‘Supergirl’ Picked Up: CBS Superhero Series Soars With ‘Glee’ Actress Melissa Benoist, Calista Flockhart, Dean Cain [Video]

Supergirl has been picked up by CBS. Featuring Glee actress Melissa Benoist, the superhero series soars to TV sets later in 2015, reported the New York Daily News.

Melissa plays Kara Zor-El, cousin of the one-and-only Man of Steel’s cousin. Others who will join her in the DC show are Mehcad Brooks as James Olsen, Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant, David Harewood as Hank Henshaw, and Faran Tahir as The Commander.

In addition, although their roles are not yet known, Helen Slater (the original 1984 Supergirl movie actress) and Dean Cain are cast. Dean played superhero Superman and his alias, mild-mannered Clark Kent, on TV previously.

But it wasn’t easy to design that superheroine costume for Melissa, revealed Colleen Atwood. Winner of an Oscar, the designer wanted to reflect the history of the comic book character but also show that she was a go-to-it girl for today.

“In designing Supergirl, I wanted to embrace the past, but more importantly, thrust her into the street-style action hero of today,” explained Atwood.

As the Inquisitr reported, the casting process for Supergirl was highly competitive. Other actresses longing to take flight as a superheroine included Claire Holt and Elizabeth Lail. But Benoist made it through the competitive selection process to emerge as the newest TV hero.

Melissa’s role is based on the characters from DC Comics. The project itself combines the talents of Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Prods., with the entire show built around Benoist’s character of Kara Zor-El.

The plot reveals how Kara Zor-El was born on the planet Krypton. After escaping despite Krypton’s destruction, Supergirl escapes to planet Earth. Although her powers resemble those of a famous cousin you might have heard of (Superman), Kara Zor-El hides her skills until she achieves her current age of 24.

Part of the Earthly lessons come from Kara’s foster family the Danvers, who warn Melissa’s character to be cautious with those super powers. But with unattractive eyeglasses and pulled-back hair, even Kara’s prettiness is hidden until she finds herself in a position to perform a heroic act.

Supergirl is authored by Berlanti, Ali Adler, and Andrew Kreisberg, reported Yahoo News.

Berlanti, Adler, and Sarah Schechter executive produce. The date on which the pilot will air has not yet been announced.

As for the significance of Supergirl? With the exception of ABC, DC is soaring with a series on every network, reported Forbes.

It’s also a win for Greg Berlanti, who already produces Arrow and The Flash. He now has shows on three networks, making him almost a superhero writer on his own.

[Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images]