[h=1]Rumor Patrol: The Flash Movie Casting Characters & Villains Revealed[/h]
Despite underwhelming reviews and downright vitriolic online debate, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice has pushed forward – bringing in over $830 million at the global box office. At this point, it’s near-impossible for the film to cross the $1 billion mark (barring a theatrical release of the R-Rated Ultimate Cut) but with home video sales and an entire slate of films scheduled through 2020, DC fans shouldn’t worry too much about whether Dawn of Justice will throw a major wrench in the DCEU. Judging the success of DC (on its second shared universe film) relative to Marvel Studios (which now has over twelve entries in the MCU) was never going to be a truly accurate comparison (even though Iron Man 2 only pulled in $639 million worldwide and was also criticized for favoring shared universe setup over quality storytelling).
As a result, while Batman V Superman may have been a disappointment to some, it set the stage for DC’s shared Justice League universe – even if Dawn of Justice sometimes suffered in the process. However, with Suicide Squad wrapping up, Wonder Woman actively shooting, and Justice League Part One now in production, fans will soon have a much wider sample through which to judge the longterm viability of the DCEU – especially since Warner Bros. doesn’t appear to be slowing down on their shared universe plan any time soon. Today, we’re getting early reports on what roles the studio is using to cast for the first post-Justice League Part One DCEU entry, Ezra Miller’s Flash movie – including a couple parts with interesting implications, should the rumor reflect actual plans for The Flash.
The casting report comes from industry scooper Umberto Gonzalez at Heroic Hollywood – who, as anyone following comic book movie news knows, has a mixed but still notable track record when it comes to superhero movie scoops. According to Gonzalez, Warner Bros. is currently using five roles to cast lead parts in The Flash solo film – though the report suggests the studio could simply be using these roles to cast for “type” not necessarily a character that is confirmed for the film.
Check out the roles and a few minor details below:
The names on the list shouldn’t be much of a surprise – given that each one is a known associate or antagonist of Barry Allen’s Flash at some point in DC history (both recent and past); still, there’s no question that, with four out of five of these roles already present on CW’s Flash TV series with well-liked actors in each part, a Flash movie with so many of the same characters in place would be a gamble for Warner Bros. This isn’t to say the information is inaccurate but fans will likely hope that The Flash movie is prepared to do more than re-adapt storylines that worked on the TV show as a big screen feature in the DCEU – even if that big screen version was slightly more “grounded” and “gritty.” After all, what’s the point of a multiverse if Warner Bros. utilizes most of the same characters?
Still, the breakdown also makes sense within the larger DCEU strategy of introducing characters that may play a smaller role in the present film for potential payoff down the line. As a result, supporting parts and/or cameos for Len Snart (aka Captain Cold) and Jay Garrick (aka The Flash), especially, might sound strange at this stage (because: why test for a cameo so early?) but could actually be an indicator that, like Batman V Superman before it, The Flash may also feature fleeting looks at storylines, heroes, and villains that will payoff later-on in the shared universe. While The Flash was only a brief cameo in Batman V Superman, having Ezra Miller in place for the part, years before he’d shoot Justice League, produced more excitement and connective tissue than a faceless costumed red streak would have – so the studio may be taking the same approach with Garrick, especially.
That all said, while the casting report certainly hints that Eobard Thawne could be the main baddie in the film, there’s always the possibility that Thawne and Captain Cold (as his henchman) won’t be the only threats Barry will face – and could easily “create” monstrous threats for Barry to face – as few actually believed that Warner Bros. would introduce Doomsday in Batman V Superman years before the character was confirmed in marketing.
As stated, for now, the report is little more than hearsay – and casting is still in the early stages. The script and main parts are likely very much in flux – assuming that these names are even part of the current plan. We’ll be sure to provide updates as official details are announced.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is now playing in U.S. theaters. Suicide Squad will arrive on August 5, 2016, followed by Wonder Woman on June 2, 2017; Justice League Part One on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 16, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; an untitled DC Film on October 5, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League Part Two on June 14, 2019; an untitled DC film on November 1, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on June 19, 2020.
Source: Heroic Hollywood
Despite underwhelming reviews and downright vitriolic online debate, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice has pushed forward – bringing in over $830 million at the global box office. At this point, it’s near-impossible for the film to cross the $1 billion mark (barring a theatrical release of the R-Rated Ultimate Cut) but with home video sales and an entire slate of films scheduled through 2020, DC fans shouldn’t worry too much about whether Dawn of Justice will throw a major wrench in the DCEU. Judging the success of DC (on its second shared universe film) relative to Marvel Studios (which now has over twelve entries in the MCU) was never going to be a truly accurate comparison (even though Iron Man 2 only pulled in $639 million worldwide and was also criticized for favoring shared universe setup over quality storytelling).
