‘Hart of Dixie’ star Cress Williams cast to star in ‘Black Lightning’
The CW will continue to expand their superhero universe with Black Lightning getting a pilot order for the network. Now news arrives that Hart of Dixie actor, Cress Williams, has landed the lead role as Jefferson, Pierce, aka Black Lightning.
THR reports “The drama, originally developed at Fox but ordered to pilot at CW, revolves around Jefferson Pierce (Williams), who made a choice to hang up his 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.”
Black Lightning is a heroic version of Electro, the Spider-Man villain, able to generate, absorb, and direct electricity, which he uses in a variety of ways to take down bad guys. Pierce gave up his work as a superhero after the birth of his daughter, so that he could provide her with a normal and less dangerous life, the family dynamic changed when she began to show signs of meta-human abilities.
The drama is based on the DC Character Black Lightning created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden. The Game duo Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil will pen the script and exec produce the drama alongside Greg Berlanti and his Warner Bros. Television-based Berlanti Productions topper Sarah Schechter.
There is no word if there will be crossovers with the other shows/heroes, Earth-1’s Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Earth-38’s Supergirl.
Williams’ resume includes roles o Code Black, Friday Night Lights, Prison Break, ER, Close to Home and Nash Bridges.
