With the Arrowverse over after more than a decade, stars from the TV franchise could make the jump to film in James Gunn’s DC Universe. The Arrowverse’s shows kept DC going in live-action when the DCEU left much to be desired in the movie side. While the DC TV universe did have issues over the years, the franchise will be mostly remembered with fondness, as the Arrowverse showed that a shared DC universe in live-action was possible.

Crossover events like Crisis on Infinite Earths included several DC characters, with the Arrowverse bringing in a talented roster as the many DC heroes and villains that appeared over several seasons of television. While no Arrowverse actor has been cast in a project on the DC Universe slate, that could change. James Gunn has said that he wants to work with The Flash‘s Grant Gustin, and both Gustin and Arrow star Stephen Amell are open to joining the DCU. As such, the actors and other Arrowverse stars could potentially shine as major characters in the DCU’s future.

10

Caity Lotz As Mera

She Has Experience In A Leadership Role

Amber Heard played Mera in the DCEU, and given the controversies surrounding the actress, she is unlikely to make the jump to the DCEU. Mera and Aquaman did not appear in the Arrowverse, despite the franchise including some major DC heroes. Caity Lotz was a constant presence in the shared DC TV universe. The actress first played Sara Lance in Arrow, eventually becoming the lead of the spinoff series Legends of Tomorrow.

In that show, Lotz really got to shine. She displayed great leadership and fighting skills as Sara, aka the White Canary. After her time leading the crew of misfits in the Waverider, Lotz is ready for an even bigger DC role. The actress would be a great fit for Mera, who is also a fierce warrior and a leader of Atlantis, in the new DC Universe.

9

Josh Segarra As Booster Gold

The DCU Can Show A New Side Of The Actor

This casting would come as a surprise to those who only know Josh Segarra from the Arrowverse, but it would be perfect for the actor’s skills. Segarra gave life to one of the best Arrowverse villains, playing Prometheus in Arrow. An argument could be made about the character being the biggest villain of Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow, as Prometheus managed to stand a few steps ahead of Oliver Queen throughout their clash.

Despite being clearly skilled in a villain role, Segarra would make for a perfect comedic superhero like Booster Gold. The actor’s resume includes projects like The Other Two, Abbot Elementary, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, in which Segarra shows his impeccable comedic timing and charisma. With his comedy skills on display in the MCU, Segarra is ready to now lead a superhero comedy as Booster Gold in the DCU.

8

Tyler Hoechlin As Jor-El

Perfect Legacy Casting

Tyler Hoechlin should be the final live-action Superman actor other than David Corenswet for quite some time. The star began his journey as Clark Kent with a guest spot in the Arrowverse’s Supergirl. After returning to the role over the years, Hoechlin got the chance to prove himself as the hero in Superman & Lois, which is not part of the Arrowverse. As the star of his own project, Hoechlin has now become one of the best Superman actors ever.

Sadly, due to the start of the new DC Universe and changes at The CW, Superman & Lois was canceled, with the upcoming season 4 being the last of the series. Given how he is the last live-action Superman before Corenswet debuts next year in Gunn’s Superman movie, Hoechlin could have been secretly cast as Jor-El for symbolism. It would be quite heartfelt to have the latest Superman play the Kryptonian father of Corenswet’s Kal-El, essentially passing the baton to the new actor.

7

Tom Cavanagh As Two-Face

The Arrowverse’s Most Versatile Star

Tom Cavanagh played several different versions of Harrison Wells in the Arrowverse. The actor came back for every season of The Flash as a new Wells or more, with Cavanagh also giving life to the best villain in the series. Cavanagh was one of two actors who played Reverse-Flash in the Arrowverse, with the actor being the one to appear more often as Barry Allen’s nemesis. Cavanagh’s multiple Arrowverse roles have prepared him for Two-Face.

