The Flash's best Easter eggs and DC references
As James Gunn gears up to start his rebranded DC Universe with Peter Safran, a certain Scarlet Speedster is here to ease the transition for Andy Muschietti's The Flash.
While it's hard to believe a solo film for Ezra Miller's Barry Allen has been in the works since 2014, the timing couldn't be better for Flash to step into the Chrono Bowl and push reset on the DC slate – or possibly say goodbye to the former Worlds of DC.
With time-travel twists, more multiversal madness than Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and a smorgasbord of cameos, there's a lot of treats in store for long-time DC fans in the new movie.
To mark The Flash's release, we've delved into the new movie to pick out our favourite Easter eggs and references to the wider DC universe. Spoilers ahead, of course.
1. Dark Flash
Despite past Barry's villainous future self never getting an official name, merchandise has confirmed this purple foe as Dark Flash. Things get a little confusing because Muschietti's Dark Flash is an amalgamation of several comic book characters.
Dark Flash first appeared in 1999's The Flash Vol. 2 #150 as an alternate reality version of Wally West (called Walter West), who was unable to save his girlfriend. This version is an anti-hero known for his brutal methods, but as West doesn't feature in The Flash, he's Dark Flash in name alone.
Miller's version is more like Black Flash, who has a similar costume and is effectively an extension of death from the Speed Force. Arriving in 1998's The Flash Vol. 2 #138, Black Flash has had many guises, and at one point, Barry himself even took on the mantle. You might remember Black Flash appearing in Smallville and the Arrowverse.
2. James Gunn is canon
Barry Allen is clearly a fan of movies, with Warner Bros cleverly shoehorning some of its own titles into The Flash.
His adult bedroom has posters for Burton's Mars Attacks, Nolan's Inception and more, while young Barry's bedroom includes a poster for James Gunn's Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
Young Barry sporting a Mystery Machine tee proves he's a fan of the crime-solving gang, with that love to the 2004 movie starring Freddie Prinze Jr and Sarah Michelle Gellar as well. There's no better way to honour Gunn's new position as co-head of the DCU, and the man himself has even responded, saying: "I'm canon?".
While Gunn only has an indirect cameo, there's also an appearance from Andy Muschietti who appears as Hot Dog Reporter and has his lunch snatched as Barry enters the courthouse.
And if you pay close attention, you'll also spot Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as a scruffy guy eating pizza when young Barry first tries out his powers. Coster-Waldau starred in Muschietti's debut movie Mama.
3. The Dark Knight
Theories that Christian Bale might be stopping by for the multiversal mayhem didn't come through, but that didn't stop an obscure Easter egg referencing the Nolanverse sneaking through the cracks.
When the Flashes arrive at the wrecked Wayne Manor of Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne, the aged vigilante is living his worst bachelor lifestyle. In his kitchen, there's a pizza box for Gotham City Pizza.
To celebrate the release of The Dark Knight, Domino's Pizza teamed up with Warner Bros for the Gotham City Pizza, which boasted 50% more pepperoni than other Domino's offerings. Nolan returned the favour by adding the Domino's-esque Gotham City Pizzeria to his universe.
4. Timeline troubles
Time travel movies are always confusing, and they always have their own rules. There's a not-so-subtle dig at the MCU's Avengers: Endgame when Keaton's Bruce mentions some other movie you've probably seen.
The Flash's take on time travel doesn't have your actions branching into other timelines like Endgame's time heist. Instead, there's a fulcrum that creates an alternate future and past. The bowl of spaghetti analogy includes fixed points where things inevitably cross, like multiple realities having the death of the Waynes giving us some form of Batman.
Much like how Endgame mocked Back to the Future, The Flash does the same. This version still includes Marty McFly, but thanks to Barry's meddling, he's portrayed by Eric Stoltz. Stoltz played Marty for five weeks before Michael J Fox replaced him.
