Arrow’s John Barrowman seems to have an expanding role in The CW’s DC Comics TV universe as Malcolm Merlyn. The actor has been promoted to a series regular on all DC Comics series on The CW, including Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash. The deal is similar to the one struck with The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow star Wentworth Miller for his role as Captain Cold.

“What it really emulates to us is the comic books themselves, where there really are a cast of characters,” Berlanti said in May when Miller’s deal was announced. “In success, we hope to continue with other characters finding their way across all the shows.”

Barrowman’s Merlyn was the first season big bad for Stephen Amell’s Arrow in the show’s first season. He was a recurring character again in Season 2 and was promoted to a series regular beginning with Season 3. During Arrow’s Season 4, Merlyn appeared on The Flash during the crossover event that led into the premiere of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

The upcoming season of The CW’s DC TV lineup promises the largest crossover event yet, touching all four series – Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, which is making its way over to the CW for Season 2 after airing its debut season on CBS. It is easy to speculate that Barrowman’s increased role across all four shows may have something to do with the plot of this year’s crossover.

Arrow returns to The CW for Season 5 on Oct. 5, 2016.

Source: TV Line.