The CW won’t be recasting Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane in the “Batwoman” series after all following the surprise departure of Rose from the title role.
The Live Feed reports that rather than getting a new actress in, they’ve opted to create a new character to play Batwoman. As much of the first season tied to Kate Kane’s familial connections from the big bad Alice (her sister) to her off screen cousin Bruce Wayne to numerous characters she’s related to on screen.
News of the change came via a since-deleted casting notice posted to a Reddit forum which has since been confirmed by the trades. Decider had a breakdown of the new character who is reportedly named “Ryan Wilder,” though that could be a placeholder name.
She is described as a woman in her mid-20s who ‘is about to become Batwoman’. She’s likable, messy, a little goofy and untamed and nothing like Kate Kane. She’s a former drug runner – highly skilled, wildly undisciplined, and an out lesbian who is “very much not your stereotypical All-American hero”.
“Batwoman” was forced to end its season early due to the coronavirus pandemic with 20 of a planned 22 episode run completed. It’s unclear if a transition to a new lead would have been set up in the two episodes that weren’t completed.
