Rumours of The Flash building new DC movie universe gets shot down by star Ezra Miller

Andrés Muschietti’s upcoming The Flash movie starring Ezra Miller is undeniably one of the most anticipated films of 2022. This is especially for DC fans who have been wanting to see more of the Scarlett Speedster since he zoomed onto the screen in Justice League, and later on in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Details of The Flash‘s plot and synopsis are still kept under wraps, but what we do know is that this movie will see Barry Allen/The Flash meet Bruce Wayne/Batman in a parallel dimension. This time, the Caped Crusader won’t just be played by DC Extended Universe’s (DCEU) Ben Affleck. The Dark Knight vigilante will also be played by 1989’s Batman star, Michael Keaton, who will then reprise his role in future DC projects like Batgirl.

What does that mean for Affleck then? Well, rumours are flying that Batfleck will be out of the DCEU after this last appearance (amongst many other rumours). We cannot confirm anything, and it’s hard to determine which ones are based on industry inside knowledge, but the latest from a purported industry insider, whose contact has claimed to have already seen The Flash, indicates that Warner Bros is looking at dismantling the DCEU with some multiverse hijinks of their own.

Here’s every rumour for The Flash so far…

The Flash will erase Zack Snyder’s previous DCEU movies

A fresh rumours state that The Flash will erase every movie Zack Snyder has helmed for the DCEU from its continuity. According to the source known as @MyTimeToShineHello on Twitter, The Flash will “erase every movie Snyder has done,” including the events of Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman and Justice League.

Snyder, as most folks know, is revered as a God in the DCEU. Erasing his legacy will be absolutely crushing for fans.

ALSO READ: Ben Affleck's Batman spotted with batcycle and new suit on The Flash movie set

Now before you go off scoffing about how MyTimeToShinerHello is an anonymous Twitter user, they have a pretty strong leaking track record so far. They primarily leak Marvel Cinematic Universe content and are credited as one of the earliest leakers to release the majority of information about Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Still, another source shared a screenshot from a conversation with Miller himself where the actor denied the erasure. Take this with a pinch of salt though, because respecting Snyder’s works and still making a movie outside of the world has he built can still go hand in hand.

Bye bye Batfleck and Henry Cavill’s Superman

If the previous rumour happens to be true, it means Affleck’s Bruce Wayne/Batman and Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent/Superman will be completely removed from the DCEU’s continuity.

As disappointing as it is, The Flash may potentially give some closure and allow the two iconic actors to say goodbye to their roles. Affleck is confirmed to appear, but whether Cavill will return is unknown. Cavill’s Superman kicked off the DCEU with Man of Steel so seeing him go without a proper resolution is just heartbreaking.

That said, the tweet does only say that only Snyder movies will be removed, but the standalone Wonder Woman, Shazam and Aquaman films that have been released can still be a part of the new universe, since they can viewed in isolation without the Snyder movies (even if Snyder did produce some of them), and be part of whatever new universe Warners wants to establish.

Supergirl will replace DCEU’s Superman

With Cavill’s Superman gone with the wind and Man of Steel potentially no longer considered canon in the DCEU, someone has to take on the role. That particular someone? Supergirl.

Sasha Calle will make her DCEU debut as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl. And if Warners feel like it, they can always introduce a new Superman down the road, which is what TV’s Supergirl did recently with the concluded TV series starring Melissa Benoist.

Batgirl will replace DCEU’s Batman

Similarly, Batgirl will take over the spot left by Affleck’s Batman. Whilst it is unclear if she will take over the mantle in The Flash or at the end of her solo movie, the likelihood is still there.

What’s interesting is that this the reported Batgirl movie, starring Leslie Grace (In The Heights) and directed by Bad Boys For Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, was previously announced for HBO Max, unlike Blue Beetle, which was announced for HBO Max before becoming a theatrical movie. The same has not been said about the HBO Max Batgirl movie.

Michael Keaton will take over the new Batman of the new universe.

The Flash is expanding the DC Universe to parallel dimensions. With Keaton and Affleck both playing Batman in the movie, and Keaton’s Batman set to appear in other DC projects, one can only assume that the 70-year-old actor will be the new Batman of the new universe.

That’s the beauty of a multiverse in the DC movie universe. Through a multiverse, a world can be established where Keaton, Affleck and Robert Pattinson can all be Batman in their own universes and can all interact with each other and/or multiple other characters that the story deems fit. Yes, we know, Pattinson’s The Batman is considered a standalone, but who knows what the future holds?

A new Justice League will be formed

Currently, the Justice League in the DCEU as we know it is made up of Aquaman, Batman, Cyborg, Flash, Superman and Wonder Woman. Rumour has it that by the end of The Flash, a new Justice League will be formed with Batgirl, Flash, Supergirl and Shazam leading the team.

Shazam director David Sandberg responded to the tweet, implying that it is false. He later posted a follow-up Tweet saying that he hasn’t watched nor read the new film and that “anything could happen”.

[embed]https://twitter.com/MyTimeToShineH/status/1477341625382801413[/embed]

The Flash will deal heavily with the multiverse and explore alternate realities. In an interview with Vanity Fair last year, Muschietti explained that this storyline will be the foundation for future movies about DC properties.

“This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid,” said Muschietti. “It’s inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”

ALSO READ: Ben Affleck had fun playing Batman again in The Flash after 'difficult' experience on Justice League

And there you have it folks, every rumour for The Flash so far. The list is expected to grow with more theories and rumours popping up until we receive a solid confirmation from Warner Bros, so keep checking back to see if more get added to the list!

The Flash zooms into cinemas on Nov 4, 2022.

This article was first published in Geek Culture.