UPDATE – 8:00PM EST: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Barry Allen will appear in episodes eight, nine and twenty of Arrow season 2, the last episode serving as a backdoor pilot. All three episodes will be written by Berlanti, Kreisberg and Johns. The arc will introduce Barry as a forensic scientist and we’ll witness the accident that lends him his super speed. He will possess meta-human powers, a first for the Arrow world.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Deadline reports that the CW is planning to use season two of its Arrow TV series as a springboard for a new Flash series. No news on casting or even which iteration of the speedster we’re talking about just yet (we’re thinking Barry), but the two serialized dramas will share producers and a director. Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Arrow pilot director Andrew Nutter will all contribute, and Geoff Johns is said to be involved in writing. Marc Guggenheim will continue to focus solely on Arrow.
The Flash by Francis Manapul
Though the dad from Dawson’s Creek won’t be likely to reprise his role as Barry Allen (that John Wesley Shipp has sailed), we’d love to see him and other Flash 1990 alums like Mark Hamill return for cameos. Maybe older rogues passing the torch?
Me, I’m just thrilled at the prospect of more Len Snart in my life.
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As a Flash fan, this news just made my fucking week! 😀
It lifts the “no powers” rule of Arrow, though, which is alright cause I mean, come on… After all the superhero movies out there with powers in them, people “believe” it!
John Wesley Shipp should make a Jay Garrick cameo, would be perfect!
Even though I barely remember it, I was probably 6 years old, I do feel waves of nostalgia when I see that trailer
Shipp as Jay Garrick? Sure why not.
GREAT John Wesley Shipp pun.
I wonder if DC plan to make their movie and TV ‘verses interconnected like Marvel is doing with their movies and Agents of SHIELD?
At this point… why not? CW is Warner, so is DC comics, so in theory, legally speaking, it’s all the same owner…
I think that Marvel Studios proved the point that it doesn, in effect, works with the fans and movie-goers.
I’d love seeing Stephen Amell play Green Arrow in an upcoming Justice League movie!
If nothing else I want them to steal the Amell costume for the movie cause that’s the best Ollie ever looked.
That was my first question as well. If they are doing the shared universe approach for the films, they might as well include the tv programs as well.
Alternatively, there could be Earth-Warner Brothers & Earth-CW :).
Amanda Pays. Le sigh.
It’ll be called “Runner’ and he won’t have super-speed, he’ll just solve crimes whilst out jogging of an evening…
Tssk Tssk I find your attitude un-geeky, Mister!
Captyn’s right, though – Smallville, Arrow, Amazon, Mercy Creek or Reef or whatever … they’re embarrassed to let the titles shout superhero.
Boots?
It is true that they shy away from the name of the heroes… But I think it sets them apart from “Spider-Man 1-2-3…”, “Iron Man 1-2-3…”, etc.
The Dark Knight, The Man of Steel, Arrow, Amazon, it’s much more poetic in my opinion. But you got a point about Ollie getting called “The Hood” and not embracing the Green Arrow monicker just yet, I guess we’ll get that in season 2!
Bolt?
Streak?
Since it’s reportedly a spin-off, maybe they’ll just call it “Speedy”.
Or better yet, “Spin-Off”.
‘Hoofing It’, Wednesdays on the CW
Hoofing It – “Run like ya gotta poop.”
CW This Fall.
Funny… but Johns announced that everything you know about Barry Allen, from costume to powers to hero-name, will all be a part of the TV series.
Actually try reading the Hollywood Reporter source link above… seriously.
Ugh.
I know I’m in the minority on iFanboy when it comes to this stuff, but I have yet to genuinely enjoy any of the DC output from the CW. I tried with Smallville, and I tried with Arrow. I just find them to be poorly executed, melodramatic, and pale immitations of their source material. There isn’t one among us who hasn’t been desensitized to creative liberties when it comes to comic book adaptations, but with these it seems like they sacrifice too much in what I can only assume is an attempt to appeal to the teenage crowd, and the result feels like some kind of fan fiction.
Not to mention the fact that CG effects on television suffer from the combination of a strict budget and a short shelf life, and Flash is a character that demands some serious special effects. What may appear acceptable now undoubtedly looks homemade in a year.
I hate to be overly negative. I will give this a fair shot like I have with the others (hell, I gave Smallville two shots). I hope it’s at least entertaining. As long as it doesn’t affect our chances at getting Flash the big screen spotlight he deserves, I hope this finds an audience. Even if I’m not ultimately among them.
