Director Andy Muschietti confirmed in January 2020 that while The Flash will base its plot on the iconic "Flashpoint" storyline from the comics, it will be a “different version of Flashpoint than you’re expecting."
One key difference from the source material is that Thomas Wayne will not appear in a supporting role like the original story. Instead, Ezra Miller's Flash will get help from Michael Keaton's Batman.
In July 2021, set photos emerged from The Flash's London shoot that showed Ezra Miller performing a scene as Barry Allen alongside an apparent doppelganger. Fans theorized that this Barry counterpart was an alternate reality version of the Central City superhuman, possibly from the universe where Michael Keaton's iteration of Batman exists.
The two seemed to be deep in conversation in those set photos as they walked down a street in civilian clothing. Unfortunately for Barry Allen, this doppelganger will not be as friendly as he appears.
BARRY MEETS HIS MATCH
The Direct can exclusively report that this "other" Barry Allen will serve as a primary villain in the movie, acting as a "Dark Flash" antagonist to the displaced Barry Allen.
According to our sources, elements of this plotline will be heavily inspired by the "Flashpoint" comic storyline and the villainous Reverse-Flash.
FLASH IS THE VILLAIN
The original "Flashpoint" story was triggered after Barry Allen went back in time and saved his mother from being murdered. Unfortunately, this caused a ripple across time that changed everything else for the worse.
Bruce Wayne was killed instead of his parents, Superman's pod crashed into Metropolis, killing thousands, and Barry was no longer The Flash. Awakened in this new world, Barry initially believed that someone else was responsible for the calamity.
Barry blamed the Reverse-Flash, his arch-enemy, for this damaged reality. However, after his enemy restored his fading memories, Barry realized that he was the "villain" of this story.
In The Flash movie, the doppelganger narrative will take cues from these events in "Flashpoint." While he will be villainous in nature, it's possible that this counterpart will take on the Reverse-Flash's role and won't be fully responsible for the world being changed or for Barry ending up in his alternate reality.
This won't be the first time that an evil version of Flash has been used in a live-action adaptation. The CW's third season of The Flash featured Savitar as the main villain, who was eventually revealed to be a time remnant of Barry Allen, with both roles played by series star Grant Gustin.
Strangely, this double of Barry's didn't seem hostile towards him in the scene that leaked via set photos, as they're engaged in a conversation in public. Fans will have to wait to see just how villainous this version of Barry Allen will end up being when The Flash hits theaters on November 4, 2022.
