It was the year 2012 when Marc Guggenheim and Stephen Amell released the iconic CW show Arrow. The show became a pop culture phenomenon that changed superhero television history for good.
Leading the charge was Arrow lead star Stephen Amell. But before the renowned actor was signed for the project, there was another. Fan-favorite actor Justin Hartley was considered by millions to be Oliver Queen before co-creator Marc Guggenheim actively dismissed him.
How Smallville Led To Stephen Amell’s Arrow
Before Arrow, there was a 2001 show named Smallville that focused on the life of Superman as a superhero protecting teenagers. Naturally, there were a ton of actors who appeared as characters from DC Comics in the show.
Throughout the entire 10-season run of the show, Justin Hartley portrayed the character of Green Arrow whenever he was onscreen. When Smallville finished airing, the CW show Arrow was announced.
Naturally, fans were excited and had already cast Justin Hartley in the upcoming show. They were disappointed when Arrow co-creator Marc Guggenheim revealed to Canada.com that they plan to go their own separate way.
We wanted to chart our own course, our own destiny. I don’t think we felt any desire or need to let the ground lie fallow, especially since this is such a different take.
The show decided to star Stephen Amell in the lead role and it found worldwide fame and critical acclaim. However, the show also ran into its fair share of trouble.
Having a run for 8 seasons, the production of Arrow was smooth in the beginning but chaotic in the end. Even lead star Stephen Amell had some problems with how the show ended.
Stephen Amell Wanted To End Arrow Sooner
The show was having the time of its life since Arrow essentially changed the way how superhero television shows were perceived. The series also kickstarted the Arrowverse where other characters could also have their time in the spotlight.
It was going quite well when during the almost final episodes of Season 6, lead star Stephen Amell called Greg Berlanti (the screenwriter for Arrow) and gave some devastating news.
In an interview with E! News, the actor revealed that 8 seasons of the iconic show was a bit too much for him.
I wasn’t very specific about the ending but I called Greg Berlanti on maybe episode 15 or 16 in Season 6 and said my contract was through Season 7.
Amell further continued,
I said, “It’s time, man.” And he goes, “No, it’s not!” And I said, “Yeah, it is.” He goes, “Would you please take one week? Call me back in one week at this time and if you feel the same way, I will take it to [WBTV President] Peter Roth and [CW President] Mark Pedowitz.
The show ran for two more seasons with Arrow receiving a conclusion in Season 8 Episode 10 of the series. The show aired its series finale in 2020 and Amell found freedom from the role of Oliver Queen.
Arrow received a rating of 7.5/10 on IMDB and a whopping 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. With 8 seasons to its name, the iconic show is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
