Arrow Begins Production On Its “Human Target” Episode

Oftentimes, when The CW issues a casting notice or reveals a costume, it’s because they believe that information is about to leak to the public.

For instance, when the network revealed the first official photographs of Superman on Supergirl, they started a multi-day outdoor shoot in which dozens of candid photos were taken of Tyler Hoechlin in his wardrobe as the Man of Steel.

Such is apparently the case with the casting of Will Traval as Christopher Chance, the Human Target — but this time, it’s not because they were likely to be compromised by bootleg photos on the internet.

Instead, it’s Marc Guggenheim’s semi-weekly script-cover post that might have outed them.

Traval will join Arrow in an episode actually titled “Human Target,” meaning there would have been very little doubt that Christopher Chance was in the episode once the showrunner shared this week’s script cover, which he did yesterday when Arrow started production on the episode.

A Human Target TV series starring Mark Valley ran for two seasons in 2010 and 2011 on FOX. The series was a fan favorite but was based only very loosely on the DC Comics character, with the disguise element almost completely omitted. The series also featured Jackie Earle Haley, who had played Rorschach in Watchmen, appearing in his second DC Entertainment property.

The idea behind Human Target is that Chance uses his chameleon-like skillset to essentially become the person he’s “protecting,” draw out potential attackers, and dispatch them, all while the actual target is hidden safely away.

It seems as though Diggle is off the table as Oliver Queen’s bodyguard, at least for now, because that’s just what Chance has apparently been hired to do, per the casting notice:

Wil Traval plays well-renowned DC Comics character Christopher Chance, a.k.a. “Human Target,” in Episode #505: a professional bodyguard and master of disguise who assumes the identities of those targeted by assassins. His latest client: Mayor Oliver Queen.

So it’s safe to assume that Traval might spend a chunk of his time looking surprisingly Stephen Amell-like.

Human Target was created in the ’70s by Len Wein (co-creator of Wolverine) and Carmine Infantino (co-creator of the Barry Allen Flash).

Traval will be the third actor to portray Christopher Chance in live action. Prior to the 2010 series, musician Rick Springfield appeared in a short-lived 1992 Human Target series, which did indeed utilize the “master of disguise” element.

Arrow returns to the airwaves on October 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. Traval will premiere as Chance in the show’s fifth episode, which will presumably take place on November 1, unless there is a skip week before then.