First “The Flash” Reactions From CinemaCon: One of The Greatest Superhero Films of All Time

Yesterday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Warner Bros. screened director Andy Muschietti’s The Flash for theater owners and assorted media, and the first reactions are overwhelmingly positive. In an echo of Paramount’s screening of Top Gun: Maverick last year, which blew the audiences away, The Flash is now speeding towards one of the best critical receptions in the history of DC Studios.

As the new trailer revealed, The Flash makes the most of Michael Keaton’s return as Batman, the first time he’s slipped on the Batsuit since 1992’s Batman Returns. The reason for Keaton’s return as Batman has to do with Barry Allen (Ezra Miller)’s desperate attempt to solve a problem Bruce Wayne never could—he wants to bring back the parents that he lost. Barry actually has a way he can make this a reality; by speeding back through time to change past events.

The Flash then explores one of the most fundamental maxims in all time-travel stories, from Back to the Future to Avengers: Endgame; you can’t change the past without altering the future. The alternate reality that Barry ends up in after meddling with time includes none other than General Zod (Michael Shannon), who is not only still alive (in this reality, Superman apparently didn’t kill him in Zack Snyder’s 2013 film Man of Steel), but he’s going plans to destroy the entire world. And unlike in other timelines in other universes where Zod would have to face the likes of a Superman or Wonder Woman, on this timeline, there are no metahumans, and this is what forces Barry to recruit Keaton’s older, very retired Batman to help him save the world. Luckily they’ll get major help from a very special someone—Sasah Calle’s Supergirl.

Joining Miller, Keaton, Shannon, and Calle are Ben Affleck (as the Batman of his universe), Ron Livingston as Barry’s father, Henry Allen, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, and Antje Traue as Faora-Ui.

Let’s take a quick peek at those early reactions from CinemaCon. The Flash speeds into theaters on June 16:

For more on The Flash, check out these stories:

Epic New “The Flash” Trailer Reveals Michael Keaton’s Batman Getting Nuts

Tom Cruise Loved “The Flash” So Much He Called Director Andy Muschietti

Michael Shannon’s Return as General Zod in “The Flash” Surprised…Michael Shannon

“The Flash” Will Premiere at CinemaCon 2023

“The Flash” Posters Reveal Michael Keaton’s Batman in Iconic Cape & Cowl

Featured image: Caption: (L-R) EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen/The Flash, SASHA CALLE as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen/The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE FLASH,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics

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The Credits

The Credits is an online magazine that tells the story behind the story to celebrate our large and diverse creative community. Focusing on profiles of below-the-line filmmakers, The Credits celebrates the often uncelebrated individuals who are indispensable to the films and TV shows we love.