Tag: The CW

NAOMI From Ava DuVernay Has Found Its Lead Star

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

The upcoming DC Drama NAOMI from Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship has found its lead in Kaci Walfall. Walfall (Army Wives, Power, The Lion King on Broadway) will star in the title role as Naomi, an effortlessly cool and confident high school student who is the adopted daughter of doting parents. Popular with all the kids in her military town, Naomi is unafraid to embrace her AP-student, comic book–loving nerdiness. After a supernatural event leads to the discovery of her powers within, Naomi pursues her hidden destiny.

(L-R): Camila Moreno (Photo Credit: Idalmiz Lopez), Alexander Wraith (Photo Credit: Violeta Meyners), Kaci Walfall (Photo Credit: Stacia Walfall), Cranston Johnson (Photo Credit: Michael Lee Kimel)

Alexander Wraith (Orange Is the New Black, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) stars as Dee, the owner of a local tattoo parlor. When a strange event leaves the town in chaos, Dee hints that he knows more than he is willing to tell. 

Cranston Johnson (Filthy Rich, P-Valley, Hap and Leonard, Euphoria) stars as Zumbado, the mysterious owner of a local used car lot. Having heard troubling rumors about his past, Naomi actively tries to avoid him, but a tense encounter leaves her both shaken and curious.

Making her television debut, Camila Moreno will star as Lourdes, a young woman with a sarcastic sense of humor who works in a vintage collectibles shop. She has an unrequited crush on Naomi, and she shares her obsession with classic comics. She is also happy to join in on Naomi’s schemes.

NAOMI follows a teen girl’s journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the multiverse. When a supernatural event shakes her hometown to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, and what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes. Based on the characters from DC.

The acclaimed NAOMI comic book series debuted in 2019 with Naomi: Season One, co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, and illustrated by breakout artist Jamal Campbell. The comic follows a remarkable young woman on her unique hero’s journey.

The CW Is Moving Forward With Three New Pilots, Including NAOMI From Ava Duvernay

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

The CW is further expanding its television lineup heading into the 2021-22 season with the announcement that they are moving forward with three pilots and one project heading straight to series.

Among the three pilots moving forward is the DC Comics project, NAOMI produced by Ava Duvernay’s ARRAY Filmworks in conjunction with Warner Bros Television and Jill Blankenship.

NAOMI follows a teen girl’s journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the multiverse. When a supernatural event shakes her hometown to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, and what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes. Based on the characters from DC.

The acclaimed NAOMI comic book series debuted in 2019 with Naomi: Season One, co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, and illustrated by breakout artist Jamal Campbell. The comic follows a remarkable young woman on her unique hero’s journey.

Other shows being given pilot orders are: THE POWERPUFF GIRLS the story of three girls used to be America’s pint-sized superheroes, now they’re disillusioned twentysomethings who resent having lost their childhood to crime fighting. Will they agree to reunite now that the world needs them more than ever? Based on the original Cartoon Network animated series and characters created by Craig McCracken.  Heather Regnier and Diablo Cody will serve as writers and executive producers. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and David Madden will also executive produce and Erika Kennair will produce alongside.

Also give a pilot order is an UNTITLED URMAN/ROTHROCK/WEIR PROJECT (PILOT ORDER). A dramedy about two millennial nuns – a devout true believer, and a new arrival who has yet to take her final vows – who start as strangers and become sisters on a funny, spiritual journey to understand their own faith and place in the Catholic church. The project will have as its writers/executive producers: Claire Rothrock & Ryann Weir (“Basic Witch”) and produced by CBS Studios and Sutton St. Productions.

The network has also order THE 4400 straight to series. This series is about 4400 overlooked, undervalued, or otherwise marginalized people who vanished without a trace over the last hundred years are all returned in an instant, having not aged a day and with no memory of what happened to them. As the government races to analyze the potential threat and contain the story, the 4400 themselves must grapple with the fact that they’ve been returned with a few…upgrades, and the increasing likelihood that they were all brought back now for a specific reason. Based on the original TV series. It is written and executive produced by Ariana Jackson along with Anna Fricke, Laura Terry. It is also produced by CBS Studios.

NAOMI Coming to The CW From Ava Duvernay And ARRAY Filmworks

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

For the first time director, Ava Duvernay and her ARRAY Filmworks will partner up with The CW to bring NAOMI to the network.

The CW Network is developing a script for NAOMI, a new project from Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship produced by ARRAY Filmworks and Warner Bros TV, based on the DC character of the same name.Sarah Bremner and Paul Garnes will also produce for ARRAY Filmworks.

NAOMI follows a teen girl’s journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the multiverse. When a supernatural event shakes her hometown to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, and what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes.

For those unfamiliar with the comic, the acclaimed NAOMI comic book series debuted in 2019 with Naomi: Season One, co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, and illustrated by breakout artist Jamal Campbell. The comic follows a remarkable young woman on her unique hero’s journey.

