'Batwoman' Will Likely Not Feature Batman

Despite a Batwoman pilot coming up that is widely expected to spearhead the future of The CW's DC television universe, a report from TheWrap suggests that it is unlikely that the show (if it goes to series, which it is generally expected to do) will feature Bruce Wayne/Batman.

As a simple shorthand, the report compares the series to Gotham: while that series showcased a Gotham City that was evolving into a lawless wasteland that needed a Batman, this is the version of that city that exists after Batman leaves.

"It's a post-Batman Gotham City," Sarah Schechter, an executive producer for the series, told TheWrap. "What is it like after these heroes leave?"

That could be a familiar concept in the post-"Crisis on Infinite Earths" DC multiverse, as recent rumors have Arrow and DC's Legends of Tomorrow potentially ending their runs after next season.

There has been no official confirmation of those rumors -- or of the popular fan theory that Oliver Queen will sacrifice himself in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" to save Barry Allen and Kara Zor-El -- but comments by network president Mark Pedowitz have fueled the fires.

"Things will age and we want to get the next generation of shows to keep The CW DC universe going for as long as possible," Pedowitz said during the TCA tour. During that same appearance, he said that it was very likely a major character or two would not make it out of "Crisis" alive.

The CW universe, then, looks like it might be headed for the same kind of refresh that Marvel's Cinematic Universe is post-Endgame, with some departing characters and a few new additions to the ensemble.

As far as Batman? The character has a feature film coming out soon, and while DC has shown willingness to have both a TV and a movie version of the same character at the same time in live-action (see Superman), they have also traditionally tried to give the movie side enough of a wide berth to establish their version without "competition" from the TV take. Arrow had trouble hanging onto several of its Suicide Squad-affiliated characters around the time that film was in development, and Supergirl did not introduce Superman in the flesh until the DCEU had already gone through two movies with him.

The character has appeared on Titans on the DC Universe streaming service, but only briefly. That Titans centers on former Robin Dick Grayson makes it even more difficult to completely avoid the Dark Knight than a show centering around his apparent successor.

Batwoman will follow Kate Kane, Bruce Wayne's cousin and an openly-lesbian crime fighter who aims to keep Gotham safe. Rose's portrayal of the character was first introduced in last December's "Elseworlds" crossover event,and is expected to return in this year's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover.

Batwoman is shooting its pilot this spring, with an eye toward a full-season pickup for the 2019-2020 season.

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