the flash LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 11: Garrett Hedlund attends the 75th Annual Golden Globe Nominations Announcement on December 11, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Could Ezra Miller bid The Flash farewell? It appears so. No worries there more than a few actors who’d run away with the role.
Time sure flies when talking about The Flash. Back in March reports surfaced that Ezra Miller was hard at work on The Flash script. This was an effort for Miller to continue playing Barry Allen. It doesn’t appear that Miller is coming back after all — at least according to recent rumors
The Flash movie is in development with John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein behind the camera. The script that Miller was writing to impress the duo was said to have a darker twist. However, with him exiting it leaves a major hole in the DCEU.
There are a number of ways the studio can go for The Flash. The question who can take the mantle from Ezra Miller and fulfill the role as the DCEU’s Scarlet Speedster.
6. Garrett Hedlund
After Tron Legacy Hedlund’s career looked to be On The Road to stardom. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out that way. Like my shameless punned jokes, Hedlund continued and came out strong on the other end. Mudbound was a racially charge World War II period film. The film was critically acclaimed and showed why playing Captain Hook in Pan wasn’t a Death Sentence.
Hedlund’s version of Barry Allen is a seasoned one. Someone that stands equally with Aquaman, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. While his movie wouldn’t warrant an origin, there’s no doubt Hedlund could pull of a younger version of the Scarlet Speedster.
Moreover, his natural blond hair and 6-foot-1 frame ideally resemble the comics. Hedlund’s a versatile actor still searching for that breakout role and The Flash could be his calling card.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 05: Richard Madden attends The BAFTA Los Angeles Tea Party at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 5, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
5. Richard Madden
What if Warner Bros. and Hamada wanted to do things a little differently? Imagine if they opted to shift focus to a more mature version of Barry Allen. A veteran hero who isn’t as inexperienced as Ezra Miller’s version.
Instead, this version of Barry Allen would be seasoned, albeit still relatively youthful. A hero who fought multiple villains in Central City. Of course, any chance of an origin story may go out the window — not that we need one. If that’s the direction, one who’d make an interesting choice is Richard Madden
The former Game of Thrones actor’s name has floated around fan cast for a while. He’s been one of many fan favorites to play Batman. Madden’s name isn’t linked to the Dark Knight anymore but playing the Scarlet Speedster could be in his future.
Game of Thrones fans remembers him from his role as Rob Stark. He was a natural leader who came off heroic in his own right, before his bloody demise (spoiler alert).
Madden would bring a cool guy charm we’ve seen from some versions of Barry Allen. If you’ve seen Madden’s Netflix series, Bodyguard you’d know he’s no stranger to playing someone on the police force. Madden is up next for a hero role at some point. Why not as the Flash?
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 03: Ansel Elgort attends New York City Ballet 2018 Spring Gala at Lincoln Center on May 3, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)
4. Ansel Elgort
Hamada and Warner Bros. wanted to just usher in someone know whose identical in age to Ezra Miller, Ansel Elgort works. Besides his age, the 6-foot-3 Elgort has an admittedly unnecessary but welcomed intimidating stature. Miller’s Flash was short compared to Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, and Jason Mamoa — not that it mattered.
What matters is Elgort‘s ability to play the role, and he can. In his young career, he’s shown he’s more than just a young up and coming actor — he’s arrived. And one of his best roles was Baby in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver. While he wasn’t wearing spandex running around saving the city Baby was heroic to some degree.
Baby Driver was one of two critically acclaimed films Elgort starred in. The other of course was the feel-good romance, The Fault in Our Stars. As the Flash Elgort could undoubtedly pull off a young version of the hero — similarly to Miller’s.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 22: Logan Lerman attends the premiere of A24 and DirecTV’s “The Vanishing Of Sidney Hall” at ArcLight Hollywood on February 22, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
3. Logan Lerman
Another young actor who displayed versatility and the ability to play the hero is Logan Lerman. For some, Lerman will forever be Percy Jackson the demi-god son of Poseidon. The transition to Flash for some fans is an easy one.
There was a nerdiness to his character that resembles what we saw with Ezra Miller. In the comics or in any DC animated movie Flash is a cool geek. Similarly to Grant Gustin’s CW version. Jackson can pull off off the best of both worlds someone whose cocky, genius, and charming.
At age 27, Lerman is around the same age as Ezra Miller; he could step into the role. Although Lerman does have a ton of talent, he hasn’t had that breakout. Fury, a World War II drama was arguably his best performance. The film starred Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal who amazing in their own right yet Lerman was able to stand out.
The Flash could end up catapulting Lerman into stardom. And like Henry Cavil was for Superman, Lerman could put his own stamp on Barry Allen. Because he’s 5-9 with boyish features Lerman could pull off a Flash younger than 25. So, this gives John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein the freedom to tell whatever story they’d like.
DEAUVILLE, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 08: US actor Ross Lynch arrives at the screening for “mother!” during the 43rd Deauville American Film Festival on September 8, 2017 in Deauville, France. (Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
2. Ross Lynch
There’s something about the idea of having a young Barry Allen that worked well for the old DCEU regime. Zack Snyder had a vision that Walter Hamada hasn’t totally done away with. Maybe he’ll do the same with Flash.
Back when Ezra Miller was cast as Barry Allen; he was in his early 20s. When Justice League hit theaters his version of Barry was more like the little brother of the group. The wide-eyed bushy-tailed hero just looking for friends. While Justice League didn’t please many, the youthfulness of his character worked well for the film.
Should Walter Hamada and Warner Bros opt to continue with that same formula, Ross Lynch isn’t a bad choice. For starters, if Keirsey Clemons stays on as Iris West, she and Lynch have history. During Austin and Alley, Lynch and Clemons’ characters had a brief romance. They had great chemistry which would seamlessly carry over into The Flash.
Lynch may not be a fan favorite to play Barry Allen but neither was Ezra Miller. And his acting ability is far beyond what he’s displayed during his Disney tenure. In fact, Lynch received critical praise for his work as the leading man in My Friend Dahmer.
He’s young enough to carry Flash from a youthful energetic hero. Lynch would seamlessly step into Miller’s shoes and run away with the role.
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Andrew Garfield visits Magic Radio at Magic Radio Studio on October 24, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
1. Andrew Garfield
If Walter Hamada and Warner Bros opt for someone with star power, Andrew Garfield is the man. Fans will flock to see Garfield return to a heroic role especially after he got unceremoniously booted from his role as Spider-Man.
Since his web-slinger days ended, Garfield has stared in a couple of critically acclaimed films proving he’s more than just a superhero. 99 Homes saw him play a desperate father and husband working for a savage business person. Garfield also starred in the critically acclaimed military drama, Hacksaw Ridge.
Now that he’s flexed his acting muscles and Sony moves on without him. What better way for him to make his triumphant return to the comic book movies world than as Barry Allen?
Garfield embodies everything fans expect from the Flash. He’s both cool and geeky, charming, heroic, with swag. Garfield is exactly what fans want in Barry Allen. Like with any of the older actors there’s a question: How much will age factor into the type of script currently in development.
Still, Garfield brings versatility and in some ways, Flash embodies some similarities to Spider-Man. Of course there’s the red but even more so it’s the cocky attitude. The understanding that each hero is powerful and they don’t shy away from showing off.