The Official Flash Thread

[Webhead2006]

well who really know how they will handle his costume and the speed force stuff. I am sure they will talk about the speedforce in some form in first film. As for the costume ring it would be a fun aspect to play with. I agree flash i could see embracing the more zany comicbookie aspects of superhero movie.

 

[cin0]

and seeing flash's uniform coming out of a ring wouldnt be any more stupid than seeing superman whereing his underneath his work clothes. nobody asks how does use the rr, why would they wonder how flash's clothes fit in the ring. nobody thinks like that its just cool to see.

 

[HighFivingMF]

Bruce Campbell should play the Speed Force.

 

[Timstuff]

And then there is no reason for it whatsoever. Why cant he wear the suit underneath his work clothes, or just run home and get dressed? It'd only take him a second.

Another thing I thought about-- what about the little lightning bolts / wings on his mask? If they're made of metal (which they appear to be) then there's no way at all that you could "suck the air out of them" to compress them-- and even if you could, they would not resume their original shape when decompressed. The boots have the exact same problem, but with anything made of metal it seems even more illogical.

 

[Kevin Smith]

I figure Barry Allen wants to wear a superhero costume because that's what superheroes do. And he's a fan. Why overthink it?

As for the suit itself, I could see the fabric as something invented by Ray Palmer that Barry read in a scientific journal somewhere if it needs any further explanation.

Ooooo! i like that a lot! good call my brother.

 

[Kevin Smith]

Another thing I thought about-- what about the little lightning bolts / wings on his mask? If they're made of metal (which they appear to be) then there's no way at all that you could "suck the air out of them" to compress them-- and even if you could, they would not resume their original shape when decompressed. The boots have the exact same problem, but with anything made of metal it seems even more illogical.

Well I wouldn't exactly call it metal but I know what you mean. Flash has a police scanner/ear piece in those ear things, remember that. So they aren't just for show as Black Canary tried to point out in Year One. :P

 

[Kevin Smith]

I agree with all of this, including the part about the costume being in the ring. Seriously, the idea that you can suck the air out of the rubber soles on a pair of boots to make them fit inside of a ring is downright ******ed. There's no scientific plausibility behind the concept, and they only got away with it in the Silver Age because the readers were mostly kids, and they weren't exactly expected to think much about it.

Umm...actually, it's based on the same principle of the inflatable raft. So yeah, it's pseudo scientific. Didn't you read the comic? Just as fake asn anything else. You know GL used to keep his suit stored in a closet. Spidey put his in a web basket.

There are some concepts in sci-fi that we can accept (like Superman flying due to some kind of "super aura"), and there are others that are just plain dumb (like being able to compress a costume to fit into a cubic centimeter-sized space, boots and all, and being able to uncompress it with no damage whatsoever).

but that said, they could always just take the cheap way and have him "speed force" it on, altho audiences may find that too similatr to GL.

 

[cin0]

Another thing I thought about-- what about the little lightning bolts / wings on his mask? If they're made of metal (which they appear to be) then there's no way at all that you could "suck the air out of them" to compress them-- and even if you could, they would not resume their original shape when decompressed. The boots have the exact same problem, but with anything made of metal it seems even more illogical.

the lightning bolts on his mask are already pretty small, y would he need to suck the air out of them? and y is everybody still trippin over the ring thing. not everthing in the movie has to be scientifically explained. most people dont even pay attention to things like that so y does it matter?

 

[Timstuff]

One of my personal rules of screenwriting is to not assume that the audience is stupid.

 

[Evil Twin]

Yeah, but we're talking "suspension of belief" here. Like Batman's utility belt always having exactly what he needs.

And "transformation" is, I think, an important motif for a superhero. Especially one as steeped in traditional superheroics as Flash. Clark Kent opens his shirt revealing Superman. Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark suit up. Green Lantern transforms with his ring. Billy Batson turns into Captain Marvel in a flash of lightning. Bruce Banner "hulks out". The lack of transformation is part of the point of the X-Men, there is no return to "normalcy".

