Contrary to the expectation of many, Kate Kane is not coming back to Batwoman. Apparently, the series executives have decided to introduce a new hero as a replacement for Ruby Rose's character, Kate Kane.
Rose announced last month that she is exiting the TV series after one season. In a joint statement from The CW, Warner Bros. TV, and Berlanti Productions, they reaffirmed their commitment for a second season and added that they are looking forward to casting a new lead actress, who could also be a member of the LGBTQ community.
In the Batwoman Season 2 casting notice that appeared on Reddit, actresses who are members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to audition for the role of Ryan Wilder. The character is described as female in her mid-late 20s and the complete opposite of Kate Kane.
The casting info stated Ryan is "likable, messy, a little goofy, and untamed. Apparently, she has a backstory of years as a drug-runner and dodging the Gotham City Police Department.
Ryan, a lesbian, is now reformed and sober. She lives in a van with her plant. She is also a highly-skilled and dangerous fighter.
Though the casting info has been deleted since some Reddit users and Batwoman fans shared their thoughts about the new character. Many do favor recasting rather than replacing the Kate Kane character entirely. Others said the description of Ryan Wilder sounds like Poison Ivy, Catwoman, or even Harper Row.
Meanwhile, the move to introduce a new character instead of recasting Kate Kane wasn't surprising in the superhero world. However, many still expected that Ruby Rose's character would be recast since it was only her initial season and many are still looking forward to the continuation of her story.
In addition, the introduction of Ryan Wilder to Batwoman posed a question on how this meant to Kate's villainous twin sister Alice (Rachel Skarsten)? Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries earlier told Entertainment Weekly that they would like to explore Alice's relationship with Kate and the latter's stepsister, Mary (Nicole Kang).
Dries said they would like to see a triangle of sisters with Alice, Kate, and Mary. She added that Mary never had proper closure to the fact that Alice killed her mother. Dries said there could be more between the two other than forgiveness. Dries' interview with EW was done before Ruby Rose's exit was announced.
