Little is known about The Flash, but the movie’s cast of DC characters may reveal details about the upcoming story. The Flash is currently in production and director Andy Muschietti has continued to tease audiences with various photographs from the set, most recently an up-close photograph of Flash’s suit as well as Supergirl’s. These photographs have created a steady buzz around the production, though many elements of the film remain under wraps. With a release date not scheduled until November 2022, there will likely be no trailer dropping any time soon. However, one may speculate Warner Bros. will release the first teaser at this year’s DC FanDome 2021, where the first teaser for The Batman was dropped last year.
While the plot may not be known, it is generally believed to be a loose adaptation of Flashpoint, the widely popular and successful comic book arc, which saw Flash travel back in time to save his mother. This story has previously been adapted for animation with Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and in the CW television show, The Flash. In fact, last year in 2020, Muschietti made comments specifically addressing the upcoming film’s relation to Flashpoint, describing it as “…a different version of Flashpoint than you’re expecting.” This is certainly reinforced by the casting that has been made public and The Flash’s lack of DCEU characters from the original Flashpoint story.
Rumors are circulating that everyone from Aquaman to Cyborg have guest appearances in the film, however, these are unconfirmed. Moreover, these rumors are likely based on the insistence that this is a direct adaptation of Flashpoint, in which these characters (Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg) are essential. Instead, the confirmed cast reveals a different sort of story entirely; one with more interest in the multiverse than with Barry meddling in the timeline. This makes sense as Warner Bros. is obviously attempting to open the door to a multiversal cinematic universe for mainstream audiences. Going over the major confirmed cast confirms a multiverse-filled story for Flash.
Ben Affleck Returns As Bruce Wayne
After it had been fervently rumored for months that Ben Affleck would return to his role as Batman, it was made official in August 2020 that he would indeed be revisiting the character. This came as a surprise to many who doubted Affleck would ever don the cowl again. However, there is still a chance Affleck will not be in the cowl. After all, The Flash is “officially” set after the events of Joss Whedon’s theatrical cut of Justice League. One may remember that Whedon’s take on Affleck’s Batman painted him as a man on the brink of retirement, looking to form the League to be there when he is not.
Even The Flash’s confirmed connection to Flashpoint may point to the scope of Affleck’s involvement. It is entirely possible Affleck’s Batman return will be limited to a cameo or similarly relevant appearance, similar to Bruce’s appearance at the end of Flashpoint. In this original story, Bruce only appears when Flash delivers a letter to him from his father, Thomas Wayne, Flashpoint’s Batman. There is no denying it would be an incredible sight to watch multiple Batmen teaming up with Flash, but the likelihood of this happening seems slim, especially with the primary focus on Michael Keaton’s Batman.
Michael Keaton Returns As Batman
Michael Keaton’s return as Batman is possibly The Flash’s most surprising and exciting element that has been the source of constant discourse for nearly a year. Keaton, who has not appeared as Batman since 1992’s Batman Returns, will play a continuation of his original Batman from the Burton-era films. While his entire suit has yet to be revealed, Muschietti released a close-up photograph of the suit’s bat symbol in all its black and yellow glory, hinting that the suit will closely resemble the iconic original. Said photo, also featured drops of what appears to be blood, although that is up for debate. This tease likely hints at the nature of Keaton’s role in the film.
Keaton will likely stand in for Thomas Wayne’s role in the original Flashpoint story. Thomas Wayne, Flashpoint’s Batman, was an anti-hero with an affinity for guns, who actively murdered the criminals of Gotham City and nearly killed Flash before ultimately agreeing to help him. The fact that Keaton is taking Thomas’ major role in helping Flash save the world speaks volumes. It indicates The Flash’s focus on the multiverse instead of the timeline. If this was purely a timeline issue, as it is in Flashpoint, it would result in a different version of Bruce or Thomas, not Keaton’s return as Batman from the multiverse.
Supergirl’s Confirmed DCEU Debut
Back in February 2021, director Andy Muschietti, took to Instagram to reveal that Sasha Calle would be playing Supergirl in his upcoming film. Sasha Calle, who is a relatively unknown actress, known for her work on The Young and the Restless, will be only the second actress to portray Supergirl on the big screen, following Helen Slater’s 1984 performance in Supergirl. Calle will also be DC’s first-ever Latina Supergirl which will bring much-need diversity to the DCEU. While Calle will certainly provide an incredible performance to the film, Supergirl’s casting in The Flash was certainly one not many expected.
Supergirl’s role in the film will be interesting to learn as more details are revealed because the character certainly isn’t known for her role in Flashpoint. On the other hand, this casting does align with the notion that The Flash will focus on the multiverse. The question then becomes, which Earth does this Supergirl call home? Based on the costume in Muschietti’s Instagram reveal, one would assume this Supergirl exists on the same Earth as Cavill’s Superman because the costumes look nearly identical. However, it is also entirely likely that this Supergirl is from yet another universe. Nonetheless, Calle’s Supergirl role will definitely be an unknown factor given there is no Flashpoint character to quickly equate her with.
Nora Allen Makes An Appearance
Maribel Verdú, the Spanish actress known by many for her role in Pan’s Labyrinth¸ will play Barry Allen’s mother, Nora, in the upcoming film. This is perhaps the most expected role that has been announced as she will provide the heart of the story. In certain ways, Nora is the most important Flashpoint character because she is everything Barry is fighting for. In the comics, Reverse-Flash is the one who kills Nora, however, there has been no casting news for this character. This bears the question of whether they will be sticking to this comic book origin for Reverse-Flash.
While the film is still over a year away and there is plenty of time to announce additional cast members, it seems odd that, for a film reportedly inspired by Flashpoint, Nora is the only casting news that directly aligns with that story. It will also be interesting to see whether this will be a Nora from Barry’s past, or a Nora from the multiverse. Many will assume this is simply Barry’s Nora, but given the other casting, specifically Michael Keaton’s, it’s obvious the timeline is not necessarily the issue at hand. Hopefully this will be one of the details the film’s first trailer provides the answer to.
There is no doubt Warner Bros. has big plans for The Flash and its ultimate role in establishing a new DCEU. The fact that there remains so much mystery surrounding the cast and plot only goes to show the extreme lengths they are going to keep leaks to a minimum. Still, the cast that has been announced and the cast that has not been announced speak volumes in regard to the plot of the upcoming film. It reveals a film that will likely take us deep into the multiverse, which only makes sense given Warner Bros. decision to move on from the “Snyderverse” with films such as Matt Reeves’ The Batman and J.J. Abrams’ Superman project.
