Warning: The following contains spoilers for The Flash and the DC Extended Universe.After a long journey to the screen, The Flash has finally come to theaters with Ezra Miller in the leading role, and The Flash features numerous Easter eggs for DC fans. Whether those fans love the movies or the comics, there are plenty of nods for everyone. With the multiverse at play in The Flash, there’s a lot for fans to keep their eyes open for during the movie.
The Flash is a loose adaptation of the DC Comic book storyline Flashpoint. In that story, Barry Allen uses the Speed Force to travel back in time and save the life of his mother. When he does, he creates a butterfly effect, completely changing the timeline and having to figure out how to undo the damage he’s done before the universe ends. While the idea of that story provides the framework for the movie as well, the details are a little different. Flashpoint still sees some Easter eggs in The Flash though.
Multiple Warner Bros. And DC Logos
Before The Flash movie even gets to its first scene, the production studio logos are visible. That’s true of any movie since the studios that worked on the movie all get credit for the production. In this case, there are multiple versions of the WB and DC logos that the camera pans through before The Flash title card appears. These different logos are ones that have been used over the last few decades in movies and television, but they’re also a hint at what’s to come with the multiverse in the movie.
A Deleted Iris West Scene
When Barry Allen and Iris West first cross paths in the movie, Iris mentions that she feels like she saw Barry just a few years ago and that she feels like she ran into him, but he denies having seen her since college. That small moment is a nod to a cut scene from Justice League. In the Snyder Cut of Justice League, there is a scene in which Barry uses his speed to save Iris from getting hit by a car. All the Iris West scenes were cut when direction of the movie was finished by Joss Whedon, so the mention is a nice nod to that alternate storyline.
Justice League Member Cameos
Making it very clear that this particular movie takes place long after Barry Allen has become friendly with the members of the Justice League is the fact that Barry is called in on Justice League business by Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Beyond that, there are also cameos from most of the team members. While Barry actively works with Batman, Wonder Woman shows up at one point to lend a hand, and Superman is seen on television at the site of an active volcano. Aquaman also shows up in the movie’s only post-credit scene, out for a night of drinking with Barry. Cyborg is the only one who doesn’t appear on-screen, but he is mentioned by Barry when Barry searches for Justice League members to help him in his alternate timeline. There are also some fun cameos by characters connected to the Justice League, like Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father in the alternate timeline.
Whiz Comics
Across the street from Barry’s apartments are a pair of interesting storefronts. One is Whiz Comics, presumably a comic book store. Whiz Comics was the name of an anthology series of comics published by Fawcett Publications. Fawcett Publications and Whiz Comics were responsible for the debut of Captain Marvel, later renamed Shazam, a character now owned by DC because DC actually put Whiz Comics out of business with a lawsuit and purchased all of their character rights in 1972.
The Scooby-Doo Nods
Warner Bros. has the movie rights to DC characters in the same way it owns the back catalog of the Scooby-Doo franchise. That might be why there are things like Scooby-Doo posters and t-shirts in Barry’s life. It also acts as a (likely coincidental) nod to James Gunn becoming one of the heads of the DC Universe since he did have the honor of bringing the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie to the screen over 20 years ago.
Other WB Poster Nods
It’s likely much less expensive for a movie studio to feature products from their own movies than it is to pay another studio to use theirs. That would be why Barry’s childhood room has a lot of posters from other movies that made it to the big screen under the Warner Bros. umbrella. There are posters for Pacific Rim, I Am Legend, and Inception, just to name a few.
The Justice League In The Speed Force
When Barry travels back in time for the first time, he hasn’t realized just how fast he can travel at that point. Just how far back he moves through the use of the Speed Force is seen by using scenes from other DCEU movies. The time-traveling minefield that Barry moves through features a lot of imagery from his time working with Batman and Wonder Woman when they team up to stop Superman in Justice League.
Man Of Steel
The fight with General Zod in the alternate timeline is one that is an alternate version of the events of Man Of Steel. It’s also revealed that Barry actually travels to Metropolis during the events of that movie. The scenes in which Barry appears in the flashback are lifted directly from the movie, while, of course, the alternate timeline events involving Kara Zor-El and Bruce Wayne are new for the movie.
Bruce Wayne Is The Best Detective In The World
When Barry appeals to the Michael Keaton version of Batman for help, he calls him the “best detective in the world.” That line seems to make Bruce reconsider not helping Barry, despite the two not having a friendship in this particular timeline. It’s a nod to Bruce Wayne being considered the best detective in DC Comics. The movies haven’t always demonstrated that particular part of Bruce Wayne’s skill set as well as the comics.
The 1989 Batman Nods
Not only does Michael Keaton appear as Bruce Wayne in this alternate timeline, but there are also a lot of nods to his time as Batman. Danny Elfman’s score from the 1989 movie is used for his character and the bat logo used on his suit and belongings is from that era. The Joker’s “last laugh” from the movie is also present. He carries a bag with his laugh in it in his pocket when Batman finally stops him in the movie, and that bag is found in the Batcave in the alternate timeline, complete with Jack Nicholson’s laugh. Keaton even gets to say, “I’m Batman” again.
Bruce Wayne’s Different Batman Suits
It’s no secret that superheroes get different suits in different movies. Designs change to make them easier to wear, to incorporate more weapons, or just because there’s a new costume designer on a film. Michael Keaton’s Batman, despite not having been on-screen in decades, has seven different suits featured in the Batcave. While one is worn in The Flash, and two are from his time as Batman, the other four have slightly different designs.
The first suit on the left is a nod to Batman from the Adam West television series. The bat logo is closer to the design from there, as are the slightly crooked ears of the cowl, despite the suit being more modern. It also features holsters for the grappling hook guns, as detailed by costume designer Chris Weston on social media.
The next Batman suit is more comic book inspired with blue and grey instead of black. The two suits to the right of that one are Keaton’s from his time in the movies. The two suits at the far right of the display are environment-specific designs. One appears to be for use underwater, complete with a rebreather, while the other looks to be used in environments of extreme cold.
Barry’s Electric Chair
Though The Flash movie is inspired by the Flashpoint comic book storyline, the inspiration only manifests in the broad strokes of the story, like Barry wanting to save his mother. One scene, however, is almost lifted directly from the comics. That’s Barry’s plan to get his powers back. Barry gets Batman to help him, strapping himself into a chair with a shelf of chemicals above him and a lightning rod to guide a strike to him. That’s right out of the Flashpoint story, only there, it’s the Thomas Wayne version of Batman that he gets help from, not Bruce.
The Look Of The Multiverse
When Bruce and the Barrys have a discussion about timelines, they point out that people are led to believe that time is linear, but it’s really not. The present can affect both the future and the past when it’s meddled with, doing more than creating branching timelines. While branching timelines have been referenced in Marvel projects in the past, DC’s colliding universes in the multiverse showcased in The Flash look like the DC comic book counterparts. They’re created as large spheres with different timelines seen in each sphere for that particular universe.
The Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Cameo
Other than the heroes in the Speed Force and the multiverse, there are a couple of other surprising cameos in the movie. Director Andy Muschietti (who has also been named to direct Batman: The Brave And The Bold) appears as someone Barry steals a hotdog from on his way to court near the end of the movie. Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has a similar cameo earlier in the movie as someone Barry grabs a slice of pizza from. Coster-Waldau even gets a special thanks during the movie’s credits.