The Flash, generally, has been characterized by changing into a costume stored in his ring at superspeed. It's a fun and distinct visual.

An explanation of how the wings on his costume collapse is about 100th on my priorities for a Flash movie. And explainable with another bit of pseudo-science. If that's the biggest problem people have with the movie, then it's a job well done.

 

[Jahu-Momus]

Personally I would love a David Goyer take on things (as he was on the project a few years back) but he wanted to make the Flash closer to Batman Begins, which he also wrote. I think thats what people want the science from, as it would very weird if they spent so much time on Batman explaining things scientifically, but had everyone else break every known physical law in two hours.

 

[Evil Twin]

Batman has nothing to do with the Flash. The Flash exists in a world squarely in the superhero realm, with time travel, dimensional travel, costumed supervillains content to rob banks, jewelry stores, museums, etc., talking gorillas, immortal world conquerors, sidekicks, a museum dedicated to the hero, and the like.

What's the point of making a Flash movie if you're not going to accept that world? Yeah, you can tweak it for film, but the Flash property is pretty well defined.

 

[The Overlord]

Batman has nothing to do with the Flash. The Flash exists in a world squarely in the superhero realm, with time travel, dimensional travel, costumed supervillains content to rob banks, jewelry stores, museums, etc., talking gorillas, immortal world conquerors, sidekicks, a museum dedicated to the hero, and the like.

What's the point of making a Flash movie if you're not going to accept that world? Yeah, you can tweak it for film, but the Flash property is pretty well defined.

It doesn't matter if you or I accept this world, but would the general audience accept it or think its stupid? If the general public doesn't like it, that's what matters. If WB test markets a scene with the costume ring and people don't like it, it won't be in there.

These movies are never just made for fans, they are made for the general audience too and if the studio decides something won't work for the geenral audience, it will be cut.

Plus really I don't see why the costume ring will make or break the movie.

 

[Evil Twin]

It doesn't matter if you or I accept this world, but would the general audience accept it or think its stupid? If the general public doesn't like it, that's what matters. If WB test markets a scene with the costume ring and people don't like it, it won't be in there.

These movies are never just made for fans, they are made for the general audience too and if the studio decides something won't work for the geenral audience, it will be cut.

Plus really I don't see why the costume ring will make or break the movie.

And I think if you "test market" all that makes The Flash, The Flash out of a movie, then it's pointless to make it. Call the character Speedster and move on.

I agree the costume ring won't make or break the movie either. I also think the audience won't really care about the plausibility of that little detail if it's fun and looks good. There are plenty of silly little conceits in every superhero movie to date. Including Nolan's Batman movies which feature major science fiction devices in their third acts.

 

[The Overlord]

And I think if you "test market" all that makes The Flash, The Flash out of a movie, then it's pointless to make it. Call the character Speedster and move on.

I'm not saying they will test market everything, but if the studio doesn't think something like the costume ring will have traction with the mass audience, it likely won't be there.

I agree the costume ring won't make or break the movie either. I also think the audience won't really care about the plausibility of that little detail if it's fun and looks good. There are plenty of silly little conceits in every superhero movie to date. Including Nolan's Batman movies which feature major science fiction devices in their third acts.

True, but the fact is they have also changed many little details with other super hero movies, like not having aliens or time travel or even the comics costume in X-Men and not having the web shooters in Spider-Man, no movie is 100% faithful and frankly there is a difference between being faithful to the source material and being slavish to it.

I don't think the ring is an important enough detail to keep in and I doubt they they will, heck if its cheaper to not have the costume ring they likely won't have it, because I doubt they waste money on a effect that doesn't really serve a plot point and could been seen as silly by a lot of non fans.

 

[Evil Twin]

True, but the fact is they have also changed many little details with other super hero movies, like not having aliens or time travel or even the comics costume in X-Men and not having the web shooters in Spider-Man, no movie is 100% faithful and frankly there is a difference between being faithful to the source material and being slavish to it.

Yeah, but Spider-Man still shoots webs.

