The Flash - Everything You Need To Know

The history of the DCU has been ... complicated. It started off with Zack Snyder holding the reins, and now, James Gunn and Peter Safran are crafting a whole new era for the franchise. But in this pre-"Gods and Monsters" chapter of the DC Universe, there are still a few more films set in the remnants of Snyder's world. For example, there's "The Flash," one of the most anticipated and controversial superhero movies in recent memory.

The film will tell the story of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), a man with the ability to tap into the Speed Force. Through the Speed Force, Barry has become the fastest man alive, The Flash, and a successful superhero. Despite this, Barry still laments the murder of his mother (Maribel Verdú) during his childhood, which led to the false arrest and imprisonment of his dad (Ron Livingston). In going back in time to try to prevent her death, Barry changes the entire DC Universe timeline. Barry and a doppelgänger traverse this new and far darker timeline, rife with new and old allies and threats.

The Flash first appeared in the DCU way back in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," and it's taken quite a while for the Scarlet Speedster to get his own film. But now that Barry Allen is about to accelerate into theaters, what can we expect from this highly praised yet divisive film? "The Flash" promises to be DC's biggest outing yet, which fans are eager to see as soon as possible. So before you speed into theaters this summer, here's everything you need to know about "The Flash."

"The Flash" has had a long and bumpy road to theaters. The project was originally slated for March 23, 2018, and along the way, it suffered multiple release date snafus. During its long slog to the screen, the film shuffled through four sets of directors and had a complete script rewrite, with at least four scribes contributing to various versions of the story from 2018 to 2023 (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Joby Harold of "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," and finally, "Birds of Prey's" Christina Hodson). 

At one point, COVID got involved, forcing "The Flash" forward in time and causing Warner Bros. to rearrange their entire release slate. On top of all that, the film was dogged by all sorts of accusations against star Ezra Miller — from assault charges to accusations of grooming and burglary — leading the actor to receive treatment for their mental health issues. And along the way, the entire DCU was restructured, with James Gunn and Peter Safran becoming the new DCU heads. In other words, there's been a whole lot of DC drama.

But now, "The Flash" finally has a solid release date. Expect to see the Scarlet Speedster on June 16, 2023. And we have pretty high hopes for the film, as James Gunn told Variety, "I will say here that 'Flash' is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made." High praise from the man behind "The Suicide Squad" and the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies.

If you've seen "Zack Snyder's Justice League" or an episode of The CW's "Flash" TV series, then you know the Scarlet Speedster can travel through time if he runs fast enough, entering the Speed Force. Of course, while this skill comes in hand every so often, it can also have some pretty disastrous consequences — something Barry Allen will find out the hard way in his upcoming solo film.

As the official plot synopsis reads, "Worlds collide in 'The Flash' when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past." The hero wants to save his murdered mom from her tragic fate, but his time-traveling plan majorly backfires, resetting the future. "Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no superheroes to turn to."

After running into an alternate version of himself, the two Barrys realize there is one hero that might be able to join their fight against "Man of Steel's" Zod (Michael Shannon) — a retired Batman, who happens to look a whole lot like Michael Keaton. As the plot reads, Barry will also need to "rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian ... albeit not the one he's looking for." Spoiler alert — it's Supergirl (Sasha Calle), and she looks like she's ready to mess some bad guys up.

Of course, defeating Zod and putting things back in order won't be that easy. As the synopsis reveals, "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?"

Needless to say, Ezra Miller will be starring as two versions of Barry Allen. The actor originated the role in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," before reprising the part in both versions of "Justice League." In addition to playing the Scarlet Speedster — and their aforementioned legal woes — Miller is best known for playing the titular psychopath in "We Need to Talk About Kevin," Credence Barebone in the "Fantastic Beasts" movies, and Patrick Stewart (no, not that one) in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."

