DC’s attempt to match Marvel’s box office success in creating a shared universe has been struggling for quite some time now, and The Flash has been a subject of speculation as a potential reboot of the franchise using time travel. However, watching the movie may lead viewers to think that it may have successfully reset the DC Universe– but the reality is much more complicated than that.
The Flash follows the story of Barry Allen, who, after rescuing a dozen babies, gains the ability to run so fast that he travels back in time to save his mother from being murdered. However, when he attempts to return to the present, a dark figure pulls him back into the past, around the time of Man of Steel. In this time, the Kryptonian General Zod is looking for Kara, aka Supergirl, and no other superheroes are able to stand up to him.
The rest of the movie involves Flash time-hopping through different realities, and plenty of familiar faces– including other Batmen, Supermen, and even George Clooney as Batman. However, while all of this may seem like a reboot of the franchise, it is not. Instead, the movie’s plot merely sets the groundwork for how future movies can change the status quo and path the franchise will take.
That being said, The Flash does not necessarily mean that all previous movies have been written out of existence either. The film merely provides a framework that allows the franchise to take on different directions, and while there are plenty of possibilities for big plotlines, the studio plans to wait before implementing any.
The post-credits scene is a subtle way for the studio to direct viewers back to the real world, stating that everything is still in the same timeline. However, it is too early for the new studio heads, James Gunn and Peter Safran, to fully implement their plans into the franchise, so everyone will have to wait and see what’s in store for the future of DC movies.
Overall, The Flash is not the franchise’s big reset button. Instead, it lays the groundwork for future movies to take on different routes, giving the studio more opportunities to better its standout from Marvel.
