Update: It's now officially ordered.
DC Comics drama Black Lightning has moved from Fox to The CW with a formal pilot order, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The drama, written by The Game's Mara Brock Akil and her husband/producing partner Salim Akil, landed at Fox in September following a multiple network bidding war. Lightning becomes the latest Berlanti-produced comic book series to jump networks to The CW after Fox passed on Archie Comics take Riverdale and Supergirl moved from CBS for its sophomore season.
Lightning fills the final pilot slot on The CW's roster this season and arrives after network president Mark Pedowitz was not planning on adding another DC Comics show to his schedule.
The drama, written by The Game's Mara Brock Akil and her husband/producing partner Salim Akil, landed at Fox in September following a multiple network bidding war. Lightning becomes the latest Berlanti-produced comic book series to jump networks to The CW after Fox passed on Archie Comics take Riverdale and Supergirl moved from CBS for its sophomore season.
Lightning fills the final pilot slot on The CW's roster this season and arrives after network president Mark Pedowitz was not planning on adding another DC Comics show to his schedule.
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EXCLUSIVE: Lightning may strike three times, with a third Greg Berlanti-produced comic book series developed/launched at another network heading to the CW.
I’ve learned that Black Lightning, the high-profile drama based on the DC character, which had a big production commitment at Fox, is on the move and likely to land at the CW. The project comes from Greg Berlanti, king of the CW’s DC universe, The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil. Discussions are still underway but I hear the drama would likely get a pilot order.
This is a swift turnaround for the project, which was shopped by Warner Bros. TV immediately after Fox opted not to go to pilot. I hear Fox brass ultimately decided that the superhero show was not a good fit into its already crowded genre drama space that includes the DC/WBTV series Gotham and Lucifer, Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming space dramedy, and two pilots, the X-Men-themed drama written by Matt Nix and The Passage, all from 20th TV.
Additionally, while the focus of the series is on Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, he has younger daughters who also are main characters, an area that would likely be explored further for the CW.
I’ve learned that Black Lightning, the high-profile drama based on the DC character, which had a big production commitment at Fox, is on the move and likely to land at the CW. The project comes from Greg Berlanti, king of the CW’s DC universe, The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil. Discussions are still underway but I hear the drama would likely get a pilot order.
This is a swift turnaround for the project, which was shopped by Warner Bros. TV immediately after Fox opted not to go to pilot. I hear Fox brass ultimately decided that the superhero show was not a good fit into its already crowded genre drama space that includes the DC/WBTV series Gotham and Lucifer, Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming space dramedy, and two pilots, the X-Men-themed drama written by Matt Nix and The Passage, all from 20th TV.
Additionally, while the focus of the series is on Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, he has younger daughters who also are main characters, an area that would likely be explored further for the CW.
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