Miller will be joined in their time-traveling adventure by Sasha Calle as Supergirl. The part of Kara Zor-El will be Calle's first feature film, although she's had quite a bit of experience on TV, playing the role of Lola Rosales in "The Young and the Restless." It remains to be seen if Calle will reprise the Kryptonian part in the upcoming "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" or if DCU heads James Gunn and Peter Safran will recast her.

We'll also be getting two Batmen for the price of one. First up, we've got Batfleck himself. Ben Affleck is back as Bruce Wayne, after first donning the cowl in "Batman v Superman." The year 2023 will be a big one for Affleck, as he also directed the Nike/basketball drama "Air," which hits theaters in April. Of course, the big coup here was casting Michael Keaton as an alternate universe Caped Crusader. Keaton famously played Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" and 1992's "Batman Returns," helping lay the groundwork for the superhero boom to come. In recent years, Keaton has been a busy man, starring in everything from "Spotlight" and "The Founder" to "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and Hulu's "Dopesick."

It also appears Michael Shannon is coming back as General Zod, the DCU's original big bad. He made Superman's life pretty miserable in "Man of Steel," and now, he's been unleashed in a timeline where there are no metahumans to stop him. Shannon is an incredibly prolific actor, showing up in projects like "Knives Out," "Bullet Train," "Nine Perfect Strangers," and "George & Tammy." He'll be joined by Antje Traue as Faora-Ul, Zod's right-hand woman. Plus, expect to see Ron Livingston ("Office Space," "Band of Brothers") and Maribel Verdú ("Y tu mamá también," "Pan's Labyrinth") as Barry's parents and Kiersey Clemons ("Sweetheart," "Dope") reprising the part of Iris West from "Zack Snyder's Justice League.

We've also heard some interesting details regarding everybody's favorite Amazonian, Wonder Woman. At one point, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Gal Gadot's cameo (along with Henry Cavill's as Superman) had been cut in the wake of the changing DCU. However, in March 2023, Ben Affleck went on the Smartless podcast and said we can expect a scene where Wonder Woman gets Batfleck out of a jam using the Lasso of Truth. It'll be interesting to see if Affleck was referencing a scene that was indeed deleted or if the trades got this one wrong.

It would make sense for Wonder Woman to show up. "The Flash" is drawing from a comic arc called "Flashpoint," where a subplot involves the Amazonians at war with the kingdom of Atlantis. On that note, it's also been reported that Temuera Morrison will appear in "The Flash." Best known as Django Fett and Boba Fett, Morrison played Aquaman's dad, Thomas Curry, in the hero's solo film. In February 2022, Deadline reported that Morrison appeared in footage for "The Flash," but that was long before the DCU completely restructured itself, so we'll be interested to see if he still appears in Barry Allen's adventure.

The DCU has played host to a group of incredibly talented directors, from Zack Snyder and James Gunn to Patty Jenkins and Cathy Yan. And now, Andy Muschietti will be joining their ranks, as the filmmaker is helming "The Flash."

Of course, it took Warner Bros. a long time to pick Muschietti. When "The Flash" was officially announced back in 2018, Seth Grahame-Smith (the writer of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter") was set to direct, although he eventually left over creative differences. Grahame-Smith was followed by Rick Famuyiwa of "Dope," who eventually departed for similar reasons and wound up a major player on "The Mandalorian." After Famuyiwa departed, the studio turned to John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, now probably best known for "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves."

However, Ezra Miller allegedly wanted something darker than Daley and Goldstein were aiming for, so they were eventually replaced by Muschietti. Similar to DCU compatriots David F. Sandberg and James Wan, Muschietti got his start in horror, directing Jessica Chastain in the incredibly eerie "Mama." The filmmaker then truly made his mark, bringing Pennywise to terrifying life in "IT" and "IT Chapter Two."

We'll be interested to see if Muschietti brings any of his horror cred into "The Flash," but we do know he'll be bringing big emotions, as the director told Order 67, "'The Flash' is a very special story. Yes, it's a superhero movie, but it has a heart and a soul, it has emotion."

