Arrow Targets Brandon Routh to Play Major DC Comics Superhero in Season 3
Brandon Routh is set to play another DC Comics super man — this time on Arrow.
The erstwhile Man of Steel is joining the CW hit’s third season in the recurring role of Ray Palmer, aka DC superhero The Atom, TVLine has learned exclusively.
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An unparalleled scientist and inventor, Ray will play an unexpected role in the lives of Oliver and (rumored love interest) Felicity as the new owner of Queen Consolidated. Palmer’s plans for Queen Consolidated’s Applied Sciences Division will be shrouded in mystery.
In addition to his myriad comic book appearances, Ray/The Atom — who can alter the size of his body as well as 
other objects — has turned up in numerous animated series, including, most recently, Cartoon Network’s Young Justice. Arrow marks one of the character’s rare live-action incarnations.
Déjà vu watch: Although The Atom isn’t able to fly like Superman, he can simulate flight a la Wonder Woman.
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Also joining Arrow this fall — as previously reported by TVLine — are Sin City‘s Devon Aoki (as DC Comics superheroine “Katana”), Karl Yune (as Oliver’s Hong Kong handler/Katana’s husband Maseo Yamashiro), and Peter Stormare (as Count Vertigo).
Routh’s TV credits include NBC’s late, much-missed Chuck, CBS’ short-lived Partners and, more recently, Crackle’s Chosen and Fox’s Enlisted.
Arrow premieres its third season on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
That’s. …. unexpected… awesome
Cool.
Very cool guests joining this season. Really looking forward to this season
And once again, not disappointed by this show’s castings. Can’t wait to see what happens.
Am I the only one who remembers Routh as Seth, the guy Natalie and Jessica fought over on “One Life to Live”?
NO…but we’re all trying to forget that role…
You can only speak for yourself. It’s the intelligent thing to do.
No. Your not the only one.
No, I remember, just wasn’t impressed.
Nope, you’re not the only one. That’s what I think of whenever I see him
I’ll always remember him best as the guy who invited Rory. Paris, Madeline, and Loise to his party after the Bangles concert in season one of Gilmore GIrls.
I heard about that. He was a stalker or something, right?
Seth was a con artist who was after Jessica/Natalie’s money but he claim that he became a good guy who was killed off or disappear into the unknown area.
I definitely remember.
I remember that he was Seth on OLTL. He was suppose the bad boy who was after Jessica/Natalie’s money. I don’t remember how he was written off the serial. I believe that he was killed off or he disappear like a true soap opera cliffhanger angle.
As if this show couldn’t get anymore awesome. Love they’re bringing in another brainy superhero like The Atom and love that Routh is getting to be a superhero again.
Yea, i like the Atom a lot, I’m sure Routh really is a good actor, I’m pretty sure he sees it as redemption time in the eyes of comic fans. I’m hoping he knocks it out of the park. I don’t blame him completely for ‘Superman Returns’.
It was really unfair to him that he didn’t even get to play his own Superman, but directed to just imitate Christopher Reeve’s Superman.
Routh was the best thing about the otherwise mediocre Superman Returns(Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane remains one of the worst castings in superhero movie history). It’s a shame he got caught up in all the backlash from the film because I always thought he was great in it.
I agree with your statement about the actress who was playing Lois Lane. She act like she didn’t wanted to be in the film. Brandon Routh have a tough time getting the fan to forget how bad the plot/written.
Concerning Lois Lane, Phillis Coates, Terry Hatcher, an Amy Adams were my favorites.
For you who never saw Ms. Coates she was in the first movie with George Reaves as Superman. She also appeared in the first year of the T V series
I remember seeing the rerun of Adventure of Superman on Channel 11 I believe and She was on the series for one season and the producer got another actress to take over the role for the rest of the series.
hey Erica Durance was gud too.
I remember Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. She was on the series for one season and some reason she was replace by the second actress who appear in the second serial. She make several other film after leaving The Adventures of Superman. I can’t wait to see the third season of the Arrow.
I did forget that Phyllis Coates did make an apearence on LOIS & Clark the new adventures of Superman as Lois Lanes mother when Lois was supposed to marry Lex Loutour
I have forgotten that Phyllis Coates that indeed make a guest appearance as Lois Lane’s mother when the young Lois Lane going to married Lex Luthor. Teri Hatcher appear in Smallville in a flashback segment.
Well said. I agree completely. The only redeeming quality from the tripe that was SR was Routh and it burns how much backlash he got for literally doing EXACTLY what Singer wanted. It burns so much.
