"Arrow" co-showrunner Marc Guggenheim reveals that Season 5 will showcase more flashbacks' of Oliver Queens's dealings with the Russian mafia known as the Bratva. Following the news confirms Dolph Lundgren's role as the Arrow's Russian nemesis in the upcoming season.
"Arrow" has made use of flashbacks in its first four seasons, and it will continue that tradition in Season 5. According to Screen Rant, Guggenheim announced during a TCA Panel that the forthcoming season will deal with Oliver's involvement with the Russian mafia known as the Bratva. His co-showrunner Wendy Mericle set the expectations that the show might have a darker theme since anything involving the mafia is expected to be gritty.
Mericle also shared that the team has conducted extensive research on the Bratva in order to prepare for the upcoming season of "Arrow." She told TV Line that everyone on the staff watched the 2007 film, "Eastern Promises" which tackled a lot of the mafia's history. Personally, she researched on how the Bratva operates in the Russian prison by watching several documentaries.
Meanwhile, the team has casted "The Expendables" actor, Dolph Lundgren, to take on the role of the Arrow's nemesis in Season 5. As Oliver heads to Russia to keep his promise to Taiana, his dealings with the Bratva will be inevitable. He will cross paths with Lundgren's character who is reported to be a government strongman who has a long history with Taiana's family.
The "Arrow" team has been aware that the show has not been receiving favorable reviews recently. However, Guggenheim, Mericle and the rest of the team assures their fans that they will be adding more excitement to the show to make up for the lackluster seasons' previously aired.