The official trailer for "The Flash" promises a time-travel adventure for the ages, with Barry Allen running into a future of his own making — with disastrous consequences.

As the trailer opens, we hear Michael Keaton's Batman talking to Barry, saying, "Tell me something — you can go anywhere. Another timeline, another universe. So why do you want to stay and fight to save this one?" Barry responds, "Because this is the one where my mom lives. I'm not going to lose her again." It's here we witness images of Barry's mother and watch her ultimate fate, a death the Flash has never recovered from.

But with his new time-traveling powers, he sees a world where he could save his mom. "I could fix things," he tells Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne. "You could also destroy everything," Batfleck responds, right before General Zod shows up in a new timeline, courtesy of Barry. Thanks to his well-intentioned meddling, Barry has created a world where there are no more metahumans to stop Zod.

We also witness Keaton's Caped Crusader whooping up on some baddies, and we see the wrath of Supergirl, as she wrecks everyone in her path. We also get to see the interplay between red-clad Barry and yellow-clad Barry, as their similar yet distinct personalities contrast with one another. In short, the trailer promises "The Flash" will delve deep into DC lore, giving us a new spin on old characters and giving us some new memorable heroes to stand alongside the old vets.

While comic book movies often put their own twist on the source material, they usually do draw some inspiration from the original comic books. Take "The Flash," for instance, which is borrowing from 2011's "Flashpoint," by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert. In fact, at one point, the film was going to be named "Flashpoint," although the studio eventually decided to go with the much simpler "The Flash."

So, what happens in the "Flashpoint" comic? Well, similar to the film, Barry Allen zooms back in time and rescues his mother. When he returns to the present-day, Nora Allen is still alive, but everything else has fallen apart. Bruce Wayne was shot dead as a child, leading his father to become a more violent Dark Knight and his mother to become the new Joker. Superman was locked up by scientists the moment he landed on Earth, and the nations of Themyscira and Atlantis are throwing down.

Obviously, there have been some substantial changes here. In the film, Bruce Wayne is very much alive and looking a lot like Michael Keaton. There's no Superman to be seen, but based on the trailer, it does look like Supergirl is filling that role, as it appears she's been imprisoned for quite some time. Another big difference is the villain. In the film, Zod appears to be the primary threat. In the comics, it's Reverse Flash aka Eobard Thawne. However, the "Flash" trailer does seem to give at least a nod to the classic bad guy. Fans of CW's "The Flash" series will remember Thawne sports a yellow suit, similar to Barry's. In the trailer for 2023's "The Flash," we see alternate Barry wearing a whole lot of yellow, so perhaps Reverse Flash might be secretly scheming the whole time.

Before Ezra Miller donned the iconic Flash suit, Grant Gustin was zipping around over on The CW. His "Flash" TV series premiered in 2014, and along the way, it interacted with multiple Arrowverse shows. Perhaps the biggest crossover came in 2019, when we witnessed "Crisis on Infinite Earths" play out over multiple series, including "Supergirl," "Arrow," and, of course, "The Flash."

The crossover found a band of heroes joining together to face the Anti-Monitor, a powerful being intent on wiping out the multiverse. It's a saga so epic that TV and film collided when Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller met up, allowing the two Barrys to interact for just a moment and admire each other's suits. Sadly, there's been no word that Gustin will appear in Miller's movie, although we'd be pretty happy if that's a surprise Warner Bros. is keeping up their sleeve.

We know that General Zod is going to be a pretty serious problem in "The Flash," but will he be the only bad guy? We suspect that won't be the case. Andy Muschietti's superhero movie is drawing heavily from the "Flashpoint" story arc, where evil speedster Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash is the ultimate villain. Based on the trailers — where Barry #2 is seen wearing a whole lot of yellow — we've wondered if Reverse Flash might be the secret villain of the film, but now, we suspect there might be another speedster in the mix.

