Justice U, an Arrow spinoff series focused on John Diggle leading a team of young heroes, is still in development – but that is not what the TVLine), which may come as a surprise given the current status of the Arrowverse.
After the cancelations of Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow - and the reveal that Superman & Lois was never actually part of the Arrowverse - The Flash is the only Arrowverse show still on the air. However, it has been confirmed that The Flash season 9 will be the show’s last, which means it will also be the end of the Arrowverse as audiences know it. Still, despite everything pointing to the Arrowverse’s ending after 11 years, Justice U is still happening. The problem, however, is that a John Diggle spinoff series doesn’t fit the current status of the franchise, as the Arrowverse pretty much no longer exists. In fact, it’s possible that Justice U is not even part of the Arrowverse, as Superman & Lois introduced a non-Earth Prime John Diggle.
Arrowverse's Justice U Would've Worked Better A Few Years Ago
The concept of Diggle leading a team of young heroes would have worked much better when the Arrowverse was still at its prime. One of the signature traits of the Arrowverse’s shows was how the main heroes would often work with a team of ing characters – many of whom were superheroes or vigilantes themselves. From major DC comics figures like Roy Harper and Wally West to lesser-known names and even original characters, there was no shortage of “sidekick options” during the high of the Arrowverse. A Justice U type of show, if developed a few years ago, would have had far more options to form a team of young superheroes. As a comparison, Legends of Tomorrow never had a problem rotating its cast because it would often “borrow” characters from other Arrowverse shows.
The Arrowverse Needs More Than Justice U To Continue
The fact that Justice U is still in development gives hope that the Arrowverse can continue despite the many cancelations. Still, if the Arrowverse is to continue, it will need more than Justice U. A spinoff series focused on original characters and lesser-known young superheroes is simply not enough of a draw to revive an entire franchise, even if it features one of the Arrowverse’s most important characters John Diggle. A show in the style of Justice U would be a solid addition to a larger set of Arrowverse shows, similar to how Legends of Tomorrow combined many worlds into one show. Essentially, the news of a John Diggle spinoff series would have been far more exciting if other Arrowverse shows were still on the air.
The Arrowverse’s biggest hook was how many different shows were able to connect, and how even the most unlikely crossovers were possible. As such, Justice U by itself would not hold much meaning to the Arrowverse – not to mention how it could be part of Gotham Knights, will have no connections with the Arrowverse – which goes to show how the network's DC TV plans have changed.