‘Arrow’ / ‘The Flash’ spin-off: ‘Doctor Who,’ ‘Broadchurch’s’ Arthur Darvill to jump through time

This is really turning out to be a banner day for the still-untitled spin-off for “Arrow” and “The Flash.” It was mere minutes ago that we first learned that Hawkgirl will be coming on board the series, and we now have some news about a very old-school character: Traveler, otherwise known as Rip Hunter. He is a character who originated all the way back in the 1950s, and is known to be a very adventurous guy with a knack for jumping through time.

So who is going to be playing this character? Per The Hollywood Reporter, it is none other than former “Doctor Who” companion and “Broadchurch” star Arthur Darvill! This is tremendously exciting news to us. We’ve always been a fan of his work, and we’ve wanted to see a whole lot more of him on American television. This is his chance! It’s also a character we know next to nothing about, and there may be a little bit of room for creative freedom in here for that very reason. It is somewhat ironic that Darvill would be cast here,  given that he is already known for being a companion on a show where time-travel is key.

One important distinction that should be made here is that this man is not Booster Gold. He is a different sort of ambitious time-traveler, one who has been more prevalent recently and was rumored to be getting his own show at one point. By him not being cast on this show, our feeling is that DC Comics has some bigger expectations for him in some upcoming movies. Based on how the Deadshot debacle was handled on “Arrow,” we know that they don’t want many characters on both TV and film at the same time.

As we’ve noted, the premiere for this show, with a cast including Brandon Routh, Wentworth Miller, Caity Lotz, and more, will be at midseason next year.

Down with this casting? Let us know, and head over here to get some other “Arrow” updates! Also, sign up for more TV scoop on everything we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: The CW.)