The Flash and Arrow small screen universe is gearing up to expand in a spectacular way that will dig deeper into existing secondary characters and introduce all-new characters in one fell swoop.
As first reported by Deadline last night and confirmed by executive producer Greg Berlanti this morning via Twitter, The CW is working on an Arrow and The Flash spinoff TV series that was originally alluded to during The CW’s TCA back in January. Berlanti used the hashtag #SuperHeroTeamup in describing the new series, and based on where the casting is headed, we could be looking at the closest thing to a live-action version of the incredibly fun animated Batman: The Brave and the Bold series as we’ll ever get.
Rumored to be negotiating for roles or having already signed up as regulars are Brandon Routh, Victor Garber, Wenthworth Miller, and Caity Lotz. Routh currently plays Ray Palmer/The Atom on Arrow and took the fully functional superhero suit for its first test flight this past Wednesday night. Palmer could relatively easily pick up and move to a different city if need-be, though his burgeoning relationship with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) would likely be iced.
Garber plays Martin Stein on The Flash, otherwise known as one-half of Firestorm. Speaking of, Stein and his other half, Ronnie Raymond (Robbie Amell), recently departed Central City for Pittsburgh to learn more about their unique “bond.”
Yes, we're creating a spinoff from #Arrow and #TheFlash and couldn't be more excited by the cast signing on. More to come. #SuperheroTeamUp
— Love, Greg (@GBerlanti) February 27, 2015
Amell’s name hasn’t come up yet in rumors but it’s hard to imagine Garber being a series regular on this new show without Amell alongside him. I fully expect Amell to join the new series and suspect his negotiations aren’t quite as far along as the other four, thus why his name is conspicuously absent.
Miller is the oddball of the bunch as he plays Captain Cold on The Flash, a clear cut villain. There’s no word on whether Dominic Purcell as fellow villain and counterbalance Heat Wave is being recruited for either a recurring or regular role.
The last and most complex name attached to the new Arrow and The Flash spinoff is Caity Lotz who played the now deceased Sara Lance on Arrow. If Ray Palmer is around and in his Atom suit then the new series cannot be a prequel. I would expect Sara to either be brought back to life by the Lazarus Pit that Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable) loves bathing in that just made an appearance, or either The Flash or Reverse Flash to pull off their time travel magic and save her from Thea’s (Willa Holland) drug-influenced wrath — and save Thea’s conscience the same time.
Deadline’s report also mentions that at three “major” other DC Comics superheroes are being written into the new series that have never appeared on TV in a live-action form before. If my suspicions are correct and the new series does have a Batman: The Brave and the Bold influence, wouldn’t it be great if Plastic Man and Nightwing showed up?
Also on the table is the potential for any or all of The Flash and Arrow characters to crossover into the new series and vice versa.
Arrow creators Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Marc Guggenheim are bringing the spinoff to life and it is expected to bypass the pilot stage and go straight to series. It could premiere as early as a year from now.
Source: Deadline
