The universe within Black Lightning and the greater DC Comics Television Universe (aka Arrowverse) could be expanding at The CW.

Shadow and Act has learned that the network is moving forward with a planted pilot spinoff of Black Lightning, titled Painkiller. It would star Jordan Calloway, reprising the titular role as Khalil Payne / Painkiller. The planted pilot will be the seventh episode of the Black Lightning‘s fourth season.

Based on characters created for DC by Tony Isabella with Eddie Newell, Black Lightning creator Salim Akil is the writer, director and also executive produces.

Here’s the logline: Khalil Payne (Jordan Calloway) is a young 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 Khalil Payne and Painkiller.   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, Painkiller.

Black Lightning season 4 premiers in February.

 

Photo: The CW