Arrowverse: Who should play Batwoman in the crossover?

Katherine Kane (aka Batwoman) will join the Arrowverse for next year’s crossover event. We have some casting suggestions for The CW.

The Arrowverse just keeps getting bigger. Now encompassing four television series and two web series, The CW’s DC Comics franchise truly feels like a universe. (Officially, Black Lightning isn’t included, but surely, it can only be a matter of time.) Characters from various stories mingle with the ease of longtime friends, and references fly like bullets in a shootout. Crossovers don’t even merit special announcements anymore; they simply happen.

Even so, we get excited every year. Packed with action, humor and heart, “Crisis on Earth-X” was perhaps the best crossover so far. And we already have a reason to look forward to the next one. One word: Batwoman.

During The CW’s upfront presentation on Thursday, Arrow star Stephen Amell revealed that the beloved character Batwoman will appear in the upcoming crossover. Even as someone unfamiliar with the comics, I felt a jolt of delight at the news. For ages, the Arrowverse has tiptoed around Gotham’s existence, peppering scenes with namedrops and veiled hints. At last, those teases will pay off in a visit to the iconic city.

Of course, once the surprise faded, one question occupied my mind: who will play Batwoman?

Introduced in a 1956 issue of Detective Comics, Batwoman is the alter ego of Katherine Kane, an heiress-turned-vigilante. Her Silver Age incarnation served primarily as an ally and love interest for Batman, combining his crime-solving and crime-fighting abilities with the glamour of being a woman. When Julius Schwartz took over from Jack Schiff as editor, he excised her, replacing her with Batgirl.

Batwoman didn’t return in a significant capacity until 2006, during the series 52. Now known as Kate Kane rather than “Kathy,” the new Batwoman was a socialite who dropped out of West Point, inspired to put on her mask after an encounter with Batman. She’s depicted as Jewish and, rather controversially, lesbian.

Fan-casting is tricky since you’re limited by who you know. In contrast to the MCU and DCEU, the Arrowverse tends to avoid casting A-listers, instead relying on newcomers, journeymen and character actors. This approach works wonderfully. Besides encouraging viewers to focus on the story and characters, it gives underappreciated performers such as Susanna Thompson and Neal McDonough a chance to shine.

Plus, there’s a certain thrill in seeing new talent, from Melissa Benoist on Supergirl to Tala Ashe in Legends of Tomorrow season 3 and Josh Segerra in Arrow season 5. I hope someone I haven’t heard of nabs the role of Batwoman and makes me wonder why I hadn’t heard of them before.

That said, if I were to dream, my unquestionable #1 choice would be Rachel Brosnahan. It’s a pipe dream; for one thing, she’s busy with Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But she excels in everything she appears in, displaying the nuance of a thespian and the charisma of a star. After so many dramatic roles, I’m curious to see what she does in a genre context. Also, she has played not one but two characters that have lesbian affairs; maybe the third time, it won’t end in tragedy.

The as-of-yet untitled Arrowverse crossover will air in December 2018.

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