Actor Michael Shannon has recently revealed key insights into his return as General Zod in The Flash, supporting the biggest villain theory for the upcoming DC film. Starring Ezra Miller as The Fastest Man Alive, Barry Allen will attempt to rewrite his own history. However, this act will inadvertently rewrite the entire DC Universe with a collision of realities. While this will include a Kryptonian invasion by Zod and his forces without Superman to defend the world, it seems there's still a bigger threat that's yet to be revealed.
Shannon recently spoke about what it was like returning as General Zod in The Flash, confirming that the Kryptonian villain will have a limited role in the upcoming movie:
"You don’t spend as much time with him, so you don’t really get to know as much about what he’s thinking. It’s not necessarily his movie."
As a result, this seems to suggest Zod will simply be one element of danger among a universe's worth of chaos. However, the first trailer for The Flash does see Zod being set up as a major foe for Sasha Calle's Supergirl will face after joining forces with two versions of Barry Allen and Michael Keaton's Batman.
General Zod Can't Be The Flash's Main Villain Now
Shannon also commented on how quickly he filmed his new scenes as Zod for The Flash, revealing he only spent a few weeks on set in England. Combined with his confirmation that the movie doesn't belong to the Superman villain, it's evident that General Zod won't be the primary villain of The Flash. While Zod will likely be a major threat that will have to be addressed given the confirmed absence of Superman in this warped reality, it seems as though Barry Allen will also be dealing with a new villain entirely.
If anything, Zod's appearance in The Flash will likely serve as one of the most visually impactful consequences of Barry's actions. As DC Studios has effectively begun to close the door on the existing cinematic universe in favor of the new DCU envisioned by new heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, featuring its very first villain from Man of Steel will be a dynamic and dangerous callback thanks to The Flash's manipulations of time. Likewise, Zod's limited role supports the idea that there will be a much bigger villain for The Flash to face, one that will likely be able to match his speed and ability to rewrite reality.
If General Zod's Not The Main Villain, Then It's Likely Alt Barry Allen
The top contender for The Flash's true big bad is likely the alternate Barry seen in the first trailer. Joining the main Flash along with Batman and Supergirl, it seems as though both Barrys will work together to reset their respective realities. However, this fellow speedster could very well become a rival speedster, especially considering this other Barry's clothing and color scheme which evokes the yellow and black of the Reverse-Flash (Barry Allen's nemesis from the original comics). Likewise, one could argue that Reverse-Flash being a literal mirror of Barry Allen fits the villain's name far better than the comics' Eobard Thawne.
That being said, this alternate Barry could also evolve into a brand-new antagonist for the new DC film. In any case, this second Barry may stop caring about what happens to reality so long as his mother is alive, making him a direct threat the main Barry will have to confront in his attempt to set things right. Although General Zod's return in The Flash will be exciting, it's become clear that he won't be the movie's primary foe (and it will likely be a rival speedster).
