Brandon Routh’s stint as Superman was thankfully short, but DC Comics and Warner Bros. are going to give him another shot at playing a hero in the universe. Since Superman Returns failed to ignite his career, he has turned to television and he will be on Arrow this season.
Routh has been cast as Ray Palmer, better known as The Atom. The scientist has the ability to shrink to any size, a power he uses for good. According to TV Line, which first reported the casting, this will be a recurring role for Routh.
The Atom’s appearance in Arrow will be a rare live-action part for the character. While he has appeared in several DC animated hits, Ray Palmer has remained a relatively second-tier DC character.
While DC didn’t issue any statement on the casting, Stephen Amell, who plays Green Arrow on the series, did share a link to the TV Line report on Facebook. “Our world just got bigger,” he wrote.
The casting comes just a few days after it was revealed that Devon Aoki (Sin City) will play Katana. If DC’s plan is to use Arrow to introduce second-tier characters to a wider audience, it’s certainly working. The show will be entering its third season in the fall.
Routh is best known for his one-film stint as Clark Kent/Superman in Bryan Singer’s disappointing Superman Returns. While Routh didn’t really become an action star in Hollywood, he has found a place on television, giving a particularly good performance as a recurring villain on NBC’s Chuck.
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