CW announces ‘Black Lightning’ to end after fourth season

The final season of 'Black Lightning' from Salim Akil will premiere in 2021.

Black Lightning is ending after its upcoming fourth season.

The CW announced that the series from Salim Akil is coming to an end shortly after revealing its plans for a spinoff, Painkiller.

Read More: CW Renews ‘Black Lightning’ despite sexual assault lawsuit against Salim Akil

CW Black Lightning
(Credit: CW)

“When we first started the Black Lighting journey, I knew that Jefferson Pierce and his family of powerful Black Women would be a unique addition to the super hero genre.  The love that Blerds and all comic book fans around the globe have shown this series over the past three seasons proved what we imagined, Black People Want To See Themselves in all their complexities,” Akil said in a statement.

“Thank you to the phenomenal cast, writers and crew without whom none of this would’ve been possible. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve been able to do and the moments we’ve been able to create in bringing DC’s first African-American family of super heroes to life for the culture.  I’m very grateful to Peter Roth, Warner Bros. TV, Mark Pedowitz, The CW Network and Greg Berlanti for their partnership and support of my vision at every step of this journey. While Season Four may be the end of one journey, I’m extremely excited to usher in a new chapter and continued collaboration with The CW as we tell the story of Painkiller.”

Jordan Calloway will reprise his role as the titular character, Painkiller, in the spinoff that will be written, directed, and executive produced by Akil.  

Read More: CW preps ‘Black Lightning’ spinoff ‘Painkiller’ from Salim Akil

CW Black Lightning thegrio.com
AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 10: Actors Salim Akil, Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III, Cress Williams, Christine Adams, Armani Godholly White and Nafessa Williams attend BuzzFeed Presents: IT’S LIT powered by The CW Black Lightning on March 10, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for BuzzFeed/The CW)

Let’s hope the final season of the beloved series that stars Cress WIlliams and Nafeesa Williams brings longtime fans some closure.

Here’s the description:

Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a man with many faces. He is a former Olympic athlete, respected educator and a father of two. He is also Black Lightning, superpowered protector of the fictional city of Freeland with the ability to sense and harness electricity. Jefferson is not the only one with powers and multiple faces. His oldest daughter, Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams) is a medical student, health clinic volunteer and dedicated social activist.

She is also the super hero known as Thunder who possesses the ability to drastically increase her density, giving her invulnerability and super strength for as long as she can hold her breath. Finally, Jefferson’s youngest daughter, Jennifer Pierce (China Anne McClain), is a fiery teen who inherited her father’s athletic gifts but not his desire to be an athlete. Jennifer also inherited super powers.

Her body generates pure electrical energy and she possesses the potential to be more powerful than Anissa or Jefferson and is known as Lightning. Lynn Stewart (Christine Adams) is Jefferson’s ex-wife but they are still very much in love in addition to sharing the load as co-parents. She’s also an expert in metahuman medicine.

Together, the Pierce family faces the challenges of a declined urban community, including a menacing gang that calls itself The 100 and infamous gangster, Tobias Whale (Marvin “Krondon” Jones III). Worse, Freeland has been plagued by government-sponsored experiments and drug trafficking that have created metahumans and addicts while making Freeland a target of a dangerous foreign power, Markovia.

Fortunately, the family has allies in their fight, Jefferson’s surrogate father and a former covert superspy, Peter Gambi (James Remar), as well as Jefferson’s friend and neighbor, the committed and scrupulously honest Deputy Police Chief Henderson (Damon Gupton).

Based on the characters from DC, Black Lightning is from Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash”), Akil & Mara Brock Akil (“Being Mary Jane,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends”), Charles D. Holland (“JAG”), Oz Scott, Pat Charles and Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash”). The Black Lightning character was created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden.

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