Arrow exec attempts to explain that confusing Black Canary casting

Contributed by
Jul 19, 2013

Still confused about how Black Canary will factor into season two of Arrow? Yeah, so are we. Luckily, executive producer Andrew Kreisberg is here to try and set the record straight. Well, sort of.

Word broke just recently that actress Caity Lotz has signed on to play Black Canary/Dinah Drake, putting a new spin on the “golden age” version of the character. Most fans assumed the character of Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy) would eventually become the Black Canary, following modern DC lore.

Well, according to Kreisberg, Lotz’s casting doesn’t mean that Lauren won’t eventually become the Black Canary. Heck, he wouldn’t even confirm who Lotz is playing in season two, much less spill their master plan for how this will all play out.

What he would say: Lotz’s character will play a role in the Black Canary’s origin, but much like what they’ve done in the first season, the writers hope to subvert expectations to keep things exciting.

Here’s an excerpt from his comments to TV Guide:

"There's been a bit of misinformation printed out there and what I would say is, yes, Caity Lotz is joining the show in a recurring role and we're really excited. She's a tremendously talented actress. The character that Caity is portraying is the beginning of the Black Canary story and we're really excited for the fans to go on the journey with us. So much of our show is about defying expectations, meeting expectations and exceeding expectations, and we really want our fans to experience the show by watching it and enjoying it and enjoying all the twists and turns and surprises the way we intend."

Everyone knows that Laurel Lance is the Black Canary. That's the way it is in the comic books, but how we get from A to B is the story of our show. In the same way that Oliver, when we meet him, is the vigilante, but this season he's going to becoming the Arrow, that's the step of his journey to eventually becoming the Green Arrow. Laurel Lance right now is a lawyer with a lot of heart and a lot of humanity and courage. But it takes more than that to put on the mask and go out and fight crime. Our series is the evolution of that. People will see how Caity Lotz fits into Laurel's journey along the way. For us, it's very emotional and surprising and exciting. I would say to everybody, we haven't let you down so far. Keep going on this ride with us."

So, that makes sense. But it still doesn’t explain how Lotz’s character fits into the equation. Perhaps she will be the original Black Canary, then eventually pass the mantle on to Laurel? Or maybe it's just a huge red herring and Lotz’s character only acts as a catalyst for Laurel to put on the mask? We don’t know, but we’re dying to find out, and I guess that's the whole point.

How do you think this will all play out?

(Via TV Guide)

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