The Flash: Showrunner Eric Wallace Teases Romance, Fun in Season 9

The Season 8 finale of The Flash was a big one for The CW series. Not only did it bring to stunning conclusion the long running battle between Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) and Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash (Tom Cavanagh), but it also gave fans something they'd been wanting for much of the season: for Iris (Candice Patton) to be back after a season largely spent away dealing with her time sickness. The episode ended with Barry and Iris stronger than ever, and it sounds like there might be some positive moments on the horizon for their relationship in Season 9. Series showrunner Eric Wallace says that Season 9 has a goal to "up the romance".

Speaking with ComicBook.com, Wallace didn't give much away about Season 9, but did tease that he's shooting for more fun and more romance in the new season, now that the crisis of Season 8 is done.

"One of the goals for next year is to have maximum fun and up the romance," Wallace said. "That's something I'm looking forward to. In Season 9, the crisis is gone, and Barry and Iris can be back together full time, so bring on the sexy."

He also noted that while horror was a big component of Season 8, he's a big fan of romantic comedies, so maybe we'll get some of that next season.

"I do love a good rom-com," Wallace said. "People think I just love horror movies. Literally, my second favorite genre is romantic comedies. So, who knows? Maybe we'll get a little bit of that next year. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge."

The next season will also see Iris in a bit of a different place because of the events of Season 8. Wallace explained that the theme of Season 8 was the leveling up of each of the characters and while Iris was the last for that to happen with, t was by design given how important that leveling up was.

"That's her greatest strength and it's a superpower that is greater than all of the speed force space powers that The Flash has," Wallace said. "That's what's the great irony of the show. That's why we were never worried, because we knew where we were driving to a storytellers. I recognized the frustration of the audience, especially when there were episodes when Candice was not in for four in a row. I totally get that. But the point is, we never lost sight of the goal of the end zone, as it were, to use a football metaphor. And I'm incredibly proud that now Iris moving forwards realizes, 'Wow, The Flash has more limitations than I do and he's a superhero admired by the entire planet. I'm actually cooler than he is.'"

The Flash will return for Season 9 in 2023.