This weekend @JSandlinWriter attended Heroes & Villains Fan Fest, a combined con with @HeroesFanFest and @WalkrStalkrCon in Nashville, TN.
Jay had front row seats for the #CW panels, featuring Arrow star Stephen Amell (@StephenAmell) who plays Oliver Queen, on The CW’s Arrow. The panel was a Q&A format, and Amell’s lovely wife, Cassandra Jean, served as the moderator.
Amell addressed the widespread musical talent in the Arrow-verse. During the panel Q&A a fan asked if he would ever step up to the mic and show off his singing skills. Amell seemed less than interested. He remarked that all members of the cast had their talents and, while others could sing, he was able to climb the salmon ladder.
Still, Amell acknowledged that the idea of him singing does keep coming up. Despite not having a musical background, he imagined how Oliver might sing on Arrow:
“It does keep coming up. I mean, hopefully we can see Oliver sing at some point before it’s all said and done. But it’d probably be in a bar by himself, in front of a piano that he can’t even play.”
A fan asked Amell if he had any of the props or costume pieces from Arrow. Amell laughed and said that he had “taken home and forgotten to return” the bow he used in the pilot. But he was meaning to bring it back, “any day now!”
Amell promised not to reveal any major secrets. He said The CW was nervous about him revealing big news to come. Amell teased that there will be a big announcement from The CW Upfronts on Thursday the 17th in NY.
“I’m gonna be in New York on Thursday for The CW’s Upfronts. And I get to make a really fun announcement. And The CW is just so freaked out that I’m going to spoil it at some point during this panel.”
Amell continued to tease about future announcements that The CW was nervous about him spoiling. Amell hinted at Oliver receiving metahuman abilities in the future on Arrow. During the Q&A a fan asked the hooded one what superpower he’d like for Oliver to develop. Amell said,
“I think there might be a way for Oliver to have a superpower this year….The CW gets more and more nervous.”
This may have been a tease or referring to a one-off episode where Oliver develops metahuman superpowers of some kind. Diehard fans flinched at this announcement. The Green Arrow does not have a history of superpowers in the comic books. While The CW has clearly embraced superpowers in the Arrow-verse, Oliver Queen has remained a vanilla human. His limitations and vulnerability have come to define him for six seasons. Will The CW really change Arrow that much? Let us know what you think!
Amell was also asked which character he would play in the DCU films. Amell made it clear he didn’t want to come across as if he were lobbying for a part, but he would enjoy playing the Riddler.
Amell also mentioned receiving help from Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles when preparing to make Arrow. One fan asked #WhoWouldWin in a fight between Amell and Padalecki and Amell had no doubt that Padalecki would win in a straight-up fight. He described Padalecki as freakishly strong and said he once picked him up and put him on his shoulder. Amell did, however, lose a sports bet with Padalecki for one-thousand dollars.
Amell paid him in full. In Canadian loonie coins.
Amell’s promises for Arrow all seem bright. Will Oliver Queen gain powers? Maybe the upcoming announcement involves a new show, a spin-off, or a future crossover. What do you think it might be? Let us know in the comments or tell me on twitter @JSandlinWriter.
Amell left the panel with an ominous warning that fans may not like where this season leaves the characters:
“I really hope you dig the finale this week… I think it’s really cool. I think it’s visually interesting. I think it’s unapologetic, and I think that it leaves everyone with a great deal of certainty of where every character is except you might not like all the places they are.”
Arrow season 6 finale will air on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 9/8c on The CW.