Batman will debut in the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold movie. No villain has currently been confirmed for the project, which means that the door is still open for director Andy Muschietti to use Two-Face in it. Cavanagh has shown in the Arrowverse that he could be the best live-action Two-Face yet. Many of his versions of Harrison Wells were incredibly charismatic, and some quite smart, making him great for Harvey Dent. Adding to that, his work as Reverse-Flash means his Two-Face would be one of the DCU’s most frightening villains.

6

Colton Haynes As Red Hood

The Perfect Fit For Jason Todd

Arrow‘s Colton Haynes would be pitch-perfect casting for Jason Todd, aka Red Hood, in the DCU. The actor became famous for playing Roy Harper, aka Arsenal, in Arrow. Haynes’ work in the DC series contributed to the best formation of Team Arrow and the best seasons of the series, led by Amell as Oliver Queen. The DCU could do with an actor whose presence in a team setting can instantly make a project better.

Haynes’ Roy Harper had a lot of the past trauma and violent attitude that Jason Todd is known for as Red Hood in DC Comics. As such, it would be a seamless transition for the actor to play the anti-hero in the DCU. Given how Damian Wayne, the fourth male Robin, is confirmed for Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie, Jason Todd and the rest of the older Robins should appear in the DCU.

5

Cress Williams As Silas Stone

A Complex Role

Cress Williams was one of the actors who got to lead their own series in the Arrowverse. While Black Lightning was not quite as popular as projects like Arrow or The Flash, Williams did some amazing work as Jefferson Pierce in the Arrowverse. After some time standing alone, Black Lightning was brought in for the Arrowverse’s crossovers, with the actor showing that he did great as part of a shared universe.

Now that the Arrowverse is over, perhaps the perfect role for Williams in the new DC Universe would not be that of a hero himself, but as Cyborg’s father, Silas Stone. The actor has shown that he has the skills to take on a nuanced role. Victor Stone, aka Cyborg, has some friction with his father due to the character turning him into a machine man, and Williams could deliver a heartfelt performance behind the motives that led to that happening.

4

Brandon Routh As Ted Kord

The Casting That Fell Through

Another Superman actor who could join the DCU is Brandon Routh. The actor first played the Man of Steel in Superman Returns. Interestingly, when Routh reprised his Superman in the Arrowverse’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, his costume featured the “Kingdom Come” version of Superman’s “S” crest. That also serves as the inspiration for David Corenswet’s Superman suit. His Superman guest role aside, Routh played Ray Palmer, aka the Atom, in multiple Arrowverse series.

The character is a technological genius who is also quite charismatic. That could translate well into the role of Ted Kord, the Blue Beetle before Jaime Reyes, in the DCU. Adding to the possible casting is the fact that Routh was originally set to play Ted Kord in Arrow. However, due to issues with the character’s rights, Routh ended up playing the Atom instead, so the DCU could finally see that casting happen.

3

Melissa Benoist As Power Girl

A Different Version Of Her DC Hero

The Arrowverse’s three most important heroes are undoubtedly Green Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. While Melissa Benoist will not appear in the DCU as Kara Zor-El, as the role has already been cast with Milly Alcock as the new Supergirl, the Arrowverse actress could play a version of her. Benoist would be a perfect fit for Power Girl, who is the version of Kara that comes from Earth-2.

In the Arrowverse, Benoist also played different versions of Supergirl, appearing as the villainous Overgirl, Red Daughter — the Arrowverse’s take on Superman: Red Son — and Bizarrogirl. Adding a new heroic version of Supergirl to Benoist’s resume would be easy, with the actress possessing the skills and charisma to once again become a beloved part of a shared universe in the DCU as Power Girl. The role would be just familiar enough to fans of Benoist’s Supergirl while also being fresh.

2

Stephen Amell As Deathstroke

A Major Arrow Connection

Stephen Amell playing Deathstroke in the DCU would be exciting for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it would be a neat connection to Arrow. Manu Bennet’s Slade Wilson played a huge role in the DC series early on, fighting alongside Oliver Queen in Lian Yu in the past and coming back as a villain in the present. Deathstroke is one of Arrow‘s best villains, perhaps the very best, and seeing Amell flip roles would be exciting.

