It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Melissa Benoist.
The "Glee" standout has landed the leading role in the upcoming CBS superhero series "Supergirl," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Benoist will play the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El, who is Superman's cousin.
Benoist joined the cast of "Glee" at the beginning of the Fox show's fourth season. She played one of the new McKinley High students who filled the empty chairs of New Directions after its senior class graduated.
Her character, Marley Rose, actually dressed up as a superhero, known as Woman Fierce, in the season four episode, "Dynamic Duets." She sang "Holding Out for a Hero" in a duet with her classmate Kitty Wilde (Becca Tobin).
The 25-year-old actress also stars in the Oscar-nominated film "Whiplash." Her previous TV credits include "Homeland," "The Good Wife" and "Blue Bloods."
Kara escaped the planet Krypton before its absolute destruction and landed on Earth. As a child, she was fostered by the Danvers family who taught her to be careful with her powers, which she shares with her older super cousin.
"Supergirl" will join Kara's story at 24 when she finally decides to embrace her powers after having to suppress them for so long. An unexpected disaster will force her hand and she soon feels "energized by her heroic deed," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The young woman starts using her powers to help the people of her city and, in turn, the citizens call her "Supergirl."
CBS is the only broadcast network without a superhero-based TV series as of yet. ABC has the two Marvel shows, "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "Agent Carter." NBC has "Constantine," and Fox has "Gotham," both from the DC Comics universe.
"Supergirl" executive producer Greg Berlanti also oversees the CW shows based on DC Comics characters, "Arrow" and The Flash."
The hour-long drama has not received an official series order.
