The Flash Movie: Billy Crudup Likely Returning As Barry Allen’s Dad

DC’s The Flash movie continues speeding toward production, with Batmen Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck now likely to be joined in the cast by actor Billy Crudup, reprising his role as Barry Allen’s father Henry. Crudup first played the role in Justice League, but is seen only briefly, in prison, where he was sent after being convicted of allegedly murdering Barry’s mom. But with the plot of The Flash reportedly to center on Ezra Miller’s Barry traveling back in time to prevent that murder, fans have been expecting Henry to play a bigger part. The character has already seen a lot of action on the CW’s Flash series. There, he’s played by John Wesley Shipp, who recently reminisced about his time in the Scarlet Speedster costume on the hero’s 1990 TV incarnation.

Crudup is no stranger to DC, having already starred as Dr. Manhattan in the 2009 movie version of Watchmen. The actor—whose credits include Alien: Covenant, Mission Impossible III and Almost Famous—is on something of a hot streak, having won an Emmy Award last month for his work on the Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show. Crudup’s casting follows the bombshell announcements of Keaton and Affleck returning as different versions of Batman, a development made possible by Barry messing with the DC timeline to save his mom. The triumphant return of Keaton, in particular, to his iconic role as Bruce Wayne has ignited fan anticipation for The Flash, currently slated for a 2022 release from director Andy Muschietti (It).

Now, with shooting set to begin next year in London, Crudup’s likely casting (first reported in THR) marks yet another twist for the actor’s involvement in The Flash. Ironically, Crudup was already cast in the same role four years ago, back when Flash was going to be directed by Rick Famuyiwa (The Mandalorian) with a completely different plot. But Famuyiwa pulled out of the project, and although Crudup stayed attached for a while as directing duties shifted briefly to Spiderman: Homecoming writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, he ultimately moved on. Still, he appeared, uncredited, in Justice League—and while we can’t be certain yet, all indications point to Crudup still being part of that movie’s anticipated Zack Snyder cut.

Despite his four-year absence from the official cast list, Crudup is in talks to hop back aboard The Flash‘s latest incarnation, perhaps on the strength of its inventive script by Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey), which already drew Keaton and Affleck back into the fold. The movie will mark Ezra Miller’s fifth outing as the superhero, having previously played Flash in Justice League, Suicide Squad, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” cross-over story arc on Arrow. It was that embrace of DC’s multi-verse by TV’s Arrowverse (where Grant Gustin’s version of The Flash is still going strong) that laid the groundwork for the Flash feature film to also run through alternate timelines.

Crudup’s return as Henry would ultimately be a good thing for the DC movies, not just because of the accomplished actor’s Emmy-certified talent. With so many timelines in play between the television shows and movies, a little continuity is a good thing. Having Henry played by the same actor as in Justice League can only help lessen the confusion some viewers might experience had a third actor (following Crudup and TV’s Shipp) been cast in the role. But let’s face it, whether or not fans are pumped for the Flash to finally headline his own movie, it’s seeing Michael Keaton back in his classic Batsuit that will inspire most moviegoers to race to see The Flash.

Source: THR

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