Shortly after Glee’s Melissa Benoist landed the title role in CBS’ upcoming DC Comics-inspired primetime TV series, Supergirl, another lead has joined the show’s upcoming ranks.
True Blood’s Mehcad Brooks has been cast as supporting character and potential love interest to Supergirl herself, James ‘Jimmy’ Olsen. Normally a cub reporter and photographer for the Daily Planet in Metropolis, this incarnation of James Olsen is a more edgy and mature take on the character, and is the latest comic book character to be receiving a race change in his latest portrayal. The most recent comic book love interest to change race is Iris West on The CW’s highly successful DC Comics-inspired series, The Flash, going from Caucasian to African-American, as with Supergirl’s version of Olsen.
Fans of DC Comics’ flagship hero, and Supergirl’s cousin, Superman are in for another big change with the character of Jimmy Olsen in Supergirl as well, as the character won’t seem to be affiliated with the Daily Planet or Metropolis at all in CBS’ upcoming series. Instead, he’ll be a photographer for CatCo, the new media conglomerate headed by another heavily altered Daily Planet personality, Cat Grant, who has yet to be cast for Supergirl. This officially confirms the leaked cast list information that mentions Cat Grant being the boss of the new CatCo corporation, and employing both Jimmy and Supergirl herself, under her civilian identity, Kara.
Interestingly, the press release detailing Brooks’ casting also mentions that the show appears to take place in an all-new fictional burg called National City, not Metropolis, as with most Superman and Supergirl comics and other such media. National City has not previously been featured in DC Comics media, and has been entirely invented for the show. This also continues to beg the question of whether Metropolis or Superman will even be referenced in Supergirl, or if the series will unfold in its own location, pretending that Metropolis and many familiar Superman personalities don’t exist.
Since the leaked cast list appears to be accurate at this point, the remaining leads that have yet to be cast are Supergirl’s adopted cousin, Alex Danvers, the one original character not based on a DC Comics personality (though a loose reference to another Supergirl from DC Comics, Linda Danvers), and two prospective DC Comics villains, Winslow Schott (normally known as Superman foe, Toyman), and Hank Henshaw, not including Cat Grant, obviously.
Supergirl has already bypassed the pilot stage, and is being ordered straight-to-series by CBS. Its premiere date is currently unknown, but it will likely debut for the 2015/2016 TV season.
Keep flying to Eggplante for all news and updates on Supergirl, and other DC Comics-inspired shows.