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Why you'll be able to see 'Constantine' star Matt Ryan on the CW show 'Arrow'

Ryan's superhero show 'Constantine' was canceled, but the actor will be playing the character again on a different program (and a different network).

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Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Matt Ryan portrays the superhero Constantine.

Superman may be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but superhero Constantine can jump from network to network. 

Actor Matt Ryan starred on the NBC series “Constantine” as the superhero, but the network canceled the show this past spring. That doesn’t mean his portrayal is over, however – Ryan will pop up on the CW TV show “Arrow” on Wednesday, portraying the same character. (Warner Bros. Television produces both TV shows.)

TV superhero crossovers are nothing new for “Arrow,” which centers on the wealthy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and his work as the superhero, fighting with a bow and arrow. The CW program “The Flash” is a spin-off of “Arrow” and leads Amell and Grant Gustin have popped up on one another’s programs.

However, the casting of the superhero character Constantine is interesting. The decision to circle back to the character of Constantine isn’t unexpected, as studios attempt multiple adaptations of comic book characters even if the first (or second) iterations don’t work, as seen with Warner Bros. “Fantastic Four” films.

But Ryan returning to play the character is far from guaranteed in today’s Hollywood. Look no further than the CW show “The Flash” – Warner Bros. is planning to release a movie about the superhero but actor Ezra Miller, not Gustin, will be taking on the role. Meanwhile, the famous comic book superhero Spider-Man was recently re-cast for the second time. Actor Tobey Maguire portrayed the character in the 2000s for three films, then Andrew Garfield played the character more recently, including in 2014’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Now actor Tom Holland is taking on the role for future installments.

However, many actors, especially in the Marvel universe, have stuck with their roles through multiple films (recasting is rare in the Marvel movie series). This year, Forbes named Robert Downey Jr., who portrays the superhero Iron Man, the highest-paid actor in the world. Those who represent Downey have renegotiated his salary in the past with Marvel. When the actor made his debut as Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, in 2008’s “Iron Man,” his portrayal was praised by fans and critics. 

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