Chantal Thuy Upped To Series Regular On BLACK LIGHTNING

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

Fans have come to love the Thunder-Grace relationship with Thunder/Anissa Pierce played by Nafessa Williams and Grace Choi played by Chantal Thuy. Well, we will for sure be getting more of that relationship in volume in the upcoming fourth season as Chantal Thuy has been upped to a series regular on BLACK LIGHTNING that will premiere in February.

Chantal Thuy embodies the character of Grace Choi,” says BLACK LIGHTNING executive producer and showrunner Salim Akil. “I am sure our BLACK LIGHTNING fans knew, especially those who follow the Grace and Anissa relationship storyline, that having Chantal join as a series regular was only a matter of time. I am elated to finally welcome her officially to the team.”

Thuy’s character of Grace Choi is based on the BLACK LIGHTNING comic created by Tony Isabella with Trevor von Eeden, Grace Choi has been in a committed onscreen romantic relationship with Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams) since the first season. The fan-favorite couple has consequently been through the highs and lows that any superheroes trying to maintain a personal life go through.

Thuy recently made her Broadway debut last year in Tracy Letts’ play Linda Vista with the Second Stage Theater in New York. Alongside the Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble, she reprised the role of Minnie Tran after playing the part in the Center Theatre Group’s production in Los Angeles. She also ha previously guest starred in television series such as Madam Secretary (CBS), Pretty Little Liars (Freeform) and Matador (El Rey Network). She is represented by Joseph Le Talent Agency and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

In the third season amidst all of the chaos we saw Anissa & Grace attempt at getting married which was put on hold. Hopefully we will see the nuptials given and more Grace Choi in action.

PAINKILLER To Get His Own Spinoff Series On The CW

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

After a major turn around in his arc in Season 2 of BLACK LIGHTNING and helping the Outsiders to stop Agent O’Dell (Bill Duke), GraveDigger (Wayne Brady) and the ASA’s occupation of Freeland, PAINKILLER played by Jordan Calloway will be getting his own spinoff series as announced by the CW on today.

The pilot will air as the seventh episode in the upcoming fourth season of BLACK LIGHTNING. BLACK LIGHTNING creator Salim Akil will serve as the shows EP, Writer and Director.

The synopsis of the series is:

Khalil Payne (Jordan Calloway) is a young man ridden with the guilt of his troubled past from his former life in Freeland City, where, as a super-enhanced killing machine known as Painkiller, he was both a member of Tobias Whale’s gang and a weapon of Agent Odell and the shadowy ASA. After attempting to bury the darker, devastatingly lethal Painkiller part of his persona, Khalil has distanced himself away from everyone he knows and loves in a new city, Akashic Valley, in order to find peace…but peace never comes easy for men with pasts like Khalil Payne and Painkiller.   As his violent, destructive history crashes his idyllic new beginning, Khalil is thrusted back into action with a new mission – bring justice where he once gave out punishment – but to do that, he will first have to deal with and harness his darker side, Painkiller.

This is very exciting news not just to see the world of BLACK LIGHTNING expanding but also for Jordan Calloway who has worked extremely hard in developing the character and getting him to connect to the audience.

You can check out the third season of BLACK LIGHTNING currently streaming on Netflix

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Javicia Leslie in the NEW BATWOMAN Suit Looks Amazing

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

When we got out first look at Javicia Leslie as the new Batwoman in a screen test it was met with many mixed emotions. Well now it seems that all those emotions can shift in a more positive direction as we now have our FIRST FULL LOOK at Leslie’s Ryan Wilder as the new protector of Gotham.


The redesigned Batsuit was conceptualized by Batwoman costume designer Maya Mani and created by Ocean Drive Leather, the wig created by Janice Workman and makeup styled by Cory Roberts.

Regarding new character Ryan Wilder and Batwoman’s new look, executive producer Caroline Dries said: “Ryan’s journey starts from a place of ‘What can this Batsuit do for me?’ But it’s not long before she realizes the power of its symbol and what it can do for everyone else in Gotham City. As Ryan embraces everything that makes her special, she adjusts the suit to fit her physically and figuratively. This meant creating a new body design and new cowl that was undeniably a statement that screamed ‘powerful.’ Maya Mani sent me her drawings and I loved it. The wig was something we never perfected in season one, and Janice Workman crushed it with this new take. Javicia and I saw various prototypes of styles and red ombres, and at one point we were trading our own iPad-doodled versions. Janice translated that into what we are looking at now. When I see it, I smile. It makes me feel inspired.”

Javicia Leslie is the first Black actress to portray Batwoman in a live-action television or film production. Of the design and her collaboration with Caroline Dries and Maya Mani, she said: “I love the fact that Ryan is becoming her own Batwoman — it’s her style, her swag, and her moment! It was an honor to be able to collaborate with Caroline and Maya. I felt it was important that viewers could tell by the silhouette that Batwoman was a Black girl. With the form-fitting suit and beautiful Afro, we definitely nailed it!”

Costume Designer Maya Mani, who has created many of the suits for the “Arrowverse,” says of the redesign: “I was asked by Caroline Dries to design a Batsuit that was unique to the character of Ryan Wilder; as she is a highly skilled fighter, encapsulating her raw, athletic, and passionate nature was imperative. As Batwoman, Javicia Leslie not only brings a fresh perspective, but physical strength to the role. It was important for the new suit to define Javicia’s commanding presence while showcasing her athleticism and allowing her the freedom to express the physical nature of Batwoman, all while looking ultra-cool in the process!” 

