One of the stars of The Flash, the beloved TV series from The CW, has shared his honest review of Ezra Miller’s controversial 2023 The Flash movie. Tom Cavanagh, who fans of The Flash series will recognize as the Reverse Flash, recently appeared at a convention, where he had a thoughtful take on the Warner Bros. film.
Heroic Hollywood reports that while answering questions at Fan Expo in Portland, Cavanagh spoke candidly, having now seen the infamous movie. While admitting how protective he is of Grant Gustin’s The Flash, who starred in the TV series, Cavanagh had a surprisingly high opinion of Miller’s performance in the film. He noted the differences in character interpretation, saying,
“They played him like they took the IQ level down, and I thought that was good. No, but they did it purposely, and I think that’s going to make The Flash more innocent and different. Good call! Because you don’t want to repeat what a guy did for a decade on television.”
The movie was partly controversial because of Miller’s legal troubles. However, the film was also criticized for its pacing, heavy-handed use of CGI, and thin storytelling. The director, Andy Muschietti, attributed the film’s box office failure to The Flash’s waning popularity. However, this sparked some protest online as fans of the Scarlet Speedster referenced the widely popular CW series which only recently ended after running for nine seasons. That’s nearly a decade on television, which can’t be said for some of DC’s other heavy hitters.
The film’s reception was not entirely negative, receiving some praise for its humor and action sequences. The film currently holds a 63% Tomatometer score and an 82% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. While some fans hope the memory of 2023’s The Flash fades from the cultural zeitgeist, others consider this version to be one of the best entries in the DC universe before James Gunn hit the reset button.
The Future of The Flash
James Gunn and Peter Safran have already kicked off Chapter One of the new DC Universe, titled “Gods and Monsters.” This chapter will feature six TV shows and six theatrical films. Cavanagh’s praise for the more “innocent” or childlike portrayal of Barry Allen is interesting, as fans have speculated the next live-action iteration of the superhero will be Wallace “Wally” West, or Kid Flash. Eagle-eyed viewers spotted the speedster in a recent episode of Creature Commandos in a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” image of dead Justice League members. The DCU’s animated projects take place in the same continuity as the upcoming live-action projects, which is why fans are watching closely for any teasers or Easter eggs for the upcoming films.
Superman lands this July and fans are hoping to see some of their heroes return. The movie is set to feature a supporting cast of heroes, including Hawkgirl, Guy Gardener, Mister Terrific, and Metamorpho. However, it may be some time before audiences see familiar faces like Wonder Woman, Batman, and The Flash. Don’t be alarmed, these characters still exist in the world of the Superman movie even if they aren’t seen on screen. It just might be a little too early to revisit the characters. The Flash television series ran for nearly a decade and audiences might benefit from a rest before introducing a new actor.
If Wally West is the next Flash, then fans hope that means there’s a new solo Flash movie on the roster for Chapter Two of Gunn’s DCU. A slightly different version of Wally West did appear briefly on the TV show, but this would be an opportunity to reintroduce his origin story. With the series now ended, there is hope that fans will see Barry Allen’s Flash again, even if just a cameo in the new DCU. Perhaps as an older Flash from a parallel universe interacting with Kid Flash. Or maybe Gunn intends to slowly introduce The Flash over many different projects. The hero is next expected to appear in the upcoming live-action Teen Titans movie as Wally West is a founding member of the team in the comics. The Flash is currently streaming on Max.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
