The CW has officially greenlit the development of a backdoor pilot for the much-anticipated Black Lightning spinoff, Painkiller,
Per Deadline, Jordan Calloway, who appeared as the recurring eponymous character ‘Painkiller’ on Black Lightning, will be reprising his role in the pilot, which is set to appear in February 2021. The episode will also air as the seventh episode in the fourth season of Black Lightning—and as of now, is the first DC Comic-based pilot of the broadcast season. Salim Akil, the creator of Black Lightning is also set to write, direct, and executive produce the spinoff as well. More details via Deadline are as followed:
“Calloway plays Khalil Payne, a man ridden with the guilt of his troubled past from his former life in Freeland City, where, as a super-enhanced killing machine known as Painkiller he was both a member of Tobias Whale’s gang and a weapon of Agent Odell and the shadowy ASA. After attempting to bury the darker, devastatingly lethal Painkiller part of his persona, Khalil has distanced himself away from everyone he knows and loves in a new city, Akashic Valley, in order to find peace, but peace never comes easy for men with pasts like his. As his violent, destructive history crashes his idyllic new beginning, Khalil is thrusted back into action with a new mission: bring justice where he once gave out punishment. But to do that, he will first have to deal with and harness his darker side.”
Calloway confirmed the news in a tweet, expressing his gratitude.
Calloway also isn’t a new face for the CW, having a previous series regular role in the ever-popular Riverdale. Other notable acting credits include shows such as ER, Unfabulous, The Mick, House of Lies, Beyond, and The Glades. He can also be seen as the suave and smooth-talking Mark Randall on Netflix’s Always a Bridesmaid, starring Javicia Leslie.