In March 2023, McFarlane Toys released some official "Flash" merchandise, with one of their figures depicting a menacing figure by the name of Dark Flash. In the comics, Dark Flash is actually an alternate version of hero Wally West, known as Walter West. Hailing from another timeline, Dark Flash is an incredibly brutal character, having gone mad after the loss of someone he loved. While we don't believe Wally or Walter West will factor into the film, it's possible that Barry No. 2 might secretly be Dark Flash or that there's a third Barry Allen out there, wearing a very scary suit and with bad plans for our hero.

If you want to catch up on Barry Allen's adventures before things get all time-wimey with "The Flash," then never fear, we've got you covered. The Scarlet Speedster made his first appearance in the DCU in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," when Barry briefly broke through time to give a cryptic warning to Bruce Wayne. You can watch his quick cameo and the epic showdown between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader on HBO Max, or you can rent it for $3.99 on Amazon Video, Apple iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.

Barry returns in "Justice League" — both versions, in fact. There's the infamous Joss Whedon version, a film most people agree isn't great, which is available to stream on HBO Max. However, if you want to see "Justice League" the way it was meant to be watched, you need to check out Zack Snyder's version, which might be the director's best movie to date. See Barry Allen enter the Speed Force under Snyder's watchful eye on HBO Max, or you can buy the film for $14.99 on Amazon Video, Apple iTunes, Vudu, and YouTube.

When it comes to "The Flash," the topic that must unfortunately be addressed is the bizarre and frankly off-putting situation regarding Ezra Miller. Miller has been a sensitive topic for a good while now, dominating news headlines for much of 2022.

Things really began in January 2022, with Miller calling out and threatening the Ku Klux Klan in a video, saying, "I suggest just killing yourselves with your own guns." Two months later, Miller was arrested at a bar in Hawaii, eventually pleading no contest to the charge in court, subsequently paying a $500 fine. Later, Miller allegedly threatened a couple in their own home in March 2022 and was arrested for second-degree assault just a month later.

In June 2022, Miller was in concerning back-to-back headlines, with three different parents accusing Miller of grooming their kids. In August of that same summer, Miller was accused of burglary in Vermont, before finally addressing their behaviors publicly. Miller said, "I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior." The actor's full list of controversies and arrests involves incidents in Iceland and alarming conditions on their Vermont property. It wasn't until April 2023 that Andy Muschietti, the director of "The Flash," finally commented on his lead's recent illegal escapades. Muschietti said, "They're dealing with mental health issues, but they're well. We talked to them not too long ago, and they're very committed to getting better."

"Release the Snyder Cut." Four words that, for an extended period of time, were seemingly inescapable for anyone following comic book movie news on the internet. Simply put, it was a tenacious campaign jumpstarted by hardcore Zack Snyder fans who all desired the director's version of "Justice League" rather than the Joss Whedon-directed theatrical cut.

Following the divisive films "Man of Steel" and "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," Snyder got to work on "Justice League," the grand finale of his then-ongoing cinematic storyline. Unfortunately, during the film's production, Snyder's daughter Autumn died by suicide in March 2017, causing Snyder to understandably vacate the project. This resulted in Whedon stepping in to finish the film, even reshooting key sequences. This "Whedon Cut" soon became the subject of rampant criticism, only fueling the fires of the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement.

Eventually, after Snyder shot new material and re-edited the film, "Zack Snyder's Justice League" arrived on HBOMax in 2021, proving to be a vastly different final product than the theatrical version. Despite this, with the DCU's future being retooled by James Gunn, how much will the Snyderverse be referenced in "The Flash"? It's already been reported that a cameo from Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman has been cut out of the film. However, as indicated by a recent trailer, Ben Affleck's Batman appearance seems to be intact — to what degree, we don't know yet.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

One thing very evident from the trailers already released for "The Flash" is the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. With Ezra Miller's reputation still on the rocks, it definitely makes sense for Warner Bros. to reorient their promotion of the film around Keaton. Only time will tell as to if his comeback will do justice to his original back-to-back portrayals in Tim Burton's "Batman" duology. However, what's worth mentioning here is how originally this role in "The Flash" wasn't the only stop for Keaton on his DC Universe comeback tour.

