UPDATE 2: TVLine has confirmed Todd's casting with official news of which character he is playing.
TVLine has learned that Vampire Diaries alum Todd Lasance has been cast in the recurring role of The Rival, who in DC Comics lore is a self-made, black-suited speedster. The Aussie actor — whose previous TV credits also include Spartacus: War of the Damned and Home and Away — will first appear in the Season 3 premiere, airing Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8/7c.
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UPDATE: Greg Berlanti has just tweeted revealing Todd Lasance is NOT playing Savitar, The Hollywood Reporter first announced this casting but later edited their article as a result of Greg Berlanti's tweets. Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the role of Savitar has not yet been cast.
For all those tweeting me or elsewhere. We have NOT cast Savitar. Those reports are incorrect. #theflash
— Greg Berlanti (@GBerlanti) August 23, 2016
@StevensonJohns1 nope
— Greg Berlanti (@GBerlanti) August 23, 2016
Original Article
So who is the mysterious, dark speedster that was glimpsed in the season three trailer? Finally, at the 2016 Summer Television Critics Association press tour, Helbing was able to reveal that The Vampire Diaries alum Todd Lasance will be playing DC Comics supervillain Savitar.
Savitar has been a part of The Flash canon since he was first introduced in 1995 by Mark Waid and Oscar Jimenez. As most supervillain origin stories go, he actually began as a good guy, a regular human who was a pilot for a third-world nation during the Cold War. When he was testing a supersonic fighter jet, his plane was struck by lightning just as he reached top speed.
That accident gave him speedster powers, and he named himself after the Hindu god of motion since he believed his newfound powers were a divine gift. But Savitar was different from other speedsters. Described as a "vicious and cruel man," he became obsessed with his new powers, and dedicated his life to studying Velocity and pushing himself. He discovered many new powers that no other speedster had ever been able to accomplish. He could lend speed to other objects and even other people, heal himself instantly and even protect himself with a force field. But the one thing he always craved was more access to the Speed Force.
Savitar has been a part of The Flash canon since he was first introduced in 1995 by Mark Waid and Oscar Jimenez. As most supervillain origin stories go, he actually began as a good guy, a regular human who was a pilot for a third-world nation during the Cold War. When he was testing a supersonic fighter jet, his plane was struck by lightning just as he reached top speed.
That accident gave him speedster powers, and he named himself after the Hindu god of motion since he believed his newfound powers were a divine gift. But Savitar was different from other speedsters. Described as a "vicious and cruel man," he became obsessed with his new powers, and dedicated his life to studying Velocity and pushing himself. He discovered many new powers that no other speedster had ever been able to accomplish. He could lend speed to other objects and even other people, heal himself instantly and even protect himself with a force field. But the one thing he always craved was more access to the Speed Force.
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