A television series based upon the titular DC Comics character Black Lightning has moved from it’s initial pilot order to “order to series”. In short, It’s a go.
Back in February of this year, (in this article here: https://www.comicbooked.com/black-lightning/) we reported on the series’ pilot order. As we said then in that linked article, DC Comics had originally planned to air the Black Lightning television show on a Fox Network Channel but it was the CW channel that ultimately picked up the pilot order. Another addition in the growing stable DC/WB/CW comic book and superhero shows. Fox seemingly had their schedule filled and superhero quota filled with shows like Lucifer and the just-renewed Gotham.
The show will be produced by Bill Lawrence (Life Sentence) and written by Greg Berlanti’s own production firm Berlanti Productions will be creating the show along with Akil Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Salim Akil will be the showrunner while both Akil and Berlanti will serve as co- executive producers.
Black Lightning joins Riverdale, The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow in the Berlanti-created slate of CW network shows, making it the fifth for Berlanti Productions thus far. Incidentally, this also marks the second show run by Berlanti to move networks. The first was Supergirl who moved from CBS to CW for her second season and has been wildly popular and successful ever since.
It will be Cress Williams who takes on the role of Jefferson Pierce aka Black Lightning, the hero who retired long ago but is called back to action and his vigilante hero alter ego: Black Lightning. The six foot five inch Williams’ acting credits include Heart of Dixie, Code Black, State of Affairs, Friday Night Lights, Cold Case, Prison Break, ER, Veronica Mars, NYPD Blue and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
