The Official Flash Casting Thread

[Young Superman]

What Geoff Johns doesn't understand is that Wally West is a better character than Barry Allen.

Agreed, and Scott Porter would be the perfect Wally.

 

[Webhead2006]

well we pretty much been told it will be barry as flash for the film gearing up now. Which i still say is a good move to start with barry. Plus like i pointed out in the flash thread, we have no clue what they are going to do with barry, and what supporting characters will be used. So for all we know wally can be there and be a big part of film too. So then it leads up to him taking over at a later point and all that. I just cant wait to see what happens.


Also i dont see why they need to or will do any merging of traits of barry and wally. If they plan to use both characters over course of films. They can easily define each character as they should be. They each have their traits they are known for and are best liked for. So i dont see why any merging traits or what not will need to happen like the flash tv show or jl/jlu did.

 

[BigSams50]

I dont read alotta flash, and i was just wondring what the big difference is between Barry and Wally's characters?

 

[Octoberist]

Barry is a more grounded and a forensic scientist. Wally is more blue collared, street smart and somethings cocky.

But they're both humorous, fun characters. If Ryan Reynolds is to Wally, then Paul Rudd is to Barry.

Wally has a strong dedicated fanbase (as you can see here) but at the same time, I think Barry's adventures has barely begun since he's been out of the loop since the 80s.

I think it's the execution of The Flash: Rebirth that made some Flash fans disgruntled and I can't blame them. It's probably one of the few misteps written by Geoff Johns so it's been a rocky start for Barry. But they'll get over it eventually. Time heals (and fans get older)

Read the stuff by Mark Waid and Geoff Johns when Wally was the main Flash. Geoff Johns' current Flash series (With Barry) is pretty good thus far but it has barely started.

 

[hippie_hunter]

What Geoff Johns doesn't understand is that Wally West is a better character than Barry Allen.......but whatever, I'm happy we are getting a Flash movie.

You do know that Johns wrote Wally's ongoing for years and helped solidify him as one of comics top writers. And he wanted to continue writing Wally through a back-up that didn't happen in the current Flash comic.

 

[MultiPurposePon]

Someone threw out a suggestion the other day that I'd totally go for: Mark Paul Gosselaar. He's come a LONG way from Saved By The Bell. I dug his characters a lot on NYPD Blue and Over There. He can handle dramatic roles while maintaining that cocky edge.

Plus, he does have a solid resemblance to Barry:

 

[NotFadeAway]

Agreed, and Scott Porter would be the perfect Wally.

For me personally, Scott Porter strikes me as a Barry Allen.

Barry is a more grounded and a forensic scientist. Wally is more blue collared, street smart and somethings cocky.

But they're both humorous, fun characters. If Ryan Reynolds is to Wally, then Paul Rudd is to Barry.

Wally has a strong dedicated fanbase (as you can see here) but at the same time, I think Barry's adventures has barely begun since he's been out of the loop since the 80s.

I think it's the execution of The Flash: Rebirth that made some Flash fans disgruntled and I can't blame them. It's probably one of the few misteps written by Geoff Johns so it's been a rocky start for Barry. But they'll get over it eventually. Time heals (and fans get older)

Read the stuff by Mark Waid and Geoff Johns when Wally was the main Flash. Geoff Johns' current Flash series (With Barry) is pretty good thus far but it has barely started.

That was me included.

You do know that Johns wrote Wally's ongoing for years and helped solidify him as one of comics top writers. And he wanted to continue writing Wally through a back-up that didn't happen in the current Flash comic.

Yes I know. It just feels like he has a preference for Barry.

 

[Timstuff]

For me, it's hard to judge whether or not Johns is preferential to Barry. As said before, Johns did some great writing for Wally back in the day, so it's not like he's got an ax to grind against Wally. The decision to bring Barry back was almost certainly a corporate one, and it's more than likely that it was because Warner Bros. has been gearing up for a Flash movie and wants to start with Barry. It's hard to tell how much of Rebirth was Johns' doing and how much was corporately mandated, and we may never know, but I can imagine two things being on the mandate: "Bring Barry back" and "make him as cool as Wally, even though he never has been before."

I really hope that Wally will be in the new Flash movie in some form. Personally, I think that for the movie mythos they should skip right over Wally becoming Kid Flash, and have him be an older teenager who develops latent speedster abilities from being in the same accident that gave Barry his powers. The first movie could reveal that Wally is also a speedster, but is somewhat reluctant about his abilities at first. Then in the sequel, Barry is killed and Wally has to take his place.

In order to sell to the audience that Wally will eventually be the flash, they have to really make sure to build up a strong father/son relationship between him and Barry in the first film, and foreshadow the fact that Wally will one day wear the costume as well, even if he doesn't know it himself. The audience gets a good chance to see Barry as the hero, but also gets the impression that his tenure may be shorter lived than the average hero. Small hints at his doom and Wally's destiny can be dropped in the film, but not so much as to make the movie feel foreboding or depressing. That way, when the change comes about it will feel like "Whoa! Barry just died!" but not so much "That came out of no-where. They killed the main character, this franchise is doomed!"

 

[Young Superman]

Someone threw out a suggestion the other day that I'd totally go for: Mark Paul Gosselaar. He's come a LONG way from Saved By The Bell. I dug his characters a lot on NYPD Blue and Over There. He can handle dramatic roles while maintaining that cocky edge.

Plus, he does have a solid resemblance to Barry:

I could get behind this.

