'Arrow' casts 'Spartacus' actor in key role

Huge casting news for one of this season's breakout shows, as producers have reportedly signed Manu Bennett to a key role.

Bennett will join the series as Slade Wilson, the man who will eventually don the mask to become Deathstroke the Terminator.

Viewers have already seen Deathstroke in a couple of island flashbacks (masked and played by a different actor), working with a crew of mercenary soldiers and torturing Oliver Queen. In the comics, Wilson eventually becomes the supervillain, but of course producers have not confirmed that the television character will follow suit. What is known is that in an upcoming episode, Wilson and Queen will forge an uneasy alliance in order to survive the horrors of Lian Yu. Bennett has signed on for several appearances this season, so we could get a slow burn with Wilson gradually gaining Queen's confidence before revealing his alter ego.

Fans of Starz' "Spartacus" series are already familiar with Bennett's work, as he plays the title character's friend and occasional adversary in the action series. All I know him from is WWE Films' awful "The Marine," in which he played a member of the crew of villains (appropriately named "Bennett") that John Cena had to take out to rescue his girl. He certainly has the action skills down pat and is jacked to the gills, but will he fit in well with the rest of the cast?

What do you think of this casting news?