Fox’s Black Lightning Series Won’t Intersect With The CW’s Arrow-verse
The new Black Lightening series will not be on The CW, which means it will not be part of the Arrow-verse.
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Fox has ordered a pilot episode for the series Black Lightning. As of right now, the network has only ordered a pilot episode, if the show gets the approval from executive producers, it will move to syndication. Greg Berlanti, creative genius and producer of the Arrow-verse (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl) will be spearheading Black Lightning.
Recently, Berlanti had an interview with Comic Book Resources and the question was asked: “will we see Black Lightning make an appearance in the Arrowverse?” Berlanti responded, “I don’t think so … If we’re lucky enough that that exists, that that show exists, I don’t think those worlds will cross over.”
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
In September 2016, Fox committed themselves to the pilot episode of Black Lightning. Black Lightning is created by Berlanti and The Game co-creators Salim and Mara Brock Ali. If the show gets its own series, it is envisioned as an hour-long drama.
Fox picking up Black Lightning in a quick manner is good news. Like The CW Network’s DC television universe, Fox is building their own quality superhero shows with Gotham and Lucifer.
Black Lightning will be a Fox Network show. Also, having Pierce in The CW’s Arrow-verse would be difficult to accommodate. Having Pierce in the Arrow-verse occasional would add to the already heavy load that The CW carries.
Between the characters on Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, adding another cast of heroes would simply be too much, and the two networks more than likely could not get on the same page when it comes to scheduling.
However, there is hope for Jefferson Pierce to be seen in the Arrow-verse. DC Comics has proven in the past that they can create a successful multi-network crossover. When Barry Allen visited National City during Season One of Supergirl in the episode “World’s Finest.”
Here is the official synopsis of the upcoming series:
"Black Lightning’s everyday alter ego Jefferson Pierce, who made his choice he hung up the suit plus his secret identity years ago. With a daughter hellbent on justice and a star student being recruited by multiple gangs, his days as a hero are not over. Jefferson Pierce is being pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante/DC Comics legend Black Lightning."
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
Only time will tell if a multi-network crossover would work. Let’s hope that Fox actually orders an entire season of this highlight anticipated series.