It may be losing its namesake character, but The CW’s “Arrowverse” just keeps on growing.
On Tuesday, the network placed two script-to-series orders. One for “Superman & Lois,” which will star Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch in as the Man of Steel and Lois Lane, respectively, as well as its “Walker, Texas Ranger” reboot that will feature “Supernatural” star Jared Padalecki in the role Chuck Norris made famous.
Hoechlin and Tulloch have already appeared multiple times in The CW’s shared DC Comics-based universe, most recently on the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, which wraps up Tuesday night. Here’s the logline for the latest DC Comics series: The world’s most famous superhero (Hoechlin) and comic books’ most famous journalist (Tulloch) deal with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society.
Todd Helbing will write and executive produce “Superman & Lois,” which is based on the characters from DC Comics created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series hails from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Along with “Superman & Lois,” The CW is also developing a potential “Arrow” spinoff starring Katherine McNamara, Katie Cassidy and Juliana Harkavy.
“Walker” will see Padalecki star as Cordell Walker, a widowed father of two with his own moral code who returns to his home in Austin after two years of undercover work on a high-profile case, only to discover there’s more work to be done at home. He’ll attempt to reconnect with his children, navigate clashes with his conservative family, and find unexpected common ground with his new partner (one of the first women in Texas Rangers’ history), while growing increasingly suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.
Anna Fricke is writing and executive producing the series with Dan Lin, which is from CBS TV Studios. The original series with Norris ran from 1993-2001 on CBS. It was created by Albert S. Ruddy & Leslie Greif.
Padalecki has co-starred alongside Jenson Ackles on “Supernatural,” which pre-dates The CW’s existence. It first debuted in 2005 on the network’s predecessor WB, and has aired more than 300 episodes. It will end its run in May. Last week, The CW renewed 13 of its series for next season.