The Flash trailer dropped during Super Bowl 57, and showed Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) will be in the fight of his life. The film looks to be one of the most epic superhero films of all time and it will also bring Michael Keaton back to DC.
Taking some inspiration from the Flashpoint storyline — where Barry Allen attempts to travel back through time to save his mom from being murdered by the Reverse-Flash, Barry’s arch-enemy — The Flash trailer teases Barry attempting to do the same thing in this film and will have to face the consequences of his actions.
In The Flash trailer, Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne / Batman warns Barry telling him, “If you were to go into the past, you have no idea of what the consequences could be.” We can see next that Bruce was right.
Barry does change time, but not the way he expected it to be. First, he runs into himself from a different timeline. Then, Barry is reliving the events of Man of Steel and viewers see the return of General Zod (Michael Shannon) reigning supreme in a world where meta-humans don’t exist. “We’ve been waiting for you,” says General Zod as he exits his spaceship. “I made a world with no metahumans, and there’s no one to defend us,” Barry said frantically. “If I can’t get back, there might not be a future!”
In a world with no metahumans, there is one superhero that does exist. Enter nostalgic moment. The Flash trailer then continues inside a Batcave. But not Affleck’s Batman’s Batcave. A familiar movie score plays as a Batman enters. It’s the return of Michael Keaton as Batman.
Keaton played Bruce Wayne / Batman in two films — 1989’s Batman and 1992’s Batman Returns. Both films were directed by Tim Burton.
“Yeah. (pause) I’m Batman,” says Keaton’s Batman to both Allens. The trailer cuts to Batman doing some acrobatic fighting moves while Danny Elfman’s 1989 Batman theme plays in the background. The chills-worthy scene would probably be the most exciting part of The Flash trailer.
The Flash trailer also revealed Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El a.k.a. Supergirl. Kara will don the red and blue uniform with the symbol of hope on her chest. There were scenes with her and Keaton’s Batman in what appears to be some kind of prison break. The trailer ends with Kara flying and breaking the sound barrier.
According to DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, The Flash film will serve as the starting point for the new DC Universe. We still don’t know if Ben Affleck will continue to play Batman and how much of Michael Keaton’s Batman will be involved in the new DC Universe. The DCU film is directed by Andy Muschietti and written by Christina Hodson.
The Flash premieres in theaters June 16. You can watch The Flash trailer below.