10 Actors Who Could Play The Flash In Justice League

The Fastest Man Alive is a prime example of a fanboy favorite. There are few characters that fans are as passionate about as the Scarlet Speedster, and because of this, DC fans can hardly wait to see who is going to play The Flash when a Justice League movie finally comes our way. It's safe to assume DC's answer to The Avengers will be coming to theaters sometime soon, especially considering the box-office success of Man Of Steel. If done well, a solo Flash movie would be absolutely awesome, but all indications we've seen point toward us seeing Barry Allen for the first time in Justice League, then perhaps getting his own film sometime after that. He's a character that can be set-up quite well in an ensemble film, and is a vital part of DC's super team. With Justice League coming our way as early as 2015, it's time to start speculating on just who is going to be cast as the Flash. The actor has to fit the build, as Flash isn't quite as bulky as some of his JLA counterparts, and he has to have the quick wit that fans love. Blonde hair and blue eyes are a plus, though not absolute necessities. But most of all, the actor has to be able to act and stand out when among a bunch of other superheroes on the big screen. Keep in mind, this list isn't ordered at all by preference, it just merely highlights 10 actors who would be great choices to play The Flash. So, read on for 10 actors who could play The Flash in Justice League. Patrick Wilson We've already seen Patrick Wilson as a good-natured DC comic character when he played Night Owl in Watchmen. He nailed that role, and was extremely enjoyable to watch. He doesn't have blonde hair, but he has the likable manner and good looks that are essential for Flash, especially the Barry Allen version. Just look at him, that's a face you know you can trust. There's a chance Zack Snyder will be directing Justice League, and he may want to find an actor he's already worked with. While the opinions on Watchmen are polarized, Wilson and Snyder did make a good team, and it wouldn't be a stretch to think Snyder would want to channel that again. Another film that really illustrates how well Wilson could take on Flash is Insidious. While Insidious is nothing like Justice League, the way Wilson attempts to figure out just what is going on with his son and their house is a perfect display of the sort of intelligent yet vulnerable character that Flash is. Wilson absolutely killed that role, and would do no different as Barry Allen. Ryan Gosling Gosling is a perfect pick for a darker, more serious Flash film. While he is certainly capable of pulling off a comedic role, it's his strong stoic manner that makes him so desirable for a hero. But just because Gosling plays the stoic character so well doesn't mean that he can't be fun to watch as well. Look at Drive. When he wasn't kicking ass intimidating those who did him wrong, he was still able to have staring contests with a little boy, complete with his trademark grin. On the note of Drive, I know Gosling said that was his version of a superhero and he's not interested in doing an actual comic book film, but people say a lot of things when the offer isn't yet there. Though Gosling seems to have his best success in lower profile films, he's certainly capable of handling a huge franchise like this, and if the opportunity presented itself, I'd guess he'd think twice before saying no. I suppose we'll have a better idea of how Gosling would handle the fight scenes after Only God Forgives goes into its wide release. Gosling claims the violence is way more extreme than Drive, and considering Drive is much more graphic than any Justice League comic film is likely to get, if Gosling pulls off Only God Forgives, he'll likely have no problem acting out any fighting as The Flash. Bradley Cooper Bradley Cooper is one of the actors on this list that could easily play either a Barry Allen version of Flash or Wally West. He can pull off a wisecracking, smooth-lipped, fun hero, and he could also pull off playing that all-around nice guy. Cooper has a bit of action experience, and it's actually his performance in Limitless that best displays what he could do with Flash. Flash doesn't only run fast, but he can absorb information fast too. The speed learning is an essential part of the character, even if it's one that Justice League may not initially make a big deal out of. We've seen Cooper handle that speed learning already, now he just has to get the running bit down. Cooper is also the actor on this list that has been rumored for the role the most frequently. Even if the rumors mean absolutely nothing at all in terms of real casting, they do mean people are talking about him playing the character. While there are some who are adamantly opposed (there always are), the majority of opinions about Cooper in the role have been relatively positive. Cooper has denied the rumors (of course), but that at least means he knows about them as well. Perhaps that will pique his interest enough to toss his hat in the ring if the opportunity presents itself? Joel Edgerton Dedicated readers may remember that I included Edgerton on my list of actors who could play Doctor Strange. Despite how different Strange and Flash are, I stand by both these picks. It's really just a matter of who is able to tie the actor down first. And I'd actually have no problem watching him play a character in both major comic universes. He's a talented enough actor that he's likely going to earn a spot on every one of these comic casting lists I make, even Wonder Woman. (You think I'm kidding...) We saw in Warrior that Edgerton can handle stunts and fighting on screen, but more important than the fighting, we saw that he's one of the best when it comes to creating an emotional connection to his character, which is essential in any film. He was easily the biggest bright spot of The Thing, turning in a performance that would be perfect if the Flash film tries to emphasize the detective aspects of the character. Sure, Edgerton may be a bit bulkier than Flash is usually portrayed, but who has ever complained about a superhero being too buff? Plus, he's Australian, which means he'd fall in line with Warner's trend of having American superheroes played by non-Americans (see Christian Bale, Henry Cavill). Chris Pine The only reason I'm hesitant to put Pine on this list is because it isn't fair that one man gets to play Flash and Captain Kirk. Talk about every fanboy's dream. Pine was in the running to play Green Lantern before the part ultimately went to Ryan Reynolds, and Hal Jordan and Barry Allen share many traits. Warner should make sure not to miss out on Pine again. He certainly looks the part too. In fact, he's got the sort of look that's just begging to play some