Grant Gustin Says He’s Open to Returning as The Flash (But He Has One Request)

Grant Gustin, who portrayed Barry Allen for nine seasons on The CW’s The Flash from 2014 to 2023, has addressed the possibility of returning to the role. During a recent appearance on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum, the actor discussed potentially reprising the character that anchored The CW’s superhero programming for nearly a decade. The conversation comes at a pivotal moment for the character’s future in DC’s live-action properties, particularly following the disappointing performance of the recent theatrical film starring Ezra Miller in the titular role. Since Miller’s controversial Flash failed to please the audiences, the return of Gustin’s fan-favorite interpretation of the hero is enticing, to say the least.

During the conversation with Rosenbaum, Gustin carefully articulated his position, stating “Yeah, of course, there’s a lot of things that I’d have to like ask… not for, but about. I’d be more interested in the [creative side].” In other words, rather than focusing on contractual requirements, Gustin emphasized his interest in understanding the creative direction of any future Flash project, demonstrating his commitment to the character.

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Gustin’s tenure on The Flash spanned 184 episodes, making it one of The CW’s longest-running superhero series before concluding in May 2023. Throughout this run, the series maintained a significant presence in The CW’s programming lineup, helping establish the network’s reputation for superhero content.

It Will Take a While Before We See a Live-Action Flash Again

The 2023 The Flash, starring Miller, significantly underperformed at the box office, earning only $266 million worldwide against its $200 million budget. Director Andy Muschietti recently addressed this failure, citing issues with the film’s appeal across different audience demographics. According to Muschietti, the movie “failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants.” The director noted that when spending $200 million on a movie, the studio expects it to attract a broad audience, including “even your grandmother.” 

While Muschietti underplays the real reasons why The Flash failed, the fact remains that the brand is damaged. Unsurprisingly, when fans questioned why characters like Clayface received film adaptations ahead of more prominent heroes like The Flash, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn candidly explained that the studio is “holding a beat on development” regarding any Flash-related projects, citing the studio’s primary rule: “No movie will be greenlit before the script is ready.”

While The Flash has appeared briefly in Creature Commandos and is confirmed to exist within the DCU, no concrete plans for a feature film or series have been announced. The studio’s confirmed slate begins with Gunn’s Superman in July 2025, followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Clayface in 2026. Clayface moved forward specifically because, as Gunn noted, Mike Flanagan’s script was complete and ready for production. 

With The Batman: Part II scheduled for late 2027 and other projects like Lanterns and The Brave and the Bold in various stages of development, the earliest potential window for a new Flash project appears to be several years away. Teen Titans is also in development as a feature film, and while The Flash’s Wally West was a founding member in the comics, there’s no confirmation of the character’s inclusion in the movie adaptation.

You can watch Grant Gustin in The Flash, which is streaming now on Netflix. Would you like Gustin to return to the role? Or do you prefer DC Studios cast a new actor? Tell us in the comments!