Hoechlin played Superman on the CW’s Supergirl in 2016. He didn’t have to go through the audition process because he was Greg Berlanti’s first choice for the role. Hoechlin described the casting as “surreal,” adding that he hoped to accurately represent the character’s optimism and maintain Superman’s status as a symbol of hope.
For his efforts in the role, which he played in four episodes of the show’s second season, he was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Guest Performance on a Television Series. Both critics and fans welcomed his portrayal of Superman, describing it as “fun” and a “breath of fresh air.”
In 2018, as a part of the “Elseworlds” Arrowverse crossover episodes, Hoechlin made a comeback as Supergirl. He also appears in the corresponding episodes of the December 2018 crossover between Arrow and The Flash. Hoechlin makes his way back to the Arrowverse for the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” episodes.
Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch will feature in the spin-off series Superman & Lois, which the CW reported was in development in October 2019 and immediately ordered to series in January 2020.
