The first image of Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce has been released by The CW. Williams will be playing the titular hero for the upcoming DC television show, Black Lightning.
Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce, the hero known as Black Lightning.
Known for creating costumes in other comic book films such as Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Iron Man, Laura Jean Shannon is responsible for designing BL’s suit.
The official synopsis was also released:
The first African-American DC Super Hero to have his own stand-alone comic title, Black Lightning is based on the character created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden in 1977. Jefferson Pierce made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with one daughter hell-bent on justice and the other 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.
Executive producer/writer/director Salim Akil was introduced to Black Lightning as a child living in Richmond, Calif.
“I knew way too much about the world as a young boy growing up in Richmond, CA. I was no stranger to violence, death, hopelessness or the feeling that no one cared about what was happening in my life. Comics were a great way for me to escape. I was about 13 when Black Lightning was created, and finally, there was a Black superhero that gave a damn about our neighborhood and our lives. Resurrecting him at a time in our society when a sense of hope is lacking… Black Lightning will that hope. And in updating the suit, it will signal to a new generation that it’s time to harness and release our power, and become our own superheroes.”
The show is currently in production in Atlanta, Georgia.