I agree with you. I don’t know what it is, but the shows just get too… CW-y for me. IT’s great that others enjoy them, but I just don’t. I feel like they water down the characters too much for a casual audience…
With that said, I’m actually hopeful that SyFy does Booster Gold! Done right, that could be a GREAT show.
If they’re going to tie these shows into the movies, then they DO have to establish a set-timeline for their universe…
I’m pretty excited about this, Green Arrow isn’t a character I’m particularly enthusiastic about but I love “Arrow”, The Flash is a character I really liked as a kid so if they can make this show even close to as good as Arrow is we should be in for a treat!
I’ll always give this a shot. The first half of season one of arrow wasn’t all that great for me but the second half was pretty awesome.
I just hope they don’t carry on the CW thing of having an annoying love interest, I hated Lana in Smallville and Laurel is #2 for the worst adaptation of a comicbook character ever (she lost first place to Andrea from the walking dead).
I think that’s gonna carry over, unfortunately. It’s the CW, it’ll have to be like some teen drama bs. Worth it if we get the Rogues, no?
Urge to binge watch rising…
I’m really excited for this news. I love ‘Arrow'(Even my wife likes it which is a bonus). It’s a great week to be a Flash fan with Flashpoint: Paradox out today also. And the Flash Annual coming out tomorrow.
Exciting news, indeed – Can’t wait to hear more about this!
This is very cool news. I’ve been impressed with how ARROW’s story evolved so much in one season that it should be used as some kind of template on what to do and not do with comics characters on t.v.
A little trivia: The high school I attended was featured in the 1990 Flash t.v. series as it’s front entranced doubled for the S.T.A.R. Labs building on the show.
LUCKY!! Wish I went to a high school like that.
COMMENT MODERATED
This thing happens all the time in L.A. and NYC. Its both good and bad. The good is I got to see the Flash costume up close and saw actors (doubles) run in and out of the building and the whole filming set-up was exciting. On the other hand, you don’t want to be caught driving behind the filming of a driving scene for a t.v. show or movie, believe me.
Fair point.
*Itho* holy s#%t that comment made me bust a gut laughing. You have made my day sir. On a side note looking forward to seeing what they CW does with flash, it would be interesting to see them take a gritty crime drama approach.
Thanks @Gritty, I was wondering if anyone was getting a chuckle out of that.
I hope they don’t do a gritty approach, characters like Flash and GL aren’t really dark characters. At their core, they’re Silver Age creations. Fairly rediculous, but fun. I’m fine with a crime drama, but Flash can’t work as dark as “Arrow”. It needs to be its own style and tone. But I’m optimistic about it.
I hope it’s not gritty and realistic, having the Flash snapping dudes necks. I mean I love “Arrow”, but Flash is not That. I’m expecting something like (underrated) 90s show. But with more Rogues. Like, all of them (Cold, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Pied Piper, The Top, the Trickster, and HOPEFULLY, hopefully Gorilla Grodd).
Man, I went 3 hours without knowing about this. Gotta give me some time to ease into it…
WHHHHOOOO!! FLASH!!!
read
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/flash-writers-preview-cws-newest-595705
Thanks @JesseCuster, that got me even more excited!
Hmm, this has potential. I have fond memories of watching the 90s Flash show — one of these days I really should revisit it. Using the same actor as Jay Garrick is a good idea, especially as Garrick is my favorite Flash anyway.
I’ve only seen one random episode of Arrow, though plan on checking it out on dvd eventually. Personally, I don’t like the revisions DC has done with the character (both in the show and in the comics) since the reboot. I miss older, goatee bleeding heart Ollie. He seems much more generic now.
If CW can get decent special effects behind this, it’s a good idea. I wonder if this frees up a pre-Justice League film for another character (Wonder Woman, maybe?).
I thought Man of Steel was the pre-JL movie?
Anyway, WW is getting “Amazon” (wether we ever see it is something else)…I think for awhile, pre-New 52, not much was done with Ollie and his leftist views. So I wasn’t that sad to see him back to scratch.
I doubt the Flash budget would be that high, probably the dame as Smallville or Arrow. BUT, the good news is that Flash doesn’t have a freaking ice fortress or Arrow Cave, so that should free up some money for a good costume and speed effects.