Keaton's version of the Dark Knight was originally set to appear in the live-action "Batgirl" movie, with Leslie Grace in the title role. We say "originally" because the film was scrapped amidst the Warner Media and Discovery merger, allegedly for cost-saving measures. This was the first of many live-action and animated projects catapulted into the shadow realm as tax write-offs by the company. Given the lack of any completed footage available publicly, it's a bit difficult to gauge just how major Keaton's role would've been. However, we can definitely confirm his presence due to a photo of Keaton on set, in his costume, alongside Grace and one of the film's directors, Adil El Arbi.

For anyone who's actually read the "Flashpoint" comic book, you'll be aware that there have been a few changes to that original story. Not only is there a second Barry Allen, but the background conflict of the Atlantean-Amazonian War waged between Aquaman and Wonder Woman seems to be missing. However, one of the more notable changes is the removal of Kal-El aka Superman from the story.

Due to Barry's meddling in the timestream in the original story, events both before and after his mother's now-redacted death have been altered. This includes Kal-El's space pod landing in Kansas; in this revised timeline, it now crashes into Metropolis, killing several people. This means a young Kal-El, instead of being raised on the farm, is treated as an experiment by the United States Government, sheltered away in a secret holding facility.

If the upcoming "The Flash" is a one-for-one translation of the comic, Kal-El would also appear in this version. However, it appears this Elseworlds backstory has been tinkered to suit Kal-El's cousin, Kara, as opposed to Superman. These changes more than likely have to do with aspects of the now-defunct Snyderverse, including Henry Cavill as Superman, being retired as James Gunn retools the DCU. This means that we'll be seeing the Girl of Steel, played here by Sasha Calle, portrayed for the first time in live-action film since Helen Slater in 1984's "Supergirl." The character does appear in the televisual Arrowverse, played by Melissa Benoist, and in the six-season "Supergirl" series.

Over the years, the Scarlet Speedster has seen more than a few live-action interpretations of his iconic red and yellow costume. There have been stellar translations, such as John Wesley Shipp's corny yet timeless outfit in the 1990s television series. Grant Gustin's first few onscreen suits on the long-running CW series were a welcome update for the character's appearance. However, not every retooling of the classic suit has been tremendous, with many feeling like bargain bin Halloween costumes. Who could forget Flash's costume from Season 5 of the CW series, where his bulky helmet made him look more like Turbo Man from "Jingle All The Way"?

There's also his most recent costume from his appearances in the previous version of the DCU, which is a bit of a mixed bag visually. While definitely a unique look, the "Justice League" outfit is a bit too busy for its own good, sporting extra crevices and bits of exposed metal. The future version of "The Flash" we glimpse in "Batman v Superman" is even busier in this regard, the pulsating metal looking more like repurposed tank parts than a streamlined speedster suit. This upcoming film seems to update this suit, keeping the lines but swapping its color scheme to a brighter yellow. The suit is also less mechanical-looking now and feels more like a suit specifically built for Barry's physical build. Given the appearance of Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne in a recent trailer, perhaps these upgrades have come courtesy of Wayne Industries tech.

With both Warner Media and DC Comics both going through major changes as of late, is "The Flash" going to be the hard reset for the DCU? On the Warner Media end of things, the company publicly merged with Discovery back in 2022, resulting in a tidal wave of program and film cancellations. This included films like "Batgirl" and shows like "My Adventures with Superman" being canceled or shipped off to new homes like Adult Swim. Many once-important DC releases, including "Black Adam" and "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," were also delayed.

The other big change was the announcement that director James Gunn would be stepping into a role for DC Comics films similar to Kevin Feige's for Marvel. Following this sizable changeup, Gunn also announced a brand new slate loaded with future films and streaming content, with the first chapter of this new DC cinematic universe known as "Gods & Monsters." So with a shiny new cinematic universe on the horizon, will "The Flash" be a vital part of setting up this new era for DC Comics? Given the recent post-credits scene in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," it seems Gunn is still determining which aspects of the old universe will still be in play. Seems like we'll have to wait for the dust to settle before determining just how much of a restart Gunn's new universe — and "The Flash" — will actually be.

