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Batwoman's new hero has a new suit: get a first look at Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder
"Out with the old, in with the new" is a lot easier when the "new" is as awesome as the new Batwoman. New character Ryan Wilder (played by Javicia Leslie) is taking over the cowl in the second season of Batwoman, but that doesn't mean it'll be the same cowl. She'll be wearing Kate Kane's old suit for a few episodes, but that all stops in Episode 3. To give Wilder (and Leslie) a fresh start, the team has cooked up a specfic and brand-new supersuit design just for her.
Created by costume designer Maya Mani (with a wig from Janice Workman), the new look is pretty epic while still keeping in the same aesthetic vein as the original. “I was asked by [Executive Producer] Caroline Dries to design a Batsuit that was unique to the character of Ryan Wilder; as she is a highly skilled fighter, encapsulating her raw, athletic, and passionate nature was imperative," Mani said. "As Batwoman, Javicia Leslie not only brings a fresh perspective, but physical strength to the role. It was important for the new suit to define Javicia’s commanding presence while showcasing her athleticism and allowing her the freedom to express the physical nature of Batwoman, all while looking ultra-cool in the process!”
Check it out:
And a side profile as well:
The cowl is new and lighter on the face, but still opens up to let the hair flow. Red is still everywhere (including hair and gauntlets), keeping the colors in check. And Leslie is 100 percent on board: “I love the fact that Ryan is becoming her own Batwoman — it’s her style, her swag, and her moment! It was an honor to be able to collaborate with Caroline and Maya. I felt it was important that viewers could tell by the silhouette that Batwoman was a Black girl. With the form-fitting suit and beautiful Afro, we definitely nailed it!”
Dries also weighed in on the suit and how it applies to the new lead's story.
“Ryan’s journey starts from a place of ‘What can this Batsuit do for me?’ But it’s not long before she realizes the power of its symbol and what it can do for everyone else in Gotham City," Dries said. "As Ryan embraces everything that makes her special, she adjusts the suit to fit her physically and figuratively. This meant creating a new body design and new cowl that was undeniably a statement that screamed ‘powerful.’ Maya Mani sent me her drawings and I loved it. The wig was something we never perfected in Season 1, and Janice Workman crushed it with this new take. Javicia and I saw various prototypes of styles and red ombres, and at one point we were trading our own iPad-doodled versions. Janice translated that into what we are looking at now. When I see it, I smile. It makes me feel inspired.”
Batwoman returns to The CW in 2021.
