Posted in: CW, Movies, Preview, TV | Tagged: arrowverse, dc studios, dcu, grant gustin, The Flash

The Flash/Arrowverse: After 9 Seasons, Grant Gustin Deserves Better

After 9 seasons as the Arrowverse's Barry Allen/The Flash, someone needs to find some room for Grant Gustin in the upcoming Ezra Miller film.

It's not like we didn't know that Grant Gustin wasn't going to be appearing in Warner Bros. Discovery's Ezra Miller-starring The Flash – the Arrowverse's Barry Allen gave us the heads-up personally earlier this month (see below). But there's something about how the subject was handled by film director Andy Muschietti after a recent screening during CinemaCon that burns me a little. Because it seems that while Muschietti was appreciates what The CW series was able to accomplish, there just wasn't room to include Gustin. "Of course, as I said before, the list of cameos…was huge. So obviously, we played with the idea of including DC characters from TV, but we just had to pick," he explained to Dorian Parks from Geeks of Color. And to that, I say… bulls**t. Gustin is one of the foundational figures for a television superhero universe that paved the way for all of the excellent superhero work that's hit the small screen ever since Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen fired his first arrow. He's not only held down that role for nine seasons, but he did it by presenting us with a Barry that we not only related to but were able to grow with over the years. He deserves and has earned that level of respect.

Because by including Gustin, you're also validating the hard work that Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, and others in the cast & crew put in for nine seasons. And "bigger picture," you're sending a message to Arrowverse fans that the shows that they've remained faithful to for so long mattered. So to say that there wasn't room to include Gustin stinks of small-screen snobbery that many in the film industry still hold towards television – despite television proving time & time again that it's the better vehicle for in-depth storytelling that film could ever be at this point.

In the clip below, Gustin makes it pretty clear that there's a serious reason he's excited to see The Flash (aside from being a fan of the scarlet speedster) – and that reason happens to be named Michael Keaton. In addition, Gustin shares what it was like beginning his on-screen career as Barry Allen not long after Miller was first announced to play the character on the big screen in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. But the biggest surprise was when Gustin mentioned that while he gets asked the question a lot on the street and during events, this was that very rare time (apparently, the first time?) when someone asked him if he would be appearing in the film on the record. And guess what? Unless he's pulling a really great "Andrew Garfield," Gustin makes it pretty clear that he won't be returning the favor with an appearance – take a look:

The Flash Season 9 Episodes 10 & 11 Previews

The Flash Season 9 Episode 10 "A New World, Part One": LIVE IN THE MOMENT – As Iris (Candice Patton) receives word of a career milestone, Barry (Grant Gustin) is suddenly nowhere to be found. In trying to get back home, Barry runs across many familiar faces. Khione (Danielle Panabaker) continues to figure out her powers, and Chester (Brandon McKnight) works on a suit for Allegra (Kayla Compton). Showrunner Eric Wallace directed the episode, written by Wallace & Thomas Pound.

The Flash Season 9 Episode 11 "A New World, Part Two": BELIEVE IN THE IMPOSSIBLE; KAYLA COMPTON DIRECTS – Iris (Candice Patton) is alarmed by Barry's (Grant Gustin) disappearance, and Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) assures her everything will be ok, but does she know that for certain? Team Flash is affected by a mysterious substance, and Khione (Danielle Panabaker) develops a better understanding of what she can and cannot control. Kayla Compton directed the episode with story by Lauren Fields and teleplay by Kristen Kim.

After defeating the Reverse Flash once and for all, the 13-episode Season 9 picks up one week later following their epic battle, and Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) are reconnecting and growing closer than ever before. But when a deadly group of Rogues descends on Central City led by a powerful new threat, The Flash and his team – Caitlin Snow (Panabaker), Meta-Empath Cecile Horton (Danielle Nicolet), the light-powered meta Allegra Garcia (Kayla Compton), brilliant tech-nerd Chester P. Runk (Brandon McKnight), and reformed cryogenics thief Mark Blaine (Jon Cor) – must once again defy impossible odds to save the day. But as The Rogues are defeated, a deadly new adversary rises to challenge Barry Allen's heroic legacy. And in their greatest battle yet, Barry & Team Flash will be pushed to their limits to save Central City one last time.

Joining the cast for the show's final run are Javicia Leslie (Ryan Wilder/Batwoman), Nicole Maines (Nia Nal/Dreamer), Keiynan Lonsdale (Wally West/Kid Flash), David Ramsey (John Diggle/Spartan), Sendhil Ramamurthy (Ramsey Rosso/Bloodwork), Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen/Green Arrow), Rick Cosnett (CCPD Det. Eddie Thawne), Matt Letscher (Eobard Thawne(s)/Reverse-Flash), Jessica Parker Kennedy (Nora West-Allen/XS), John Wesley Shipp (Jay Garrick/The Flash), and Teddy Sears (Hunter Zolomon/Zoom

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