Just days after we reported thatArrowproducerGreg BerlantiandThe GamecreatorMara Brock Akilare teaming up for aBlack Lightningseries, the show has found a home at Fox. The network has handed out a pilot production commitment for the series, with the pilot being written byMara Brock Akiland her husbandSalim Akil. The writers will serve as executive producers of this newDC Comicsseries, alongsideGreg Berlanti.
The series will center onJefferson Pierce, who hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago. However, with a daughter hellbent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legendBlack Lightning.Deadlinereports thatMara Brock Akiland her husbandSalim Akilwill executive produce alongsideGreg Berlantiand his Berlanti Productions partnerSarah Schechter.
Black Lightningwas one ofDC Comics' first major African-American superheroes, making his debut in 1977. In the comics, Jefferson has two daughters, both of whom become heroes in their own right. Anissa Pierce becomes known as Thunder, who eventually joins a superhero group known as The Outsiders, while Jennifer Pierce becomes Lightning, who is recruited by the Justice Society of America. It isn’t known if either of these characters will be featured in the TV series.
The initial report revealed that Warner Bros. Television had been working on this project for well over a year, with various different incarnations being developed before it was ready to be shopped to networks. IfBlack Lightningdoes go to series, it will join The CW’sArrow,The Flash,Legends of Tomorrow,SupergirlandiZombie, along with Fox’sGothamandLuciferas part of DC’s TV slate.Greg Berlantiproduces all of The CW superhero shows, along with the upcomingRiverdaleand NBC’sBlindspot.
IfBlack Lightning, does move forward at Fox, it would be interesting to see if the network explores any crossover possibilities withGothamandLucifer. As of now, those two shows aren’t connected in the same universe, but then again,Greg Berlantimanaged to pull off a crossover betweenSupergirl, which was then on CBS, and The CW’sThe Flash, beforeSupergirlwas brought over from CBS to The CW.Greg Berlantiis also orchestrating a four-part crossover for all of his CW shows, along with a musical crossover betweenSupergirlandThe Flashthis season.