As a result, while Batman V Superman may have been a disappointment to some, it set the stage for DC’s shared Justice League universe – even if Dawn of Justice sometimes suffered in the process. However, with Suicide Squad wrapping up, Wonder Woman actively shooting, and Justice League Part One now in production, fans will soon have a much wider sample through which to judge the longterm viability of the DCEU – especially since Warner Bros. doesn’t appear to be slowing down on their shared universe plan any time soon. Today, we’re getting early reports on what roles the studio is using to cast for the first post-Justice League Part One DCEU entry, Ezra Miller’s Flash movie – including a couple parts with interesting implications, should the rumor reflect actual plans for The Flash.
The casting report comes from industry scooper Umberto Gonzalez at Heroic Hollywood – who, as anyone following comic book movie news knows, has a mixed but still notable track record when it comes to superhero movie scoops. According to Gonzalez, Warner Bros. is currently using five roles to cast lead parts in The Flash solo film – though the report suggests the studio could simply be using these roles to cast for “type” not necessarily a character that is confirmed for the film.
Check out the roles and a few minor details below:
- Iris West is described in the breakdown as having Christiane Amanpour’s brains and Carrie Bradshaw’s style. An overcaffinated doe. A reporter at The Central City Citizen. Actresses are currently testing for this part.
- Eobard Thawne is described in the breakdown as Central City’s Bill Gates. The smartest man in the room and he suffers from advanced degenerative disease like Stephen Hawking. Thawne is confined to a chair.
- Fred Chyre is described in the breakdown as a gruff detective who first meets Barry at the scene of a crime. Now they’re colleagues and the closest thing Barry has to a friend. Chryre is investigating the unusual death of someone at Thawne Laboratories
- Len Snart is described in the breakdown as being ex-military and turns out to be working for Thawne. Have a feeling he is the muscle the way Anatoli Knyazev (aka the KGBEAST) was the muscle for Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
- Jay Garrick is described in the breakdown as being a former Central University professor who was fired for fringe science, and was working on the speed force program. Supposedly his role is just a cameo.
The names on the list shouldn’t be much of a surprise – given that each one is a known associate or antagonist of Barry Allen’s Flash at some point in DC history (both recent and past); still, there’s no question that, with four out of five of these roles already present on CW’s Flash TV series with well-liked actors in each part, a Flash movie with so many of the same characters in place would be a gamble for Warner Bros. This isn’t to say the information is inaccurate but fans will likely hope that The Flash movie is prepared to do more than re-adapt storylines that worked on the TV show as a big screen feature in the DCEU – even if that big screen version was slightly more “grounded” and “gritty.” After all, what’s the point of a multiverse if Warner Bros. utilizes most of the same characters?
Still, the breakdown also makes sense within the larger DCEU strategy of introducing characters that may play a smaller role in the present film for potential payoff down the line. As a result, supporting parts and/or cameos for Len Snart (aka Captain Cold) and Jay Garrick (aka The Flash), especially, might sound strange at this stage (because: why test for a cameo so early?) but could actually be an indicator that, like Batman V Superman before it, The Flash may also feature fleeting looks at storylines, heroes, and villains that will payoff later-on in the shared universe. While The Flash was only a brief cameo in Batman V Superman, having Ezra Miller in place for the part, years before he’d shoot Justice League, produced more excitement and connective tissue than a faceless costumed red streak would have – so the studio may be taking the same approach with Garrick, especially.
That all said, while the casting report certainly hints that Eobard Thawne could be the main baddie in the film, there’s always the possibility that Thawne and Captain Cold (as his henchman) won’t be the only threats Barry will face – and could easily “create” monstrous threats for Barry to face – as few actually believed that Warner Bros. would introduce Doomsday in Batman V Superman years before the character was confirmed in marketing.
As stated, for now, the report is little more than hearsay – and casting is still in the early stages. The script and main parts are likely very much in flux – assuming that these names are even part of the current plan. We’ll be sure to provide updates as official details are announced.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is now playing in U.S. theaters. Suicide Squad will arrive on August 5, 2016, followed by Wonder Woman on June 2, 2017; Justice League Part One on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 16, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; an untitled DC Film on October 5, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League Part Two on June 14, 2019; an untitled DC film on November 1, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on June 19, 2020.
Source: Heroic Hollywood