The titular heroine will have a new secret identity in Batwoman, as the role of Kate Kane will not be recast after star Ruby Rose departed the series. After Rose had announced her exit from the show, The CW confirmed their plans to move forward with a new lead actress. Now, it's clear that their new star will not necessarily need to look similar to Rose, as producers are reportedly seeking to cast an original character as the next woman to suit up as Batwoman for the Arrowverse series.

According to reports, a Batwoman casting call leaked to Reddit reveals the show's plans to write in a new character as the lead. Encouraging LGBTQ+ performers to audition, the casting call is for a new lead character named "Ryan Wilder," a character described as "likable, messy, and untamed." Because these reports haven't been verified by The CW, it's not clear if this name is a placeholder or if this will in fact be the new Batwoman's real name.

Additionally, the character description reads: "With no one in her life to keep her on track, Ryan spent years as a drug-runner, dodging the GCPD and masking her pain with bad habits. Today, reformed and sober, Ryan lives in a van with her plant. A girl who would steal milk from an alley cat and could also kill you with her bare hands, Ryan is the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly disciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical All-American hero."

After the news of Ruby Rose exiting Batwoman became public, Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz was quick to toss her name in the hat as a potential replacement. "Legit did dye my hair last month," Beatriz tweeted in response to the Batwoman news, hinting that she could step in for the red-haired Rose as the new Kate Kane. The idea conjured up a lot of fan enthusiasm online, and the digital artist BossLogic even created some awesome fan art of how Beatriz might look in the role. Now, perhaps the odds of Beatriz getting the role are a bit higher, as the red hair wouldn't be a requirement if Kate is written out. Beatriz also identifies as bisexual, coinciding with The CW's plans to cast an actress from the LGBTQ+ community.

It remains to be seen how Kate Kane will be written out of Batwoman, as it seems unlikely Rose will be returning to film any additional scenes for a proper character exit. The writers of the show will now have the challenge of putting a new character into the suit in a way that makes sense. They'll also be forced to give Batwoman a soft reboot of sorts, as the new lead will need to establish relationships with the show's other characters. In any case, it's going to be interesting to see what happens.

Season 2 of Batwoman is expected to arrive on The CW in January 2021. For now, HBO Max subscribers can watch the entire first season of the show on the streaming service. This news comes to us from Entertainment Weekly.