Black Lightning Names Its Writer and EP As Pilot Director

As part of a broader story about diversity in TV hiring, Deadline reported today that The CW's Black Lightning pilot will be directed by writer and executive producer Salim Akil.

The project, which was developed by The Flash and Supergirl executive producer Greg Berlanti for FOX, moved to The CW after FOX passed on the pilot -- the same series of moves made by the Archie Comics adaptation Riverdale around this time last year.

The pilot will be co-produced by Mara Brock Akil, Sarah Schechter, and Salim Akil, based on the character created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden. Akil is set to write and direct.

Black Lightning, if a series order is given, would be Berlanti's fifth DC-based superhero series on the network and would be the first to star a black superhero as the title star.

It should be noted that Berlanti also produces Riverdale on the CW, making this his sixth comic-based property for the network.

Reportedly, FOX felt they were overextended on genre and comic book TV, with Gotham and Lucifer being joined by a pair of X-Men shows. The move to The CW also gives Black Lightning a chance to coexist with, and cross over with, the other Berlanti superhero shows -- something that would have been borderline impossible on FOX.

The synopsis for the potential series reads:

Jefferson Pierce made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, 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.

More Black Lightning News: CW Orders Black Lightning Pilot | Rumored pilot details leak | Orlando Jones wants to play Black Lightning | Production expected to begin soon