_Arrow_ Season 8 Loses Another Original Character

Arrow will be missing more than one familiar face in Season 8. In addition to Emily Bett Rickards' exit at the end of Season 7, it looks like another original character who's been with the show since Season 1 has left before the final season.

Colton Haynes will not be a series regular in Season 8, showrunner Beth Schwartz told Green Arrow TV at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. "We hope to have him back," Schwartz said about the possibility that the actor could return as a guest. "We love him and he's obviously one of the foundations of the show."

The CW and Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to TV Guide's request for comment.

Roy's role in this past season mostly took part in the future timeline of Season 7, so we can expect this second exit (he exited the show for first time in Season 4, returning as a regular in Season 7) will have the most impact on Mia (Katherine McNamara) and Wiliam's (Ben Lewis) storyline this year. If he does return, we can probably assume it will be for the massive Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, which has been promoted as an event that will attempt to reach every corner of the Arrowverse.

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Even so, we'll miss Roy and the old-man makeup he rocked so often last year!

Arrow's final season premieres Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 9/8c on The CW.

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