The Flash is about to be hit by the loss of two of its original cast members, as both Tom Cavanagh and Carlos Valdes have been announced to be exiting the long-running CW series once its seventh season concludes. It’s raising questions of how long the rest of the main team will remain aboard, especially star Grant Gustin, and according to a new rumor, it’s possible that the Scarlet Speedster himself may be bowing out of Central City after one more run.
Insider Daniel Richtman has claimed that Gustin might exit The Flash following season 8. When we found out Cavanagh and Valdes were leaving, it was confirmed that the leading actor had signed a deal with the network to return for the next outing, with the rest of the main cast – such as Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker – currently in negotiations to come back alongside him. The insider is now saying, though, that Gustin is thinking of calling it a day once the eighth run is up.
“Grant signed on for Flash season 8, but now thinking of leaving show after that, if it keeps going,” says Richtman.
You might think this means the end is nigh for The Flash, but the tipster’s intel indicates that if the series is renewed past season 8, then it could carry on without Gustin. It’s possible that the producers are already sowing the seeds for a version of the show without Barry Allen, too. The upcoming 150th episode will both bring back Jessica Parker Kennedy as XS and introduce Jordan Fisher’s Bart Allen AKA Impulse. Perhaps this next generation heroes could take over their father’s mantle going forward?
That’s only in the case that Gustin ultimately does elect to leave, though. But regardless, with a lot of season 7 still to go and all of the next run to come after that, we don’t even have to think about the possibility of the actor moving on for a long time yet.
The Flash continues next Tuesday, May 11th on The CW.
