CW's Black Lightning DC Superhero Series

[doctorD]

New DC Show coming.

‘Black Lightning’ DC Superhero Series In Works From Greg Berlanti, Mara Brock Akil & Salim Akil



EXCLUSIVE: In a pairing that resembles a superhero team-up, I have learned that Greg Berlanti, king of the CW’s DC universe, has partnered with The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil for Black Lightning, a drama series based on the DC character created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden. I hear the project, from Warner Bros TV and studio-based Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions, is currently being pitched to networks.

Written by the Akils, Black Lightning centers on Jefferson Pierce. He made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend Black Lightning.

Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil executive produce with Berlanti Prods.’ Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter.

Pierce aka Black Lightning was one of DC Comics’ first major African American superheroes, making his debut in 1977. In the books, Jefferson has two daughters, both of whom have followed in his superhero footsteps — Anissa Pierce aka Thunder, who is a member of the Outsiders, and Jennifer Pierce, aka Lightning, recruited by the Justice Society of America.

On TV, Black Lightning is looking to join another black superhero who toplines his own series, Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix.

While it’s being taken out now, a Black Lightning series had been in the works at WBTV for well over a year, going through different incarnations as the studio has taken its time to get the take right.

[kevin87]

I mean, cool and all, but at this point in time saying "Greg Berlanti is developing *insert first DC character you think of here*" should come as no surprise to anybody lol

This should probably go into that one DCTV megathread though, until there's actually a show premiering.

[blurayfriend]

Is this character related to Static Shock in some way? Both DC, both electric powers, both Af-American. I always thought Static Shock was the "teen" version of the character, like they couldn't use him in a kid's cartoon or whatever, but now I'm wondering if it's more like a Shazam/Miracleman situation where one is a loving rip-off.

[doctorD]

Well this was quick:

Fox lands Greg Berlanti's Black Lightning superhero project



Greg Berlanti’s superhero project Black Lightning has landed at Fox, EW has learned.

The network has made a pilot production commitment for the drama, which hails from the prolific superhero producer (Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl) as well as The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil.

Black Lightning, created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden in 1977, is one of DC Comics’ first major African-American superheroes.

Here’s the longline for the project: Jefferson Pierce made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend — Black Lightning.

[kevin87]

Originally Posted by doctorD

Well this was quick:

a real DC superhero not on CW? interesting.

[doctorD]

Originally Posted by kevin87

a real DC superhero not on CW? interesting.

True, but I would suppose that since Gotham is doing well on Fox, this was the next best thing that is not CBS.

[Batmon77]

Originally Posted by blurayfriend

Is this character related to Static Shock in some way? Both DC, both electric powers, both Af-American. I always thought Static Shock was the "teen" version of the character, like they couldn't use him in a kid's cartoon or whatever, but now I'm wondering if it's more like a Shazam/Miracleman situation where one is a loving rip-off.

Black Lighting ('77) is a Blaxploitation era hero.....like Luke Cage, Brother Voodoo, Blade, and The Black Spider.

Black Vulcan appears during the SuperFriends cartoon.

Unlike most of the Super Friends, Black Vulcan was not a pre-existing DC Comics character. This is particularly notable since DC Comics' roster did include an African American superhero with electricity-based powers, Black Lightning, who could not be used on the show due to disputes between DC and Black Lightning's creator Tony Isabella.

Static was from Milestone Comics. A DC label comprised of African American artists, writers, etc. Static Shock was the cartoon of the same character. But he looked different from the book.



Supposed inspiration for BL. Richard Roundtree in Earthquake.

[dcfan88]

I hope this goes to series, the premise feels different from the other superhero shows we're getting from DC.
My concern though is being a comic book fan and wanting to show support for these shows, the chances of this show (if greenlit to series) being on the same time as another comic book show is VERY likely. I try to watch shows live and it's becoming more difficult to do so

[kevin87]

Originally Posted by doctorD

True, but I would suppose that since Gotham is doing well on Fox, this was the next best thing that is not CBS.

that's why I said real, because I don't count Gotham as a superhero show

Originally Posted by dcfan88

I hope this goes to series, the premise feels different from the other superhero shows we're getting from DC.
My concern though is being a comic book fan and wanting to show support for these shows, the chances of this show (if greenlit to series) being on the same time as another comic book show is VERY likely. I try to watch shows live and it's becoming more difficult to do so

It'd have to either be on Fridays or Sunday or be on at 9/8c or 10/9c for it to not compete with any CW shows.

