‘The Flash’ had three endings before choosing the one we saw in the cinema

The DC cinematic universe has undergone major changes in recent years and one of the most anticipated projects is the film ‘The Flash’. During its production, several alternate endings were filmed before settling on the final one, which includes a surprising cameo. James Gunn’s coming to power at DC marked a before and after in the development of this film.

In an unexpected twist, in the style of the post-credits scenes that ‘Fast X’ left us, the actor who once played Batman in ‘Batman and Robin’, considered one of the worst films in history, makes an appearance at the end of ‘The Lightning’.

Yes, we are talking about George Clooney! His unexpected cameo becomes the icing on the cake of the many references and nods to the DC universe that we find throughout the film. However, bringing Clooney into the film was the result of a complicated two-year process marked by changes at DC’s top management.

When production on “The Flash” began, Toby Emmerich was head of Warner and Walter Hamada was head of DC movies. Most of the filming and post-production took place under his leadership, as part of Hamada’s plan to completely reboot the DC Cinematic Universe, moving away from the vision set forth by Zack Snyder.

The film’s original ending, as originally shot, included Supergirl’s participation (Via Sasha) and the return of batman played by Michael Keaton, in a timeline in which they weren’t dead, becoming the “canon” Superman and Batman characters in the DC universe.

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However, in 2022, the acquisition of Warner Bros. from Discovery, which led to significant changes in the management structure. Emmerich and Hamada were fired and a new ending for ‘The Flash’ was being prepared. In this remake, Supergirl and Keaton’s Batman are joined by Henry Cavill as Superman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

Cavill would make a cameo in the DC movie ‘Black Adam’, starring Dwayne Johnson, paving the way for his return in a new installment of Superman. At the same time, the studio was developing the third installment of ‘Wonder Woman’ with director Patty Jenkins. This new finale was filmed in September, with all four actors present on set.

The new endings tried to keep the original spirit of Barry Allen

But the story doesn’t end there, as we all know. In November, Warner Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran would take the reins on DC Studiosoverseeing all of DC’s film and television projects.

This was a complete reboot of the franchise. Gunn and Safran evaluated the new ending to “The Flash” and felt the inclusion of Cavill and Gadot promised something they could not deliver in future films. Therefore, they decided to make one more change to the ending.

As reported DAY, the filmmakers looked for alternatives that kept the spirit of the original idea: Barry Allen believed that everything was fine, only to have everything fall apart at the last moment. It was then that the name of George Clooney emerged a long shot for the final cameo. Gunn and Safran quickly accepted the idea and contacted Clooney’s agent, Bryan Lourd.

The agent received a nearly finished cut of the film and was impressed. So, he showed it to Clooney, who was also enthusiastic about the project and agreed to be a part of it. This is how, one January morning this year, George Clooney played Bruce Wayne again, 26 years after his appearance in “Batman and Robin”.

During filming, Clooney and Ezra Miller, who plays Barry Allen/The Flash, spent time together between takes, talking and sharing experiences. The veteran actor offered advice to the young performer on how to handle public attention and how to behave in public after the controversies he has been involved in.

The finale decided to keep it a secret

Warners kept the new ending under wraps until early June.. The first time anyone other than the director and his closest team got to see him was at press screenings during the week of June 4, and then at the film’s premiere on June 12. George Clooney’s cameo has become one of the most commented and emotional moments of ‘The Flash’generating a stir among DC fans and movie lovers in general.

The fact that “The Flash” had multiple changes to its ending reflects the complexity and constant evolution of the film industry. DC Studios’ new leaders, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, made the decision to tweak the ending to fit their vision for the franchise’s future.

This flexibility and willingness to reevaluate decisions made demonstrates DC’s commitment to creating a cohesive and exciting universe for comic book fans.

George Clooney’s cameo as Batman closes a chapter in the character’s history and at the same time opens the door to new possibilities. Although the road to get to this point has been long and complex, the final result has been an undoubted success. Clooney’s participation gives the film a nostalgic and exciting air, uniting the past with the present and keeping the flame of the legendary figure of Batman alive in the collective imagination.