This Sunday sees the premiere of Batwoman season two on The CW, and with it comes a new character under the cape and cowl as Javicia Leslie makes her debut as Ryan Wilder, replacing Ruby Rose who exited her role as Kate Kane after a single season.
Speaking to Variety about her new crime-fighting role, Leslie revealed that she hasn’t spoken to Rose about succeeding her on the show, and that she hasn’t felt any pressure to try and differentiate her character from her predecessor.
“The writers and the showrunner already did a great job at that, so I didn’t have to intentionally try to be different,” said Leslie. “The writing allowed this character to stand out on its own and, of course, we’re two different individuals so my natural energy coming into it is already going to be different. I think my only job is to show up and have fun, and play in the storyline that’s already been created.”
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Are you looking forward to seeing Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder take the spotlight as the new Batwoman in season two of the DC show? Be sure to let us know your thoughts on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
In season two of BATWOMAN, when Ryan Wilder (Javicia Leslie) first discovers Kate Kane’s Batsuit, she has no idea how drastically her life is about to change. A sassy, smart lesbian with a difficult past, Ryan sees the suit as her chance to finally be powerful and no longer a victim as she survives in the tough streets of the city.
While Ryan goes rogue in the shadows, Gotham grapples with their missing hero, believing Batwoman has fled the city after a public stand-off with Commander Jacob Kane (Dougray Scott) and the Crows. But Kate Kane’s disappearance hits hardest at home where Jacob, Sophie (Meagan Tandy), Luke (Camrus Johnson), Mary (Nicole Kang) and even Alice (Rachel Skarsten) each struggle with the devastating news in their own way. Meanwhile, the False Face Society tightens its grip on Gotham, distributing a perilous new drug known as Snakebite, “Bruce Wayne” (Warren Christie) finds his way home to wreak havoc, Safiyah (Shivaani Ghai) surfaces with plans for revenge, and a new set of villains descends on the city.
It’s not long before Ryan realizes how much the symbol on the suit means to Gotham, launching her on a personal journey that takes her from fledgling substitute to confident caped crusader, from living in her van with her plant to chasing villains in the Batmobile. Ryan Wilder becomes a very different Batwoman than Kate Kane – her own Batwoman – but with the same understanding of what it means to be a hero.
The second season of Batwoman stars Javicia Leslie (God Friended Me), Shivani Ghai (Dominion), Leah Gibson (Jessica Jones) , Nathan Owens (Devious Maids) and Alex Morf (Gotham), while Rachel Skarsten (Alice), Camrus Johnson (Luke Fox), Meagan Tandy (Sophie Moore) and Nicole Kang (Mary Hamilton) reprise their roles from season one.