CW’s Legends of Tomorrow continues the story of Arrow and The Flash with a conflict between Rip Hunter and Vandal Savage.
Marvel Studios has the market cornered when it comes to shared superhero universes on film – but in television, DC is on a much stronger footing. It started with Arrow, a CW television series based on the exploits of the comic book vigilante Green Arrow. Then The Flash introduced superpowers, time travel, and many more traditional comic book concepts to the world’s lore. Now DC is going full-blown team-up with Legends of Tomorrow, centering on a time-travel plot involving Rip Hunter and the immortal Vandal Savage.
Set in the same fictional universe as Arrow and Flash, Legends of Tomorrow introduces Rip Hunter – a time-traveler who knows an apocalyptic future will be initiated by Savage. To prevent the disaster, Hunter travels to modern-day and unites a team newly-rising heroes and villains. Outside of Arrow and Flash (who presumably fill the occasional guest role), these “Legends” include the Atom, Hawkgirl, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, White Canary, and Firestorm.
The trailer introduces the misfit team during their first meeting on a secluded rooftop, only for Hunter (played by Arthur Darvill) to step into view and reveal why everyone must come together. Along the way, we see displays of each character’s power, a fight scene in an enemy base… and the foot of a giant robot smashing through the roof. Consider me sold.
Combined, Legends of Tomorrow could make for an incredibly impressive series, and it kicks the doors wide open for countless other DC heroes. Green Lantern is perhaps the most likely example, considering he’s already rumored to appear in Arrow for Season 4 and was the subject of a recent Ferris Air Easter Egg in The Flash.
Taking a group of characters who aren’t as well-known as the Justice League might be a risky movie, but the CW has done fantastic work with Arrow and The Flash so far. Legends of Tomorrow should be well-worth watching when it launches in the 2015-2016 television season.
