The Flash has been a popular subject of late for two reasons: The Flash movie is finally coming out nearly a decade after being announced, and The Flash TV series recently concluded after nine seasons. Well these two projects have now converged in arguably the biggest way since Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller’s versions of Barry Allen met in Crisis on Infinite Earths. The movie’s director, Andy Muschietti, recently stated that he thinks Miller’s the only one who could effectively play the character, and fans of Gustin’s Scarlet Speedster were not pleased with that comment.
Muschietti shared this opinion while talking about how if The Flash 2 happens, he would definitely bring back Ezra Miller rather than recast the role. Fans have wondered if the latter is an option given the numerous controversies that have surrounded the actor in the last several years, with last summer seeing the actor issue a public apology and saying that they had “begun ongoing treatment” for their “complex mental health issues.” In any case, Muschietti’s saying that Miller’s the only actor fit to play The Flash resulted in Grant Gustin enthusiasts coming to his defense, like @lexibexwrites:
Grant Gustin did not just spend the last decade being an ABSOLUTE DELIGHT for y’all to be defending that actual criminal this much
Although The Flash TV show didn’t premiere until September 2014, Gustin first appeared as Barry Allen in the Arrow Season 2 episodes “The Scientist” and “Three Ghosts,” meaning he played the role for nearly 10 full years. After so much time, it’s no wonder Gustin’s take on Barry has so many fans, with @SmashTriviaJohn having this to say:
Grant Gustin will always be the superior Flash and would easily play the character better than Ezra in a movie!
Interestingly enough, Ezra Miller’s casting as Barry Allen in the DC Extended Universe was announced on the same day that The Flash TV show’s second episode aired. Miller has since played Barry in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, both versions of Justice League, the Peacemaker Season 1 finale and the aforementioned Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. While Miller’s Barry certainly isn’t lacking in fans, there are also those who feel he hasn’t been a good fit in the role, including @SimplyDango:
Ezra has been miscast in this role since day one so I'm pretty confident numerous people can play The Flash better than him! In fact Grant Gustin has already done it!
All this isn’t to say that The Flash TV show was a perfect product; you certainly don’t have to look long to find criticism concerning the later seasons. Nevertheless, if you feel the same way that @TigheSammy does, Gustin’s performance as its leading character was never one of the show’s problems:
Grant Gustin did it for 9 years and people still loved him even with awful writing
Naturally opinion is subjective, so whether Ezra Miller or Grant Gustin is the better Flash is up to each individual person. Still, it’s clear that Gustin’s fans won’t stand for the claim that Miller is the only one capable of bringing Barry Allen to life. As @thcfastestman put it:
No matter how you feel about The Flash TV show, Grant Gustin arguably played Barry Allen/The Flash better than Ezra Miller did. I like Andy Muschietti, but this statement he made is extremely disrespectful.
Unfortunately, despite the two Flashes meeting each other a few years ago and this movie delivering a multiversal adventure, Grant Gustin will not appear in Ezra Miller’s Flash story. What moviegoers can look forward to is Miller’s Barry teaming up with both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton’s versions of Batman, Sasha Calle’s Supergirl and even his own doppelgänger, who also gains super speed. The Flash opened to critical acclaim at CinemaCon in late April, and a DC video showed various moviegoers sharing their positive reactions after early screenings.
The Flash movie races into theaters on June 16, and for those of you interested in watching the entirety of The Flash TV show, all nine seasons can be streamed with a Netflix subscription. Keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for more coverage on upcoming DC movies and upcoming DC TV shows.