The rumor coming out of San Diego was that Superman vs Batman (or whatever the gossip mill is calling it this week) would be followed by a Flash film, then Justice League. My guess is that the rumored Flash movie is really this tv proposal. Or DC is planning two different Flashes in two separate formats? We’ll see.
I thought that the “Amazon” project was dead? Sad to say, but, in a world where someone like Alfonso Cuaron needs to fight for a female lead in a sci-fi film(even when she’s a well-known Oscar winner) we probably aren’t getting Wonder Woman headlining anything in the near future.
Yeah, I seem to recall something about MoS2 being followed by Flash but I didn’t believe it, because its still taken this long to TALK about a Flash movie. I think probably we’ll get both a tv show (once again, it may never “air”) and a movie, the studio wouldn’t want something out of left field to die again (Green Lantern).
The news on IGN is that “Amazon” has been paused (“script problems”) so you’re right. Who is Alfonso Cuaron? Somebody that wanted to be in “Elysium”? I don’t see how her situation is indicative of female led movies like WW.
“Who is Alfonso Cauron?”
Burn it all down.
@IthoSapien Alfonso Cuaron is a director that has had some pretty bankable hits. One that comes to mind is the third Harry Potter flick.
Opp, NVM, did a quick Google search. Well that story sounds interesting, is it a big summer blockbuster? If it’s an indie/art house thing then I find that totally unjustified.
Maybe this is a dumb idea, but why hasn’t anyone made a WW fanfilm? I saw a pretty decent Nightwing fanfilm last month. Why hasn’t anybody done that for Wondy?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=alfonso+cuaron
@cosmo: http://www.newsarama.com/18522-report-the-flash-running-to-live-action-on-cw-thanks-to-arrow-s-success.html
According to this site, the CW Flash show and the Flash movie are not in conflict and will be developped and directed by Berlanti, the same guy doing the show… So, I guess it will be the same actor and the same Flash for the show and the movie. Therefore, we can assume that the world of Arrow is the same as the one from Man of Steel and the future Batman VS Superman movie.
And maybe now we’ll get Nightwing popping up in an episode of Arrow!
I dunno about you… but ULTIMATE NERDGASM HEREEEEEEEEE!
Thank you @KillTheG1mp, I’m too tired to nerdgasm but I’m exited nonetheless by your news.
@IthoSapien, this fall Cuaron has a 3D, sci-fi art film coming out called Gravity. Despite the fact that it also has George Clooney in it, Cuaron recently claimed that studio executives told him to rewrite the lead for a male. This was, I believe, even after he had lined up Sandra Bollock to play the part. Cuaron had to fight to keep the part female (he succeeded). So, as I said, when it comes to genre film, Hollywood seems to still be under the impression that no one will pay to see a female in the lead. I guess no one remembers this somewhat popular film called Alien . . .
If you’d like a crash course in Cuaron, I highly recommend Children of Men, which I thought was outstanding. Yo Mama Tambien was excellent as well, but a rather different thing altogether.
@cosmo Wasn’t it “Tu mama tambien”? Anyway, great film but NOT a film to watch with younglings…
@Cosmo, thanks. However we could all have avoided this confusion if someone had said “its the movie where the astronauts fall to Earth”. I literally blocked this movie from my mind from my summer movie list. No offense to the director, but unless its like “Apollo 23” with Tom Hanks “Gravity” might as well be “Open Water” in space. I don’t think it looks much like a Sci-Fi film, more like a drama set in Space. Nothing wrong with that, but…
“Alien” was made long ago, when Studio execs took risks. It also had Ridley Scott, who had another (kind of) female lead in “Prometheus”. My point is, using an example made 20+ years ago is not really compelling now. “People liked Arnold in the 80s, we should put him in movies now!”. There’s “The Heat”, “Bridesmaids”, others…
I’ve been meaning to watch “Children of Men”, haven’t gotten around to it.
Yeah, cosmo is correct. Children of Men is an excellent film.
@Itho: Check it out you won’t be disappointed, I say.
@Nightwing97: Actually, it’s ” Y Tu Mama Tambien “. Meaning: ” And I’ll bang your mom too.”
My apologies for butchering the Spanish title of Y Tu Mama Tambien; regardless it is still an exceptional film, as is Children of Men. I would highly recommend them both.
You know what, I’m in.
I’m all for expanding the DC TV Universe, but isn’t it a little early? Especially for spinning off a character we haven’t met yet? “Buffy” waited three seasons to spin-off Angel, at a perfect juncture in both characters’ stories. I’d rather see the Flash on “Arrow,” build an audience, then go back to Keystone/Central City. Also, after all the Coast City/Ferris Air references this year, and considering the comics history, I’d have thought we’d see a Green Lantern connection before anything else.
