The collective jaws of DC fandom dropped with the announcement that Ben Affleck would return as Batman for the big screen Flash movie. Even more exciting: his Batman will appear alongside Michael Keaton’s Dark Knight. In the Vanity Fair article that dropped the news, director Andy Muschietti suggested that the world of Tim Burton’s Batman isn’t the only alternate Earth we’d see. Here’s what he had to say:
“This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid. It’s inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”
This quote suggests that we’ll see more than just one alternate DC Earth in the film. While I think it’s likely that only Keaton’s Batman will play a larger role in the narrative, the Flash film could rival last year’s CW Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover for sheer amount of DC live-action cameos. Down below are seven we’d love to see the most.
The Arrowverse Flash
The CW
The most likely DC live-action universe to appear would have to be that of the CW’s Arrowverse. And who better to represent the six CW DC-based shows than Grant Gustin as the Flash? After all, Ezra Miller and Gustin’s Flashes already met once in Crisis on Infinite Earths, establishing the big screen DCEU as part of a larger Multiverse. I’d say it’s time for a reunion. Besides, after seven seasons playing the Scarlet Speedster on TV, it is only fair to Gustin that he make some kind of contribution to any cinematic Flash endeavor.
The 1990s Flash
Warner Bros.
If Grant Gustin’s Flash gets to show up, then I think that the original live-action version of Barry Allen should too. I’m talking about John Wesley Shipp, who played him for one season of The Flash TV series in 1990-91. Now, fans who watched the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover last year know that Shipp’s version of the Flash died saving the Multiverse. However, a new Multiverse reformed after the events of Crisis, meaning another version of 1990 Flash may exist out there somewhere. If Grant Gustin shows up, we think Shipp should too.
The ’70s Wonder Woman
Warner Bros.
Speaking of Crisis on Infinite Earths, that TV crossover made reference to almost every single DC Comics-based TV series. From Batman ’66 to the 2002 Birds of Prey, almost everything got a shout-out… with the big exception of Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman. Word was they were saving Carter’s Wonder Woman for something bigger. Could it this upcoming Flash film give Carter the chance to twirl her lasso like it’s 1977? We’ll forgive her not being in Crisis if she gets a big screen appearance in The Flash!
Richard Donner’s Superman
The CW
Richer Donner’s Superman: The Movie started it all back in 1978, so some kind of nod to that film should be in order. Obviously, Christopher Reeve is no longer with us, and we hope Warner Bros. isn’t tempted to bring back Reeve as Kal-El via CGI. They have a solution staring them in the kisser: Brandon Routh played an older version of the Donner-verse Man of Steel already in Superman Returns.
Last year he reprised that role in last year’s CW Crisis on Infinite Earths event. That storyline explains how Superman became a darker version of the character based on the comic book series Kingdom Come. As the Multiverse is reformed at the end of the crossover, Routh’s Superman is seen again, smiling and wearing his traditional colors. Let’s see that version of Superman—complete with John Williams’ music—make an appearance in The Flash. Fans would lose their minds.
Christopher Nolan’s Batman
Warner Bros.
It’s highly doubtful that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy will get heavily referenced in The Flash, or that Christian Bale would make any kind of cameo. Bale seems very done with playing Batman, having once said that he felt that The Dark Knight Rises was a perfect ending for his iteration of Bruce Wayne. Nevertheless, the final movie in the Nolan saga did set up Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character to take over as Gotham’s new Batman. So why not fulfill that promise and give us a JGL cameo as the Caped Crusader of his own universe?
The Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern
Warner Bros.
As we’ve seen from Deadpool 2 and his own social media account, Ryan Reynolds has no problem poking fun at his big movie bomb Green Lantern. Based on how good-natured he is about it all, we think he’d hop on board for a cameo as Hal Jordan if it offered another opportunity to be self-deprecating about the whole experience. Just please, whatever they wind up doing, make that CGI costume looks better than it did in the actual Green Lantern film.
Joel Schumacher’s Batman
Warner Bros.
Like Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney has had no trouble making fun of the fact that his take on the Dark Knight in 1997’s Batman and Robin buried that franchise for years. Seeing as how he has a good sense of humor about it all, why not show up for a brief appearance as the Shchumacher-verse version of the Dark Knight? Or should that be the “Bright Knight”? And while we’re at it, bring along Chris O’Donnell as an older Robin. We’re pretty sure audiences would get a huge kick out of this.
Featured Image: Warner Bros.