Steven R. McQueen Leaving Vampire Diaries...Nightwing Calling?

Steven R. McQueen is leaving The Vampire Diaries in 2015. They aren't killing off his character, Jeremy Gilbert, he's just moving on to "start a fresh new life." Mr. McQueen's last episode will be season six, episode fourteen, ironically entitled, "Stay." This is certain to make Vampire Diaries fans upset, but we have to wonder about how this all lines up with McQueen's recent, possibly accidental, tie-up with the role of former Batman partner, Nightwing, especially with a Nightwing heavy Titanslive-action series preparing to shoot a pilot in 2015.

Last year, Mr. McQueen caused a stir after posting an image on social media of him working out while wearing a shirt with the Nightwing logo on it. He addressed the post at the producers of Arrow, with the caption "Nightwing training." Ultimately, it came to nothing, and it turns out he was just having some fun, and there were never any actual talks for him to appear as Dick Grayson on the CW's premiere superhero drama.

But now, there's actually a television show that features Nightwing as the lead in active development for TNT. Titanswill tell the story of Dick Grayson, in his quest to outgrow the shadow of Batman, forming a superhero team of his own. Recently, Geoff Johns confirmed that the Titanspilot will go before the cameras in 2015, presumably with eyes on a Fall 2015 premiere should it get picked up by TNT. 

All of this makes the timing of Mr. McQueen's Vampire Diaries departure look a little convenient. Even Vampire Diaries executive producer Julie Plec couldn't help herself in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, when talking about whether we might see McQueen's Jeremy Gilbert on the show again. ""He’ll always be welcome to join us for important events," she said, "unless [McQueen] finally gets his wish to play a superhero and he’s unavailable." 

See? It's all pretty convenient. You can read more about the Titansand why they are the perfect property for TV right here.