'Smallville' Brings On Another Hero Full Time

In the wake of the cast exodus from "Smallville," fans of the series have something to be thankful for ... the full-time addition of DC Comics hero the Green Arrow.

The emerald clad archer -- played by Justin Hartley -- will be appearing on a permanent basis in the eighth season of the superhero series in an attempt to bring a familiar face to the series, especially due to the many changes the show will go through next year.

However, unlike the previous Green Arrow story lines, the new episodes of "Smallville" will focus more on Ollie's mysterious billionaire past instead of his twilight identity as a fully-formed superhero.

At the end of the seventh season, both Michael Rosenbaum and Kristen Kreuk (Lex Luthor and Lana Lang) said their goodbyes to the show, and the Maid of Steel (Laura Vandervoort) has been reduced from series regular to guest star status. Kreuk however will be returning to the series for as many as eight episodes but an official number has yet to be confirmed.

There will also be a gentle introduction of new characters on the show to replace the long-time villain Lex Luthor. The main addition is of course Doomsday, the comic book villain that succeeded in killing Superman. Another bombshell baddie, Tess, will also have her eyes set on the Man of Steel as she takes control over all of Lex's assets.

Casting for both characters is now underway, and "Smallville" returns to the CW Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the fall.

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