There’s a new Batwoman in town in the new Season 2 trailer for The CW’s returning DC hit Batwoman. Javicia Leslie steps in as Ryan Wilder, a brand new character, replacing Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane.
In May, Rose announced that she had quit Batwoman, due to the grueling demands of fronting a weekly hour-long action series. Rather than recast the character of Kate Kane, the decision was made to introduce a new character that would take up the mantle of Gotham City’s new defender.
Fans can get a tease of what is in store in the S2 clip, as Ryan Wilder is shown discovering the Batsuit and taking it upon herself to rise to the challenge of protecting the populace of Gotham in Batman’s absence. For the time being at least, it looks as though Kate is dead! Is that so? Or will Rose make a return appearance somewhere down the line to officially pass the baton… or Batarang… to this new hero? (No one has mentioned the possibility of a Rose cameo, but you never know.)
Watch the new trailer for yourself below:
As you can see, in the beginning at least, Ryan wears the same straight-hair wig that Kate wore in the Batwoman identity, but at the end of the clip, she is shown wearing a more ethnically-influenced wig.
Here is the description of Leslie’s character, Ryan Wilder, released in July:
With no one in her life to keep her on track, Ryan spent years as a drug-runner, dodging the GCPD and masking her pain with bad habits. Today, reformed and sober, Ryan lives in a van with her plant. A girl who would steal milk from an alley cat and could also kill you with her bare hands, Ryan is the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly disciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical All-American hero.
Due to COVID-19, production on all CW shows was delayed by several months. As a result, there won’t be a fall season. (That should be apparent by now.) Instead, all returning series will launch new seasons in January.
What are your initial reactions to Javicia Leslie as the new Batwoman?
Batwoman Season 2 premieres on Sunday, January 17th on The CW. Stream for free the next day on The CW App.
