DC officially introduced its newest live-action Flash (and he's not part of the DCU). The Flash is a DC hero who has had more live-action portrayals than almost any other hero in the franchise, aside from Batman. Rod Haase became the pioneer in the 1979 TV special, Legends of the Superheroes, before John Wesley Shipp completely defined the role for a generation as Barry Allen in CBS's 1990 series and later returning as part of the Arrowverse as Barry's father, Earth-90, and the real Jay Garrick in CW's The Flash. Speaking of the Arrowverse, Grant Gustin spent nine seasons as Barry Allen, and his long, extended tenure solidified him as the version synonymous with the Scarlet Speedster. On the big screen, Ezra Miller brought Barry to life in the DCEU, ending his run in 2023's The Flash.
Episode 9 of HBO Max's Big Bang Theory spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, introduced a new version of The Flash set in a self-contained universe: Andrew Ridings' Jay Garrick. The story revolves around comic shop owner Stuart Bloom and his friends as they are trapped inside a DC comic book. Without the device that allows them to jump into different universes, the group decides to look for Barry Allen and the cosmic treadmill, but they find Garrick instead.
In a post from Instagram, Ridings opened up about playing Jay Garrick in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, describing the experience as "surreal" while pointing out that his DC journey is "just as great as [he] hoped," and it was "a dream come true:"
"Surreal to play The Flash on 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.' Since I was a young lad, superheroes were something I thought about daily. Now as an adult, pretending to be one, it’s just as great as I hoped. Didn’t imagine having to wear a thong under the super suit, but apparently, brief lines really show up on camera. Other than that, exactly what I thought! Playing this character was a dream come true. Extremely grateful."
In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Jay Garrick saved Stuart, Denise, Barry Kripke, and Bert from another alternate version of Mr. Freeze, staving off the threat and preventing them from succumbing to danger. As it turned out in this reality, Garrick's wife is an alternate version of Amy Farrah Fowler (Sheldon's wife in the Big Bang Theory universe). Garrick's speedster abilities and the Cosmic Treadmill device made him a natural fit for the episode and for a show that hops between different universes.
Ridings, a comedy actor known for The Other Two and the Scrubs revival, wore a comic-accurate Golden Age suit for his Jay Garrick in the episode. Despite not being canon to James Gunn's DCU, Riding's debut as Jay Garrick is significant because it gives the DC speedster a proper guest-star spotlight while also expanding DC's roster in an unexpected way, as he is the only live-action Flash who appeared in 2026.
The appearance is only a one-episode guest role, and it is unknown if Ridings' version of Jay Garrick will return in the already-confirmed Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Season 2.
What We Know About James Gunn's DCU Flash (& When to Expect Him)
The DCU debut of James Gunn's Flash has yet to officially arrive, but there is already evidence of the character's looming debut in the live-action shared universe. Creature Commandos Season 1 confirmed that the Flash already exists in the DCU, offering fans a wild first look at the character during Circe's apocalyptic vision.
While no Flash project is in active development, there is a clear-cut reasoning behind it. In July 2025, Gunn confirmed that Flash and Aquaman will not appear "in the next two years," meaning that the earliest fans can expect the character is in 2028.
Still, the DCU is doing the heavy lifting in ensuring that Flash-adjacent characters are given the spotlight before their debut. HBO Max's mockumentary The People vs. Gorilla Grodd will bring the titular Flash villain to life, with Jimmy Tatro set to portray the DC villain on the small screen. In that same series, Murmur and Golden Glider, two members of Flash's Rogues' gallery, will also appear in the show, meaning that these villains may or may not have encountered the Scarlet Speedster in this rebooted universe.
Whatever the case, seeds are already planted for the Flash's DCU arrival, and it's only a matter of time before fans get to see a new Scarlet Speedster.
