The Flash alternate endings would’ve changed the DCU
Warning: major spoilers for The Flash ahead
It was over to Andy Muschietti to power up the Cosmic Treadmill and get the long-awaited The Flash into cinemas. With the controversial Ezra Miller suiting up as the Scarlet Speedster, the live-action outing looks like it's finally called time on the DC Extended Universe and paved the way for James Gunn's DC Universe.
As Warner Bros. went full Marvel Cinematic Universe to explore the potential of the Multiverse, we got Sasha Calle's Supergirl, a deep-cut Nicolas Cage as Superman, and the much-hyped return of Michael Keaton as Batman. There was a jaw-dropping cameo in the final moments, but apparently, it was nearly completely different.
How does The Flash end?
Click to enlargeHaving realised he shouldn't meddle in the past - and having accepted the fate of his mother - Barry Allen (Miller) returned to his timeline to clear his father's name. Henry Allen (Ron Livingston) is exonerated, and in the final moments, Barry meets with Bruce Wayne to celebrate. However, this isn't Ben Affleck's Caped Crusader.
As the billionaire playboy pulls up, out steps George Clooney - reprising his role as Batman from 1997's Batman & Robin. Allen is clearly confused, saying, "You're not Batman." It's unclear whether this is setting Clooney up as Batman of the upcoming The Brave and the Bold or it's just a tongue-in-cheek nod to the divisive movie.
Although we'd love to see Clooney get a chance to redeem his time as the Dark Knight, confirmation of The Flash's reshoots reveal a number of alternate endings that paint a very different for the future of the franchise and Gunn's vision for the DCU. Sadly, it shows what could've been before things went to sh*t.
What was original ending to The Flash?
Click to enlargeAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, there were a number of alternate endings. When The Flash was originally shooting, there were shots of Keaton on the courthouse steps, suggesting he'd be the one to end Barry's adventure. Alongside this, Calle was also spotted on set, showing that the pair had survived their earlier deaths.
This ending neatly set up Calle and Keaton for further projects, with the latter famously being cued as the DCU's own version of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) from the MCU. Unfortunately, the Leslie Grace-led Batgirl was supposed to bring Keaton back but was shelved after filming.
Keaton's part in Aquaman 2 has reportedly been axed, while plans for a Batman Beyond movie have also been placed on hold. Even though it sounds like Warner Bros. had much grander plans for the actor's future as Batman, The Flash's new ending seems to cut his story short.
The Flash's second alternate ending
Click to enlargeThe Keaton ending was under the regime of Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada, with hopes of a sequel to The Flash and a Crisis on Infinite Earth crossover movie event. Following Discovery's acquisition of Warner Bros., Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy briefly took over and had their own vision for The Flash's ending.
Calle and Keaton remained, but tying further into the remains of the DCEU, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman and Henry Cavill's Superman also arrived on the scene. This was at a time Cavill was tipped to return - knowing he was appearing in Black Adam.
Sadly, Gunn came in and swept away almost all of the DCEU and any notion of Cavill sticking around, as well as pulling the plug on Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 3. This left us with a brand-new ending that involved some hasty phone calls and a half-day shoot in January.
The Clooney ending was kept a secret, meaning even when The Flash was shown to press, the scene ended before we saw which version of Bruce Wayne was there. While the Clooney ending has left us more confused and is a shame for Keaton, we're glad the codpiece-wearing Caped Crusader gets something of a reprieve.
