Stephen Amell Says He Didn’t Expect Arrow To Run For So Long

Back in 2012, Arrow was leading the way for a new wave of superhero TV shows. Nowadays, comic book television rules the airwaves as much as cape ‘n’ cowl stories do on the big screen. And impressively, Arrow has managed to last all this time. The series has grown and developed in many unexpected ways over the years but it’s still telling the tale of the Emerald Archer who’s trying to save his city one arrow at a time.

At the center of the show is Stephen Amell, who was asked what he thought of Arrow‘s surprising longevity while promoting the upcoming seventh season at San Diego Comic-Con. The star said he’s humbled that it’s giving other CW successes like Smallville and Supernatural a run for their money and says the whole cast feels “fortunate” to be on such a hit series.

“No. I mean, I was saying earlier today we’re compared to Smallville which went ten seasons and we’re on the same network as Supernatural which is going into its 14th season and so I feel like there’s, that people think that getting into a seventh season there’s an element of it that’s pedestrian, but that’s not the case at all. We’re in rarefied air for a TV show and we’re so fortunate. I’ve talked with Emily [Bett Rickards], I’ve talked with David [Ramsey], just talked with everyone today about just how lucky we are. We really are.”

Of course, any fan will tell you that Arrow‘s had a bumpy ride in recent years – it’s not easy to maintain a consistent quality and certain seasons definitely dropped the ball somewhat. However, season 7’s being hyped as a real return to form, as new showrunner Beth Schwartz is said to be bringing the tone and feel of the show back to its grittier earlier runs.

A lot of this will come from the dire situation Oliver Queen will find himself in. After having his vigilante activities uncovered, the former mayor of Star City will be locked up in jail with the very criminals he put in there. Amell’s teased that Ollie will be forced to do something “reprehensible” to survive as well, a move that’s just part of a shift back to the darker days of season 1.

You can catch all of that and more when Arrow returns to The CW on Monday, October 15th.