Batwoman Season 2 Considered Recasting Ruby Rose Before Replacing Kate
Batwoman deliberated over recasting Ruby Rose instead of replacing Kate Kane for season 2, the series' showrunner Caroline Dries confirmed in a recent interview. Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, Batwoman is a superhero TV show that shares continuity with the other shows in the Arrowverse. When the series first premiered in 2019, it featured Ruby Rose as leading heroine Kate Kane. She took to protect Gotham City's streets after the disappearance of her billionaire philanthropist cousin Bruce Wayne. Batwoman season 1 ended with an explosive cliffhanger, making it seem like Rose would stick around for a while. But last May, Rose left everyone stunned when she announced her departure from the series ahead of season 2.
When Rose quit Batwoman, it was rumored that she couldn't cope with the pressing demands of her job. But the actress soon cleared the air, revealing that multiple factors influenced her decision to quit the show, including her back surgery and some contemplation that she did while quarantining in isolation. After Rose's exit, fans expected Batwoman to recast her role. Krypton star Wallis Day's name had also surfaced as Rose's potential replacement. But then Batwoman served another shocker when, in July 2020, it cast the God Friended Me star Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder, a new black lesbian Batwoman. Dries revealed that she initially considered other lead role options, including recasting Rose's Kate Kane.
Talking to Los Angeles Times about Batwoman's sophomore season, Dries confirmed that she had thought about recasting Kate Kane's role after Rose's exit. But then, she realized that while several shows might get away by going the soap opera way, Batwoman was one show where recasting the lead character would look evidently skewed. Dries, therefore, decided to introduce a new heroine to the series while retaining the existing storylines. This way, not only was she able to honor Rose's efforts but she also able to forge an intriguing mystery behind the disappearance of the original superhero, which would serve as one of the main plotlines in season 2.
“I think some TV shows can get away with [recasting], but for us, it felt a little wonky,” Dries said. “So I decided, let’s continue the storyline but let’s introduce this new character who takes on the mantle of Batwoman, and maintain Kate Kane’s legacy on the show and create a mystery around where she went and lean into the challenge.”
When it was first announced that Batwoman was switching to a different hero, some critics argued that it would "create more problems than it would solve." But now it appears that the addition of Ryan Wilder will bode well for the show. For one, as Dries has also suggested in the interview, a new lead character allows Batwoman to follow storylines that were impossible to be incorporated in a show centered on Kate Kane, such as a condemnatory examination of The Crows' fascist behavior. Secondly, since Leslie's Wilder is the first black character to assume the Batwoman mantle, it signifies the show's commitment to diversity, thus widening its audience base.
When Leslie was cast as Wilder, Rose was quick to show her support for the actress. This indicates that even Rose herself is excited and satisfied with the new direction that Batwoman is headed. True, had Batwoman recast Rose's Kane, things would have been much more straightforward, and the show would have a lot less explaining to do. But that would have also invoked the wrath of some of Rose's loyal fans, who would have then turned on the new Kate Kane for disgracing their favorite star's legacy. Having a new character take over the mantle is, hence, a wise choice, as it not only reflects a similar precedent in the comics, but it also leaves the door for Rose's return open. All told, Batwoman season 2 is looking to change things around. But how well its ambitions fare will only be revealed once the show premieres on Jan. 17, 2021.
Source: Los Angeles Times