The 2020s have seen some of the most beloved comic book characters come to life in life action adaptations, thus spurring a variety of interesting fan-made castings. One suggested casting that’s gaining fan support is Austin Butler as Green Arrow in the DCEU.
The Elvis star has been rumored to play Oliver Queen for quite some time now, and this transformation by clements.ink on Instagram surely proves that he would fit the part quite well.
The image shows Butler as the superhero archer with his signature green mask and specialty arrows on his back. The photo was captioned, “Saw a rumour @austinbutler could be up for green arrow and I love this idea! Dude would kill it!”
The rumors suggest that Green Arrow will be a main character in the upcoming Black Canary film for HBO Max, and a spin-off of 2020’s Birds of Prey. After the controversial cancellations of projects by Warner Bros., fans were relieved to know that the standalone film was still in production, and Jurnee Smollett will reprise her role as the screaming vigilante, Dinah Lance.
In the comic books, Green Arrow and Black Canary are members of the Justice League of America and have a long, rocky relationship as a couple starting with Oliver’s instant attraction to Dinah. The pair also had their own comic book series with 32 issues of Green Arrow and Black Canary published between 2007 and 2010.
Butler seems to be a perfect role for the billionaire playboy turned vigilante, and his recent endeavors have showcased his acting chops brilliantly. He starred in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood alongside juggernauts Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, and he has received widespread praise for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the biopic, Elvis. He will also appear in Dune: Part Two, which is currently being filmed.
Green Arrow was famously introduced as a live action character in the CW’s Smallville, where he was portrayed by Justin Hartley. The character gained even more mainstream fame on television through Stephen Amell’s acclaimed performance on Arrow, which lasted eight seasons and kickstarted a universe of its own, popularly referred to as the Arrowverse. In the latter series, Katie Cassidy took on the role of Black Canary.
There’s still no word from the DCEU or Butler as to whether any of these rumors hold weight, so it’s best not to get too invested, but the visuals do make the actor a worthy contender for the modern day Robin Hood.