superhero. He showed with Star Trek that he's comfortable taking on an iconic character and making it his own while still respecting the roots of the character. Considering how iconic William Shatner was as Captain Kirk, and the fact there has yet to be a quality big-screen adaptation of Flash, the Scarlet Speedster is even less daunting of a role to take on. A big thing for Flash is going to be someone with the star power to get fans demanding a stand-alone film. Assuming Pine nails the role, he's definitely a big enough name to draw in non-comic fans to a Flash movie. Ryan Reynolds Yes, yes, yes. I know Ryan Reynolds already played Green Lantern. I know Lantern and Flash are in the same comic book universe. I know most versions of the Justice League even have Flash and Lantern as pretty good friends. That doesn't change the fact that Reynolds would be darn near perfect as Flash. It infuriates me that an actor so well-suited to play Flash was cast as Green Lantern. Reynolds has even said before that it was a childhood dream to play Flash. Had Green Lantern not come along first, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion as Reynolds would've nailed Flash, the awesome ensemble film would've happened by now, and all the most sinister super villains would be locked up for good. I actually didn't think Reynolds was horrible as Lantern. That film's faults were far more in the writing than Reynold's performance, but the film had its faults, and there may not be a better way to completely erase it from memory than to have Reynolds ditch the ring for the speed-suit and quick wit he was born to use. Reynolds as Flash would definitively show that Warner is starting fresh with this batch of comic films, plus we'd get to see a pretty great portrayal of the character. Michael Rosenbaum Although he may be viewed as too old to play Flash, there's almost no other negative to casting Michael Rosenbaum in the role. He looks the part, he's the most iconic voice of the character, and he's already got some legitimate experience in the DC universe. Rosenbaum's talents aren't limited to his voice. The guy is an extremely talented actor, despite not being nearly as big of a name as many on this list. The fact he isn't a huge name is actually a plus. A lot of times it's harder for audiences to accept a huge name actor in an iconic role. With Rosenbaum, he's definitely not a no-name, but he doesn't have a ton of other roles that might create a discrepancy with mainstream audiences. The one role that may throw off audiences would of course be his role as Lex Luthor in Smallville. That being said, I think his experience on that show is a major plus. That means he at least respects the depths of the DC universe and has a knowledge of it, beyond just what a casual fan has. In case you don't pay as much attention to voice actors, Rosenbaum voices Flash for the animated Justice League series from the early 2000s. He really captured the voice and the essence of that character, making for a very believable Flash. There's no reason why that wouldn't translate into a live-action portrayal of the character. Neil Patrick Harris The Flash doesn't just run fast, but he talks fast as well. In fact, sometimes he talks so fast that his words begin to run together, all the way to the point of once making a sonic boom when he was excited. Who better to play a fast talker than Barney Stinson himself, Neil Patrick Harris. Harris is one of the older picks on this list, but he definitely has a youthful look and aura, so I don't think the age would be too much of an issue. He has the look down for sure, and in terms of the voice, well he's already voiced Flash in Justice League: The New Frontier, so you know he can handle that aspect of the character. The only problem with Harris is whether an actor who is traditionally this comedic can pull off a mostly serious role. Even though Flash is traditionally one of the lighter superheroes, he's still going to be saving the world from some serious stuff. It's not like they'll be making Flash Meets Monty Python here. But nonetheless, I think Harris can handle the part, it just may be the source of a lot of controversy when he's first announced. And who knows, maybe they can channel his Dr. Horrible performance and make Flash: The Musical. And on the note of a musical Flash... Justin Timberlake Okay hear me out. Justin Timberlake can definitely handle the lighter aspects of the character, but he'd be just as strong when it comes to the action scenes. He impresses more and more with each serious role, and with In Time he showed that he really can do some great action work. Reactions were mixed on that film, but Timberlake definitely killed it in that role. The main thing that worries me about Timberlake is he may be too big of a name outside of acting for the general public to accept him in the role. While it really only matters how well he pulls off the character, and not at all what the masses think before the movie comes out, the big brass at Warner will be hesitant about doing anything controversial when it comes to kicking Justice League off. Timberlake was on the shortlist for Green Lantern at one point, so you know he was on Warner's radar and has at least some interest in taking on a comic-book film. He'd definitely make a better Flash than Lantern, so it's good he wasn't cast in that role. His casting is probably the riskiest of any actors I've named, but I think Timberlake would be excellent as Flash. Dave Franco Dave Franco has spent the last couple years taking on some diverse roles in an effort to step out of his older brother's huge shadow. And you know what, he's succeeded. Franco has proved he's got the acting talent worthy of some serious roles, and he'll be getting a lot more of those, not based on his last name, but based on how enjoyable he is to watch on screen. Like many names on this list, he's definitely a heartthrob, especially among the teenage girl segment. While that isn't necessarily the target market for anything Justice League related, you'd be lying to yourself if you tried to say the execs over at Warner wouldn't welcome an extra demographic coming in to swoon over Franco's bulging biceps and boyish charm. It's his role in Now You See Me that sold me on his merits as a superhero, and specifically Flash. Franco perfectly pulled off the proper mix of showmanship and hesitancy that was needed for his character in that film. It's that same nice-guy attitude he showed that would be perfect for Barry Allen. If Warner wants to make Flash the youngest character of their initial JLA, there may not be a better choice than Franco. What do you think of these choices? Is there anyone you'd rather see? Head down to the comments below and let us know who you would like to see play The Flash in Justice League.