Tags
Andrew Kreisberg, Barry Allen., David Nutter, DC Entertainment, Greg Berlanti, Live Action, spinoff, television, The CW, The Flash
By: Adam Basciano
The news of Superman and Batman appearing on the big screen together in 2015 isn’t the only live action DC Universe news we have. Today, word has come from Deadline that The CW is developing a live action television series based on The Flash. According to the network’s head honcho Mark Pedowiz “It will be the origin story of Barry Allen who will be introduced as a recurring character on Arrow this coming season. The Hollywood Reporter adds that casting for the role is now underway. In addition to first appearing on Arrow, the potential spin-off will be handled by the creative forces behind Arrow including Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and director David Nutter. DC Entertainment writer extraordinaire Geoff Johns will co-write the pilot episode.
Personally, I think this is great news as it shows DC Entertainment is serious about expanding their universe of characters, not only in film but on television as well. A quick scan of superhero related website has garnered the typical response from SOME fans. Not that I expected anything less. The gist of it is this….”Nooooo Flash is my favourite character and deserves a movie, not to be on TV.” So let me get this straight, The Flash is one of your favourite characters but you’d rather him be stuck in developmental hell as far as a movie is concerned (where it is right now), than be on television? Ummm…I’m sorry, but if these people are fans of the character, that’s a pretty stupid line of thinking. I love what those guys are doing on Arrow, and as a fan of The Flash I can’t wait to see their take on him. Superheroes on television can be fantastic on television when done well. Look no further then the aforementioned Arrow as an example. Much more time for storytelling and character development. This is not the character’s first foray onto television. In 1990 a short-lived and underappreciated, yet fantastic series aired starring John Wesley Shipp in the title role. Another version of the character appeared on several episodes of Smallville. This time the Scarlet Speedster was Bart Allen a.k.a. Impulse, played by actor Kyle Gallner. Of course, how could I not mention the Justice League animated series, where actor Michael Rosenbaum voiced the Wally West version of the character.
The news of this television series does not exclude the possibility that The Flash could also feature in a live action film. “Pedowitz also noted that there is no conflict with the movie studio or DC when it comes to the TV series and feature film. For his part, Berlanti is also developing a Flash movie for Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment, with sources telling THR that the feature is being eyed for 2016. Berlanti will direct and pen the screenplay alongside Chris Brancato, Michael Green, Johns and Guggenheim.” To be fair, that last bit of information on a potential feature film sounds like regurgitated information from back when Green Lantern was about to be released, and these guys were in fact working on a feature film version of The Flash. More news as it develops…
(Source: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter)
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