'Suits' Spinoff Taps 'Arrow' Star as Lead

Stephen Amell is trading his superhero suit for business attire. The Arrow actor has been cast as the lead in NBC's upcoming Suits spinoff, Suits L.A., Deadline confirmed. The upcoming series, which is an extension of the Suits universe but set in a different city with all new characters, was ordered to pilot at NBC earlier this month and centers around Amell's former federal prosecutor Ted Black.

Described as a "charismatic force of nature who puts his own needs above others," Ted has "reinvented himself representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles." Some 15 years ago, Ted "joined forces with his old buddy, Stuart Lane, to build an L.A. law firm that specializes in criminal and entertainment law." 

However, per the show's official synopsis, the New York attorney's "firm is at a crisis point, and in order to survive he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career. Ted is surrounded by a group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can't help but mix their personal and professional lives. All of this is going on while events from years ago slowly unravel that led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved."

Titled Suits: L.A., the upcoming series is being described not as a reboot or revival of the original series, which ran from 2011 until 2019, but rather "a brand extension." After months of swirling rumors that a spinoff was in the works, TVLine reported on Feb. 1 that NBC handed the offshoot an official pilot order. The upcoming series is executive produced by Aaron Korsh, who created the original USA Network drama, alongside David Bartis, Doug Liman, and Gene Klein. Korsh is also set to pen the pilot.

Additional casting for the series, which is slated to begin in Vancouver in late March, has not been announced. Confirming his casting on Instagram, Amell wrote, "For the record, I'm a 42 regular." Entertainment Weekly previously reported that characters from the original series could potentially cross over to the new show. The original Suits starred Patrick J. Adams, Gina Torres, Sarah Rafferty, Rick Hoffman, and Meghan Markle, who exited Suits amid her relationship with Prince Harry.

Amell is best known for portraying Oliver Queen, a.k.a. the Green Arrow, on The CW's Arrow. He appeared in eight seasons of the show before it concluded in 2020. The actor went on to appear throughout the Arrowverse – The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman. He most recently starred in Starz's wrestling drama series Heels and can next be seen in the Netflix film Code 8: Part II.