Unfortunately, Robbie Amell‘s series ‘The Tomorrow People’ didn’t amount to a big enough hit for The CW to grant it a second season.  But he’s bouncing back quickly and into a role that ties him in even closer to his cousin, ‘Arrow’ star Stephen Amell.  Robbie has been cast in the ‘Arrow’ spin-off ‘The Flash’ and not just in any role, but that of Ronnie Raymond, one half of the hero that is Firestorm.  This comes hot on the heels of the news that former Superman, Brandon Routh was joining ‘Arrow’ in the role of Ray Palmer, the hero known as The Atom.

Executive producer Greg Berlanti expressed, “Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg and myself designed the pilot and series to include Ronnie (aka Firestorm) — and to actually have someone with Robbie’s talent playing the role is beyond exciting.  We can’t wait for viewers and fans of the character to check it out.”

Robbie will join the series in the third episode of the upcoming third season.  He stated, “I’m so excited to join forces with Greg Berlanti and The CW again on ‘The Flash’.  Being brought into the DC Universe is a dream, I can’t wait to get started.”

On the show, Ronnie Raymond will be Caitlin Snow’s (Danielle Panabaker) fiancé.  This is interesting in that in the comics, Caitlin Snow is Firestorm’s enemy Killer Frost.  (Snow is the third character to inhabit that role.)  Could there be trouble in paradise, brewing for later in the season?

In the comics, high school student Raymond was able to merge with his science teacher Martin Stein to become the molecule manipulating Firestorm, The Nuclear Man.  Raymond was characterized as lazy, “dumb jock,” but it was his physical body that served as the hero.  Stein entered his mind and was able to communicate with him telepathically.  (Rendered in the comics as a disembodied, invisible head.)

Later, Ronnie would merge with Jason Rausch, a fellow student who also excelled at science and was able to aid Ronnie with his atomic powers.  Which other character will Ronnie merge with on ‘The Flash’?  We’ll have to wait and see.

One thing many people may not realize is that in the comics, Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) originated as a supporting character in Firestorm’s comic.  She eventually married his father, Edward, becoming his stepmother.  Er… could this possibly play a role in the show?  That would be… interesting.

What do you think?  Are you glad to see Robbie play Ronnie?  Are you excited by the possibility that Firestorm could also emerge as a hero in the new DC TV universe?

Source: Entertainment Weekly