DC comic book fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of The Flash feature film which finally speeds into the theaters on June 16, 2023 after many delays.
In The Flash, Barry Allen travels back in time to prevent his mother’s murder, which traps him in an alternate reality without metahumans. He enlists the help of his younger self, an older Batman and the Kryptonian castaway Supergirl in order to save this world from the restored General Zod and return to his universe.
The film was directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and story from John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, and Joby Haroldas. It is the 13th film in the DC Extended Universe.
The Flash stars Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash alongside Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Ron Livingston as Henry Allen, Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, and Antje Traue as Faora-Ul. Michael Keaton returns as Bruce Wayne / Batman for the first time since Batman Returns in 1992. He first appeared as the Dark Knight in the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film.
Other DCEU characters will appear in the film including Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Temuera Morrison as Thomas Curry, and Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman.
Nicolas Cage, who previously voiced the character in the animated film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, will cameo in the movie as an alternate version of Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman. Cage also famously was cast as Superman the unfinished Tim Burton Superman Lives film…finally Nic gets to portray the character he long wanted to play.
New DC Studios co-head James Gunn confirmed that The Flash would reset the continuity of the DCEU. The film alongside Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will lead into the DCU’s first feature film Superman: Legacy releasing in 2025. The film’s director Andy Muschietti mentioned that if there were a sequel, Miller would not be recast.
While originally projected to make between $115–140 million domestically on opening weekend, numbers have shift a bit towards the $70-80 million box office weekend. Even after a few duds in the theaters, DC comic book fans seem excited for the release of The Flash.