One of the characters from the Arrow-verse is returning to The CW — in animated, digital form.


The CW announced Thursday at its upfront presentation in New York that it is developing a series for its CW Seed digital platform based on the DC Comics character Deathstroke. The network is also developing a horror comedy called The Pledge from the writers of the last Saw film.


Deathstroke, aka Slade Wilson, has been a recurring character on Arrow (played by Manu Bennett) for much of that show's run. His presence diminished in recent years, however, as DC owner Warner Bros. began developing a Deathstroke feature film (which is now in limbo) following the character's appearance in Justice League. The DC movies and CW shows don't share continuity.


Animation doesn't have the same continuity concerns, however. The Deathstroke series would follow Slade as his family is threatened by the murderous villain Jackal and terrorist organization HIVE.


Deathstroke, should it go to series, would live on a different platform than Warner Bros. DC Universe streaming service. The latter is home to several original shows based on the DC canon, including Titans, Young Justice: Outsiders, Doom Patrol and the upcoming Swamp Thing.


What role DC Universe will have in the larger streaming ecosystem of parent company WarnerMedia remains to be seen. The company is preparing to launch its own streaming platform later this year with library content from its TV properties (including HBO, TNT and TBS) and the Warner Bros. studio.

Whether DC Universe — which also features a comic reader with a huge archive of titles — would remain as a stand-alone service or be folded into the larger offering is an open question.


The Pledge comes from Jigsaw and Piranha 3D writers Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger. The live-action horror comedy is set in a haunted sorority house.