Season 8 of The Flash will premiere sooner than we think.

DEADLINE: This fall, the CW is bringing together for the first time on the same night its signature, most streamed series, The Flash and Riverdale. Both series will start their new seasons (Season 8 for The Flash, Season 6 for Riverdale) with special five-episode events, which will kick off in November, about a month after the CW starts rolling out its fall lineup in October.

During a press call about the fall 2021 schedule on Tuesday, the CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz noted that event-izing applies specifically to The Flash, whose first five episodes next season “will feature different heroes from the CW-verse.”

“The idea for The Flash is, [showrunner] Eric Wallace and [executive producer] Greg [Berlanti] have come together and are talking about other superheroes from the CW-verse who will come together in each individual episode,” he said. “It will not be quite be a crossover but will have a crossover-type feel and the introduction of all these characters.”

Pedowitz spoke about the logistical challenge faced by The Flash and Riverdale, whose current seasons stretch deep into the summer on the CW schedule. The shows will complete production on their current seasons in late June-early July and will go on hiatus until returning to start filming their new seasons in early September “fully rested,” Pedowitz said.

Because of the late start, neither show would be able to deliver the eight or so originals that usually air in the fall, leading to the CW’s idea to event-ize their five-episode fall runs.

Warming up the night for The Flash and Riverdale will be the final season of Supergirl and Season 2 of Stargirl, which will premiere in August and will run on Tuesdays through October, leading to The Flash and Riverdale‘s return.