[dcfan88]

Originally Posted by kevin87

It'd have to either be on Fridays or Sunday or be on at 9/8c or 10/9c for it to not compete with any CW shows.

Fox doesn't have 10pm shows and Sunday is their mostly animated night. If I had to guess Fox will either pair it with Empire (Meaning Black Lightning will be on same time as Arrow) or air it on Thursday after whatever they put on at 8pm

[Walts Ghost]

Greg Berlanti’s ‘Black Lightning’ Moves To The CW

It is being reported that the upcoming Black Lightning television series, will possibly be moving from FOX over to The CW, the home of Greg Berlanti’s other DC TV shows. While discussions are still happening, Deadline reports that a pilot order is very likely.

The project was initially picked up by FOX for a pilot production commitment, but according to the report, they decided to pass on it. FOX apparently didn’t think the series fitted in with “its already crowded genre drama”.

Should CW order it to pilot and eventually to series, it would mark as the fifth DC Comics show on the network. The CW currently consists of six comic book shows, 4 DC (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow, which have all been renewed), 1 Vertigo (iZombie) and 1 Archie Comics (Riverdale) series.

The series comes from Being Mary Jane’s Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil, as well as CW’s DC TV producer Greg Berlanti. According to earlier reports, Warner Bros. TV has been working on the project for over a year as the creative team and the studio wanted to get it right.

This is similar to the Riverdale situation as it began development over at FOX, but then passed on it, until The CW picked it up.

Who would you like see play Jefferson Pierce? Are you excited about the show potentially joining the Arrowverse? Sound off in the comments below.

[kevin87]

The Fox version wasn't going to be set in the Arrowverse, but if it moves to CW I wonder if they'll change it to fit it in. I would say that maybe Marvel didn't want to be on same network as DC but Fox already has two DC properties going (Gotham and Lucifer), and I doubt Marvel will have that much say in X-Men, so that can't be it. Oh well, one less thing I have to watch Fox for.

I think it's odd they went out of their way to say iZombie is Vertigo, when Vertigo is still DC, just not in the Superman, Batman, etc universe.

[doctorD]

Well it is official:

‘Black Lightning’ DC Drama From Greg Berlanti & ‘The Game’ Duo Gets The CW Pilot Order

It’s official: the CW has picked up Black Lightning — from Greg Berlanti, king of the CW’s DC universe; The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil; and her husband Salim Akil — with a pilot order.

The high-profile drama based on the DC character, which had a big production commitment at Fox, was recently put in turnaround after Fox opted not to proceed with a pilot. Producing studio Warner Bros. TV shopped to other networks, with the CW quickly emerging as the likely new home.

Black Lightning‘s trajectory mirrors that of Archie Comics drama Riverdale, which also was originally developed at Fox where it did not go to pilot, before migrating to the CW, where it was piloted. It eventually went to series and just premiered to strong reviews. And last May, DC superhero drama series Supergirl moved from CBS to the CW, where it already has been renewed for next season. Like Black Lightning, Riverdale and Supergirl are produced by Berlanti.

The CW is home of Berlanti Prods.’s four DC/WBTV superhero series — Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, which Berlanti also co-created. That made the network a suitable home for Black Lightning, which would give the CW’s DC universe its first major African-American superhero.

Additionally, while the focus of the series is on Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, he has younger daughters who also are main characters, an area that would likely be explored further as the project is tweaked for the CW.’

Written by the husband-and-wife duo of Akil and Brock Akil based on the DC character created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden, Black Lightning centers on Jefferson Pierce. He made his choice: He hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hellbent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend — Black Lightning.

Akil and Brock Akil executive produce with Berlanti Prods.’ Berlanti and Sarah Schechter for Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

This marks the fourth pilot order so far this season for WBTV-based Berlanti Prods, along with drama Deception and comedy Raised By Wolves at ABC and drama Searchers at the CW.

Brock Akil created comedy series Girlfriends and its spinoff The Game as well as drama Being Mary Jane. Akil was the director on all three and executive produced The Game and Being Mary Jane.

