"Arrow" has found its Black Canary ... and it's not the Katie you think it is.
Actress Caity Lotz is set to play the alter-ego of Dinah Drake Lance on The CW superhero series, The Wrap reports. According to the website, Lotz will recur as the Black Canary on "Arrow's" upcoming second season. She is expected to eventually become a series regular, since her character is a potential love interest for Oliver Queen/Arrow (Stephen Amell).
The Black Canary casting news comes as a bit of a surprise to "Arrow" fans who long believed that Katie Cassidy's character Dinah "Laurel" Lance would become the legendary superhero, as she does in the DC Comics franchise.
Throughout "Arrow's" first season, there were a few references to Laurel becoming the Black Canary, including the character saying she wore fishnets to a Halloween party (a staple of the Black Canary's costume) and mentioning that her sister Sara had a black canary.
The Black Canary character, who possesses the superhuman ability of a super sonic scream (a.k.a. the "Canary Cry") that can shatter objects and incapacitate her opponents, has been buzzed about since Cassidy was cast as Laurel.
"I definitely would like that to happen somewhat soon because I think it would be cool to kick some ass as a woman and turn into the Black Canary," Cassidy told IGN in the fall of 2012. "However, story-wise, I think they're going about it the right way. You never know. They're writers. They change their minds. They can do anything!"
Around the same time, Cassidy told reporters, (via KSiteTV) "When -- if [she becomes Black Canary] is always still a question ... I try not to think about that at this point because I think sometimes I can get in my own way if I over-think it. I think as far as the Black Canary goes, it will probably happen very organically. I know that Laurel is very strong, very tough. She comes from a middle class family; her father’s a cop; she knows how to fight … It’s probably going to be pretty cool."
When introducing Cassidy at "Arrow's" Paleyfest panel in March 2013, DC Comics's Chief Creative Officer and moderator Geoff Johns called her the "Black Canary to be," according to TV Guide. But "Arrow" co-creator and executive producer Marc Guggenheim noted that the Black Canary develoment "has to be earned. It has to be real.” Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg added, "For Laurel, where she's at right now, we don't want to do disservice to Laurel or Oliver that she could have a bad day and put on fishnets and just start killing people."
Fans were also teased about Oliver's sister Thea (Willa Holland) becoming Speedy before it was hinted that her boyfriend Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) would take on the role of Arrow's sidekick.
As for Lotz, some may recognize her from her recurring role as Anna Draper's niece Stephanie on AMC's "Mad Men." She also starred on the MTV series "Death Valley" and will soon be seen in Screen Gems' dance film "Battle of the Year," as well as the indie movies "The Machine" and "Live at the Foxes Den."
For more on the casting, click over to The Wrap.
The Huffington Post's request for confirmation from The CW was not immediately returned. Reported by Huffington Post 5 days ago.
Actress Caity Lotz is set to play the alter-ego of Dinah Drake Lance on The CW superhero series, The Wrap reports. According to the website, Lotz will recur as the Black Canary on "Arrow's" upcoming second season. She is expected to eventually become a series regular, since her character is a potential love interest for Oliver Queen/Arrow (Stephen Amell).
The Black Canary casting news comes as a bit of a surprise to "Arrow" fans who long believed that Katie Cassidy's character Dinah "Laurel" Lance would become the legendary superhero, as she does in the DC Comics franchise.
Throughout "Arrow's" first season, there were a few references to Laurel becoming the Black Canary, including the character saying she wore fishnets to a Halloween party (a staple of the Black Canary's costume) and mentioning that her sister Sara had a black canary.
The Black Canary character, who possesses the superhuman ability of a super sonic scream (a.k.a. the "Canary Cry") that can shatter objects and incapacitate her opponents, has been buzzed about since Cassidy was cast as Laurel.
"I definitely would like that to happen somewhat soon because I think it would be cool to kick some ass as a woman and turn into the Black Canary," Cassidy told IGN in the fall of 2012. "However, story-wise, I think they're going about it the right way. You never know. They're writers. They change their minds. They can do anything!"
Around the same time, Cassidy told reporters, (via KSiteTV) "When -- if [she becomes Black Canary] is always still a question ... I try not to think about that at this point because I think sometimes I can get in my own way if I over-think it. I think as far as the Black Canary goes, it will probably happen very organically. I know that Laurel is very strong, very tough. She comes from a middle class family; her father’s a cop; she knows how to fight … It’s probably going to be pretty cool."
When introducing Cassidy at "Arrow's" Paleyfest panel in March 2013, DC Comics's Chief Creative Officer and moderator Geoff Johns called her the "Black Canary to be," according to TV Guide. But "Arrow" co-creator and executive producer Marc Guggenheim noted that the Black Canary develoment "has to be earned. It has to be real.” Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg added, "For Laurel, where she's at right now, we don't want to do disservice to Laurel or Oliver that she could have a bad day and put on fishnets and just start killing people."
Fans were also teased about Oliver's sister Thea (Willa Holland) becoming Speedy before it was hinted that her boyfriend Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) would take on the role of Arrow's sidekick.
As for Lotz, some may recognize her from her recurring role as Anna Draper's niece Stephanie on AMC's "Mad Men." She also starred on the MTV series "Death Valley" and will soon be seen in Screen Gems' dance film "Battle of the Year," as well as the indie movies "The Machine" and "Live at the Foxes Den."
For more on the casting, click over to The Wrap.
The Huffington Post's request for confirmation from The CW was not immediately returned. Reported by Huffington Post 5 days ago.