I imagine they’ll introduce Office Barry Allen on Arrow, build up his character, then turn him the Flash in Arrow, or save it for the Flash pilot. Either way, I think that it could be a successful way to introduce a character less known outside of comics . . .
This seems odd considering they just announced a flash movie. Let’s hope it happens.
They didn’t formally announce a Flash movie. There are rumors.
@Paul, how many rumors have been discussed on this site that turned out to be true?
I’m not saying it won’t happen. I’m just clarifying that it wasn’t formally announced.
This can indeed be pretty good, especially if they focus on the weird relationship of The Rogues. That being said, it’s a bit frustrating that they’re fasttracking this and putting Amazon “on pause” for obviously bullshit reasons.
Unless of course “Amazon” is (gasp) bullshit?
Damn fictional Glass Celling.
Nnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooo…Amazon was very much a thing. Allan Heinberg wrote the script that was to serve as the pilot.
Yeeeeesssss… and it was put on pause. For ‘bullshit reasons”. Now Flash is going forwardc instead. Hence, the Fictional Glass Celling.
Are you saying the glass ceiling is fictional or it’s a glass ceiling for fictional characters?
The latter, it was meant to be witty.
1997: Alicia Silverstone in Batsuit crashing through glass ceiling. “Bruce! It’s me! It’s Barbara.”
1997: The year people gave up on Batman movies.
@Paul I didn’t realize that. I thought it was official. Either way it’ll be awesome to have live action Flash.
+1.
I still hear that theme music when I read Flash comics.
Can’t wait fo’ dis!
I hope the cast is filled with 30 year olds playing 16 year olds.
That aside, great!
Hmm, the backdoor Pilot thing makes me anxious, we all know how well that worked out for Dwight Schrute and “The Farm”. Really hope this goes somewhere…
Worked for the NCIS brand.
The CW also has a track record of picking up backdoor pilots. They just did it for “The Originals,” which had its backdoor pilot on the most reason season of “The Vampire Diaries.”
Oh, well thats reassuring then. Hopefully the Flash can outrun CW’s brand of teen bs and outdo “Arrow” on quality.
Sigh. I’ll get a Jay Garrick series someday…..Someday.
No, seriously this is very cool news. I know I should be watching ARROW but is it really all that good? I’ve heard mixed things about it so I don’t have a good grasp on the series.
Taste is subjective. It generally gets praise, but I don’t care much for it. It does about as much as Smallville did story-wise, tonally, and CW-y love interests. If you liked SV you may like this.
I think it’s better than “Smallville” in alot of ways, more action, less love-lorn teen drama. There is a little bit, but I think the good outweighs the bad.
Its sits somewhere between Smallville and Alphas (please tell you you’ve seen Alphas).
I don’t like Smallville, but I liked Alphas.
It has its typical cheesy moments, and the obligatory emo scenes. But it gets better as the season goes along, and the real fun I had with it was trying to catch all the DCU references, or getting a kick out of how they adapted DC characters for the show. Like, Roy Harper doesn’t have arrows or a red hood outfit, but he does run around in a red hoodie sweatshirt anytime you see him. lol. And, seriously, its a TV show with DEATHSTROKE, THE ROYAL FLUSH GANG, HUNTRESS, DEAD-SHOT… and even their own version of BLACKHAWKS! That’s why I watch the show.
I will say this though… if you’re the kind of comic fan thats a stickler for wanting to see the page on the screen… the kind of fan that hates Dark Knight and hates Walking Dead TV and hates Xmen films because none of them follow the comics properly and to a T, then Arrow will be just another thing to hate on.
Let’s hope they use this as the theme song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6JXz2h-qMI
I may never get that song out of my head!
Woah, this was actually good and catchy! Thanks for the share haha!
YES! I started reading comics right around the time the original Flash show came on. I loved it and it definitely influenced me and my collecting. The Flash is one of my favorite characters and the one I started to read first. I hope that this show is awesome!
This Flash series will be the best TV show ever!!!! Well, maybe not, but it’s my most anticipated new show since the original Flash show.
They said at comicon once that they would LOVE to lead up to a JLA, but Wonder Woman and other characters are a bit tricky to do
I did LOVE the 90s Flash tv show =)