Arrow boss teases lighter crossover as Stephen Amell shares BTS photo of Superman

Last week we got our long-awaited first look at Ruby Rose as Batwoman, and now we’ve received our unofficial first look at Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman in this year’s Arrowverse crossover, “Elseworlds,” courtesy of the hero who started it all.

On Monday, Arrow star Stephen Amell shared a behind-the-scenes photo of himself with The Flash’s Grant Gustin and Hoechlin, who’s wearing an all-black version of Superman’s suit. (In the comics, Superman wore a similar, capeless outfit when he was resurrected following his deadly fight against Doomsday, but we doubt that this is a Death of Superman scenario.)

Check it out:

The other interesting detail in the photo is that neither Gustin nor Amell appear to be wearing their usual superhero costumes. In place of their usual red and green threads, they have on black pants and boots. Why? The reason remains unclear. (It’s also worth noting that Amell no longer has Oliver’s prison beard.)

Although everyone in the Arrowverse has remained mum about what to expect from “Elseworlds,” which will see the Flash (Gustin), Green Arrow (Amell), and Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) finally meet Gotham City’s Batwoman, Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz teased how it compares to last year’s multiverse-jumping, Nazi-filled “Crisis on Earth-X.”

“This one doesn’t feel quite as dark as last season’s,” Schwartz told EW at the CW’s fall launch party Saturday. “Obviously there were Nazis last season. I definitely think there’s a lot more fun to be had in the crossover this year.”

Schwartz went on to explain how former Arrow showrunner Marc Guggenheim, who is consulting on the show this season, has taken the lead on the crossover. “I’m now calling him — I coined this term — the ‘showrunner of the crossover episodes,’” she said. “He’s been huge, huge in the crossovers, and he’s really on point for those episodes and they’re going to be amazing.”

In addition to boasting Batwoman’s debut and Superman’s appearance in all three installments, “Elseworlds” will feature Grimm’s Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane; Designated Survivor’s LaMonica Garrett as the Monitor; Cassandra Jean Amell as Nora Fries; and Jeremy Davies as a potentially insane Arkham Asylum doc who is the reason that the Arrowverse’s trinity comes to Gotham City in the first place.

“Elseworlds” begins Sunday, Dec. 9, with The Flash at 8 p.m.; continues Monday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. with Arrow; and concludes the following night at 8 p.m. with Supergirl.

Related content:

• EW’s Fall TV comics reading guide for viewers interested in going beyond the screen
• How Batwoman began: The story behind the CW’s newest superhero
• The CW reveals Arrowverse crossover title, adds powerful DC Comics character