Arrow producers have made no secret of the fact that they fully intend to grow the presence of the DC Universe within the realm of their show, adding comic book based heroes and villains like Amanda Waller, The Black Canary, Bronze Tiger and Sebastian Blood to the season 2 roster, but no addition has gotten more attention than that of Barry Allen, aka The Flash.
Announced as a recurring character that would appear in three episodes during the upcoming season of Arrow, with the CW and Warner Bros seemingly eager to use that introduction as a possible jumping off point for a standalone Flash series, producers haven’t been entirely button-lipped about what we could expect from the character. The one thing we were not privy too, though, was who would play Barry/The Flash, but a new rumor may shed some light on that.
According to Latino Review, team Arrow has whittled down their list of possible Flash actors to three, and while one of those candidates is still a mystery, the other two are James Mackay (a raven-haired Australian actor who has an upcoming role in Singularity opposite Josh Hartnett) and Matt Barr (who had a supporting role in the History Channel’s Hatfields & McCoys).
You may have noticed that you have never heard of these actors, but to some, this is actually preferable to a familiar face who might distract fans from accepting someone in these iconic characters. This was the same argument we heard when it came time to choose a new Doctor on Doctor Who and when the Walking Dead was cast: that certain roles are strong enough to stand on their own, without a famous actor.
Beyond the public’s need to suspend their disbelief and the capacity for some of these roles and projects to be self-starting concepts, there is also the economic part of the equation to consider. Shows like Arrow and a possible Flash spin-off are ambitious and risky, with a less-than-certain promise of a return on investments.That’s nothing against Mackay and Barr, they may be fantastic actors who are perfect for these parts, but they won’t add much sizzle or buzz if they are cast – and nowadays, that is a big part of the equation.
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SEE: PHOTOS OF THE POTENTIAL FLASH ACTORS
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Comic book inspired TV shows are not a new concept, but we’re still in the delicate pupa stage in a world where people have sky-high expectations for the spectacle and the skill with which a comic book-inspired story can be told. Movie studios rarely go with unproven talent when casting tentpole superhero films; that’s not to say that a big name makes a project better, but it has become a necessary part of the equation.
Perhaps that’s why it feels like casting a no-name to play the Flash feels like producers are hogtying this project and possibly slowing down the momentum for something which could, like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Arrow, serve as a key building-block in this new era of comic book and TV cohabitation.
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Arrow season 2 premieres October 9th, 2013 @8pm on The CW