This marks the Akils’ return to the CW where Girfriends ran for its final two seasons — migrating from the network’s predecessor UPN — and where The Game launched and aired for three season before getting canceled. The sitcom was later picked up by BET where it ran for six more seasons.

he CW president Mark Pedowitz had said at TCA that the network had no ongoing plans for a new DC superhero series but had always left the door open for unforeseen opportunities, like Supergirl becoming available last May, which the network also swooped in to pick up.

Pierce aka Black Lightning was one of DC Comics’ first major African-American superheroes, making his debut in 1977. In the books, Jefferson has two daughters, both of whom have followed in his superhero footsteps: Anissa Pierce, aka Thunder, who is a member of the Outsiders, and Jennifer Pierce, aka Lightning, recruited by the Justice Society of America.

[djariya]

Yeah moving to The CW (if it gets picked up) should be interesting.

But, Frequency and No Tomorrow are for all intents and purposes cancelled, so that is 2 free timeslots. Plus, The Vampire Diaries is done as well, so that's another free timeslot.

[kevin87]

Originally Posted by djariya

Yeah moving to The CW (if it gets picked up) should be interesting.

But, Frequency and No Tomorrow are for all intents and purposes cancelled, so that is 2 free timeslots. Plus, The Vampire Diaries is done as well, so that's another free timeslot.

I would be surprised if CW doesn't pick it up, just one more step towards becoming DCTV lol

Reign is also ending this season, and Beauty and the Beast ended over the summer... and Containment was a limited series while America's Next Top Model moved to VH1 so that's four more spots compared to last year.

Plus the way CW does with most shows by only doing 13 episodes to keep more shows on air also helps. I think they could actually reduce the Berlanti shows to 20 episodes if they wanted to, it wouldn't subtract anything from the stories it just would force them to cut out the filler that all shows get from time to time.

[dcfan88]

I read Fox passed on this because most of the drama pilots that were ordered were genre shows and Black Lightning got the short end of the stick due to lack of ownership.
I saw an earlier post about Marvel possibly not wanting it on there with X-men coming, I don't see that being true for 2 reasons:
1. Gotham and Lucifer are top dramas on Fox and they're likely not going anywhere
2. Fox's sister channel FX is set to debut Legion (a marvel show) and gave a pilot to Y: The Last Man (A DC/Vertigo show)

Black Lightning will likely go to series because:
1. CW is ending 4-5 shows this year (they usually only end 1 or 2)
2. Show is made by Greg Berlanti who makes the other DC shows
3. DC shows = ratings for CW

My only concern is I hope they keep the premise and not try to cater to CW audience because even though I love Arrowverse and iZombie, they do have stuff that caters to CW crowd

[doctorD]

Cast Update:

Cress Williams Set as 'Black Lightning' for The CW's Greg Berlanti DC Drama



The CW has found its Black Lightning hero in a familiar face.

Hart of Dixie alum Cress Williams will return to the network with the starring role in Greg Berlanti's latest DC Comics drama Black Lightning, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The drama, originally developed at Fox but ordered to pilot at CW, revolves around Jefferson Pierce (Williams), who made a choice to hang up his suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend — Black Lightning.

The drama is based on the DC Character Black Lightning created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden.

The Game duo Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil will pen the script and exec produce the drama alongside Greg Berlanti and his Warner Bros. Television-based Berlanti Productions topper Sarah Schechter.

For Williams, repped by APA and manager Sinclair Jones, the role brings the actor back to The CW two years after Hart of Dixie wrapped its four-season run. His credits include Code Black, Friday Night Lights, Prison Break, ER, Close to Home and Nash Bridges. He becomes the latest star to take on an iconic DC Comics character for The CW and joins Stephen Amell (Arrow), Grant Gustin (The Flash) and Melissa Benoist (Supergirl), among others.

[MrSmearkase]

He was kind of a badass on Prison Break. I am looking forward to this.

[doctorD]

First look in costume:

‘Black Lightning’ Pilot: First-Look Image Of Cress Williams As Title Character



The CW has released a first-look image of Cress Williams as title character Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) in the DC drama pilot (see full photo below). Production is currently underway in Atlanta.

[MD-Blu]

I wonder what night CW will put it on, Fridays?