CBS joins the superhero game, ordering a full TV series starring DC Comics’ Supergirl.
Just two weeks after the reported development of a Supergirl TV series, CBS has announced today that it has given commitment to the series. The series will be helmed by executive producers Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash), Ali Adler (Glee, No Ordinary Family), and Sarah Schecter (Pan).
Berlanti is no stranger to bringing comic characters, particularly DC Comic characters, to the screen. After co-writing and co-producing 2011’sGreen Lantern feature film, Berlanti went on to co-write and co-produce the WB’s hit Arrow series based on DC’s Green Arrow comic, as well the show’s upcoming spinoff, starring DC’s Fastest Man Alive, The Flash.
The new show will center on Kara Zor-El, who first appeared in comics back in 1959’s Action Comics #252. The origin of Supergirl has changed substantially over the years, though most of the main points have remained constant. Kara, like her cousin Superman, managed to escape the destruction of the planet Krypton and found her way to Earth, though various circumstances (depending on which version you read) caused her to arrive years after Superman. Emulating her famous cousin, Kara establishes her own superhero identity, while trying to balance a “normal” life.
With today’s announcement, all five of the major networks are now bringing comic books to television in some form or another. CBS will have Supergirl. ABC will be airing a second season of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and premiering the Agent Carter spinoff. NBC is bringing DC’s Constantine to the small screen. Fox will focus on the early days of the Batman universe with Gotham. And finally, CW will have the third season of Arrow, as well as the premiere of The Flash.
If that’s not enough comic book action to keep you glued to your set, though, there are still plenty of other projects waiting in the wings. CW is wrapping development of an iZombie series, based on the DC Vertigo book of the same name. Fox has just ordered a pilot based on the Vertigo Lucifer comic. TNT recently ordered a pilot based on DC’s Titans comic. Meanwhile, over on the Marvel side of things, Netflix has just started filming the first of its five series deal with Marvel, which will see Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones getting their own individual shows before teaming the characters up for a Defenders miniseries. Finally, Sony is getting into the mix with its Powers live action series, based on the Brian Michael Bendis/Michael Avon Oeming comic and scheduled to air on PlayStation consoles via PSN before the end of the year.
