‘The Flash’ To End With Season 9 On the CW, Final Episode Count Revealed

Nellie Andreeva

It’s official: The upcoming ninth season of The Flash on the CW will be its last. It will debut in 2023 and consist of 13 episodes, making this the shortest season of its run.

As Deadline reported, speculation that Season 9 could be The Flash‘s final chapter started in January when star Grant Gustin agreed to a one-year deal, capping his Season 9 involvement at 15 episodes. The CW in May announced that next season will be held for midseason, the first time The Flash has not been on the network’s fall schedule except for the CW’s pandemic fall 2020 lineup comprised predominantly by acquisitions.

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Of The Flash‘s other original cast members, Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker are set to return. Jesse L. Martin has an NBC pilot, The Irrational, which has him in first position. He is committed to as many as five episodes of The Flash‘s ninth season. The number conceivably could go up if his pilot does not go forward. NBC is expected to make a decision on its remaining three pilots soon.

The 13-episode midseason order would put The Flash series finale just weeks ahead of the planned June 23 release of Warner Bros.’ The Flash movie starring Ezra Miller as the title character. Coincidentally, the long-delayed film originally was announced just a week after The Flash series’ October 7 premiere on the CW. The series’ ending is expected to wrap its own storyline and not set up the movie in any way, sources said.

The CW brass has been diligent about giving its signature series a proper ending, when possible. The Flash is one of two legacy shows whose next seasons will be last, along with Riverdale.

The Flash, from Berlanti Prods. and Warner Bros. TV, has been a pivotal series for the CW. It was a spinoff from Arrow, and helped to establish the Arrowverse as a franchise. The Flash has been the most successful of the Arrowverse series and the longest-running too, edging Arrow‘s eight-season run. With Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman and Naomi all ending their runs this season, The Flash‘s departure would leave hit Superman & Lois and possibly Gotham Knights, if it does well, as the only returning DC series for the 2023-24 season.

After ranking as the CW’s top series for the first half of its run, The Flash has remained one of the network’s strongest performers, with Season 8 finishing as one of the network’s most-watched shows of the 2021-22 season, with 1.03 million viewers, and ranking among its most streamed shows on its digital platforms.

“Nine seasons! Nine years of saving Central City while taking audiences on an emotional journey full of heart, humor, and spectacle. And now Barry Allen has reached the starting gate for his last race,” The Flash executive producer/showrunner Eric Wallace said. “So many amazing people have given their talents, time, and love to bring this wonderful show to life each week. So, as we get ready to honor the show’s incredible legacy with our exciting final chapter, I want to say thank you to our phenomenal cast, writers, producers, and crew over the years who helped make The Flash such an unforgettable experience for audiences around the world.“

Gustin has previously spoken about his journey on The Flash as Barry Allen/The Flash, including these comments at the end of Season 7.

“Listen, I may never have a job this cool again, that this many people actually tune in to watch, so I’m not gonna take it for granted,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “Seven [seasons] is it for most of the cast actually, but I think it would be great if we can continue after that.”

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