Currently, there is not a lot of certainty on The CW’s schedule due to the potential sale of the network that is in the works. But based on recent developments, it does appear that Arrow-verse mainstay The Flash will be returning next season for a ninth year. According to Deadline, series star Grant Gustin is in the process of finalizing his contract for at least one more season of the show. Apparently a multi-year deal was considered, but Gustin decided to go with only a single season at this point. A ninth year will make The Flash the longest-running of the Arrow-verse shows, passing Arrow which ended with its eighth season. The Flash is still one of The CW’s top-rated shows whereas Arrow‘s numbers had dropped off significantly across its final seasons. A ninth season renewal is not in the books at this point, but once Gustin signs the contract it will pretty much be a formality. Since he did not sign on for any seasons beyond that, it is possible the show could end with its ninth year. But a fair amount of shake-up could be coming to the network if a new owner comes onboard. The CW usually issues a blanket renewal of its Fall shows around this time of year, but I don’t expect that this season because of the sale.