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'Stargirl' was prepared for The CW axe, shot 2 endings in case series was canceled
Even before Stargirl was canceled, the creator was preparing for the worst.
Like so many shows over at The CW, Stargirl learned earlier this year that its current season will be its last. The DC Comics-inspired series, created and showrun by Geoff Johns, will conclude its third and final season next month, and according to star Brec Bassinger, it will have a series finale-style ending thanks to some forward-thinking creative choices.
On this week's episode of The Wayne Ayres Podcast, Bassinger discussed the news that the series is coming to an end, and revealed that Johns -- who also co-created the title character, based on his own sister -- and the rest of the Stargirl creative team prepared for the possibility of cancellation by crafting "two different endings" for Season 3, both of which were shot. Johns and company filmed both endings way back in the spring, before Stargirl's future was decided, because, as Bassinger put it, "he did not want to leave the fans with all these question marks.”
Because the show is ending, Stargirl will obviously go with the more conclusive ending, which contains what Bassinger called "a lot of beautiful closure." As for the other ending, which would have set up Season 4, Bassinger didn't spill details, but noted that Johns has considered releasing the alternate ending on the eventual home media release of Season 3. No matter how many people end up seeing it, though, Bassinger noted the ending "will make people sad."
"Because the fourth-season idea was insane. Like, it would have been epic," Bassinger said. "And I actually believe that’s why it took so long for us to officially get the cancellation news, because Geoff came in with such a wonderful idea…. But it wasn’t meant to be.”
Stargirl launched in 2020 on the DC Universe streaming service, and while many of the service's other shows eventually migrated to HBO Max, the teen superhero adventure seemed tailor-made for The CW, and moved there for its second season in 2021. It did well enough as a CW exclusive that it was renewed, but just last month we learned that Season 3 would be the end for the story of Courtney Whitmore and her fellow heroes both young and old. Now we know that, thanks to some adjustments by the creative team, Season 3 will at least feel like a farewell.
The series finale of Stargirl airs Dec. 7 on The CW.
Looking for more superhero teen adventures? Check out Heroes, which is streaming now on Peacock.
