Javicia Leslie will be stepping up to the Batwoman mantle for the highly-anticipated second season.
Following Ruby Rose’s shock exit, The CW show is having a revamp, with a new lead actor and new villains.
Batwoman season two is in production and exciting tidbits are spilling out from set, including the recent casting of Leah Gibson, who will play skilled assassin Tatiana (The Whisper).
What’s more, Leslie has offered a first look at her costume for the new series, showing flame red hair behind that iconic angular bat mask.
Leslie will play a new character called Ryan Wilder, a local Gotham resident who has a chequered past.
In Kate Kane’s (Rose) absence, she becomes the city’s hero – but it won’t be easy as Alice (Rachel Skarsten) will be harder to control now her sister isn’t around and Jacob Kane security team will no doubt try to stop Wilder from her vigilantism.
Read on for everything you need to know about the upcoming second season of Batwoman.
When is Batwoman season 2 on TV?
Season two of Batwoman is currently scheduled for a later-than-usual premiere in January 2021.
DC Comics shows on US broadcaster The CW typically begin in September/October, but due to the one-two punch of coronavirus and Rose’s shock exit, the show has been delayed.
According to Deadline, Warner Bros is looking to resume production on several TV shows in late August, as Batwoman and many others are filmed in Canada, where COVID-19 cases are significantly lower than in the United States.
All plans are subject to change at any moment, but if Batwoman can meet this target, it would be a promising start for its return to screens in 2021.
Will Batwoman be recast in season 2?
Yes! While the series had intended to continue the story of Kate Kane’s crimefighting across Gotham City, the writers have decided to introduce an entirely new character following the resignation of Ruby Rose.
The producers have cast Javicia Leslie in the role of Ryan Wilder, who will take over the mantle of Batwoman from season two onwards, after being inspired by the vigilante’s actions in the past.
Ryan is described as “likeable, messy, a little goofy and untamed,” but has a chequered past as a former drug runner who has spent years on the run from Gotham City’s police department.
She’s a “highly skilled and wildly undisciplined” fighter as well as an out lesbian, ensuring that Batwoman’s groundbreaking LGBT+ representation remains at the heart of the show.
Showrunner Caroline Dries addressed the decision to abandon Kate Kane, a character who has a sizeable comic book fanbase, during a Q&A for ATX Festival At Home.
She said: “To be honest with you, I did consider the ‘soap opera version’ [of recasting] for a hot minute, because selfishly we already had a couple of episodes written, and transition-wise it would be seamless.
“But upon further reflection – and I think Greg [Berlanti] helped me make this call – he’s like, ‘I think we should just reboot Batwoman as a different character’.”
Who will be the next Batwoman?
.@JaviciaLeslie is Gotham's new hero. #Batwoman Season 2 is coming in 2021! pic.twitter.com/XUcy9ItlkS
— Batwoman (@CWBatwoman) July 9, 2020
It was recently announced that Javicia Leslie will be taking over the role of Batwoman from Ruby Rose, an American actress best known for her role on comedy-drama series God Friended Me.
She said: “I am extremely proud to be the first Black actress to play the iconic role of Batwoman on television, and as a bisexual woman, I am honored to join this groundbreaking show which has been such a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Previously, RadioTimes.com readers had voted for Stephanie Beatriz to be cast in the role, but it’s unclear whether this would have been possible due to her existing commitment to hit sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Former star Ruby Rose took to Instagram to congratulate Leslie on getting the gig, saying: “I am so glad that Batwoman will be played by an amazing Black woman. I want to congratulate Javicia Leslie on taking over the bat cape.
“You are walking into an amazing cast and crew. I can’t wait to watch season 2 you are going to be amazing.”
Is the Batwoman cast returning?
While Kate Kane will be written out of the show, her friends and family are set to return – meaning fans won’t have to bid farewell to every character they got to know over the course of season one.
Camrus Johnson and Nicole Kang will still have major roles as tech whizz Luke Fox and medical student Mary Hamilton, which suggests they could help Ryan Wilder find her footing as the new Batwoman.
Kane’s troubled father Jacob (Dougray Scott) will also return as well as her psychopathic sister Alice (Rachel Skarsten), but it will be interesting to see how their dynamic shifts with Kate out of the picture.
We can also expect more from Meagan Tandy as Kate’s ex-girlfriend Sophie Moore, who is a protector of Gotham in her own right as one of the Crows leading operatives.
In September 2020, Leah Gibson was confirmed to be joining the Arrowverse as “The Whisper”.
Gibson has previous experience on a superhero franchise, having previously starred in Jessica Jones.
She will be be playing the villainous Tatiana who, according to Deadline, will be a deadly assassin who is “unflappable and cold as ice in the face of danger”.
What could happen in Batwoman season 2?
Prior to Rose’s departure, The CW released a synopsis for season two of Batwoman, which included that Jacob Kane would be waging war against Batwoman and her vigilante activities.
That could still be the case, only with Ryan as the woman behind the mask rather than his own daughter Kate, but that’s not the only thing our incumbent Batwoman has to worry about.
There is also the small matter of Bruce Wayne’s former friend Tommy Elliott, who has adopted the super villain persona Hush to wreak havoc across Gotham City.
Other details that were teased by The CW include a romance between Luke and Mary, as well as a dangerous enemy from Alice’s past who “knows exactly how to prey on her vulnerabilities.”
Again, it’s possible these details could be tweaked or changed given the radical story alterations that season two will need, but they give us an indication of where things could go next.
Batwoman is available to stream on All 4. If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide.
from Radio Times https://ift.tt/349jg5s
