Black Lightning may be coming to an end with its upcoming fourth season, but fans of the show do have a potential spinoff in their future with Painkiller, a backdoor pilot for a new series based around Jordan Calloway’s character Khalil Payne.
The pilot will air as the seventh episode of Black Lightning season four, with showrunner Salim Akil writing, directing and executive producing, and now thanks to Deadline we have word on the first new additions to the cast in Sibongile Mlambo (Lovecraft Country), Alexander Hodge (Insecure) and James Roch (Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas).
Mlambo will play Maya, ” astrikingly attractive woman yet is icy and mysterious. She is a natural leader who immediately gives the impression that she is someone who expects results and is not to be messed around with.”
Hodge has been cast as Philky, “a ruggedly handsome with long raven hair, ink art on his body, and one born from a strong Chinese lineage. The character has had a rough history, who was once a homeless alcoholic from Gotham but now works as an inconspicuous bartender and an exceptionally gifted tech wiz helping Khalil.”
SEE ALSO: Watch the trailer for Black Lightning’s final season
Roch will portray Cousin Donald, “a larger-than-life, gentle giant who wears a distinct uniform – head-to-toe leather with matching boots – a juxtaposition of his military past. He was a medic in the Marines and knows medicine well but also has the ability of talking perspective to others. There is a duality about Cousin Donald, which is why he understands Khalil better than others.”
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