It has been known for quite some time now that the main antagonist of Arrow‘s third season would be none other than Ra’s Al Ghul (previously played by Liam Neeson in Christopher Nolan’s DARK KNIGHT trilogy). However, the big question on every fans lips has been in regards to which actor will fill the incredibly large shoes left by Neeson, and craft their own unique interpretation of the character for the small screen.
Now, that question has finally been answered and Stephen Amell has revealed on his official Twitter which actor will take on the role of Ra’s Al Ghul. Despite the fact that Neeson recently stated his desire to reprise the role, Arrow producers clearly want to leave their own mark on the character and have therefore cast a relatively fresh face in the part. Former footballer Matt Nable is the man tasked with filling Neeson’s shoes as the new face of Ra’s Al Ghul. Although Nable’s acting career only began in 2007, the Australian star has recently made appearances in THE KILLER ELITE starring Jason Statham and RIDDICK starring Vin Diesel.
This is exactly the sort of excellent casting decision that should be expected of a CW show like Arrow, with Nable clearly possessing a brilliantly intimidating appearance and build to rival that of Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen/Green Arrow. Prior casting rumours suggested that producers were looking for an actor with a presence not unlike Tom Hardy’s Bane in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, and it looks like they may have gotten their wish. Nable also appears to be a suitable successor to John Barrowman’s Malcolm Merlyn and Manu Bennett’s Slade Wilson as the two brilliantly menacing antagonists to precede him. However, this does depend on whether his acting skills can match his appearance…a question will get the answer to in around two months time.
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Source: Twitter
