Before Barrowman was playing the Dark Archer on ARROW, he had the role of Captain Jack Harkness on BBC’s DOCTOR WHO. As it turns out, Barrowman’s role on DOCTOR WHO led him to play Malcolm Merlyn. Barrowman explained how he got the part, “The producers on ARROW are huge DOCTOR WHO fans and that’s why they called me they said, 'I want you to be part of our world.'"
A fan asked Barrowman if Merlyn will be Ra’s al Ghul in Season 5 of ARROW.
Barrowman responded “If I tell you then I will have to take you to the League of Assassins. [audience laughs] We’ve done that, so I think that we are moving on. Once you’re Ra's then you are always Ra's. It is a title, like the President. So I [Merlyn] will always be him and he may pop up in kinda different… forms. I can’t tell you this because if I do Oliver Queen will come flying through the window with his bow and arrow and I will have to kick his rear end. So make sure you watch okay?”
We already know that the events of Season 2 finale of THE FLASH will affect the Arrowverse, but it is nice to know we will get to see it affect side characters in shows like ARROW. What is also interesting is that Barrowman said “different forms” rather than “a different form.” Could we possibly see Malcolm on Earth-2 as well as seeing him affected by the life of Nora Allen?
Regarding Flashpoint, a fan asked Barrowman about his wife. She asks, “With all the characters that are showing up with the Flashpoint universe and Earth-2, could we possibly see the return of Rebecca Merlyn?"
Barrowman said, “I don’t know. If I did know, do you think I’d tell you? Probably not, but that is a really fun idea. However, if you want to know about Malcolm’s past history, if you haven’t read it I don’t want to spoil it, but my sister and I wrote the novel comic book for DC, 'The Dark Archer.'
The collective version comes out in September, which you can get online. I got the first three copies, and I’m not just saying this because I wrote it, but I’m a nerd, I’m a geek. It is awesome. And I helped create it! [maniacal laugh] But I don’t know. That would be interesting. [Talking to the cosplayer fan.] I love that you’ve done your rendition on Rebecca. [Taking to audience.] She kind of put herself in the alternate universe and she made a cosplay of what Rebecca Merlyn would look like because Rebecca would be, in your eyes, a super hero. “
The collective version comes out in September, which you can get online. I got the first three copies, and I’m not just saying this because I wrote it, but I’m a nerd, I’m a geek. It is awesome. And I helped create it! [maniacal laugh] But I don’t know. That would be interesting. [Talking to the cosplayer fan.] I love that you’ve done your rendition on Rebecca. [Taking to audience.] She kind of put herself in the alternate universe and she made a cosplay of what Rebecca Merlyn would look like because Rebecca would be, in your eyes, a super hero. “
The fan responded by saying, “Well I think Malcolm probably would be killed in the alley and then Rebecca would become a hero.”
Barrowman said, “So he was killed in the alley and then she became what Merlyn would be?”
Fan continued, “Because we’ve seen it happen with Batman and Thomas Wayne in Flashpoint, so I figured, why not?”
Barrowman added, “Great! That’s awesome, that’s great. Keep your imagination working. Awesome. And if you kill me again, I’ll find you.” [Audience laughs.]
Up next was a question about Merlyn being in different shows. A fan wondered if there were any aspects of Merlyn’s character Barrowman would like to explore in the shows other than ARROW.
Barrowman responded, “Yeah, but I can’t tell you because it may happen. So if I talk about it they’ll go 'You were talking about that at a panel, you’re never allowed to do panels again,' and I’ll be like 'Yeah watch me'. So yeah, there’s a lot I’d like to explore but I can’t say because it may happen. Please, that’s all I can say. But what’s planned is gonna be awesome. I haven’t seen any scripts yet, but what they said is gonna be awesome. Just keep watching, all of them because they’re gonna crisscross all over the place.”
I also found this very interesting because Barrowman said to watch all of them, rather than just ARROW and THE FLASH. This means that DC’s LEGENDS OF TOMORROW may have some Flashpoint episodes as well. If we are lucky, CW’s newly acquired show, SUPERGIRL, might join in on the Flashpoint storyline. It was also interesting since Barrowman seemed very excited about the Flashpoint Paradox, so maybe his character will have a bigger role in one of the shows.
A curious fan asked, “If Malcolm Merlyn could be in the DC movies would you go for it?”
Barrowman said he definitely would but he doesn’t think that he is famous enough to be in the DC movies. This gets a large amount of boos from the audience and Barrowman responded with, “Don’t boo me, boo them! But I would like to do a film with Malcolm Merlyn, I really would.”
Barrowman said he definitely would but he doesn’t think that he is famous enough to be in the DC movies. This gets a large amount of boos from the audience and Barrowman responded with, “Don’t boo me, boo them! But I would like to do a film with Malcolm Merlyn, I really would.”
As awesome as it would be to see Barrowman reprise his role as Merlyn on the big screen, it's very doubtful this will happen. I think with the casting of Ezra Miller as the Flash, rather than Grant Gustin, it shows the DC Extended Universe is looking to expand the roles of their characters outside of the Arrowverse. Not only that, but it would be confusing for casual fans.
All-in-all, we got some teases on the next major event in the Arrowverse and where Barrowman’s role as Malcolm Merlyn will go, both inside and outside the Flashpoint Paradox. One thing I am excited for is how the Flashpoint event will take up episode space in these shows so there will be less filler in each the seasons. This way each show can focus on one narrative rather than several side plots. It will be interesting to see how the Flashpoint Paradox will play out on ARROW Season 5, THE FLASH Season 3, LEGENDS OF TOMORROW Season 2 and possibly SUPERGIRL Season 2.
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