The Flash reportedly gets a last-minute ending change

The Flash is all set to speed into theaters on June 2023. However, according to a new report from an industry insider from Geeks Worldwide, some last-minute changes have been made in the direction of the current DC Studios co-CEO, James Gunn.

The upcoming film will not only serve as the reset button for the DC Film Universe by changing the cinematic continuity of the Snyderverse to James Gunn's DCU but will also feature the highly anticipated returns of Michael Keaton's Batman and Michael Shannon's General Zod, following their explosive reveals in the trailer released in February. Both were last seen in Batman Returns and Man of Steel, respectively.

As per director Andy Muschietti, the original plan for The Flash's conclusion was to set up a newly formed Justice League team, where Keaton would replace Ben Affleck's Batman and Sasha Calle's Supergirl would fill the Kryptonian role in place of Henry Cavill's Superman. However, this is now reportedly not the case as Gunn seeks to establish his newly acquired DC Universe in his own way.

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The Flash ending is now more "vague," but is cameo heavy

As per Geeks Worldwide's KC Walsh, The Flash has now undergone major changes, particularly the ending. This tidbit of news comes from one of the upcoming blockbuster's latest test screenings, which Walsh attended.

Walsh stated that the film is now "complete," which makes sense, given that its premiere at CinemaCon is on April 25, which is only a week away from now. The eagerly awaited second trailer is also scheduled to go up online on this day.

The insider added that the ending had been altered to be more "vague" and that the cameo that audiences had anticipated ultimately turned out to be different from what they had anticipated. The cameo in question is supposedly George Clooney's Batman from the critically panned Batman and Robin, as an earlier report from The Weekly Planet in February claimed that the actor would make an appearance in the film.

According to Walsh, The Flash contains several cameos besides Clooney's supposed one. The insider promised that the Speed Force in the film would feature a lot of cameos from multiple DC characters. He, however, specifically pointed out a "CW connection" and "a dream cameo," which, according to him, will be the "most talked about" cameo following the release of the film.

The "CW connection" possibly refers to Grant Gustin's version of Flash from the eponymous CW series of the same name. However, Gustin has denied his appearance in the film, thus implying that the ending could only show footage of him from his world.

The "dream cameo" report, however, remains to be seen. But given that the insider said it would be the "most talked about" cameo, it could possibly refer to Christian Bale's Batman, as fans have universally praised his take on the Dark Knight, with the film possibly showing footage of him from his universe.

Walsh added that the ending of The Flash had undergone a fairly controversial change. There are no longer references to Zack Snyder's Justice League. Walsh earlier supported and corroborated a rumor from another industry insider, MyTimeToShineHello, who suggested from her scoop that this would be the case.

This is not very surprising, as YouTuber Grace Randolph had earlier revealed that The Flash had removed all teases related to the Snyderverse from its end in the direction of James Gunn. Randolph said that the ending had completely cut off Henry Cavill's Superman, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Sasha Calle's Supergirl, and Michael Keaton's Batman. However, Calle and Keaton will be present in the film for a major portion of its runtime.

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The Flash plot and cast details

The Flash, which will be based on the popular comic book storyline Flashpoint, will see Barry Allen traveling back in time to prevent his mother's murder, only to end up trapped in an alternate universe where there are no metahumans.

When General Zod is restored to life and begins invading Earth, Barry assembles a team of unlikely allies, comprised of an older alternate Batman and a young female Kryptonian by the name of Supergirl, to combat his invasion and save the planet.

The official synopsis of The Flash as per DC and Warner Bros. reads:

"Worlds collide in The Flash when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation."

It continues:

"Unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian... albeit not the one he's looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry's only hope is to race for his life."

As for the cast, The Flash stars Ezra Miller as the titular superhero, with Miller essaying two versions of the character. They will be joined by Michael Keaton, reprising his role as Batman from the Tim Burton films, and Sasha Calle as Supergirl, with the latter two serving as co-leads of the film.

The rest of the cast includes:

• Michael Shannon as General Zod
• Antje Traue as Faora-Ul
• Ron Livingston as Henry Allen
• Maribel Verdu as Nora Allen
• Kiersey Clemons as Iris West
• Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman

Saoirse Monica Jackson, Rudy Mancuso, and Luke Brandon Field will also appear in The Flash in undisclosed roles. According to Affleck, Gal Gadot will also appear in the film as Wonder Woman.

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The Flash is set to hit theaters on June 16, 2023. The film is directed by Andy Muschietti and the script is written by Christina Hodson, who previously penned 2020's Birds of Prey.