For each of the past six TV seasons, The CW has introduced a new superhero show to its viewers. It doesn't currently look like any other standalone comic series are joining the network's 2018-2019 season, unfortunately, but what about the next best thing? Ever since Black Lightning's zapped its way onto primetime, fans have wondered if and when the Pierce family might cross paths with the Arrow-verse's heroes. While the consensus has so far been on the negative side of things, Arrow star Stephen Amell has added a positive spin to the speculation.
Everyone pretends like we're not going to eventually cross over with Black Lightning but we're probably gonna cross over with Black Lightning, because that's just the way that the world works. . . . Yeah, I would love to. I think that anything you can do to expand the universe and to build out what we've built on our show would be great. So, I'm glad that show's doing well, I hope that it has a very successful run, and I would love to be a small part of it in some way shape, or form.
While obviously not a contractual confirmation or anything, Stephen Amell makes it sound more likely than ever that Black Lightning will establish a direct connection to Arrow, and possibly to The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl. And the actor doesn't present it as if he heard producers murmuring about it on the sets, or some other rumor-laced situation. Amell simply implies that logic itself would dictate the two super-shows setting up an epic crossover in the future, because duh.
Perhaps less surprising is the fact that Stephen Amell is really interested in bringing Black Lightning into the Arrow-verse. As the vigilante laying the foundation for The CW's ever-expanding DC universe, Amell constantly champions the other action dramas. While Oliver Queen might only scowl at the thought of another costumed crimestopper showing up, Amell is all about it, as are we. But we want to see Jackson and Anissa bringing the lightning and thunder to Star City and beyond, as opposed to Green Arrow bringing darkness to Freetown's alleyways.
Black Lightning did makes its first big Arrow-verse reference recently, when Lynn and Jennifer made a joking reference to Vixen, the Legends of Tomorrow heroine who was also the subject of her own CW animated series. (Albeit with a different alter ego.) So that was as good of a first step as any to bringing the worlds together. Since Black Lightning wasn't developed at The CW, it was never intended to be an Arrow-verse project, so it'll probably take a few more references like that to bridge the worlds better.
Interestingly, Stephen Amell shared his thoughts over the weekend at Awesome Con in Washington D.C. (via ComicBook.com), which took place before The CW had even renewed Arrow or Black Lightning for additional seasons, so how would he have even known that there would be a chance for a future crossover like that? Because that crossover is probably happening this season!! No, wait, probably not. Amell probably just had a decent idea about what The CW would likely renew, since he's been there for the past six years.
Even though he's down for the crossover, Stephen Amell admitted that he hadn't really kept up with Black Lightning's first season (or Supergirl's third season), but he did finally get a chance to meet Jackson Pierce himself recently. In his words:
I met Cress properly, I think, for the first time yesterday. I think maybe we had met incidentally at upfronts or something like that and I was a big fan of his from 90210 when he kind of dated Donna. It's a true story.
While still stuck by its lonesome for now, Black Lightning airs Tuesday nights on The CW at 9:00 p.m. ET. To see what other new and returning shows are on the way, head to our midseason premiere schedule and our summer premiere schedule.
