Batwoman fans vote for Stephanie Beatriz to take over from Ruby Rose
RadioTimes.com asked the fans, and they want the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star to don the cape and cowl
Following Ruby Rose’s shock exit from Batwoman Gotham city has an opening for a new hero, with the superhero series’ producers reportedly seeking to introduce a new character to wear Kate Kane’s cape and cowl.
But who should be the new Batwoman? After putting the question to fans in a poll, RadioTimes.com has an answer – Brooklyn Nine Nine star Stephanie Beatriz, who won our vote against the likes of Krypton’s Wallis Day (who came second) and Samira Wiley.
Beatriz has previously hinted that she was interested in taking on the role of Batwoman, and is clearly a fan-favourite – but could this dream casting actually happen? Well, it’s complicated.
Beatriz’s own enthusiasm for the role is promising, and her relatively high profile could also be a boon for the show. When Rose was cast, Batwoman got a lot of publicity thanks to her previous roles in the John Wick movies and Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, and in replacing her they’d do well to find a similarly well-known face.
Thanks to her regular role on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Beatriz certainly has that notoriety – but her commitment to the cop comedy could also mean it might be difficult for her to find the time to film both programmes. Reportedly, Rose struggled with the heavy schedule of Batwoman shooting, and it’s unclear whether Beatriz could juggle both roles if she did get the nod.
It’s also possible that the powers-that-be on Batwoman might prefer to go for more of a newcomer. Rose was something of an outlier in the CW TV universe, which generally casts up-and-comers in its superhero shows rather than established stars, and it’s not out of the question that the producers would want to go down a more familiar route with their second Batwoman.
And of course, there’s that ineffable force, creativity, in play as well. While on paper Beatriz seems perfect for the role, what if she’d just not right for the new version of the character? What if someone the fans had never heard of had a better audition? What if she’d be just the choice for a Batwoman, but not this Batwoman?
For now, though, one thing is clear – a lot of fans have a pretty good idea of what they’re looking for in the new Batwoman. Whoever does come along doesn’t just have Ruby Rose to live up to – they’ll have the Batwomen that might have been as well.
Batwoman season one airs on E4 at 9pm on Sundays. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.