Now that we find ourselves in August and creeping ever so closer to the fall, now's a good time to update ourselves on pre-season news before The CW's "Arrowverse" shows return. With Arrow shuffling off the network's programming coil after an abbreviated eighth season (making The Flash the "elder states-show" of the "Arrowverse"), Ruby Rose-starrer Batwoman joining the family alongside Supergirl, and a looming "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover that could change things dramatically (more on that below), the 2019-2020 season isn't exactly going to be lacking in change – and the news hasn't slowed down.

So with filming currently underway on the sixth season of The Flash, we have two newsworthy updates we want to make sure gets picked up on your radar:

● Candice Patton (Iris West-Allen) took to Twitter this past weekend to make a very personal and important announcement about season 6: beginning with the season's fifth episode, Patton's Iris will be rockin' the curls. It's a decision that Patton isn't just happy about it for herself, but also for women of color who've been told they had to change their looks to be more "demographically pleasing" on screen:

Means a lot to wear my curls on The Flash. And I know it will to so many of you who look like me. ➿ We asked and our EP @ewrote gave me the go ahead. 6×05 #IrisWest #naturalhair #switchup pic.twitter.com/L7fh3OBctr — Candice Patton (@candicepatton) August 27, 2019

● Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin/Killer Frost) took to Instagram to share the script cover (but no title – dammit) for the season's sixth episode – which sees Panabaker taking to the director's chair – and thank those who helped her with directorial duties:

View this post on Instagram.

Earlier this month, Panabaker posted a teaser image of The Flash Museum's Hall of Villains, one section of a museum expected to open some time between 2019 and 2024 (safe to say "Crisis" got the clock to speed up a bit). Now the "Who me?" line attached to the image of the Thinker's "cell" makes us wonder if Killer Frost is going to start living up to that adjective in her name:

…and will a museum dedicated to all-things The Flash be the one thing Sendhil Ramamurthy's (Heroes) Dr. Ramsey Rosso/Bloodwork needs to stop Barry (Grant Gustin) in his tracks – for good?

View this post on Instagram.

Last month, Panabaker revealed the costume that Cisco (Carlos Valdes) gifted Caitlin at the end of last season. Our first thoughts? Very stream-lined and cool-yet-practical – probably the most "badass" and visually intimidating look for the character so far. Definitely makes a good impression on the first day of class:

When you show up to the first day of school in your brand new outfit. pic.twitter.com/Qp36hfKLig — Danielle Panabaker (@dpanabaker) July 10, 2019

Panabaker already has one fan of the new look… one with a little "Speed Force" street cred (and someone we hope returns for "Crisis"):

😁⚡️ — John Wesley Shipp (@JohnWesleyShipp) July 10, 2019

The Road to "Crisis on Infinite Earths"

Viewers can't say they weren't warned in advance. At the end of 2018's CW Arrowverse "Elseworlds" crossover that brought together The Flash, Arrow, and Supergirl (and nearly DC's Legends of Tomorrow, but they let it go to machine – way too busy for all that), we saw that the end was only the beginning… of the end. As Barry (Grant Gustin) and Oliver (Amell) shared what felt like a final toast and Kate Kane's Batwoman (Rose) returned to protecting the streets of Gotham – with a sense that something felt a little off – we got a small taste of what's still to come in 2019…

"Crisis on Infinite Earths!" Worlds will live! Worlds will die!

And the CW's "Arrowverse" will never be the same…

The season's eighth episode will be the "Crisis" crossover episode – comprising the fourth hour of the crossover:

Supergirl – Sunday, December 8th (8/7c)

Batwoman – Monday, December 9th (8/7c)

The Flash – Tuesday, December 10th (8/7c)

Arrow – Tuesday, January 14, 2020 (8/7c)

DC's Legends of Tomorrow – Tuesday, January 14, 2020 (9/8c)

Black Lightning will also be represented during the crossover event.

For most of their respective seasons, things have been "All Quiet on the 'Crisis' Front" when it came to Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl – but that changed in a big way during their respective season finales… even for DC's Legends of Tomorrow!

In Arrow season finale "You Have Saved This City," the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) returns to cash in on the favor that Oliver owes him: help him save the multiverse – taking a moment to tell him the "fine print": Oliver's going to die during "Crisis" and there's nothing the Monitor can do to stop it.

Then there's that matter of Future Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and the trip she's taking with the Monitor to see Oliver… somewhere… and it's apparently a place she can't come back from. Hmmm…

https://youtu.be/XGoeR7qf14o

Over at The Flash season finale "Legacy," some recent maneuverings with Time moved up the date on Barry's "red skies/2024" newspaper warning just a wee bit… to say, 2019?

The fourth season finale of Supergirl "The Quest for Peace" had The Monitor speaking to a hooded figure, telling him that now is the time for him to lead "his people" and to take revenge on his captor… and brother: J'onn J'onzz (David Harewood). Meanwhile, just because Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer) may have shuffled off this mortal coil (???) doesn't mean his role in the upcoming "Crisis" is over quite yet…

DC's Legends of Tomorrow season finale "Hey, World!" found the plan to take down Neron (Brandon Routh) resulting in a major status quo change for Zari (Tala Ashe) – a change that the suddenly-appearing Monitor does not appear to approve of in any way, shape, or form. At least he got some popcorn out of it – and yes, that is The Book of Destiny he's using to balance it.

The CW's Batwoman and Supergirl premiere Sunday, October 6; while The Flash premieres Tuesday, October 8, with Arrow joining them on October 15. Black Lightning premieres the following week, on Monday, October 21.