Tyler Hoechlin will not return as 'Teen Wolf' series regular

VAN NUYS, Calif., March 12 (UPI) -- Tyler Hoechlin will not return as a series regular on Teen Wolf.

The 27-year-old actor has portrayed Derek Hale on the MTV series since its premiere in 2011, but will appear only in a recurring capacity come season five.

Teen Wolf creator Jeff Davis announced the news in an interview with Buzzfeed, and revealed the network will refocus the new season on the show's teen characters given Hoechlin's departure.

"While Tyler may no longer be a series regular, don't count Derek Hale out just yet," he teased. "It's never easy to lose a series regular on the show, but it always comes from a place of respecting an artist -- because all artists need to try new things."

Hoechlin is leaving the program to pursue other opportunities, and Davis said he looks forward "to seeing the new characters that Tyler Hoechlin creates." The executive producer emphasized he "can't wait to have [Hoechlin] back on our set as well."

Hoechlin came to fame as Michael Sullivan, Jr. in Road to Perdition, and also played Martin Brewer on The WB series 7th Heaven. The actor is scheduled for Undrafted with Joseph Mazzello and That's What I'm Talking About with Ryan Guzman.

Teen Wolf is loosely based on the 1985 film of the same name, and stars Tyler Posey as teen werewolf Scott McCall and Maze Runner actor Dylan O'Brien as Stiles Stilinski. The series will return for a fifth season in summer 2015.