I can’t wait to see him on Arrow season 3 as Ray”The Atom” Palmer. I wanted to wish him all the luck in the world.
ChrisGa is totally right about Brandon Routh. It’s not fair to blame him at all if you don’t like that movie. I do like it but I’m in the minority apparently. In any case though, he did a damned good job with what he had to work with. Honestly if they had written the character a little better I think he’d be remembered as the third best Superman behind George Reeves and Christopher Reeve. I think history will be kind to Brandon Routh when all is said and done.
Earthwhile murderess and Ray’s wife Jean Loring previously appeared in the show. That should be interesting.
“Earthwhile”, did I spell that right?
its not a word…so, I’d guess “no”
I was thinking of a synonym of “would-be”.
Erstwhile I believe you mean. And kudos for reaching for high caliber vocab!
I assumed you were meaning “erstwhile”….which actually appears in this very article
Yeah. I didn’t notice it, lol.
Erstwhile?
Never mind, that got sorted while I was still reading this page and a few others :)
Ooh… what unexpected casting… while his Superman was weak, I did like how he played Clark Kent. Looks like S3 of Arrow is shaping up nicely!
Thank you Michael Ausiello for properly using the word “myriad.” It makes me very happy. Also, good casting scoop, but I’m mostly happy about the grammar. :)
“myriad” and “myriad of” would both work properly
Oh my goodness YES to this! Loved him on Chuck. Can’t wait to see him and Felicity together
yes another chuck fan! great taste in tv :)
Chuck was the best. RIP Chuck! We miss you!
Chuck was and is a hit series. I hope that Brandon Routh will be a winner and help the fan forget about that Superman Return Movie.
I see this fits the bill for the casting known as “Daniel”
Makes sense since his character on Chuck was Daniel Shaw.
Yes, this is the “Daniel” role reported on here: https://tvline.com/2014/06/14/arrow-season-3-spoilers-oliver-rivals-felicity-love-interest/
He never played Superman, but I liked him on Chuck and Enlisted, so this is good news.
And before anyone tries to correct me, let me clarify… I know what you are going to say, but he never played Superman. That movie never happened.
The movie was made and it was terrible but the movie was made. Are you really young or something? Do you IMDB? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348150/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_32
I checked the link. It just goes to an IMDB listing for a movie that NEVER HAPPENED. :-)
It was made, i have it on dvd. :/
You’re not getting the joke.
I’m totally with you. Movie doesn’t exist.
He certainly did play Superman. The movie was made. Came out in 2006. Use your googles.
I think what he’s trying to say is that it’s a movie that everyone agrees should not have existed! Like Spider-Man 3.
Circle gets the square.
Lol you guys he’s implying the movie was so terrible in his mind that it just ceased to exist.
I saw the movie twice because I was dumb. I can’t wait to see him on Arrow. I am still hope that Arrow will debut Ted Kord/Blue Beetle in season third. Good luck to the future.
Hahah are you stupid?? seriously??? he was Superman in Superman Returns!! hmm do you know google? try it…
Ask yourself that question. You obviously didn’t read his entire comment, Brainiac!
So this guy is implying there hasn’t been a Superman movie since the 80s…??
No. Man of Steel just came out a year ago. Awesome movie. :-)
So no Superman movie in 3 decades…?
;)
Most people don’t wanted to remember Superman Return because the critics and the majority of the fan hated the film.
Okay, the thing with me is that I friggin hate the Christopher Reeve Superman movies. To me, they’re like the old Batman TV series… silly, corny, and only watchable in a “this is horrible” kind of way.
Man of Steel, on the other hand, was the Superman movie that I’ve been waiting to see my entire life. Great character story. Clark Kent wasn’t just a costume, it was who he was (why do so many Superman writers get this wrong?). It was just a great movie. I know a lot of people hated it because it wasn’t light and fun like the old Superman movies, but that was never how I saw Superman, so this one worked for me.
These two versions of the character in film are open for discussion and debate as far as I’m concerned. But I don’t see why we’d talk about them here though, since Brandon Routh has nothing to do with any Superman movie ever.
I couldn’t agree more Drew…on all points..especially Chuck :)
Yep, I remember him on OLTL, and have liked him in every role he’s done.
i have been waiting for this casting news with bated breath. this is unexpected and yet definitely fits what i was thinking in my head. arrow season 3 is shaping up to look very very very interesting. i don’t know that i’ve been this excited about a show in a very long time. the writers (season 2) and casting directors seem to be hitting on all cylinders. i was happy to see that the second season didn’t go through a sophmore slump and it seems like season 3 is just going to take off. the wait is killing me though. is it October yet?
