James Gunn’s DCU could eventually feature Grant Gustin’s return as the Arrowverse’s Barry Allen even though the new DC Universe is distancing itself from DCEU movies like The Flash. Together with Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow, Grant Gustin’s Flash was a central figure in bringing the DC multiverse together on the small screen. Thanks to them, the Arrowverse spanned nine years and several universes.
Meanwhile, Andy Muschietti’s The Flash marked the movie debut of DC’s most famous speedster. The Flash also featured Supergirl’s DCEU introduction and the return of both Michael Shannon’s General Zod and Michael Keaton’s Batman, plus a litany of multiversal cameos. Yet, the most logical DC cameo was nowhere to be seen.
The DCEU’s Flash Movie Completely Ignored Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen & The Arrowverse
The DCEU’s The Flash paid homage to multiple DC character portrayals, from Christopher Reeve’s iconic Superman to Nicolas Cage’s forgotten Man of Steel. And yet, The Flash ignored Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen. Gustin’s portrayal is arguably the most popular live-action Flash to date, and the The CW built a successful interconnected multiverse on par with, or even bigger than, the DCEU’s.
What’s more, Grant Gustin’s absence in The Flash is especially glaring considering the Arrowverse gave Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen a cameo during its own multiversal crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths. Given that Miller’s Flash got to know about the multiverse in the Arrowverse, it was only logical for both Flashes to reunite in the DCEU. Ultimately, the Arrowverse didn’t even get a small nod.
The DCU Can Bring Back Grant Gustin Sooner Than You Think
The DCU doesn’t need to build an entire multiverse saga of its own to introduce alternate-universe versions of its characters. Peacemaker season 2 already sets a precedent with its introduction of a parallel-Earth Chris Smith. In DC Comics, the Flash constantly tinkers with alternate timelines and timeline changes, which allows speedsters to meet heroes from other universes thanks to the Speed Force.
Time travel and the Speed Force open countless doors for the DCU’s Barry Allen and Wally West to meet other speedsters. This is exactly how comic book Flashes have crossed paths with heroes like Jay Garrick. Following that tradition, the DCU’s Flash could easily encounter Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen and even let him step into the DCU in a well-timed Flash solo movie.
The fact that Andy Muschietti’s The Flash didn’t feature Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen only makes his potential DCU role even better. Gustin’s Flash and the Arrowverse might still be able to exist parallel to the DCU. Had Gustin appeared in the DCEU movie, the Arrowverse could have been destroyed or altered by Ezra Miller’s Barry and the Black Flash.
The DCU’s Flash Could Tap Into The Multiverse Without Overcomplicating The Franchise
The DCU’s Flash could explore the multiverse in a way that the DCEU never fully managed due to rushed storytelling. The careful development of concepts like the Speed Force, time travel, and alternate timelines can help the DCU bring to life various ideas. Adaptations of Earth-2, Earth-3, time loops, the Flash’s rivalry with Reverse-Flash, and multiversal crossovers, are all possible.
Concepts like these can be gradually built through coherent arcs rather than chaotic cameo-fests. The key is to treat the multiverse as one of many ongoing threads in the DCU instead of the central pillar of the franchise. Barry’s solo DCU journey can occᴀssionally explore self-contained multiversal adventures, like meeting Grant Gustin’s Flash, without tying the entire DCU to an overcomplicated overarching storyline.
