Lightning will soon strike the hearts and minds of DC fans as a new small screen hero rises. With production underway in Atlanta on the newest #DCTV pilot for The CW, Warner Bros. Television has released the first image ofCress Williams(Hart of Dixie) as Jefferson Pierce, better known asBlack Lightning! The costume forBlack Lightningwas designed byLaura Jean Shannon, whose many film and television credits include the upcomingJumanjisequel,The Jungle Book,Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,Blade: Trinity,Good Girls RevoltandIron Man, for which she was nominated for a Costume Designers Guild Award. Here’s what Executive producer/writer/directorSalim Akilhad to say in a statement.
“I knew way too much about the world as a young boy growing up in Richmond, California. I was no stranger to violence, death, hopelessness or the feeling that no one cared about what was happening in my life. Comics were a great way for me to escape. I was about 13 whenBlack Lightningwas created, and finally there was aBlack Super Herothat gave a damn about our neighborhood and our lives. Resurrecting him at a time in our society when a sense of hope is lacking…Black Lightningwill be that hope. And in updating the suit, it will signal to a new generation that it’s time to harness and release our power, and become our own Super Heroes.”
Production is currently underway in Atlanta. The first African-American DC Super Hero to have his own stand-alone comic title,Black Lightningis based on the character created byTony IsabellawithTrevor Von Eedenin 1977. The television adaptation tells the tale of a father drawn reluctantly back into the super hero game.Jefferson Piercemade his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with one daughter hell-bent on justice and the other 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.
ThisDC Comics TV serieswas first put into development back in September, when it was set up at Fox, with the network issuing a pilot order. Just a few months later, though, Fox decided to pass on the project, with The CW then stepping in to add this series to its ever-expansive DC Comics TV universe.Greg Berlanti, who executive producesArrow,The Flash,Legends of TomorrowandSupergirl, serves as executive producer ofBlack Lightning, along withSalim Akil,Mara Brock AkilandSarah Schechterthrough their Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.Salim Akilis directing the pilot from a script he wrote.
While production is under way on the pilot episode, we likely won’t know for another month or two if thisDC superhero serieswill land a full series order, making it the fifth DC Comics series on the network. If that does happen, it remains to be seen how that will affect The CW’s lineup, with all of these superhero shows already renewed for the 2017-2018 TV season. It’s possible that eitherBlack Lightningor one of the other superhero shows could be held off for a mid-season or even a summer debut, instead of trying to cram five superhero shows into five nights of programming. While wait wait to see what The CW decides regarding Black Lightning, take a look at the first official photo below.
