The Flash is now in theaters, so we're breaking down what occurs during the movie's final scenes and post-credits stinger.
Major spoilers follow.
The Scarlet Speedster's first solo adventure concludes with the hero accepting the fact that he can't alter the fates of Batman (Michael Keaton), Supergirl (Sasha Calle) and their entire world, before returning to what he assumes to be his own reality to prove his father's innocence.
When his dad is acquitted, Barry leaves the courtroom and gets a call from Batman to congratulate him on his dad's release - but the Bruce Wayne who steps out of the car to meet him is played by George Clooney (Batman and Robin).
Then, in the post-credits stinger, we see Barry and Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) leaving a bar. Aquaman keels over drunk and winds up face-down in a puddle, before taking off his Atlantean ring and urging his fellow Justice Leaguer to pawn it for more beer.
As we already know, the film was originally going to feature a very different ending (click here for more), with Michael Keaton's Batman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Superman (Henry Cavill) all showing up outside the court building. While this would likely have laid the groundwork for a follow-up, it's difficult to know exactly what the theatrical version was aiming for!
Despite the imminent DCU reboot, The Flash could still get a sequel if it proves to be a big enough success at the box office (not looking great so far), and a script is already said to have been completed. Would the story begin with Barry in this new timeline where Clooney is Batman, or was he supposed to have returned to his own reality for the post-credits scene with Aquaman?
Director Any Muschietti has begun to disclose more details in interviews now that the movie has been released, so he may clear things up. For now, be sure to let us know what you think in the usual place.
"Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash features Barry Allen traveling back in time in order to change events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to help. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian…albeit not the one he’s looking for.
Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?"
The Flash is produced by Barbara Muschietti and Michael Disco, with a screenplay by Christina Hodson, and a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein and Joby Harold, based on characters from DC. Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film.