The DC Universe just got messier—and spicier. If recent leaks and deleted Instagram posts are to be believed, Deadwood and Raising Hope star Garret Dillahunt might be slipping into the quiver of DCU’s new Green Arrow, replacing Stephen Amell’s long-standing version of Oliver Queen. Cue the internet meltdown.
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the Arrowcave: Stephen Amell isn’t exactly sending James Gunn a Christmas card anytime soon. The Arrow actor, who played Queen for eight seasons on The CW, recently opened up on Chris Van Vliet’s podcast about his feelings toward the new DC regime. Spoiler: they’re not great.
Amell didn’t appreciate Peacemaker’s digs at his show. “Our show was kind of treated like shit,” he said, referring to a certain joke Cena’s character made. He also threw in a not-so-subtle jab: “People don’t think of the Snyder Cut when they think DC. They think Arrowverse.” Shots fired. Amell later claimed he’s not really mad, but followed it up with, “I just remember hearing that and being like, f**k those guys.” So, yeah. He’s totally fine.
Meanwhile, Garret Dillahunt is out here playing 4D chess with fans. The actor recently posted—and then quickly deleted—some very Green Arrow-ish content. We’re talking storyboard art by comic artist Seth Adams and a moody selfie captioned “Ollie Ollie oxen free.” Coincidence? That’s about as likely as Bruce Wayne not brooding.
Officially, Dillahunt is set to play William Macon in the upcoming Lanterns series—a “modern cowboy” with “ruthless ambition” hidden behind a charming front. Some fans think he’s actually Black Hand, the villain. Others are now connecting the dots and speculating that William Macon is a code name for Oliver Queen, especially with Jason Ritter cast as his son, Billy (which, conveniently, is short for William—like Oliver’s son in Arrow).
James Gunn’s Lanterns hits Max in early 2026, with a stacked cast including Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Kelly Macdonald, and Poorna Jagannathan. If Dillahunt is our new Emerald Archer, he’ll bring a gritty, cowboy-flavored edge to Queen that might just work. Or he’s trolling us all. Either way, we’re watching.
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