Ryan Wilder is graduating to the big league.

While The CW’s new Batwoman held her own last season against the likes of Black Mask and Safiyah, she’s about to go toe-to-toe with one of the Dark Knight’s biggest, most lethally effective adversaries—Poison Ivy. It was revealed today that actress Bridget Regan has been cast in the role of Pamela Isley on Batwoman in a take on the character that promises to bring her back to her villainous…er, roots.

Here’s what the official description has to say about Regan’s Ivy: A former botany student of Gotham University, Pamela Isley was a passionate, brilliant scientist with a mind for changing the world for the better.  But her plans shifted when she was experimented on by a colleague, injected with various plant toxins which turned her into the infamous Batman villain: Poison Ivy. With a formidable power coursing through her veins, Pamela used her powers to do what she thought was right…even if Batman and those closest to her disagreed with her dangerous methods. Now effectively wiped off the board for years, the bat team must prepare themselves for Poison Ivy to return with a vengeance.

It’s unclear at this time whether Ivy will be next season’s “big bad,” a supporting villain like season two’s Hush, or something in between. However, bringing a popular, well-known Gotham rogue to The CW series will both increase the show’s profile among more casual Batman fans and offer Javicia Leslie’s Ryan her most formidable challenge yet. (Fortunately, she’ll have a bit more help than last season now that Luke Fox has officially graduated to Batwing.)

Regan has a long history working in television, with notable recent roles in shows like Paradise Lost, Jane the Virgin and The Last Ship. While her Batwoman role will mark her first stint as a DC character, it won’t be her first foray into the realm of superheroes and villains—she played Dottie Underwood in two memorable seasons of ABC’s Agent Carter. Regan also won’t be the first actress to bring Poison Ivy to life on the small screen. Ivy has been played in live action by three different actresses over the past eight years…all on the same show. Gotham introduced the character as a child before aging her up, resulting in Clare Foley, Maggie Geha and Peyton List all embodying the role at different times. More recently, Ivy has been voiced indelibly by Lake Bell on the HBO Max animated series Harley Quinn.

For now, though, let us know what you think of this news! Are you excited to see Dr. Isley brought to life on Batwoman? Do you think she’ll be strictly villainous, or will she ultimately skirt the line the way she has in so many recent interpretations? And who else would you love to see mix things up with Ryan and Luke? Let us know your thoughts on all of this over in the DC Community and keep your eye on DCComics.com for more Batwoman news as it breaks!

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