Amidst the discussions of how major a reset "The Flash" will ultimately be, there have been a few reported changes made en route to the film's release. Given the multiverse-centered plot line of the film, many DC fans have been speculating as to if there will be some major cameos. We've already seen glimpses of Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck's respective Batmen, but Michael Shannon's General Zod is back in the saddle as well.

However, alongside these confirmed appearances there seem to be some cameos that, for various reasons, have been trashed. We already mentioned how an apparently planned cameo for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman has been left on the cutting room floor, but it doesn't end there. In 2022, one of the bigger pieces of superhero news was the return and subsequent re-dismissal of Henry Cavill in the role of Superman. It seems Dwayne Johnson was particularly set on Black Adam's nemesis being the Man of Steel and not Shazam like it is in the comics. This resulted in a cameo from Cavill, back in his original suit, in the post-credits scene of "Black Adam." However, among the many changes made due to James Gunn's new creative direction, Cavill was once again dismissed from the role. A side effect of this is a cameo from Cavill originally planned for "The Flash" has, much like Gal Gadot's appearance, been canned.

However — major, major spoilers incoming, so don't read the next few sentences if you want to avoid them — that doesn't mean we won't be seeing Superman. In a shocking turn of events, director Andy Muschietti told Esquire Middle East that the one and only Nicolas Cage will be donning the red-and-blue tights in a cameo appearance. It's widely known that Cage almost played the Man of Steel in Tim Burton's "Superman Lives," but that film never came to pass. Now, Cage will get his big Superman moment thanks to all the multiversal shenanigans.

As previously mentioned, one of the definitively confirmed characters to return for "The Flash" is General Zod, played by Michael Shannon. Hard to believe that it's already been 10 years since "Man of Steel" debuted in theaters to a sizably divisive reaction from fans and critics. However, regardless of how you felt about the first chapter of the Snyderverse, there's no denying Shannon turns in a great performance as General Zod. In a film awash with muted gray cinematography and self-important dialogue, Shannon stands out as a true beacon of manic charisma. Zod met his end via a controversial neck snap at the end of the film, with the character only later resurfacing as a corpse in "Batman v Superman."

Needless to say, it'll be interesting to see Shannon back in another DC Comics film adaptation, even if the actor wasn't originally up for it. During an interview with The Playlist, Shannon said, "I was hesitant [to come back] because I wasn't really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal." He talked about his appreciation for Snyder and said how surprised he was when Snyder cast him in the first place; Snyder, of course, gave Shannon his blessing to return to the role. We can only hope that Shannon's performance as General Zod is just as bug-eyed and epic as the last time we saw him.

"The Flash" has been one of Hollywood's more anticipated blockbusters for quite some time, and it's not hard to see why. Between the changeups at Warner Media, James Gunn's impending DC Universe, and Ezra Miller's controversial few years, it's had a bumpy ride to its release. With all of these factors, it definitely began to seem like this movie, much like "Batgirl," would never see the light of day. However, despite all these roadblocks, the film is still on track for release, having just debuted at a CinemaCon exclusive screening.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who reportedly saw the film three times, said, "It's the best superhero movie I've ever seen." In fairness, this comment comes from the head of the company releasing the film, so this is more than a little biased. A few other critics have spoken quite highly of the film though, with Rotten Tomatoes' Erik Davis tweeting, " [It's] Everything you want from a superhero film & more." ScreenRant's Rob Keyes tweeted, "It is indeed one of DC's best and fits nicely as a bridge story between the old and new DCEU franchises." Finally, Gizmodo's Germain Lussier tweeted, "It's Back to the Future meets Spider-Man: No Way Home with all the humor & heart of the former and action and surprises of the latter."