American network CW is developing a television series centred on a lesbian Batwoman. This will reportedly be the first live-action superhero series to feature an openly homosexual lead. The show is looking to be picked up for 2019, Variety reported.
Kate Kane/Batwoman has been described in the official synopsis as “a woman armed with a passion for social justice and flair for speaking her mind”. But Kane must come to terms with her own identity before she can make a difference. “In a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope,” the synopsis adds.
The show will be written by Caroline Dries, who will also serve as executive producer along with Greg Berlanti. Dries has previously worked on the shows The Vampire Diaries, Melrose Place and Smallville.
The show will expand CW’s offerings based on the DC Comics universe, which include Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Supergirl.
Kane’s character was introduced in the 1950s as Batman’s lover. She was reintroduced as a lesbian of Jewish descent in 2006, with a former Gotham police detective as her girlfriend. At the time, DC co-publisher Dan DiDio said that Batwoman was rewritten as a lesbian because they believed it would be more reflective of contemporary society and their fanbase.