5. Let's get nuts
Some 31 years after we last saw Michael Keaton in the cape and cowl, we pick up with the brooding Batman of Tim Burton's era. There's a treasure trove of Easter eggs, including Danny Elfman's iconic score and the rubberised suit making it notoriously hard for Bats to move his head.
Dusting the cobwebs off the Batcave, we see Old Man Bruce still using his '90s tech, while there's a beautiful shot where his relic Batwing recreates the Bat-Signal in the sky. Even though Michael Gough's Alfred has sadly passed, Bruce still keeps a pen with an engraving from his butler.
There's also a sneaky nod to Jack Nicholson's Joker when the Flashes find a laughing bag, the same one Commissioner Gordon found on Joker's corpse in Batman. Finally, we hear Keaton repeat the iconic "let's get nuts" from the 1989 masterpiece.
6. Back to the start
Near Barry's humble abode in Central City, you might've spotted a shopfront for Whiz. More than a clever play on Barry's lightning speed, it's a throwback to Whiz Comics.
The Flash first appeared in 1940, with Jay Garrick being the first to take the name. It was the same year Whiz Comics debuted its first issue. Whiz had the rights to a certain Shazam, or as he was known back then, Captain Marvel.
Others might have spotted a shop called Grayson's. This one's an Easter egg to Dick Grayson's Robin, or possibly, his Flying Grayson family. It's definitely not the OG Robin running things here, as Snyder confirmed Jared Leto's Joker murdered Dick Grayson.
7. Superman Lives
Confirming what we already knew, there was no sign of Henry Cavill in The Flash, although we see the back of his likeness battling a volcano in Guatemala. Instead, we get Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-el/Supergirl and plenty of other Super-People getting some cameos.
There's the black and white Multiverse, including George Reeves' Superman from the '50s Adventures of Superman series. The legendary Christopher Reeve is homaged alongside Helen Slater's Supergirl, despite Reeve not appearing in her 1984 movie.
The big one is a physical cameo from Nicolas Cage, battling a giant spider-alien to recreate concept art from Tim Burton's cancelled Superman Lives. The unproduced '90s movie remains one of the great comic book what-ifs, with a cast supposedly boasting Chris Rock as Jimmy Olsen, Sandra Bullock as Lois Lane, and Christopher Walken as Brainiac.
8. The Snyder Cut
The Flash has a sprinkling of ashes from the DCEU even though there's a lack of Ray Fisher's Cyborg. Instead, Kiersey Clemons finally gets her time (briefly) as Iris West.
Clemons was cut from Joss Whedon and Zack Snyder's theatrical release of Justice League but was added back in for the Snyder Cut. Iris' brief Justice League scene had Barry use the Speed Force to save her from a car crash and set the pair up for The Flash.
Despite the Snyder Cut being considered non-canon in the mainline DCEU, Iris saying she met Barry a few years ago suggests otherwise. The Flash might have ignored the Snyder Cut, but Iris's comment seems like a tongue-in-cheek wink to Barry's DCEU history. Just when you think Snyder is out, they keep pulling him back in.
9. The Brave and the Bold
The Flash ends with one more cameo, as George Clooney reprises his role as Bruce Wayne from 1997's Batman & Robin.
This would be the perfect place to announce who'll play the "older" Batman that Gunn has promised for the upcoming The Brave and the Bold movie, but it's not as simple as Clooney being the DCU's Batman.
Early press screenings of The Flash ended with a shot of an unknown Bruce Wayne's feet and Barry saying: "Who the f**k is this now?" before the screen cut to black. It was only in the final version that Clooney's Bruce Wayne was revealed. (It's even more confusing as set photos showed Keaton seemingly filming the same scene.)
The future of Miller's role in the DCU is unclear, and it might have been a case of not shackling the franchise's next Batman to The Flash. News that Muschietti is now directing The Brave and the Bold does set up an intriguing prospect that Clooney could be giving it another shot as an older Batman and that the campy Batman & Robin is canon.
Bring back Arnie!
The Flash is out now in cinemas.
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