We first met the DC Extended Universe's Barry Allen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and he'd suit up as The Flash for the first time in Suicide Squad. When we later caught up with the Fastest Man Alive in Justice League, it was apparent his costume was one he'd made himself, but Barry will receive a long-overdue upgrade in The Flash next year.
Well, assuming Warner Bros. releases the movie, of course.
It's an uncertain time for the blockbuster thanks to the controversies surrounding actor Ezra Miller, but a comic book prequel is still expected to be released later this year. That will pick up with Batman and The Flash during a team-up it's believed will end with the Dark Knight presenting his fellow hero with a new suit.
In some preview pages from the first issue, we learn that one possible reason for the change is the fact that Barry's previous costume ends up being destroyed in battle! We expected something along those lines seeing as the Scarlet Speedster cobbled it together himself, and for most fans, the old suit won't be missed.
In The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive, Barry Allen’s world-saving adventure with the Justice League has driven Central City’s favourite son to become a truly skilled and inspirational Super Hero. But when a new threat by the name of Girder emerges in Central City, Barry turns to Batman for advice on training to master his powers.
Under the Dark Knight’s tutelage, The Fastest Man Alive will have to find a way to defeat this metallic menace or be crushed by Girder’s strength.
The entire plot of The Flash movie recently leaked online, and you can find that here. As of right now, the movie is on track to be released in theaters on June 23.
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some solutions to Warner Bros.' Ezra Miller problem!
5. Dump The Movie On HBO Max
HBO Max increased in popularity during the worst of the pandemic, but it's no Disney+ and not in the same league as Netflix. However, as much as WarnerMedia would like to change all that, it also makes it a great place to dump The Flash next summer instead of releasing the movie in theaters.
This would avoid the embarrassment of disappointing box office returns and the inevitable negative headlines (look no further than Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and the reception to Johnny Depp's leading role). Dropping a huge, and now controversial, movie like The Flash on HBO Max should also drive up those all-important subscription numbers.
Handling the release this way means Warner Bros. can still move forward with their DCEU reboot, all while minimising backlash for releasing a movie with a star who has become mired in some appalling, sickening controversies and allegations.
4. Reshoot Or Replace Miller
The Flash has finished shooting, and with Miller playing two versions of Barry Allen in the movie, replacing them will be no easy feat. On the one hand, Warner Bros. could consider spending millions of dollars reshooting their scenes with a different actor, but that's bound to be a logistical nightmare and potentially not even a realistic prospect.
However, there may still be a way to replace Miller that, while complicated, could work. We've seen Lucasfilm utilise incredible Deepfake technology to create a young Luke Skywalker, so why not put a different face on the actor's body?
Whether it's Grant Gustin, Logan Lerman, or someone else entirely, if the studio is willing to spend the money - in order to avoid something along the lines of the hideous Henry Cavill we had to spend time with in Justice League - this might be the best solution. ADR can take care of the rest, and with that, we'd have a new Fastest Man Alive.
3. Exclude Miller From The Marketing Campaign
As of right now, it appears Warner Bros. is determined to forge ahead and release The Flash as planned. It's understandable, though. After all, they've not only sunk a tonne of money into it, but this adventure will essentially create a different DCEU that sets the stage for a whole new era of storytelling.
Taking that into account, Warner Bros. would be wise to ditch Miller from the marketing campaign and actually shift focus to Batman and Supergirl. It's inevitable that we'll have to see something of the Scarlet Speedster in future trailers, but sidelining him to focus on Keaton's return and the Girl of Steel's debut shouldn't be difficult as both characters will excite fans.
When the time for The Flash to premiere in theaters does arrive, an understated premiere and limited interviews would be a good way to move attention from Miller and make sure they don't become the focus of every journalist's questions. Then, once this movie is finally released, the studio can quietly move on from the actor and find a new Barry Allen.
2. Ditch The Flash...From The Flash
Michael Keaton's Batman will play a lead role in this movie as will Sasha Calle's Supergirl. Assuming there's a lot of footage with them both in the final cut and on the cutting room floor, why not use that - and some extensive reshoots - to create a new movie? Yes, we're actually suggesting cutting The Flash from The Flash and creating an entirely different blockbuster.
This would be a little easier than recasting Miller, but is obviously another expensive option. The fact is, though, their stink is now all over Barry Allen. Even hiring a different actor may not be enough to wash that away, so putting the hero on the shelf for a while might be what's best. We'll admit this idea isn't the most practical, but a Batman/Supergirl team-up would be no bad thing.
Alternatively, The Flash can always end with the Scarlet Speedster getting a new face! We're not sure what the explanation would be, but as the leaked plot pointed to some very weird goings-on with reality, it's something that's not outside the realm of possibility.
1. Scrap The Movie
This is extreme, but would anyone be that upset at this stage? Based on the aforementioned plot leak, The Flash could be a fun ride, but it doesn't sound like the epic Flashpoint adaptation many wanted. Throw in the fact that the big bad is a Superman villain and it looks set to essentially recon the entire "SnyderVerse," and you should be able to already sense the backlash brewing.
At this stage, Warner Bros. starting from scratch with the DCEU may be for the best. Whether that's a return to standalone movies, a whole new universe, or something else entirely, what they're doing right now isn't entirely working.
With this in mind, scrapping The Flash might be no great loss. Sasha Calle's Supergirl can still appear in a standalone project, while Michael Keaton taking Ben Affleck's place doesn't necessarily need an explanation. He's just that world's older Dark Knight! Should Miller continue to make headlines, what seems like an extreme suggestion could become a whole lot more realistic...