Stephen Amell, star of the CW series Arrow, has quickly become regarded as one of the most successful actors to portray a superhero in recent years. His cool, brooding Arrow serves as a bit of a contrast to the wisecracking ladies man of the comics, but fans love his Oliver Queen so much that the show has been picked up for a second season.
Arrow‘s success has led some to discuss whether there’s a possibility of Amell joining Justice League when it finally goes into production. While there’s no word from Warner Bros. on whether or not they want the actor for the role, in a recent interview Amell made it clear that he wants to be part of the film.
Amell went as far to say he’d sweep the floors after they were done filming just to have a chance at the role. He also seems to think that Green Arrow won’t necessarily just be one of the supporting characters of the JLA, but rather could develop into a core part of the league.
Check out that quote below.
I think that Green Arrow has an opportunity to mature in much the same way Iron Man did in the Marvel universe. He wasn’t necessarily a top level character, but because they made an Iron Man movie and it was successful, it vaulted him up and now he anchors the Avengers.
While I’m not sure that Green Arrow should be the anchor of Justice League, I would like to see him in the film. I definitely enjoy Arrow, and I think much of the show’s success is due to Amell. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Warner Bros. to bring him in, as that would ensure another group of already established fans. Not to say that most Arrow fans wouldn’t see Justice League if Amell wasn’t in it, but it’s still always nice to have a sense of security, especially when the project has as much trouble getting off the ground as this one has.
One issue may be how much Amell’s iteration of the character is influenced by Nolan’s Batman. Within the first few episodes of Arrow it felt like an odd extension of The Dark Knight, and that’s a major factor into why the show has worked so well. Audiences love darker heroes, and that’s certainly what we’ve gotten with Arrow. The question is whether having such a dark Green Arrow and a dark Batman would be overkill, but I honestly don’t think so.
First of all, this Batman doesn’t have to be as dark as Nolan’s version. While Batman is a dark character, and I don’t want “KAPOW” flashing across the screen again, I think a slightly less gritty Batman opens the door to some of the more fantastical villains like Clayface and Killer Croc, and the reboot would be better for that. Secondly, having two darker characters certainly isn’t going to ruin the movie. After all, they’re going to be facing someone or something that is threatening the existence of humankind as we know it. A couple somber attitudes in that situation is completely warranted. Plus, the two brooding vigilantes can be countered by comedic moments from The Flash and perhaps The Green Lantern. I’m all for adding another billionaire playboy to Justice League, and I think Amell should be that guy.