The CW has become known as the place to be on the small screen for DC Comics superheroes thanks to the Arrow-verse. Currently comprised of Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, the universe manages to run four distinct shows while also gathering heroes together for crossovers large and small. Now, the Arrow-verse is officially getting bigger. The Batwoman pilot turned into an order for a Batwoman series. Kate Kane is getting her own show!
Yes, Batwoman scored a series order for the 2019-2020 TV season on The CW, according to Variety. Kate Kane first appeared in the Arrow-verse in the big crossover between Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl back in December 2018, called "Elseworlds." That crossover promised an even bigger Arrow-verse event with "Crisis on Infinite Earths" in 2019, but there was no confirmation that Batwoman would appear as star of her own show. Now, all signs point toward Batwoman having a large part to play in the Arrow-verse next season.
Batwoman is written and executive produced by Caroline Dries, best known for her work as writer and producer on The Vampire Diaries. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, and David Nutter on are board as executive producers as well.
Ruby Rose already impressed many viewers with her debut as Kate Kane/Batwoman in the "Elseworlds" crossover, and her costume as Batwoman immediately became my favorite Arrow-verse superhero suit. The leading lady will fight crime in a post-Batman Gotham City, where there's a clear disparity between those with the money to keep themselves safe and those who don't have the resources to stay away from the various bad guys the city has to offer.
Rachel Skarsten of Birds of Prey fame was cast as Batwoman's foe in the pilot, Alice. A deadly and dangerous villain, Alice is a significant enough character to Batwoman from the pages of DC Comics that it's a pretty safe bet she won't be one-and-done in the series premiere.
Also appearing in the Batwoman pilot at least are Meagan Tandy as high-level private security agent and Gotham City protector Sophie Moore, Camrus Johnson as Luke Fox (a.k.a. the son of Wayne's Research and Development director Lucius Fox), and Mary Hamilton as Kate Kane's excitable step-sister who doesn't have a whole lot in common with Kate.
A big question now is when Batwoman will debut on The CW. Confirmation of the series order only revealed that Batwoman is coming to the small screen in the 2019-2020 TV season, which could technically be as late as a midseason premiere, which The CW does do sometimes.
Considering that Arrow will end after an abbreviated eighth season, I wouldn't be shocked if The CW simply held on to Batwoman and premiered it as a solo series following "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and the series finale of Arrow.
The CW has never had more than four Arrow-verse shows running at the same time, as Black Lightning is set in a separate superhero universe. It is possible that Batwoman and Arrow will overlap at least a bit, though. Hopefully more details will release sooner rather than later. The possibility of an Arrow spinoff has been floated, and the odds aren't too bad that could happen. If so, the Arrow-verse could come to be comprised of five shows, even without Arrow!
We'll have to wait and see. Season finale season is upon us, and the finales of all four current Arrow-verse shows are fast-approaching. Check out our rundown of big 2018-2019 TV finales to plan your viewing schedule in the coming weeks.
