Why so serious, DC Comics fans? We have some news that ought to put a smile on that face, especially if you pine for the halcyon days of the mid-to-late 2000s. According to a new theory, the expansive DC television universe comprised of series like Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow now shares a universe with Christopher Nolan’s beloved Batman movies.[brightcove video_id=”5976994457001″ brightcove_account_id=”3653334524001″ brightcove_player_id=“rJs2ZD8xâ€]Via io9, The CW released images of the annual Arrowverse crossover series, entitled “Elseworlds” in an homage to DC Comics’ classic line of “what if?” stories. This year’s special will introduce new characters like Ruby Rose as Batwoman, feature John Wesley Shipp donning the iconic Flash costume once more, and guest stars familiar characters like Superman and Lois Lane. It will also see characters like Oliver Queen and Barry Allen going full Freaky Friday and swapping superhero roles.One tiny detail in these new photos has sent fans into a frenzy of speculation, though: Bane’s mask. The mask appeared in a publicity still of Cassandra Jean Amell as Nora Fries, a.k.a. Batman villain Mr. Freeze’s wife. She is surreptitiously looking through a shelving unit next to a mask that looks almost identical to the one Tom Hardy wore as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.
Images: The CW; Warner Bros.