Um, Wonder Woman really can fly just like Superman.
Only post Crisis on infinite earths. She originally wasn’t able to fly, which is why she needed the invisible jet.
Only post crisis? That’s 30 years of flying. Superman also couldn’t fly at first, just leap.
I remember reading in the old Superman magazine that Superman could only leap in the air but as the decade his power become stronger that he started to fly like a bird.
I guess her Post-Crisis abilities haven’t made their way into the common knowledge about the character.
This is great news. Routh did such a great job as Superman in Superman Returns despite the lousy script and now he gets to continue in superhero mode on a hit show like Arrow.
Cannot wait to see any possible debate between if he was a better Atom than Superman. He did okay as Superman, but was a bit too young for the material they gave him, plus the material kind of sucked. Still waiting for that Superman movie to really nail the character…
There already was a Superman movie that nailed the character – from 1978, with Christopher Reeve. Nailed it perfectly.
I have to agree with the others – Routh was the best thing about Superman Returns. Too bad it hurt his career.
“Arrow marks the character’s live-action debut.”
Wasn’t Atom in those god-awful 70’s live action Super Hero specials?
And the Justice League live action pilot?
The Atom! Everyone was thinking Ted Kord. This is so unexpected and AWESOME. Great casting!
Is it wrong that I feel let down he is not Kord? I dunno why, though. I think I just like the idea of “the Blue Beetle” showing up. Atom feels to me like it belongs more in the Flash.
I’m not feeling at all negative about the Atom being in it, just disappointed Ted Kord is not.
I was hopping that Daniel would turn out to be Ted”Blue Beetle”Kord. I still hope that Ted Kord will still appear in future episode.
Ted Kord was mentioned by name in a season 1 flashback with Robert and Moira talking about going to one of his fundraisers. According to that it seems in this universe he’s closer to Oliver’s parents age. Although with Kord Industries heavily referenced, I would expect a son or someone else to pop up at some point.
I still hope that Ted “Blue Beetle” Kord will appear in future episode.
Dude. One day/superhero at a time.
I can’t wait to see the third season of Arrow finally debut. I also can’t wait for the first season of the Flash also finally debut in October 2014.
I am glad that Brandon Routh got the role of Ray”The Atom” Palmer. I can’t wait to the first episode of Arrow in October 8,2014
As someone who watches Chosen and recently finished rewatching all of Chuck, Brandon Routh plays a villain pretty damn well.
Good for him. It wasnt his fault really that Superman Returns was a not so good movie and it always seemed like DC thought highly of him it just the movie didnt connect with audiences. It is good to see him get another chance with DC
While I am excited and think it is great casting. I am a little disappointed they are going there. I thought Arrow was mostly based in real world with no super-powered super heroes. But then they introduced The Flash so now I guess all bets are off.
I agree with the real world thing but as I’ve only seen bits and pieces of season 2 I can’t especially judge yay or nay with any authority.
It’ll be interesting to see what they do. It’s not alien or magic and they’ll probably give him some scientific explanation like the particle excellerator.
If they are bringing in the man that played Superman…Let him play SUPERMAN!
But that would be logical.
That would be too good to be truth but DC Comics is still bringing back Superman in the movie theater. You must be a loyal fan to sit throughout the film until it was finish.
If someone had to play Superman on Arrow I would choose Tom Welling! But since he didn’t want to play Superman even in his own serie I guess it won’t happen soon…
YES..I do so agree with this…it’s really hard to separate him from being Superman! And I hoped during the Smallville run that he would make a cameo but that would be a conflict since he is Superman and Tom is Smallville / RBB / Superman.
How about getting Tom Welling from Smallville playing Clark”Superman”Kent in future episode? How about another episode focus on the SS in future episode? I hope that it will help them to get their own series.
They’re not going to cast a small-screen Superman while they plan to keep one on the big screen for a while (they announced several more movies at San Diego Comic Con). Too confusing. Besides, he or someone like Batman would overshadow Oliver, and it’s his show. Brandon Routh, as I say elsewhere in this comment section, can make this char his own because a bunch of other guys haven’t played him yet. I’m excited for him, personally
Nice.
Peter Stormare as Count Vertigo? Excellent pick.
Best avatar ever. Castiel. That is all.
Awwwwwwwww Yeahhhhhhh!!!