Titans and Doom Patrol are coming to an end.
Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the current fourth seasons of the DC Comics dramas will be their last. This was confirmed by a spokesperson for HBO Max, where both of the Greg Berlanti-produced series are currently streaming after they left the DC Universe platform, which has since transitioned into the comics-only service now called DC Universe Infinite.
“While these will be the final seasons of Titans and Doom Patrol, we are very proud of these series and excited for fans to see their climactic endings,” the HBO Max rep said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “We are grateful to Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television for making such thrilling, action-packed, heartfelt series. We thank Titans showrunner Greg Walker, executive producers Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, Richard Hatem, and the team at Weed Road Pictures. For Doom Patrol, we celebrate showrunner Jeremy Carver and executive producers Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, Chris Dingess, and Tamara Becher-Wilkinson.”
The spokesperson added: “For four seasons, fans have fallen in love with the Titans and Doom Patrol, investing in their trials and tribulations, and in their legendary battles saving the world time and time again.”
Was DC Titans canceled?
Yes. As mentioned above, HBO Max has pulled the plug on Titans. The series, however, has yet to release the latter half of its season 4. The show’s final six episodes don’t have an exact premiere date yet, but all of them are confirmed to debut on the streaming service sometime this 2023.
“I’m immensely proud of our gifted cast, crew, and writing staff and their efforts in bringing to life all 49 episodes over the last five-plus years,” Titans executive producer Greg Walker said. “I couldn’t have asked for better partners in Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and HBO Max, and from the beginning, Geoff Johns and Akiva Goldsman. I’m incredibly grateful for their unyielding trust throughout this process. Lastly, I have to thank our incredible fans for their continued support, engagement, and the passionate community they’ve built around our show. We have six episodes left to unleash upon the world that we hope will give our beloved characters the creative closure we all know they deserve.”
Titans stars Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Alan Ritchson, Minka Kelly, and Joseph Morgan, just to name a few.
Has Doom Patrol been canceled or renewed?
Yes. Doom Patrol has also been canceled at HBO Max. But just like Titans, the series has yet to release its final six episodes. There’s no exact release date yet for the second half of the show’s season 4, but it is expected to arrive on HBO Max later this 2023.
“To our wonderfully supportive partners at HBO Max, Warner Bros. Television, Berlanti Productions, and DC Studios, thank you for indulging us these past four seasons,” showrunner Jeremy Carver said. “Also, what were you smoking? To our brilliant cast, indomitable crew, fearless writing staff and, most of all, to our beautiful fans: thank you all the more. You made this a once-in-a-lifetime ride.”
The Doom Patrol cast includes Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Alan Tudyk, and Matt Bomer, among many others.
Why were Titans and Doom Patrol canceled?
Citing unnamed sources, The Hollywood Reporter claimed that producers on both Titans and Doom Patrol “saw the writing on the wall” that the cancellations of both shows were about to happen amid all the corporate restructuring at Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Entertainment. So, they planned their respective current seasons with proper endings so as to not leave fans hanging.
Though the exact reasons for the cancellations of Titans and Doom Patrol are unclear, a number of fans presumed that the newly launched DC Studios had a hand in the unfortunate fate of both shows. This, however, is not the case, according to James Gunn, who along with Peter Safran, was appointed as co-chairman and co-CEO of the film and TV studio in November 2022.
“The decision to end the series precedes us. But I certainly wish the best for the talented group of creators, actors, and the rest of the crew that produced both shows,” Gunn wrote on Twitter in response to a fan tweet implying that the studio is behind the cancellations.
Is Titans a spin-off of Doom Patrol?
No. Titans is not a spin-off of Doom Patrol. Titans launched in October 2018, with Doom Patrol only debuting four months later in February 2019.
It’s worth noting, however, that Doom Patrol was originally envisioned as a Titans spinoff. In fact, Brendan Fraser’s Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby’s Vita Farr/Elasti-Woman, and Matt Bomer’s Larry Trainer/Negative Man were introduced in Titans’ fourth episode. But for some reason, Doom Patrol ended up following different versions of these characters from another Earth. For the uninitiated, Titans is set on Earth-9, while Doom Patrol takes place on Earth-21 of the larger DC TV multiverse.
Is Doom Patrol part of the DC Universe?
Yes. As previously mentioned, events in Doom Patrol happen on Earth-21 of the larger DC TV multiverse. As a reference, The CW’s Arrowverse series like Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Batwoman, and Black Lightning all exist on Earth-Prime.
Meanwhile, if we’re talking about the now-defunct DC Universe streaming service, Doom Patrol was actually one of the first series to be available on the on-demand viewing platform. The show’s first season exclusively streamed on DC Universe, with its sophomore run both made available on DC Universe and HBO Max. When DC Universe completely transitioned to a digital comics subscription-only service, Doom Patrol moved to HBO Max.
Should I watch Doom Patrol before Titans?
No. You don’t have to watch Doom Patrol before Titans. Though both series feature characters from DC Comics, the two shows exist on different Earths and follow separate continuities.
Is the Doom Patrol good or evil?
Despite their complicated and dark pasts, members of Doom Patrol are good people. Described as unlikely heroes, members of the eponymous team got their powers through tragic circumstances and are generally shunned by society. Most team members were treated by the Chief, a medical doctor who gave them residence in his mansion to help protect them from the outside world.
Why is Beast Boy not in Doom Patrol?
In DC Comics, Beast Boy is usually depicted as a member of Doom Patrol and Teen Titans. But since a live-action version of Beast Boy (Ryan Potter) was first introduced as part of the main cast of Titans, it doesn’t make sense for the character to also appear as one of the key players in Doom Patrol.
While a Beast Boy cameo or guest appearance in Doom Patrol will delight longtime DC fans, the fact that Titans and Doom Patrol don’t exist on one Earth and don’t share the same continuity makes it difficult for Potter’s Beast Boy to jump from one show to another. Also, Titans films in Toronto, Canada, while Doom Patrol shoots in Atlanta, Georgia, so Potter’s Beast Boy appearing on both shows is simply not practical.
Titans season 4 part 2 release date
The second half of Titans season 4 doesn’t have an exact release date yet. Many fans were hoping that it would return to HBO Max this February 2023 after its mid-season finale arrived on the streaming service in December 2022. Unfortunately for the show’s fans, the streamer recently unveiled the complete list of titles coming to its library this February, and Titans is not one of them.
But as reported by The Direct, Titans director Nick Copus revealed on Instagram in January 2023 that the remaining six episodes of the series will kick off in April 2023. “Part two I believe will air on HBO MAX in April,” wrote Copus at the time in response to a fan asking about the show’s return.