MTV's "Teen Wolf" is losing a member of its pack.
Buzzfeed confirmed that actor Tyler Hoechlin, who plays Derek Hale, will not be returning as a series regular for an upcoming fifth season of the MTV supernatural series. That doesn't mean Hoechlin's character is gone for good.
Executive producer Jeff Davis broke the news to Buzzfeed, explaining that it was a decision made by both him and Hoechlin. The actor has been a series regular on the show since season one.
"Tyler Hoechlin decided he wanted more time to pursue movies," Davis said. "We talked and creatively agreed that maybe this was a good season to refocus on the teens of Teen Wolf, and while he won't be a series regular anymore, I can say that you probably won't have seen the last of Derek Hale. We love him and miss him."
During the season four finale, fans saw Derek evolve into a full-formed black wolf while fighting the Berserkers. For season five, Davis revealed that "the supernatural super villains that 'Teen Wolf' has become known for will also be making life in Beacon Hills a living hell."
"For me, the tagline of this season that we use in the writers room is: The rules have changed," he said. "The 20-episode season will be very much the world of the supernatural being turned upside down."
So, what about the other characters?
"This is very much a season of secrets and how secrets can break a group of friends apart, and how people can lose faith in each other," Davis added. "It'll be interesting to see when Stiles (Dylan O'Brien) loses faith in Scott (Tyler Posey), where his relationship with Malia (Shelley Hennig) is tested and broken.
"We're going to test Scott in big ways. He's done very well as a leader, but what happens when he fails? What happens when everyone's faith in him is tested? He's going to go through a lot of difficulty this season."
Teen Wolf season 5 will premiere in June on MTV.
