Deadline reports that DC comics superhero BLACK LIGHTNING (not to be confused with Black Vulcan) is going to be getting his own television series thanks to ARROW and THE FLASH producer, Greg Berlanti. Berlanti has had a pretty good track record with his CW superhero shows (I haven't seen them, but they seem fun. Well, THE FLASH does anyway), and hopefully this is no exception. The report says he's also teaming up with BEING MARY JANE creator Mara Brock Akil for the superhero series.
What's most exciting for me is adding more diversity to the superhero roster, especially on television (where Marvel's upcoming LUKE CAGE seems to be one of the few exceptions at the moment). In fact, Black Lightning is one of the first prominent black superheroes in DC canon, debuting in the comics in 1977 (beating Cyborg by three years). This also won't be the first time he's been adapted to screen, since he's been a part of a few DC television adaptions in the past (with bit parts in the animated YOUNG JUSTICE and BRAVE AND THE BOLD, as well as BATMAN/SUPERMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES voiced by LeVar Burton). However, this will be the first time he'll be in live-action (unless you count Sinbad).
No casting announcements or release dates yet, as Berlanti and Akil are still pitching the idea to studios. But with the success of Berlanti's other DC properties, the likely success of Netflix's LUKE CAGE, and the popularity of superheroes in general, this seems like a slam dunk (wait, bad metaphor). This seems like a shoe in (better)!
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