It has been a while since The Flash movie has been set to be released and yet still no movie. The first set released date for it was supposed to be in 2018, only for it to be delayed. The subsequent release dates only kept pushing further and further to the point where we doubted the film would even be released. The pre-production stage of the film is even on the rockiest of rocky roads so far, with several directors dropping out and no specific details on the film being released. A year ago, however, Andy Muschietti, director of the new IT films, has confirmed on Fandango that he will indeed direct the film. Keep in mind that it wasn’t just one or two directors that opted out of The Flash movie, but a handful. Will Muschietti stay on?
He did confirm on his own that he will be directing, but this film has had more drama behind it than a soap opera. Before Muschietti came along, Andy Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein were assigned to write and direct. They were attached to The Flash movie for a while, but as bad luck would have it, they dropped out. Just like the directors before them, they left due to creative differences. That’s why we can’t get our hopes up until more official details have been announced, because if Muschietti drops out, The Flash movie may be doomed. It has been a very strenuous production process so far, but assuming The Flash movie does still happen, it can turn out to be quite a jewell in DC’s collection.
Why do I say that despite all the drama? Well, it’s not just who’s directing it, but what the director has said about it. The direction he’s taking substantiates some rumors that have been pouring out about The Flash film, particularly the comic it’s following. The rumors suggest that The Flash film will be adapting the famous Flashpoint storyline. That’s the comic where Barry Allen indirectly created an alternate timeline when he traveled back in time to save his mother. The consequences of his actions were worse than he ever could have thought, since the new timeline contained psychotic versions of his friends. It also had Bruce Wayne’s not-so-stable father as the Batman of that timeline, and he was extremely awesome.
Will all of this be in Muschietti’s Flash movie? That’s not confirmed yet, but he did comment on it during a discussion with That Hashtag Show. Muschietti was thoroughly questioned about specifics on The Flash movie and he claimed it will present “a different version of Flashpoint than you’re expecting.” It’s not a lot to go on, but it does give us some insight. The biggest thing it points to is that it will indeed follow the Flashpoint storyline. Muschietti didn’t explain further on how much he’ll follow the comic, but he basically confirmed it’ll serve as the template for his movie. As an avid comic fan, I can happily say that it very good news.
Let’s put all that ridiculous drama aside for one minute and talk positive. The Flashpoint comic has some serious significance behind it, largely due to it’s ending. Not only was it good, but it changed the DC universe tremendously. The new chapter began and The New 52 era was born. All of this is falls back on the DCEU in the sense that The Flash movie can serve as a reboot for the whole franchise. The DCEU started on a not-so-smooth path and their road map hasn’t been very clear for the future. Their biggest team (Justice League) had their movie flop and needless to say, a serious course correction has to happen. A reboot seems like the obvious answer, but it doesn’t have to be a total one.
The main purpose of the Flash movie adapting Flashpoint would be to correct the mistake of the past. The Flash is all about time travel and when that happens, history tends to be rewritten. The results of a Flashpoint movie can result in multiple characters being recast, while allowing some actors to remain. Yes, that does include Ben Affleck, who played Batman, and yes, you do need Batman in the DCEU. Several rumors also suggest that certain other actors like Amy Adams and Ray Fischer may not return. If these rumors are true, then the events of Flashpoint can assist with a more smoother soft reboot. It sounds weird, but in the world of comics, weird things happen.
The effects of a Flashpoint movie can take the DCEU in a number of directions. I can go into it much further, but it’s actually more crucial to talk about the actual storyline. The moral of Flashpoint was The Flash sacrificing something he loved so he can set things right. He went back in time to save his mother and the world was literally coming to an end as a consequence. The mistake was on him, but his archenemy made sure he wouldn’t rectify it. I’m referring to Eobard Thawne, or The Reverse-Flash, a total sociopath of a villain. The Reverse-Flash caused the death of The Flash’s mother and his father was blamed for the crime. This was briefly explored in Justice League and needs to be explored further in The Flash movie.
The Flash has a lot of emotional weight in his comics and Flashpoint amps it up to the extreme. With Barry’s determination to prove his father’s innocence and the tearful goodbye he had with his mother in the end, the sadness is just too real. This kind of drama would serve the Flash movie well because it’s something that isn’t seen often in many superhero films. Of course we’ll need some action, but some sense of family can be thrown into the mix.
One of Flashpoint’s best aspects was the evil Wonder Woman and Aquaman. In the Flashpoint world, Wonder Woman and Aquaman were at war with each other. They were destroying the planet and there were few heroes who could stop them. Just imagine Gal Gadot playing Wonder Woman as a murderous tyrant and Jason Momoa as a psychotic Aquaman. Basically, he’d be Khal Drogo as Aquaman. Now that would be awesome to see and the fight scene between them would be magnificent. This is The Flash’s movie, but evil Wonder Woman and Aquaman were among the chief antagonists of Flashpoint. It’s the icing on the cake.
Lastly, there is Flashpoint Batman. Thomas Wayne’s son was murdered in the alley that night and his wife lost her sanity. She became The Joker and he became Batman of that world. He was a violent antihero, even more so than Bruce. He also served as The Flash’s chief ally throughout the comic, even asking him to deliver a letter he wrote to Bruce. A DC movie with another version of Batman is something we’ve never seen before. That is exactly why we need to see it, because it’s different and too cool to pass up. Plus, Jeffery Dean Morgan returning to play him would be too awesome for words.
The upcoming Flash movie just has so much to offer. The altered versions of characters in the comic are too awesome to pass up. Can all of them be in the film? Maybe not, but only a few would serve the film well. Different versions of DC characters along with some unexpected drama? Muschietti certainly has a lot to think about.
Follow Us