I'll agree that they shouldn't include the ring costume if it doesn't work on screen, but I'm skeptical that the audience won't take it in good fun. It is a piece of pseudo-science that Flash comics are full of and fits right in the world of The Flash. Not to mention it's a distinctive trademark of The Flash and how he's changed into costume for over 50 years. And, as I've said, I think "transformation" is an important superhero trope and it needs at least a little attention and imagination.

Now, yeah, they may do something "speed force" related as an option. Another pseudo-sciencific way. But, I'd doubt they do something as unimaginative as have him wearing his costume under his street clothes or having to run all the way to his home to change. (The latter is particularly undramatic when you want to get across the idea that the hero doesn't have a second to spare.)

 

[Webhead2006]

yea i wouldnt be mad if they didnt use the ring idea. i do agree the ring, and all the zanyness there is to flash and his rouges would be a fun thing to play with for film series to not be to serious and have some fun.

 

[Jahu-Momus]

What's the point of making a Flash movie if you're not going to accept that world? Yeah, you can tweak it for film, but the Flash property is pretty well defined.

Yea and Batman had a talking crocodile man. I think a Flash film could work if they would keep the Flash bright and cheery, the Rogues keeping their rules and their rivalry with Barry, and the speed force. I'm just worried that they'll go down the route of the Scooby Doo film. It can be lighthearted, but it will also have to take itself seriously and not crack jokes at itself the entire time. If the movie doesn't take itself seriously, the audience definately won't.

 

[Webhead2006]

oh totally it should be taken serious and have a good story, but it can if written right still be bright, cherful, and have some funny comedy like elements.

 

[Evil Twin]

I'm expecting Flash to be basically serious, but light. More on the Spider-Man/Iron Man end of the spectrum than the TDK end.

I expect the phrases "fun", "relatable hero", "high concept pseudo-science", "bright", "action packed", "fast paced", and "visually distinctive" to apply to a Flash movie. Not "dark" on one end or "campy" on the other.

 

[Kevin Smith]

One of my personal rules of screenwriting is to not assume that the audience is stupid.

hey...aren't you the same guy who wants a Wally West film (re: origin)?

I'm expecting Flash to be basically serious, but light. More on the Spider-Man/Iron Man end of the spectrum than the TDK end.

I expect the phrases "fun", "relatable hero", "high concept pseudo-science", "bright", "action packed", "fast paced", and "visually distinctive" to apply to a Flash movie. Not "dark" on one end or "campy" on the other.

^^ I agree. I do think the film should be grounded in reality tho, they should approach it from the forensics angle, that's what will give it the "real world" tone, IMO. And the suit could be some new government tech...almost like Batman's in BB.

 

[cin0]

One of my personal rules of screenwriting is to not assume that the audience is stupid.

Its not assuming the audience is stupid, its assuming no one would really care. if the movie's really good y would any body care how the uniform fits into the ring. if people still read the comic books after seeing that y should it be any different for a movie. it doesnt change anything. nobody would care cause its all make believe. anybody who would have objections to boots and metal fitting into a tiny ring should also have objections to a man getting struck by lightning and being able to run at lightspeed.

 

[Webhead2006]

evil twin i totally agree.

 

[Jahu-Momus]

Now that that's out of the way, I think characterizations are in order.

Barry Allen/ Neil Patrick Harris: A bright and cheerful guy who gets side tracked so much he is constantly late.

Iris Allen/ Rachel McAdams: A strong and loving type who doesn't let anything get past her, and knows Barry's secret but lets him keep it secret.

Wally West/ David Henrie: A young kid with a sharp wit who idolizes the Flash and wishes to be a hero. Small scene at best.

Captain Cold/ Josh Brolin: A determined criminal with a grass roots theme. Hates and respects the Flash/

Mirror Master/ Dominic Purcell: A holograms expert who is looking for new thrills at every turn.

Heat Wave: A severe pyromaniac who is looking for an outlet for his obsession. Cold utilizes this weakness to his advantage.

 

[HighFivingMF]

I'm going to nominate Guy Pearce for Captain Cold.