Amell also has the ability to bring to life a well-rounded version of Deathstroke. As his time in Arrow and other projects has shown, the star is perfect for physically imposing roles such as Deathstroke. Amell would make sure that Slade Wilson gets some of the best fights in the DCU. The actor also possesses the ability to play characters with an inherent darkness, which suits Slade.

1

Grant Gustin As Jay Garrick

The Most Likely DCU Candidate

Finally, Grant Gustin is bound to show up in the DCU in the future. With Gunn, one of DC Studios co-CEOs, revealing that he wants to work with The Flash star, it is but a matter of time for Gustin to join the franchise. While he could potentially come back as the Flash, it is more likely that a new actor will play Barry Allen in the DCU, as it would otherwise confuse audiences given Gustin’s long Arrowverse run.

That said, Gustin could still be part of the DCU as another speedster. By setting the DCU’s Justice Society of America in the past, Gunn would be able to cast Gustin as the original Flash, Jay Garrick. Besides being a nice homage, the casting would continue an Arrowverse tradition, as previous The Flash TV star John Wesley Shipp portrayed Jay Garrick in the DC TV universe.

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  Arrow

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  After five years of being presumed dead, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. Upon returning to his hometown, Starling City, Oliver beings to make amends for the selfish man that he once was. With a renewed sense of life, Oliver plays the role of a self-indulgent socialite during the day while secretly taking on those who corrupt the city at night. After running for eight seasons on The CW, Arrow ended in 2020.

  Seasons

  8

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  The Flash

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  After witnessing his mother’s murder, and his father wrongly convicted, Detective West and his family take in Barry Allen (Grant Gustin). Becoming a forensic scientist, Allen tries to uncover the truth about his mother’s murder, which leads him to Harrison Wells’ particle accelerator. When the accelerator causes an explosion, Allen is struck by lightning and enters a coma. When he wakes up, he learns he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds, though he is not the only meta-human created in the wake of the explosion. Based on one of the most popular characters from DC Comics, the TV adaptation of The Flash was developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns. The series ran for nine seasons on The CW and is one of the most popular shows in the network’s “Arrowverse.”

  Seasons

  9

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  Supergirl

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  Supergirl made her first appearance in the comics in 1959’s Action Comics #252 and has gone on to become one of DC’s most popular characters. This TV series, which stars Melissa Benoist as Supergirl, first aired on CBS in 2015. It ran on that network for one season, before moving to the CW so it could become part of the Arrowverse – a collection of DC Comics shows that also includes Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow, among others. Supergirl has been part of several crossover events between all the series.

  Seasons

  6

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  Legends of Tomorrow

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  DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is one of many CW superhero shows that takes place within the Arrowverse. The series follows a rag-tag group of heroes and villains traveling through space and time to prevent apocalyptic events that would destroy the Earth and time itself. Legends of Tomorrow ran between 2016 and 2022 for seven seasons. New heroes and villains filtered in and out of the series, but Arrow star Caity Lotz starred in all 110 episodes as Sara Lance, aka White Canary.

  Seasons

  7

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  Black Lightning

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  Black Lighting is a live-action Superhero and Sci-Fi drama that was developed by Salim Akil. It stars frontrunner Cress Williams as he takes on the mantle of Jefferson Pierce a high-school principle that used to be the enigmatic superhero Black Lighting. The series revolves around Pierce being forced to leave retirement and once again exploring his superhero persona.

  Seasons

  4

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  Superman & Lois
  

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  Based on the characters from DC Comics, Superman & Lois follows Clark Kent and Lois Lane, attempting to live a quiet life in Smallville with their twin sons Jonathan and Jordan. Unfortunately for the couple, their lives continue to be effected by Clark’s superhero identity and powers. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch star as Clark and Lois, with Jordan Elsass and Alex Garfin portraying the couple’s sons. 

  Seasons

  3