It is a truth multiversally acknowledged that every superhero movie that breaks down the barriers between universes must be in want of more crossover cameos than can fit in a Batcave. From Doctor Strange 2 to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it’s what the comic book-literate audience expects going into these kind of extravaganzas. And so The Flash does not disappoint on serving up several familiar superhero faces on a plate.
Whether any of these cameos are actually satisfying treats or not is up to the individual moviegoer to determine, as The Flash looks to be the most polarizing superhero film we’ve had for a while. Some really dig its celebration of DC’s long, storied cinematic heritage while others believe it to be an ugly eyesore, creatively bankrupt, and less of a movie than a jumbled and unappealing IP salad. That’s not what I think, of course, I’m just saying (*innocent whistle*).
But if you want surprise superhero cameos aplenty — surprising, that is, if you’ve managed to avoid all the spoilers on social media — The Flash certainly delivers. Here are all nine ranked from most excruciating to witness to least.
Jay Garrick
With apologies to actor Teddy Sears, his brief cameo as Jay Garrick has to come bottom of the list as it just makes no dang sense. Sears’ Garrick is revealed to exist on the same Earth as George Reeves’ Superman, which is a neat retcon establishing that that universe has its own Justice League of Golden Age heroes… If only they’d chosen an actor who, you know, actually played Jay Garrick and not his evil imposter.
Henry Cavill’s Superman
Calm down, folks. No, Henry Cavill sadly does not properly return in The Flash. Instead, the strange Speed Force diorama of Barry’s life includes a terrifying CG dummy of a topless Clark Kent throwing a punch, a callback to the Superman vs the League fight from Justice League. Cavill’s inclusion feels perfunctory at best, like the filmmakers felt they had to get him in there somewhere, but as it is they somehow managed to create an even creepier Cavill than this one, which is pretty impressive.
Aquaman
The Flash‘s post-credits scene featuring Barry Allen hanging out with Arthur Curry is a smart choice, as it reminds us that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is on its way. If only it treated the King of Atlantis with some respect, instead of depicting him as a hapless drunk. Sure, Jason Momoa’s Arthur has always liked a drink, nothing wrong with that, but he’s never been portrayed like this before. Perhaps there’s a secret reason he’s drowning himself in booze instead of the ocean, which we’ll find out in Aquaman 2.
Christopher Reeve’s Superman
Christopher Reeve is, and perhaps forever will be, the standard by which all other Superman are measured against. He’s the reason the whole DC cinematic multiverse began in the first place, so it’s only right that he gets a shout-out in The Flash. What’s not right is that he’s resurrected with some truly uncanny CGI. Moreover, the fact that the sadly passed actor is resurrected in any way shape or form is a debate that’s inciting a lot of thoughts in the fandom.
Adam West’s Batman
Many of the above points also apply to the brief cameo from Adam West’s Batman. Like Reeve, West is another bonafide DC legend so, yes, if The Flash had to bring back DC stars who have died with weird CGI, then the star of the 1960s Batman TV series deserved to be one of them. Due to the way his cameo is framed, with a wider shot and a psychedelic duplication effect, the VFX issues are less noticeable, so let’s be thankful for small mercies.
George Reeves’ Superman
Seeing as Christopher Reeve is already in the fray, it’s somewhat of a pleasant surprise that his predecessor and near-namesake George Reeves is likewise included in The Flash‘s Hall of DC Fame sequence. TV’s first Superman is often overlooked these days, so superhero historians should appreciate this nod. The decision to create his world in monochrome, however, raises a lot of questions. So some worlds in the multiverse just don’t have any color?
Helen Slater’s Supergirl
She’s recreated in just as hideous a style as Reeve’s Superman, but the return of Helen Slater’s Supergirl actually hits much harder for a couple of reasons. A) Slater’s still alive so it doesn’t feel as ghoulish and B) because she’s an underrated DC star who has the misfortune of leading 1984’s much-maligned Supergirl movie. Nonetheless, Slater deserves her plaudits for being the first ever live-action Kara Zor-El so it’s pretty meaningful that she returns just as Sasha Calle takes up her mantle.
Wonder Woman
Returning just a couple of months after her pop-up role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Gal Gadot continues her undisputed status as the DCEU cameo queen in The Flash. At the very least, Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL’s incredible Wonder Woman theme randomly appearing on the soundtrack never gets old and it’s always nice to see Diana Prince. If she could be treated to better material than just “the hot goddess who leaves the boy heroes flustered” next time, though, that would be great.
Nicolas Cage’s Superman
By the point that the multiverse rips apart to reveal Nicolas Cage’s Superman battling a giant robot spider, The Flash has treated us to so much cinematic insanity that you’d be forgiven for cackling like the Joker at this most bizarre cameo yet. It’s the definition of a “Google this when the credits roll” moment — how many people will genuinely understand this reference to 1998’s aborted Superman Lives? — but at least it canonizes Cage’s Kal-El 25 years later. Better late than never.
George Clooney’s Bruce Wayne
The Flash saves its most mind-boggling cameo for its final stretch, though, as the movie ends with Barry realizing that Ben Affleck is still erased from the timeline, and now George Clooney is the Batman of the DCU. That’s right, as of right now, the man with the rubber nipples himself, the Bruce Wayne of Batman & Robin is canonically the main Batman again. We almost hope Andy Muschietti getting The Brave and the Bold directing gig means he’s planning to keep Clooney around for James Gunn’s reboot. #RestoreTheSchumacherverse.
