Grant Gustin’s DC Return Could Be As The Flash (But Not The One You Think)

Grant Gustin’s chances of joining the new DC Universe just received a boost, and he could be perfect as a different version of the hero he played for years in The Flash. Gustin became famous worldwide for giving life to Barry Allen in the Arrowverse. The star debuted in a guest role in Arrow season 2, which helped set up the Arrowverse’s main superhero friendship — between Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen and Gustin’s Barry Allen — before the actor led The Flash‘s nine seasons. Not only did The Flash become the Arrowverse’s longest-running series, but The Flash season 9 ended the universe.

After having played the Flash for nine seasons and several Arrowverse crossovers, Gustin’s time as Barry Allen came to an end in 2023. The DCEU’s The Flash movie did not feature the actor, despite its multiversal setup being perfect for Gustin’s Flash to appear and the Arrowverse star having already interacted with Ezra Miller’s version of the Flash in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. That snub seemed to seal the deal for Gustin’s DC future; however, the actor could return in one of DC’s upcoming movies or shows to continue a DC Flash casting trend.

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Grant Gustin Could Repeat An Arrowverse The Flash Trend

Gustin Has A Perfect DC Legacy Role

While DC fans continue to ask for the actor to return as his version of Barry Allen or a fresh take on the character for the new DC Universe, there is a better way for Gustin to continue playing the Flash in the DCU. The star could take a page from the Arrowverse’s playbook and return as the Jay Garrick version of the Flash in the DCU. The Arrowverse already set a precedent for that, with John Wesley Shipp, who played Barry Allen in the 1990 live-action The Flash series, returning for Gustin’s show as Jay Garrick instead of Barry.

There is a problem with that plan, though, as Gustin is too young to play Jay Garrick, who is commonly depicted as an older man due to being the first version of the Flash, in the DCU. However, that could be easily solved by the DCU not using Jay Garrick in the present day — or casting an older actor in the role for those stories — while Gustin plays Jay Garrick back when he first started as the Flash. Gustin could then play the Jay Garrick version of the Flash as a young man in multiple Justice Society of America projects.

James Gunn Wants To Work With Grant Gustin

The Actor’s Chances Of Joining The DCU Went Up

While The Flash might be over after nine seasons along with the Arrowverse, there is a real chance that Gustin will return as Barry Allen or another character in the new DC Universe. After previously shooting down speculation that he was bringing Gustin back as the DCU’s Flash due to having followed the actor on social media, James Gunn recently said that he wants to work with Gustin in the future. The director did confirm that there are currently no projects set to feature Gustin in the DCU, though his answer left fans hopeful for a DC return.

Boosting the chances for Gustin to join the DCU, Gunn said, “But of course I’d love to work with him at some point.” While no Arrowverse actors have joined the DCU as their characters so far, Gunn has already brought back multiple stars from the old DCEU as their characters in the new DCU. The director has also said in the past that he and Peter Safran can bring back any actors if they want to, and that, coupled with Gunn’s new comment about working with the Arrowverse star, makes the chances of Gustin playing the DCU’s Flash rise.

What Grant Gustin Has Said About Joining The DCU

The Flash Star Would Be Open To It

Gunn is not the only one to comment on Gustin’s possible DC return in the future, with the Arrowverse star himself having shared his thoughts about playing the Flash again on different occasions. Recently, Gustin said he would return as the DCU’s Flash if Gunn asked him to. Asked about reprising his role as the Flash for the new DC Universe, Gustin said, “Yeah, if James Gunn asked me, I would. I trust James Gunn. He hasn’t, for the record.” Gustin’s words are exciting, as his answer shows just how much trust he has in Gunn doing right by DC’s characters.

As the most popular live-action version of the Flash, Gustin’s return as the character in the DCU would mostly be met with praise. There is a possibility that might be the case in the future, with Gunn open to working with Gustin and the DCU still to cast its version of the Flash. DC so far has revealed that new actors will play the DCU’s Batman and Superman, with the rest of the DCEU’s Justice League cast reportedly leaving as well, which opens Ezra Miller’s spot as Barry Allen for Gustin. However, Gustin could also play other DCU characters.

What Other DCU Characters Grant Gustin Could Play

The Actor Could Do Great As Both Heroes And Villains

Having Gustin return as his version of Barry Allen from the Arrowverse through the multiverse is likely out of the question for the DCU. It would be too convoluted of an idea. Gustin could play a new version of the Flash in Gunn’s DC Universe; however, that could still lead to confusion among fans, given how popular the Arrowverse is. Based on that, if Gunn ever makes his desire to work with Gustin come true, the actor will likely be playing another DC character who is not Barry Allen.

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While he is unlikely to return as the Flash in the DCU, Gustin could portray the character’s biggest villain: Reverse-Flash. Like Tom Cavanagh and Matt Lestcher in the Arrowverse’s The Flash, Gustin could be an interesting choice to play the unhinged Eobard Thawne in the DCU. Gustin even showed how he has what it takes to play a menacing villain, as the actor gave life to Savitar, an evil variant of Barry Allen in The Flash. Reverse-Flash would allow Gustin to stay as a speedster while also completely shifting the public perception of the actor.

Gustin might not make the jump to DC’s villain side, and in that case, there are a few DC heroes that the actor could play instead of the Flash. Gustin has the comedic timing and the dramatic chops to play characters like Adam Strange in an adaptation of the “Strange Adventures” DC Comics story or the Green Lantern Hal Jordan in the upcoming Lanterns series. Given how popular the actor is, Gustin is a strong contender to play one of the DCU’s biggest heroes, though a role as a lesser-known character could allow Gustin to shed his The Flash image.

The Flash

Release Date

October 7, 2014

Cast

Rick Cosnett , jesse l martin , Candice Patton , Tom Cavanagh , Grant Gustin , Danielle Panabaker

Seasons

9