Colton Haynes ‘Could Not Be Happier’ To Return To Arrow

Arrow fans eager to see more of Colton Haynes on the CW series will be happy to learn he’s returning to the show. Even better, showrunners report that Colton will be returning as a series regular, so this will be more than a limited recurring role. Haynes plays Roy Harper, who becomes Arrow’s sidekick, Arsenal.

Arrow Showrunners Bring Colton Haynes Back Full-Time

The series producers say they’re “very fortunate and excited” about being able to bring Colton back to Arrow for Season 7 of the long-running series, according to Deadline. The Arrow bosses added that inviting Haynes back for recurring roles in the past has always been a positive experience, but added that they’re happier to have him coming to the show as a series regular.

Arrow‘s executive producers added that they’re anticipating some exciting creative contributions from Haynes. They indicated that having Arsenal on the series full-time will open up some new story arcs, which might not have been previously possible.

Colton was excited to share the news himself, as he made a statement about his return to Arrow as Arsenal.

“I could not be happier to return to my role as Roy Harper alongside my Arrow family,” said Mr. Haynes in a statement.

Colton Haynes Has Been On-Again, Off-Again on Arrow

As Entertainment Tonight shares, Colton has been with Arrow since Season 1 of the series debuted on the CW network. He started with a brief debut on the series, while he was also acting in MTV’s Teen Wolf. Later, he was promoted to series regular for the show’s second and third seasons, giving fans a chance to become attached to the Roy Harper character.

Unfortunately, it seemed Arsenal’s days were numbered. Haynes didn’t return to Arrow for several more seasons, leaving the impression that that Roy Harper wouldn’t be back.

More recently, Colton reprised the role in Season 6, when writers saw an opportunity to bring Arsenal back in a story arc. In the show, an adversary took Green Arrow hostage, hoping to use him to lure the rest of the team into a trap. Arsenal’s return shifted the odds in that episode.

Colton again returned to Arrow in the episode entitled “The Thanatos Guild,” when Roy Harper teamed up with Thea (Willa Holland). The pair traveled the globe, destroying what was left of the Lazarus Pits. While the episode delighted fans with Haynes’ return, it also marked the end of Holland’s time on Arrow.

The next episode of Arrow airs on Thursday, April 12, on the CW network.