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The CWverse just got a little bigger! “Black Lightning” is getting a spin-off starring Jordan Calloway in “Painkiller!”

As you may recall Painkiller is a former adversary of Black Lighting (Cress Williams) and the love interest of his youngest daughter, Lightning (China Anne McClain). At the end of the fourth season he allied himself with Black Lightning and other heroes from Freeland to defeat the mercenary Gravedigger (Wayne Brady), a rogue secret American agency, and an invading army!

However, now he is seemingly on a path to redemption after being forced to commit unspeakable crimes, including killing his own mother!

via Deadline

jordan calloway painkiller black lightning spinoff

Black Lightning is getting a spinoff, with the CW developing a backdoor pilot around the Painkiller character.

Painkiller will star Jordan Calloway, reprising his role as the eponymous character. The planted pilot spinoff will air as the seventh episode of Black Lightning’s fourth season, which will premiere in February 2021. Black Lightning showrunner Salim Akil will write, exec produce and direct.

It marks the first pilot based on a DC Comics character for this broadcast development season and is the CW’s latest planted pilot development. Last year, the network planted potential spinoffs of Arrow and The 100.

Calloway plays Khalil Payne, a man ridden with the guilt of his troubled past from his former life in Freeland City, where, as a super-enhanced killing machine known as Painkiller he was both a member of Tobias Whale’s gang and a weapon of Agent Odell and the shadowy ASA.

After attempting to bury the darker, devastatingly lethal Painkiller part of his persona, Khalil has distanced himself away from everyone he knows and loves in a new city, Akashic Valley, in order to find peace, but peace never comes easy for men with pasts like his. As his violent, destructive history crashes his idyllic new beginning, Khalil is thrusted back into action with a new mission: bring justice where he once gave out punishment. But to do that, he will first have to deal with and harness his darker side.

The Painkiller spinoff is from Warner Bros Television. Berlanti Productions, which produces Black Lightning and all other DC series, is not involved.

Painkiller, who first appeared in comics in 1995, is based on characters created for DC by Tony Isabella with Eddie Newell.

We are excited to hear about this spin-off! Painkiller reminds us of a cross between Marvel Comics’ character Killmonger and The Winter Soldier!

We hope the series will still crossover with the other DC Comics based series, especially its parent series. After all an expanding CWverse one is a great one!

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Television & Radio

Donald Faison Cast as “Professor Utonium” in Live Action “Power Puff Girls!”

Donald Faison has found his latest role as “Professor Utonium,” the creator/father of “The Power Puff Girls” in The CW’s forthcoming live action series, “Power Puff.”

“Power Puff” will show the girls as disillusioned twentysomethings, resentful of having spent their childhoods fighting crime. However, new threats to the world may force them once again to band together.

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1 month ago

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March 31, 2021

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donald faison professor utonium power puff

Donald Faison has found his latest role as “Professor Utonium,” the creator/father of “The Power Puff Girls” in The CW’s forthcoming live action series, “Power Puff.”

“Power Puff” will show the girls as disillusioned twentysomethings, resentful of having spent their childhoods fighting crime. However, new threats to the world may force them once again to band together.

donald faison professor utonium power puff

Donald Faison is best known for his comedic performances in hit series like Clueless and Scrubs. His casting comes as a surprise to many, especially since Professor Utonium is literally a square-jawed Caucasian man. In “Power Puff” Faison’s Utonium will be middle aged, and although very proud of his girls, desperately trying his best to repair his relationships with his now adult daughters.

professor utonium

Professor Utonium using “sugar, spice, and everthing nice”

As you may recall, from the original cartoon series from the nineties brought to fame on Cartoon Network, Professor Utonium accidentally created The Power Puff Girls–Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup–when he accidentally mixed in the mysterious substance, “Chemical X,”while mixing in “sugar, spice, and everything nice” to create “the perfect little girl.” The Professor then took to raising the girls as well as being their mentor.

The reception of Faison’s casting has been met with mixed responses on social media; with some fans praising the news and others already trashing the show:

Alongside Faison’s casting, it was announced earlier this month that Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault will take on the roles of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, respectively. There is currently no word on casting for other characters in the series like The Mayor, Miss Bellum, Mojo JoJo, Fuzzy Lumpkins, Him, Princess, or The Rowdy Ruff Boys.

“Power Puff” marks one of the few superhero series on The CW not connected to its famous interconnected series based on DC Comics superheroes known collectively as “The Arrowverse” (Superman & Lois, Supergirl, The Flash, Batwoman, Black Lightning, DC’s The Legends of Tomorrow, and Stargirl) The new series will premiere this upcoming Fall on The CW.

