The third Flash villain has been spotted in James Gunn's new DC Universe. In 2023, the world was given its first-ever live-action Flash movie with Andy Muschietti's The Flash, but the Ezra Miller-led film should've been left behind, despite Gunn's preapproval before release. That movie was still part of the old DCEU continuity, which has since been reinvented (and reincorporated) as the new DCU led by Superman (David Corenswet). Moving away from that 2023 version of the Flash doesn't mean his rogues gallery has been ignored, though, as a DCU series coming next year is unlocking several of the Scarlet Speedster's villains.
That series is The People v. Gorilla Grodd, which started filming in early September and is currently the only DCU show in active development at HBO Max.
From Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda, the duo behind Netflix's American Vandal, the eight-episode comedy plays out as a mockumentary starring the Daily Planet's Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo).
Olsen reopens the case of Gorilla Grodd (Jimmy Tatro), a superintelligent ape convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. Perry White (Wendell Pierce), Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), and Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett) are also back from Superman, while Sara Gilbert (Roseanne) recently joined the cast.
As for Man of Tomorrow, Gunn confirmed on Threads that the show won't come out until after the sequel hits theaters on July 9, 2027. He added that the story "jumps all over the place" since it's a true crime series, but "overall in continuity it's after MoT."
And while it's technically a Superman spinoff, the series is actually setting up the DCU Flash in a big way, mainly through the villains seen on set.
3 Flash Villains Join James Gunn's DCU
Gorilla Grodd
The DCU version of Gorilla Grodd is apparently busy finishing college, at some point in the story. Tatro's casting in July made him the DCU's first official Flash character, and the telepathic gorilla has terrorized the speedster since first appearing in the comics back in 1959.
Gunn even hyped him up earlier this year, joking that when Grodd made his comic debut, "he immediately chose violence (and mind control, obviously)."
To the delight of many, the set photos of The People v. Gorilla Grodd revealed that the incoming villain will be brought to life via a practical suit, not CGI.
The first look at Grodd on set at Georgia Tech, which doubles as Metropolis University, shows the character in preppy campus attire, complete with a white button-up, sweater vest, and gray slacks. Just another day in Gunn's DCU.
During the filming of a different scene, it's clearly graduation day, as Grodd is now rocking a gray cap and gown.
Alternate angles also show how there could be some action during the graduation scene, with someone in the action department hanging from wires.
Other shots catch the superintelligent ape lounging in a hammock, and cruising around campus on a scooter in a "This Grodd Needs a Brew" T-shirt.
Grodd isn't totally new to the DCU, either. He appeared in Creature Commandos as the right-hand ape of Princess Ilana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova) in a grim vision that also featured Wally West's Flash among the fallen heroes.
His future in the DCU is currently tied to these Superman characters under the guise of Gunn, but there's clearly an avenue that sets up Grodd as a villain for a future Flash.
When it comes to the future of a version of the Flash appearing soon in the DCU, Gunn shot down fan speculation that Matthew Lillard is playing Barry Allen in Man of Tomorrow, answering a Threads user with a flat "No." There are no current official plans for Barry, Wally West, or any other Flash to appear on the big screen any time soon.
Golden Glider
A little-known DC villain, the Golden Glider, was reportedly spotted on set last month. Introduced in 1977's The Flash #250 by Cary Bates and Irv Novick, Lisa Snart is the younger sister of Captain Cold.
One photo making the rounds, billed as the first look at Golden Glider's suit, shows a blonde-haired performer in a long, dark coat.
Later comics even made her a metahuman who can take on an ethereal form, letting her fly and move as fast as the Flash himself. It's hard to believe this cast of characters in the DCU's next big live-action series won't eventually connect to Star City and a reborn Flash.
Murmur
Rounding out the trio is Murmur, the most disturbing Flash villain of the bunch. In the comics, Dr. Michael Amar was a surgeon who became a serial killer after voices told him to cut out his victims' tongues. Run, Jimmy!
The People v. Grodd photos show a first look at Murmur's DCU debut, dressed head to toe in black, sporting curly hair and shaved sides.
His origin story in the comics is brutal; his execution failed, he cut out his own tongue and sewed his mouth shut, becoming Murmur. Given how Gunn captures a delightful mix of tones in his comic book projects, we'll see how dark the DCU Murmur's story becomes.
BONUS: Captain Boomerang
Then there's Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), whose DCU status is a bit of a head-scratcher. Boomerang actually had a run-in with the DCEU Flash in 2016's Suicide Squad. He even got a blink-and-you'll-miss-it CGI cameo in The Flash, though both movies belong to the old DC cinematic canon.
Where things get interesting is that Courtney returned for Gunn's The Suicide Squad, only to be killed by a crashing helicopter's blades during the opening beach assault.
Gunn has said that The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 (his past DC projects before becoming an executive) could be considered "vague memories" of what happened in the DCU.
He's even floated doing "a special couple podcasts" after Man of Tomorrow to sort out canon. Either way, Boomerang is currently off the board in the DCU, because if The Suicide Squad is canon, he's dead.
