Less than three weeks ago, Variety reporter Mo Ryan published an article in which 19 women and men came forward to accuse Arrow, Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow executive producer Andrew Kreisberg of numerous instances of sexual harassment. He denied the allegations, but was swiftly suspended by Warner Bros. and an investigation into his actions was launched. Per a new report from Variety, he has now been fired. “We remain committed to providing a safe working environment for our employees and everyone involved in our productions,†Warner told Variety in a statement.
This represents a sea change for the shows involved. All based on DC Comics characters, they form the highly lucrative so-called Arrowverse of superhero shows on the CW, and Kreisberg was one of only two people to have developed all of them. The other was super-showrunner Greg Berlanti, who will now be assuming additional editorial duties on The Flash and Supergirl to make up for Kreisberg’s absence. Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, the president of Berlanti Productions, expressed support for the studio’s decision, saying in a statement, “We encouraged and supported this investigation, we believe and support the individuals who came forward, and we agree with the studio’s decision. Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of all our colleagues — co-workers, crew and staff alike.â€
According to Variety, Kreisberg “touched people without their permission, asked for massages from uncomfortable female staff members, and kissed women without asking,†and was known for “a constant stream of sexualized comments … about women’s appearances, their clothes, and their perceived desirability.â€