Last week, superhero fans were shocked to learn that Batwoman star Ruby Rose would be leaving her role as the titular heroine after only one season. This, of course, leaves the show’s producers with the massive task of having recasting the part before starting production on the upcoming second season. For many, this could be viewed as a difficult and stressful job, but Arrowverse guru Marc Guggenheim seems to have found a silver lining. He not only appears to be at ease about the development, but he even sees it as an opportunity:
It’s funny, I think it’s both. I was talking to one of the Batwoman writers, the other day, and we were saying how, in this, is a great creative opportunity. I think there’ll be people who come to the show, quite frankly, just to see how the writers choose to handle this. I’m a big believer that anytime you face a production challenge, and sometimes it’s in cast while sometimes it’s just logistics, in that challenge, lies a creative opportunity. I was actually talking about that with Beth Schwartz, the other day. We were talking about how, once production presumes posts the pandemic, how are we going to work with all these different limitations? And it’s the exact same thing, which is that, in those limitations and in those challenges lie the chance to do something new and different, and come up with a clever creative solution. That, to me, is the fun part of the job.
At first glance, the sentiments that Marc Guggenheim shared with Collider may be somewhat surprising but, when you really think about it, he has a point. Sure, the Batwoman team is in a tough situation, but those kinds of instances can serve as periods of creative inspiration.
In this case, showrunner Caroline Dries and her collaborators have the opportunity to take a step back and consider how they want to proceed with a new actress. This could lead to a reinvention of the character that may be a better fit for the series and the Arrowverse as a whole.
Not much is known about exactly why Ruby Rose decided to exit the newest show in the Arrowverse, but reports point to her departure being a mutual decision between her and The CW. It’s also been mentioned that she reportedly didn’t enjoy working long hours as the series’ lead and didn’t adjust to shooting in Vancouver. There haven’t been any reports of Batwoman having a negative set environment, but maybe this transition will also help to smooth out this aspect of production.
In the midst of this transition, it’s currently unclear if the Batwoman crew is planning to change anything story-wise. The first season finished with the introduction of Tommy Elliot, aka Hush, who is currently impersonating Kate Kane’s cousin, Bruce Wayne. With this, his role is intended to expand in Season 2. On top of this, a crossover with the upcoming Superman & Lois is also being planned.
The DC Comics show may be facing a tricky situation right now, but Marc Guggenheim’s thoughts should, at the very least, put some fans at ease. Let’s hope Kate Kane’s story can still keeping moving in the right direction.
Batwoman is set to return to The CW for its second season in early 2021.
