Update: In light of EW’s report, Warner Bros. has released a statement to clear the air: Billy Crudup is still on board to play Henry Allen in The Flash. Stay tuned for more.
Original Story: Just when you thought The Flash had turned a corner, it’s now been claimed that Billy Crudup (Alien: Covenant) is no longer attached to play the part of Barry Allen’s old man, Henry Allen.
That potentially disconcerting detail was buried in yesterday’s report from Entertainment Weekly alleging that Robert Zemeckis has now officially entered talks to direct. Known for his pioneering work in visual effects (see: The Walk, The Polar Express, and Back to the Future), Zemeckis is purportedly not the only filmmaker in contention for the gig, after it was revealed that both Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) and Sam Raimi have cropped up on Warner’s shortlist.
Considering that he was first linked with The Flash‘s solo outing late last month, coupled with his relatively sparse slate, common logic would dictate that Zemeckis has emerged as the studio’s number-one target. And that’s before you even factor in Vaughn’s ongoing commitment to the Kingsman franchise, what with chatter of a third film sparking into life soon after the release of The Golden Circle later this year. Sam Raimi is another director that’s seemingly held talks with Warner Bros. brass, and it’s worth noting that the Evil Dead filmmaker hasn’t stepped behind the lens since the release of Wizard of Oz prequel movie, Oz the Great and Powerful, four years ago. Perhaps the time is nigh for a Raimi comeback?
Circling back to Billy Crudup’s alleged departure, though, EW reached out to Warner for comment and so far, the silence remains intact. Whether that’s a sure-fire sign that Crudup has indeed parted ways with The Flash is up for debate, but rest assured, both Kiersey Clemons (Iris West) and Ezra Miller (Barry Allen) are still on board. Expect to see the latter among Zack Snyder’s Justice League in November, which is coming together quite nicely despite reports to the contrary.
