During his panel at Wizard World Philadelphia this weekend, Stephen Amell talked about various topics, such as his role as Casey Jones in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, what future projects he would like to take on as an actor, and, of course, what fans can expect to see from Arrow Season 5. Although Amell told the crowd that he did not know much about what’s coming up in the new season of the CW superhero series, as he hasn’t received a script yet and won’t be talking with the show’s writers until this Wednesday, he still did offer up a couple of interesting teasers that should appease Arrow fans until we get more details this July at San Diego Comic-Con.
Regarding Oliver’s approach to being the Green Arrow and a hero in general, Amell discussed how Oliver’s philosophy has always been very black and white in past seasons. Whether he was murdering every criminal he encountered or swearing of killing entirely, Oliver would try to stick to one sole ideology for how he stopped crime in Star City and took down his enemies. However, after the events of Season 4, there will be more “shades of gray” for Oliver in Arrow Season 5; Amell suggested that he won’t be able to look at things in such absolute ways anymore.
Additionally, Amell said that the villain for Arrow Season 5 will have a much more Season 1-type feel, and that the show will be going away from the mystical and magical storylines that have been a major part of it the past two seasons and returning more to its early series roots. While Amell didn’t know exact details about the villain, his words do support TVLine’s description of a Stringer Bell-like character as Season 5’s major foe. And although Amell certainly seemed very pleased about the possibilities of this new Big Bad, he appeared equally as excited about the new DC vigilante that Arrow will be introducing in its fifth season.
Lastly, Amell also touched upon two of the most important woman in Oliver’s life: Felicity and Laurel. Amell told the Wizard World crowd on Saturday that he felt “terrible” about Laurel’s death, because after four seasons of working with Katie Cassidy, he didn’t want to say goodbye to his friend and co-worker. He also admitted that Oliver crying during Laurel’s death scene was unscripted–those were Amell’s real tears.
Meanwhile, regarding Felicity, Amell said that she and Oliver won’t be back together at the start of Season 5, but he also expressed words of hope for the Olicity fans out there that want the couple back together. While their relationship was put on the back-burner during the final stretch of Arrow Season 4 (a decision that Amell agreed with given the death of Laurel and the extreme life-or-death situations Team Arrow was facing), he hinted that the show would return its focus on the couple, no matter their relationship status, in Season 5.
Arrow Season 5 will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. this fall on The CW.
[Photo credit: Bettina Strauss/The CW]
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