CW Developing Series Based On Female Gladiator Story The Valiant

The CW is developing a series based on Lesley Livingston's young adult Roman coliseum combat novel The Valiant, Variety has learned.

Described as a one-hour drama series, the show would adapt a story of a kidnapped Celtic princess forced to fight for her freedom in the gladiatorial arenas of a Roman Empire ruled by Julius Caesar. The Valiant would not be unusual for the network should the show receive a full-season order, joining a robust slate of young adult and genre programming the network has pursued with its DC Comics superhero pantheon and series like The Vampire Diaries. 

The adaptation will be written and executive produced by Laurie Arent, who was most recently a co-executive producer and writer for NCIS: New Orleans and a consulting producer and writer for The Client List. It will be executive produced by Mary Beth Brasile, who previously produced the series Life Unexpected for CW and also produced a supernatural pilot for USA Network called Evil Men. 

Even without seeing a frame of footage, we can bet The Valiant will be better than that time the CW tried to get a Wonder Woman series off the ground. A sequel to The Valiant, The Defiant, will be released in spring 2018. Until we hear more, binge yourself on the CW's growing stable of DC Comics superhero shows, and check out our list of how these DC superheroes should really look.