DC Comics
The DC television universe is about to get a surge new energy from a brand new superhero. Greg Berlanti and the husband and wife team of Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil are teaming up to develop a drama series based on the DC superhero BLACK LIGHTNING.
Originally created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden, the Warner Bros. TV series is being pitched to several networks. The Akils wrote the show which follows Jefferson Pierce, a man who has decided to retire his secret superhero identity of Black Lightning. But with a daughter hell-bent 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 legend.
Black Lightning debuted in 1977 and was one of the first black superheroes in DC Comics. Along with Marvel’s forthcoming Luke Cage series on Netflix and the Black Panther movie, the inclusion of projects that focus on superheroes of color is gaining traction.
Berlanti and Sarah Schechter are set to executive produce under Berlanti Productions alongside the Akils’ Akil Productions.
Berlanti is essentially the maestro of comic book series on the CW including Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow. He is also executive producer of the upcoming Archie comics adaptation Riverdale.
The Akils are the creators of the BET shows The Game and Being Mary Jane. They recently scored a pilot production commitment from ABC for a half-hour, multi-camera comedy Documenting Love.
Berlanti is repped by WME.
The Akils are repped by ICM Partners.
Dino-Ray Ramos | Staff Writer
This news was first reported by Deadline.