 

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Jordan Fisher Cast as “Bart Allen/Impulse” in The CW’s “The Flash!”

The CW’s hit series, “The Flash” has cast Jordan Fisher as “Bart Allen” in their latest season coinciding with the series’ 150th episode anniversary.

Bartholomew “Bart” Allen, in the television series, is the son of Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton). Like his father he is a speedster, but hails from the future, fighting crime alongside The Flash as “Impulse.”

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March 31, 2021

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jordan fisher cast as bart allen impulse

The CW’s hit series, “The Flash” has cast Jordan Fisher as “Bart Allen” in their latest season coinciding with the series’ 150th episode anniversary.

Bartholomew “Bart” Allen, in the television series, is the son of Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton). Like his father he is a speedster, but hails from the future, fighting crime alongside The Flash as “Impulse.”

jordan fisher cast as bart allen impulse

The Flash (Barry Allen) and Iris West-Allen

Bart’s appearance marks the second of The Flash’s future children to visit them in the past; the first being Nora Allen, their daughter in Season 6 of the series. Actor Jordan Fisher is best known for his roles in “Grease: Live,” To All The Boys I’ve Ever Loved: P.S. I Still Love You,” and Disney’s “Teen Beach Movie.” This also marks the first time an African-American has portrayed the character.

In the comics, however, Bart is not The Flash’s son, but his grandson, being the son of Meloni Thawn and Don Allen, the latter being The Flash’s son and one of The Tornado Twins, twin speedsters with powers similar to their father’s. Bart grows up to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash  There is currently no word on why The CW’s version of the character does not have the same origins.

jordan fisher

Jordan Fisher

Fan response to Fisher’s casting has been largely positive, however:

Jordan Fisher’s casting only confirms The CW’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity, as it found itself re-examining its policies and show castings following issues on “Riverdale.”

As you may recall, the show was riddled with accusations of racism by Riverdale actress, Vanessa Morgan, for its mishandling of Black characters by writing them off, paying them less than their White co-stars, and making Black characters “sidekicks.” The network responded adding more Black characters to various shows and will try not underutilize black characters or portray them as criminals.

The air date for Jordan Fisher’s debut as “Bart Allen/Impulse” has yet to be announced.

 

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“Batwoman” Reportedly Canceled After Season 3, Javicia Leslie To Return

The days of Gotham City’s “Scarlet Knight,” are numbered. It is being reported The CW’s “Batwoman” is being canceled after its third upcoming season.

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2 months ago

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March 18, 2021

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batwoman javicia leslie

The days of Gotham City’s “Scarlet Knight,” are numbered. It is being reported The CW’s “Batwoman” is being canceled after its third upcoming season.

batwoman ruby rose and javicia leslie

Ruby Rose as “Batwoman” and Javicia Leslie

“Batwoman,” as you may recall initially starred Ruby Rose as “Kate Kane,” making history as television’s first lesbian led superhero series. It entailed Batwoman taking on her demented twin sister, Alice, as she attempts to destroy Gotham City. However, in a surprise move, Ruby resigned after the first season of the series, and was subsequently replaced with African-American actress, Javicia Leslie as “Ryan Wilder.”

Although fans and the public have largely embraced Javicia as the new Batwoman, the ratings for the second series have been abysmal. Many blame Ruby’s departure and the recasting of the role with a Black actress instead of another Caucasian one as the lead.

Javicia leslie as batwoman

Reaction to the cancellation news has been mixed with some fans outraged. “Not only did League take away Lux’s BA Animations from me today but I’m finding out [The] CW wants to cancel Batwoman after  S3 [Season 3] too???? What the actual f**k? How do they expect me to live without Alice?”@ENTIR3HEARTS tweeted. While others felt the show’s cancellation is overdue. @itisrealz tweeted “Showing men of color in a negative light is not bad at all, they’re being treated like any other white villain character and not made to feel special or cringey unlike ‘Batwoman’ that thinks Black people are something special when they’re just humans.”

Despite the series’ impending demise, sources are reporting this will not be the end of Javicia Leslie as the famed vigilante, instead she will make appearances in other surviving “CWverse” shows (a network of other intertwined superhero based series on The CW, creating a television “multiverse” similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe).

Currently, neither The CW or any member of the Batwoman cast have released any official statement on the cancellation reports on the series.

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