Regular viewers of Teen Wolf will have woken to the news today that series regular Tyler Hoechlin - who plays the brooding Derek Hale - will not return as a major character when the MTV show returns for season five. Hoechlin, 27, will now focus on his budding film career which includes a role in Richard Linklater's 80's college movie That's What I'm Talking About.

Tyler HoechlinTyler Hoechlin will no longer be a series regular on Teen Wolf

 "Tyler Hoechlin decided he wanted more time to pursue movies," executive producer Jeff Davis told BuzzFeed News, "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."

"It's true that @TylerL_Hoechlin will not be a series regular in #TeenWolf S5, but that doesn't mean you've seen the last of him," confirmed the Teen Wolf Twitter account.

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Hoechlin is also working on Deb Loftis' TV comedy movie The Sticks about three best friends who end up in jail after the wildest summer of their lives.

As for season five, Davis said there would be plenty more changes for the forthcoming string of episodes.

"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."

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