The CW passes on Black Lightning spin-off, taps Naomi for series pick-up
The CW is firming up its fall lineup, per Deadline, starting by stopping a show in its tracks. Painkiller, the Black Lightning spin-off that was set to join the rest of the Arrowverse shows in The CW’s roster, isn’t moving forward. It’s an interesting move given that Black Lightning is already cemented as part of the wider Arrowverse, but the news doesn’t mean there’s no path forward for the show.
CBR notes that Painkiller could find a home on HBO Max, which makes perfect sense because Warner Bros. is producing the show. The streamer is in need of new original content, making it the perfect place for a CW spinoff.
The CW picks up superhero series Naomi after passing on Painkiller
On the other side of the schedule is Naomi, Ava DuVernay’s story about a girl from a small town who discovers that she possesses superpowers and ties to the Multiverse. Naomi was created for DC Comics by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, with art by Jamal Campbell, and she’s already become a beloved new character among comic book fans.
Naomi is a brilliant choice for The CW because her story isn’t as well known, but it hits hard and could become one of the biggest shows for the network because of Naomi’s ties to the Justice League and beyond. And after Warner Bros. passed on DuVernay’s New Gods movie, Naomi will be a great place for DuVernay to channel her energy. She’s working with Arrow writer Jill Blankenship on the project.
The CW has been making moves behind the scenes for weeks. Their buzzworthy live-action Powerpuff Girls series is being “reworked and repiloted off-cycle” according to Deadline, and after the mixed reviews of seeing animated heroes come to life as adults that news could mean many things. Our Ladies of Brooklyn, a dramedy about millennial nuns from Jennie Snyder Urman, is not moving forward, though no decisions have been made about the Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift.
As The CW continues to make adjustments during upfronts, fans now have a clear picture that Naomi will join The 4400 reboot and All-American: Homecoming in CW’s fall lineup.
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