Batwoman: Victoria Cartagena Breaks Silence on Renee Montoya Casting

Batwoman only aired its Season 2 finale late last month, but the hit The CW series is already looking towards the future in a major way. Shortly after the latest season wrapped, some major casting details surrounding Season 3 were brought to light, including that fan-favorite character Renee Montoya would be joining the show. On Tuesday, fans finally learned who would be playing that role, with Victoria Cartagena — who previously played Renee on Fox’s Gotham — cast in the part. Shortly after the news was announced, Cartagena took to social media to tease that she has “some unfinished business” with Renee, and that she’s “very excited” to join the series’ cast and crew.

Previously described as a former GCPD officer who left the department due to GCPD’s treatment of Gotham’s marginalized citizens. Montoya has been relegated to a paper-pusher, now in charge of the “freaks division” in the Mayor’s office. Virtuous and practical Renee is on a personal, and enigmatic, mission to clean up Gotham’s streets the right way by any means necessary.

This would be Renee’s latest live-action appearance since last year’s Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), where she was portrayed by Rosie Perez. While it’s unclear exactly what Renee’s long-term future on Batwoman would be, the idea of her joining the show, and Cartagena returning to the role, will definitely entice fans — especially those who want to see Renee become her superhero counterpart of The Question in live-action.

Batwoman also stars Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder/Batwoman, Camrus Johnson as Luke Fox/Batwing, Nicole Kang as Mary Hamilton, Rachel Skarsten as Elizabeth Kane/Alice, and Meagan Tandy as Sophie Moore. Riverdale alum Robin Givens has also joined Season 3 as Jada Jett.

Renee’s arrival comes as the Season 2 finale teased a storyline tied to Poison Ivy, and that Season 3 will potentially have ordinary people taking on the roles of Gotham City villains.

“So freaking epic,” Leslie explained in an interview shortly after the finale. “Like literally a lot of your epic Batman villains, we have all of their weapons and they’ve all been released into the river and people are going to find [them] and you’re going to find the effects that these weapons have on these normal Gotham citizens and then becoming like these supervillains, and it’s just going to be so much fun. I can’t wait! I’m excited because we’re about to start shooting season 3 and I can’t wait to read the scripts and to see where it goes.”

Season 3 of Batwoman will premiere on Wednesday, October 13th, at 9/8c on The CW.