The CW has ordered a fresh batch of pilots for three projects: Ava DuVernay's superhero drama Naomi, the live-action reboot of The Powerpuff Girls, and a millennial nun dramedy from executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman. The network has also given a straight-to-series order for a reboot of the classic sci-fi drama The 4400.
The CW, which in the past has been quick to hand out straight-to-series orders for many of its promising projects, is exercising a bit of caution with its new hopefuls due to the ongoing pandemic. Simply put, there's no telling when productions can resume standard operating procedures, and so the exaggerated cost of creating new content must be considered. In talking about choosing to order pilots rather than full-on series for a majority of the above-mentioned projects, CW chairman Mark Pedowitz told Deadline, “I believe in pilots, I believe you see things in pilots.”
It's also worth noting that the network has other series in the works, including the Black Lightning spinoff Painkiller, the Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift, and an All American spinoff as well.
Ava DuVernay is currently developing an adaptation of the DC Comics series Naomi for The CW. DuVernay will partner with Arrow writer and co-exec producer Jill Blankenship on the project, which Blankenship will write and co-produce. The comic series hails from Brian Michael Bendis, David Walker, and artist Jamal Campbell. It takes place within the larger DC Universe and focuses on a young, adopted teenager, Naomi, who in time discovers that she has energy-based powers. When a supernatural event shakes her hometown to the core, Naomi sets out to uncover its origins, and what she discovers will challenge everything we believe about our heroes.
Naomi is the latest superhero-related project to be in the works at The CW, following the announcements of Wonder Girl, based on the DC characters created by Joëlle Jones as well as the Black Lightning spinoff Painkiller, starring Jordan Calloway as the title character. Wonder Girl will be hitting The CW courtesy of Queen of the South executive producer/co-showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez and Greg Berlanti, while Salim Akil will write, executive produce, and direct Painkiller. The latter is slated to receive a backdoor pilot as a part of the fourth and final season of Black Lightning.
Naomi will be produced by DuVernay's ARRAY Filmworks banner in association with Warner Bros. Television. DuVernay is also set to direct the feature film adaptation of DC’s New Gods.
The Powerpuff Girls is a live-action series based on the original Cartoon Network animated series created by Craig McCracken. Written and exec produced by Juno’s Diablo Cody and Veronica Mars co-EP Heather Regnier, it is also exec produced by Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden and comes from Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros TV. Erika Kennair produces.
The series follows the trio who used to be America’s pint-sized superheroes. Now they’re disillusioned twentysomethings who resent having lost their childhood to crimefighting. Will they agree to reunite now that the world needs them more than ever? (via Deadline)
Lastly, there's Urman's millennial nun concept. Previously known as Cloister F*cked, the dramedy is written by rising writers Claire Rothrock and Ryann Weir. According to the project's description, the concept focuses on two millennial nuns – a devout true believer, and a new arrival who has yet to take her final vows – who start as strangers and become sisters on a funny, spiritual journey to understand their own faith and place in the Catholic church.
Well, that live-action Powerpuff Girls concept certainly sounds like a thing, does it not? I'd be serious to hear what fans of the animated series think about Diablo Cody's bold direction for the series. As for Naomi, I'm a big fan of the comic, and would very much like to see DuVernay's version picked up for a series on the CW.