On Saturday, The CWâs signature superhero dramas, âArrowâ and âThe Flashâ were honored with a rare doubleheader panel at the annual PaleyFest in Los Angeles. SuperHeroHype was among the media crowd on the red carpet, which only allowed about two minutes with each cast member. Fortunately, Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, John Barrowman and executive producer Marc Guggenheim had some spoilery things to say about the upcoming âArrowâ episodes. As for âThe Flash,â Grant Gustin, Candice Patton and Rick Cosnett teased several of the stories that will close out the first season.
Stephen Amell
SuperHeroHype: How long do you think Arrow will run? And is there a possibility of Arrow becoming a movie after the series ends?
Stephen Amell: I think weâre gonna do six seasons, unless something goes horribly awry and I say something incredibly stupid with nine microphones in my face. But weâll probably do six seasons and then see from there. Thereâs a pretty good track record of successful television shows transitioning to the big screen. Thatâs not something that we really think about, because when youâre in the soup of a twenty-three episode season, you canât possibly think about a theoretical movie three-and-a-half years down the road.
SHH: Youâve said that Felicity is the only woman in Oliverâs life this season. Is that still the case? If so, what did you think about the fansâ reaction to her and Ray getting together recently? Because it seems like theyâre crying, they wanted Oliver to be with Felicity.
Amell: Seasonâs not over yet. [laughs] She is definitely the only woman in his life this year. But not the only woman that he has to save.
SHH: Whatâs his relationship with this newbie, wannabe superhero?
Amell: His relationship with Ray Palmer is excellent. His relationship with Ray Palmer if Ray Palmer is going to be the Atom⌠that could be a different set of circumstances.
SHH: Whatâs it like working with Brandon Routh in those scenes?
Amell: Itâs a little bit of the same sort of vibe that I get working with Grant [Gustin] that Oliver is pretty sullen and serious a lot of the time and I like working with Brandon and Grant because I get to play humor, even in deadpan looks, which is something that I really enjoy.
SHH: What is so tempting about the offer that Oliver is getting right now?
Amell: One of the things that Raâs pitches to him is that the League does as Raâs al Ghul commands. So if he commands that they stop killing, they stop killing. You are the architect of the League of Assassins when youâre Raâs al Ghul and thatâs an army for him to command⌠in theory.
SHH: Has WWE reached out to you about getting you on RAW?
Amell: Weâve been in touch a little bit. Maybe around the start of the fourth season weâll try to do something⌠I think. They donât know that. [Laughs]
Katie Cassidy
SHH: What was your favorite part of the season?
Katie Cassidy: Oh my gosh! There were so many⌠Well, hello! Obviously when I got to put on the costume and become Black Canary was pretty cool. Thereâs so much of it, I love that when Laurel puts on the costume that sheâs not necessarily good at first. Sheâs messy, sheâs going with her heart, her heart and her fight and⌠[John Barrowman walks behind her] Sorry! He just rubbed my ass!
John Barrowman: Sorry!
Cassidy: I was like, âwho just rubbed my ass?! Oh, itâs John.â [Laughs]
Barrowman: It just looked so good!
Cassidy: Oh thanks. [she turns back to SHH]. I think [my favorite episode] was 13, The Canaries episode where Laurel is hallucinating her sister. That episode was so fun for me and I was very, very active. Any time I get to be a part of the action and the A-story, I love that. I actually really love the episode where Laurel really goes after [Malcolm]. I donât know! Sheâs kind of crazy, but really cool.
SHH: Whatâs coming up with Laurel in the rest of the season?
Cassidy: Youâll see her character and her journey continue to grow. As I said, when she was first Black Canary, she wasnât very good. But youâll see her [advance]. Nyssa plays a big role in that and ends up teaching her a thing or two to help her evolve and expand on that.
John Barrowman
SHH: Whatâs coming up with Malcolm in the rest of Arrow Season 3?
John Barrowman: Well, thereâs big changes for everybody, but whatâs amazing is that the things that have happened with Malcolm gives me as the character and also the writers a free reign to do anything that they want because heâs divulged who he is emotionally. Heâs exposing himself [not in that kind of way!], but heâs exposing himself in a self way and an emotional way to all of the other characters. So, is he asking for their trust? We donât know. I mean⌠I really want to tell you whatâs going to happen, but itâs so f***ing exciting itâs not even funny.
SHH: Do you think that Malcolm is going towards a redemptive arc?
Barrowman: I donât know. Keep watching, because is he going for redemption or is he going to find out that heâs still the villain or is he going to be a dad? Or is he going to be an amalgamation of all three while working with alliances that are unconventional? Thatâs all I can say.
SHH: Has anyone talked to you about Arrow Season 4?
Barrowman: Oh yeah. Iâve already been commissioned and Iâm here for a while. Iâll be here for a long time.
SHH: So thereâs no getting rid of Malcolm Merlyn?
Barrowman: Thereâs no getting rid of John Barrowman!