Geoff Johns Teases 'Stargirl' Casting Starts This Week

It sounds like work on DC Universe's Stargirl series is about to begin.

ComicBook.com got a chance to chat with Geoff Johns, who will serve as a writer and producer on the live-action series, at last weekend's San Diego Comic-Con. As Johns revealed, the process of casting Stargirl - including finding the series' lead, as well as casting the Justice Society of America - will kick off sometime this week.

"We literally are starting next week," Johns explained in the video above, "which is why it's good to get the announcement out now."

Johns initially announced the series during his San Diego Comic-Con panel, teasing that Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl's journey to television will be a particularly special one. Johns co-created the character with Lee Moder in 1999, and drew inspiration from John's late sister Courtney. With all of that in mind, it sounds like Johns has a few criteria in mind when it comes to casting Stargirl's titular role.

"[We're handling it] very carefully." Johns revealed. "It's going to be really… Warner TV is the best at casting these things. We've got great casting people. And what I'll be looking for is somebody who embodies that energetic spirit, and a kindness, to what the character is and how they're portraying her. And someone that's really fun, that can chew bubble gum while kicking ass. And someone young, because we're going to go with a younger take on the character. She's about sixteen."

Stargirl will follow high school sophomore Courtney Whitmore, who inspires an unlikely group of young heroes to stop villains from the past. The series will feature appearances and references to multiple members of the Justice Society of America, the group that Courtney is most often associated with in the comics. The series is described as "fun, exciting, and unpredictable", and the approach to it is inspired by Superman: The Movie and Wonder Woman.

"I've been wanting to do it for awhile, and the truth is, over the last few years as I'd been talking to Warners and DC about getting back to wanting to write and produce, this was something that was at the very top of my list." Johns revealed in a previous interview. "I've been working with Greg and Sarah over at Berlanti TV, and with Warner TV — I mean, I've been working with them for years. It's been great. I get to work with my team at DC in a more creative way. It's been in my head for awhile, and once I made the move at DC, it came together pretty quickly."

This will mark the sixth original series for DC Universe, joining Titans, Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing, Harley Quinn, and Young Justice: Outsiders. The streaming service recently announced its initial subscription options, and is expected to roll out sometime this fall.

Are you excited to see Stargirl come to television? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Stargirl is expected to debut on DC Universe sometime in 2019.