Batwoman Season 2: First Look At The New Batwoman In Costume
The CW has been all over the superhero beat for years, and one of their most recent additions is the Ruby Rose-starring Batwoman.
This article is more than 2 years old
The CW has been all over the superhero beat for years, and one of their most recent additions is the Ruby Rose-starring Batwoman, which debuted in 2019 and aired its season one finale in 2020. The CW ordered Batwoman season 2 in January or 2020 without waiting for the finish, so another season should be a sure thing.
The New Batwoman
With Ruby Rose quitting The CW is now forced to retool Batwoman season 2. They’ve just hired Ruby Rose’s replacement and her name is actress Javicia Leslie. Leslie is best known for her work on God Friended Me. She has also been on the new CBS version of MacGyver.
And here’s your first look at Javicia Leslie in her Batwoman costume…
Most thought the CW would simply recast and have someone else play Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane character, but they’ve chosen a totally different path. Javica Leslie will not play Kate Kane, but rather she’s a new character named Ryan Wilder who will take up the Batwoman mantle.
Decider has uncovered a leaked casting call that goes on to describe Ryan Wilder as: “She’s likable, messy, a little goofy and untamed. She’s also nothing like Kate Kane, the woman who wore the batsuit before her.”
Like Kate Kane, Ryan Wilder is also a lesbian. Keeping the character a member of the LGBTQ community was a focus for The CW. She’s a former drug runner who has been living in a van.
Javicia Leslie had this to say about her casting in Batwoman season 2: “I am extremely proud to be the first Black actress to play the iconic role of Batwoman on television, and as a bisexual woman, I am honored to join this groundbreaking show which has been such a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community.“
The Previous Batwoman
Ruby Rose starred in Batwoman season 1 as Kate Kane. She’s a woman who, after her wealthy cousin Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego Batman disappear, takes up his cowl and crime-fighting ways. With plenty of room to develop, Batwoman season 2 has a solid foundation on which to build. Fun and adventurous, it also features the first openly gay superhero to lead a major series.
However, at the conclusion of season 1 Ruby Rose announced that she’s quitting the show and won’t be back for Batwoman season 2. Here’s her announcement…
“I have made the very difficult decision to not return to Batwoman next season. This was not a decision I made lightly as I have the utmost respect for the cast, crew and everyone involved with the show in both Vancouver and in Los Angeles. I am beyond appreciative to Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Caroline Dries for not only giving me this incredible opportunity, but for welcoming me into the DC universe they have so beautifully created. Thank you Peter Roth and Mark Pedowitz and the teams at Warner Bros. and The CW who put so much into the show and always believed in me. Thank you to everyone who made season one a success — I am truly grateful.“
– -Ruby Rose
Recent rumors have indicated that Ruby Rose didn’t just quit, she was fired. Or at the least, the parting was mutual with the show and cast no longer interested in continuing to work with her.
According to TVLine, “It wasn’t 100-percent her decision. It was a breakup. She wasn’t happy working on the show, and did that make her fun to work with? No. So everyone decided it would be in the best interests of the show, and for all concerned, if they parted ways. It just wasn’t a good fit.”
Since those rumors that she may have actually been fired for Batwoman season 2 broke, Rose had been silent, but she broke that silence to post this on Instagram…
Here’s The CW’s official announcement on the departure of Batwoman’s star, Ruby Rose…
“Warner Bros. Television, The CW and Berlanti Productions thank Ruby for her contributions to the success of our first season and wish her all the best. The studio and network are firmly committed to Batwoman’s second season and long-term future, and we — along with the show’s talented creative team — look forward to sharing its new direction, including the casting of a new lead actress and member of the LGBTQ community, in the coming months.”
Bruce Wayne In Batwoman Season 2?
Bruce Wayne has been mentioned and talked about on Batwoman numerous times, but the show has never actually had him appear until the finale. Most assumed that Warner Bros. would never allow it in Batwoman season 2, but they are wrong.
In the show’s season finale Bruce Wayne’s face showed up, and here’s what he looked like…
It’s worth noting that this isn’t actually Bruce Wayne, but the character Hush who has had Bruce Wayne’s face superimposed over his own so he can sneak into Wayne tower. Still, now we know what Bruce Wayne looks like in the TV Arrowverse. If they bring him back for Batwoman season 2, apparently this is the guy (Warren Christie) will play him.
Tragedy On The Set
A tragic accident on the set of Batwoman during season 1 left a crew member paralyzed, according to the Vancouver Sun. 30-year-old Amanda Smith was working on the set when the bucket of a telehandler (boom lift) was lowered while she was beneath it. Amanda was looking in the opposite direction and did not see it coming. The bucket of the boom lift came right down on top of her.
Smith has suffered severe spinal injuries. She was rushed to a hospital but she has no feeling from the waist down. It’s not known if she’ll ever be able to walk again or even regain any sensation in her legs.
It’s unclear what effect that tragedy may have had on the cast and it may have lead to some of them not wishing to return for Batwoman season 2.
Batwoman’s Ratings Going In To Season 2
If there’s a problem with Batwoman going in to season 2 it’s probably how few people actually tuned in to watch it. While initially the audience was fairly strong for a show of this type, as season 1 wore on the show’s ratings dropped.
For example, an episode titled “Grinning From Ear To Ear”, recorded the series worst ever ratings numbers ever when only 774,000 viewers tuned in.
When Batwoman premiered on The CW it debuted to an audience of around 2 million viewers. That means the show lost over 70% of its audience going in to Batwoman season 2.
It’s worth noting that another superhero show from the same network, Supergirl, is having similar and perhaps even worse ratings trouble. Their audience numbers are under 700,000 viewers.
