluded in the following years. The shows share casting, storylines, and references across episodes, enabling cross-series storytelling and character development.

Production and distribution are handled by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. The Arrowverse helped define a model for shared superhero TV franchises on The CW, influencing other networks and streaming projects with serialized crossovers and ongoing worldbuilding.

As of the mid-2020s, some Arrowverse series remained on air while others had ended; the franchise’s prominence declined relative to its peak, but it remains a notable example of a contiguous superhero TV universe and a template for future cross-network franchises.