Arrow may have wrapped its eight-season run at the start of 2020, but some of its starring characters have popped up in the Arrowverse since then. Chief among them is David Ramsey’s John Diggle, a.k.a. Spartan, who guest-starred on The Flash, Batwoman, Supergirl and Superman & Lois during 2021 (Ramsey also appeared as Bass Reeves in Legends of Tomorrow). Now word’s come in that Ramsey is gearing up to reprise Diggle in his own series on The CW, and that’s not the only good news for him.
Starting off, Variety is reporting that David Ramsey is attached to star in the drama series Justice U. This show sees John Diggle recruiting five young metahumans to go undercover at a prestigious university for a mission. It’ll be up to Diggle to oversee their education and training so that they can become the “heroes of tomorrow.” Along with his starring role, Ramsey will also direct the Justice U pilot. Superman & Lois’ Michael Narducci and Grey’s Anatomy’s Zoanne Clack are on board to write and executive produce.
Keep in mind that Justice U is in early development, so while the premise may sound appealing to various Arrowverse fans, it’s not guaranteed yet it will be picked up to series. Fortunately, even if that’s the case, David Ramsey isn’t leaving this corner of the DC media landscape anytime soon. It’s also been revealed that Ramsey has signed a deal with Berlanti Productions to direct multiple episodes of numerous Arrowverse shows, as well as guest star as John Diggle in said shows.
Justice U is currently one of the two Arrowverse shows in development at The CW, the other being Gotham Knights, which will follow Batman’s adopted son teaming up with the children of some of the Caped Crusader’s enemies after they’re framed for killing the brooding superhero. In addition to the shows mentioned earlier, the current Arrowverse lineup also includes the recently-premiered Naomi and Stargirl, although the latter series is set on a different Earth than those other shows. This Justice U news also arrives just days after CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz revealed that the network is up for sale.
In addition to his work with ARGUS seeing him help out his superhero friends in other cities like mentioned earlier, “Fadeout,” the final episode of Arrow, also set up a new chapter of John Diggle’s life. Following Oliver Queen’s funeral and during his move to Metropolis with his family, John witnessed a meteor crash, and when he came to the site of impact, he found a box with something green glowing within. While it hasn’t been stated within the Arrowverse what was in that box, it’s been confirmed that it’s a reference to the fan theories that Diggle could become Green Lantern. We’ve since learned in the character’s guest appearances on other shows that he’s experienced headaches that are likely related to this object, as well as heard a strange voice saying, “Worlds await.” He also turned down the opportunity to become “a special kind of hero.”
It stands to reason we’ll eventually get payoff to John Diggle’s mysterious arc and potential future as a Green Lantern, whether that’s explored in-depth on Justice U or sprinkled throughout his upcoming Arrowverse guest spots. Either way, we’ll keep you informed on Diggle’s future adventures, including if Justice U does indeed make its way to The CW. For now, keep track of what this year’s TV lineup looks like with our 2022 premiere schedule.
