“Batwoman” Season 2 premieres Sunday, January 17 with a new superhero in the lead. Actress Javicia Leslie moves to protect Gotham, replacing Ruby Rose who said goodbye to the show at the end of Season 1.
As new character Ryan Wilder, Leslie will wear the infamous Batsuit. Rarely does a show replace their lead with much success but this one is making a bold attempt to do so. In fact, the actress says she has two suits. One of the regular scenes and a separate one for the stunts, making it easier to move around.
“Making Ryan, the center of everything is the core story of the show, and having her, the nucleus of all of our characters was the biggest challenge of the show because I wanted a girl that nobody was connected to,” show creator Caroline Dries told reporters during a press conference for the show.
“We don’t have the family bonds. She’s a nobody, that’s the whole point. She’s a nobody she’s invisible, she’s lost in the system. It was easier to integrate her into the Bat World and the Bat Team because she’s that woman and they’re all working together. As you’ll see in the first episode, especially in the second episode, she has a very specific relationship with Sophie that is friction-based and entertaining and has a place to grow over the course of the season. Ryan has a very strong outlook towards the crows in general. It’s very specific to her, so that keeps that relationship alive. And for us, the biggest challenge was how do we maintain what was so great about season one, which was that Alice and Kate dynamic. I think without giving away spoilers, I think we were able to, are able to pull it off in a way that feels very satisfying and grounded and organic.”
For Leslie, who grew up to love superheroes including X-Men’s Storm and the Batman himself, the actress doesn’t feel pressure in leading the role.
“I think I would have felt differently maybe if I, if it was a recast,” she said. “Then I have to meet the certain, you know, the energy and the same of everything of the previous actress, but I came in as a completely new character. So for me, it’s, it’s just, it’s, it’s like my first time that, you know, it doesn’t feel like I’m trying to live up to someone else’s reputation because no one else has played. Right. We’re creating writing as we go.”
In the Season 2 premiere, Kate’s friends and family hold on to hope that Kate may still be found, a homeless 25-year-old named Ryan Wilder stumbles upon Kate’s BatSuit.
“Batwoman” Season 2 premieres Sunday, January 17 on The CW.