Notable changes include:

  • A new cowl featuring natural, curly hair with red streaks, red gauntlets over the forearms, and shorter boots.
  • A redesign with new materials, featuring laser etching to create more visual depth and a stronger silhouette.

As someone who was excited for the second season to see what Javicia Leslie brings to the role this amps up the excitement ten fold.

Javicia Leslie Gives Us Our First Look At Her As Batwoman

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV
batwoman

Now that BATWOMAN has gone back into production in Vancouver for  the CW, the biggest question was what would Javicia Leslie who will be portraying Ryan Wilder look like suited up as Gotham’s newest protector. Now we have our answer thanks to Leslie herself. 

According to Javicia’s post she will have her own spin on the batsuit which is similar to the way the Kate Kane had the suit augmented for her in Season 1.

For those who need a reminder, the character of Ryan Wilder is a new character being created for the show’s sophomore season. Wilder is described as a wholly new version of Batwoman, with her own unique approach to keeping the people of Gotham safe. Described as likable, messy, a little goofy and untamed. Ryan spent years as a drug-runner, dodging the GCPD and masking her pain with bad habits. She’s the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly undisciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical all-American hero.

Lisseth Chavez Joins DC’s LEGENDS OF TOMORROW For Season 6

by jaywashington, posted in Comedy, Entertainment, TV
Lisseth Chavez

The cast around the misfits known as DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW is steadily growing as it has now added former CHICAGO P.D. star, Lisseth Chavez as Esperanze “Spooner” Cruz heading into the show’s sixth season.  

Cruz who is described as tough and self-sufficient,lives off the grid, devising ingenious tech for the detection of — and defense against — space aliens. And while some might call her paranoid, she calls it being prepared. A survivor of a childhood alien encounter, Spooner now believes she has the ability to communicate telepathically with aliens — making her the perfect recruit for Waverider captains Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), Ava Sharpe (Jes Macallan) and the Legends who, in season six, will be hunting down extraterrestrials who have been displaced throughout history. If you recall in the season finale Sara is abducted by aliens.

Executive producer Grainne Godfrey goes on to describe Chavez’ Cruz by saying that “She is a young Latinx woman from Texas, who was kidnapped by aliens and has a third for vengeance. She’s not going to be the loveable losers that we normally have, she’s going to be pretty tough and gives it to the other Legends and they’re going to have to react to her and I think it’s going to throw them off their feet a little bit.”

The LEGENDS will return for a sixth season in 2021.

Javicia Leslie Is Set To Take Over The Cape And Cowl In BATWOMAN

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

The actress will assume the lead on The CW series following Ruby Rose's departure.

After months of speculation as to who would be replacing Kate Kane as the protector of Gotham after Ruby Rose exited BATWOMAN, we now know who will take up the mantle as Ryan Wilder the new character set to be the city’s hero.

Javicia Leslie (GOD FRIENDED ME) will take over the title role in The CW series’ second season. With her cast she is becoming the first Black actress to play Batwoman in a live-action TV or film production.

“I am extremely proud to be the first Black actress to play the iconic role of Batwoman on television, and as a bisexual woman, I am honored to join this groundbreaking show which has been such a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Leslie.

The new character of Ryan Wilder, which was created by showrunner Caroline Dries and executive producer Greg Berlanti is described as “likable, messy, a little goofy and untamed. She’s also nothing like Kate Kane, the woman who wore the Batsuit before her. With no one in her life to keep her on track, Ryan spent years as a drug-runner, dodging the GCPD and masking her pain with bad habits. Today Ryan lives in her van with her plant. A girl who would steal milk for an alley cat and could also kill you with her bare hands, Ryan is the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly undisciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical All-American hero.”

This is exciting but also adds an extra layer of interest with the Superman and Batwoman crossover set to happen in the near future.

STARGIRL Renewed For Second Season, Will Move From DC Universe To Become Original CW Show

by jaywashington, posted in Entertainment, TV

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STARGIRL will continue to battle the Injustice Society as well as any other threat that may come to the town of Blue Valley in her second season. The DC Comics superhero show has been renewed for a sophomore season by the CW. Along with its renewal it will fully migrate over to the network as a CW original show and will leave its current mainstay home on the DC Universe.

STARGIRL was initially a DC Universe original where the first season of the series was commissioned by the digital subscription service. The CW however last fall acquired an exclusive linear window as well as play on the network’s non-linear platforms following its debut on DC Universe.  Episodes of STARGIRL currently air the next day on the CW a day after it airs on the DC Universe.

No longer will episodes be available on the DC Universe streaming platform going forward. This is seemingly the new direction the platform is taking.  The DC Universe has been focusing on its core business of DC comic book and news content for fans. DC Universe has one exclusive original series, TITANS. DOOM PATROL which recently entered its second season is now shared with HBO Max.