 

[batlovescatDC]

Since we're getting Barry as The Flash I've decided to put together a very short casting choice list.


The Flash/Barry Allen

....

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (he'd have to bulk up a lot but he'd be perfect IMO.)

or Jake Gyllenhaal (I think he'd pull off the personality of Barry perfectly... plus he's already got the muscle part down.)

Iris West.... Kate Mara (Great actress and absolutely beautiful. She fits Iris to a T.)

The Shade/Richard Swift....

Crispin Glover (Do I really need to say anything?)

 

[Webhead2006]

i agree timstuff since the whole kid side kick thing hasnt been done/done well really. I made the point before as this. They should have barry around 27-29 yrs old. If I recall someone mentioned he was 24ish in the coming, i would up it just a tad for the films. So then barry who is 27-29 yrs old could be out of college and at least have bachelors/masters degree in science stuff and could be in a good committed relationship with iris west who would also be in 27-29 yrs old range. So then i would up wally's age from a kid to late teen/early adult at 17-19 yrs old. So then by a second or 3rd film if we are going by a few yrs between films wally could be about 22-24 yrs old come time he is officially flash.

But we shouldnt get to bent out of shape yet. Since we dont know what the plot of the film will be fully, what villain(s) to be used, and what supporting characters will be in the film. I am sure they will treat the characters right.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

Levitt as Barry Allen? :/

That'd be a big stretch lookswise but maybe.

I'm still for Scott Porter as Barry Allen and Rachel Nichols as Iris West

I think they'd be a quirky duo. I could see Barry being a lot like Chris Pine's Kirk.

 

[Octoberist]

rachel nichols equal DELICIOUS!

 

[Young Superman]

Levitt as Barry Allen? :/

That'd be a big stretch lookswise but maybe.

I'm still for Scott Porter as Barry Allen and Rachel Nichols as Iris West

I think they'd be a quirky duo. I could see Barry being a lot like Chris Pine's Kirk.

GREAT CASTIN!

 

[I Am Jack's...]

My first pick would be Patrick Wilson.

But if they wanted to go a few years younger, then Jake Gyllenhaal or Scott Porter would be prime candidates for me.

 

[Young Superman]

IMO he's too old to play Barry in an origin film.

 

[tyler-durden]

There are some pretty good choices on here, I wouldn't mind any of them as The Flash/Barry Allen except for maybe Gynlehhall.

 

[Dark Knight]

Since we're getting Barry as The Flash I've decided to put together a very short casting choice list.


The Flash/Barry Allen

....

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (he'd have to bulk up a lot but he'd be perfect IMO.)

or Jake Gyllenhaal (I think he'd pull off the personality of Barry perfectly... plus he's already got the muscle part down.)

Iris West.... Kate Mara (Great actress and absolutely beautiful. She fits Iris to a T.)

The Shade/Richard Swift....

Crispin Glover (Do I really need to say anything?)

Nice suggestions, but I would go with a better actress than Mara as Iris.

I think Gyllenhaal would be a great pick for Barry Allen actually.

 

[Dark Knight]

Wilson would be a good pick for Barry as well.

 

[Dark Knight]

I think JGL would be waaaay better as Wally instead of Barry.

 

[batlovescatDC]

Nice suggestions, but I would go with a better actress than Mara as Iris.

I think Gyllenhaal would be a great pick for Barry Allen actually.

Did u see her in the film "SHOOTER" with Mark Wahlberg? Her performance in that shows that she would be absolutely perfect for Iris.


And Man Of Steel, let's face it... some of the best casting has been a stretch, look wise. Ledger as Joker, Maguire as Spidey/P.P. I really think that choosing an actor like JGL would give us a unique, but at the same time faithful portrayal of the character.

However, Gyllenhaal, I would say is my pick above anyone else for Barry Allen. Also, I have a really strong feeling that Nolan might have JGL in B3 as either Riddler or Black Mask.

 

[Kevin Smith]

lol they need to change the poll to who should play Barry in the thread or start a new one...

 

[BigSams50]

Barry is a more grounded and a forensic scientist. Wally is more blue collared, street smart and somethings cocky.

But they're both humorous, fun characters. If Ryan Reynolds is to Wally, then Paul Rudd is to Barry.

Wally has a strong dedicated fanbase (as you can see here) but at the same time, I think Barry's adventures has barely begun since he's been out of the loop since the 80s.

I think it's the execution of The Flash: Rebirth that made some Flash fans disgruntled and I can't blame them. It's probably one of the few misteps written by Geoff Johns so it's been a rocky start for Barry. But they'll get over it eventually. Time heals (and fans get older)

Read the stuff by Mark Waid and Geoff Johns when Wally was the main Flash. Geoff Johns' current Flash series (With Barry) is pretty good thus far but it has barely started.

Ahh, ok, thx alot man

 

[terry78]

I think Phillipe actually has the look from what I've seen, and the ability to play it serious and fun.

 

[batlovescatDC]

^ I definitely wouldn't mind Phillippe at all. He's a great actor, one of my favorites actually. Although he's my ultimate pick for Steve Trevor in WW, I'd definitely be up 4 him as Flash.

Also... came across someone else interesting:

Josh Keaton

Has a good and yet kind of unique look for the character.

He hasn't had the chance to make a major live action debut, yet, but has had major success in voice roles... including The Flash in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Spider-Man/Peter Parker in The Spectucular Spider-Man, and Young Hercules in Disney's Hercules.

I remember him in an episode of Bones a couple yrs back and he did a really good job. What do you guys think?