This new take on the character would be the first gay lead character in a live-action superhero series.
The CW has found its Batwoman.
Ruby Rose will play the iconic DC Comics character, first making her debut as Kate Kane in the Arrowverse crossover event this December, The CW announced Tuesday. Unlike previous iterations of the character, Rose's modern take on the character will be an out lesbian.
Rose, who previously starred in Orange Is the New Black, will then transition into her own Batwoman series, which is currently in development for the 2019-2020 television season.
The Arrowverse already features several significant LGBTQ characters, from Legends of Tomorrow's Sara Lance to Arrow's Curtis Holt to Supergirl's Alex Danvers. But the introduction of Batwoman is groundbreaking. If the project went to series, Batwoman would be the first gay lead character in a live-action superhero series.
The official logline for Batwoman, which is being spearheaded by producers Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schecter and showrunner Caroline Dries, reads: "Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence. But don’t call her a hero yet. In a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope. Based on the characters from DC."
Rose also shared the casting news to her fans on Instagram, writing, "The Bat is out of the bag and I am beyond thrilled and honored. I’m also an emotional wreck.. because this is a childhood dream. This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on TV and felt alone and different."
Rose's previous credits include Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, John Wick: Chapter 2 and Pitch Perfect 3. She next appears in The Meg.
“Greg is in early stages of development at this point,” Mark Pedowitz, President of The CW, said Monday at Television Critics Association press tour, when asked about the status of Batwoman. “We’ll do a pilot for mid-season [and] whether it goes to series, I cannot tell you."
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