Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox: The film that was supposed to inspire The Flash but didn’t

The Flash

The hype surrounding The Flash leading up to its release was nothing short of monumental. There were even reports of early special screenings drawing significant praise from fans, filmmakers, and critics. However, the film underperformed at the box office, riddled with jarringly poor VFX and a disappointing third act. The film’s production itself was marred by controversies, from writers and directors leaving to lead star Ezra Miller’s altercations with the law on more than a few occasions.

The original pitch for the film when DC films were under the creative vision of Zack Snyder was reportedly to adapt the iconic Geoff Johns graphic novel, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Which, unfortunately, never materialised. The new film borrowed a few elements from the iconic story and has created an entirely new Flashpoint storyline much like The Flash TV series. Ironically it was DC Films’ decision to replace Snyder with Johns that may have torpedoed a faithful adaptation of Johns’ own story. Because it can’t be a coincidence that Snyder cast big stars such as Jeffery Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohen as Batman’s parents Thomas and Martha Wayne. While both characters are pertinent to the plot, that of Thomas Wayne is particularly pivotal in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. But as it turns out, neither of these characters appear in The Flash.

While The Flash did squander a massive opportunity to adapt one of DC’s greatest stories, DC Animation Studios did not. The revered studio released the animated adaptation of the graphic novel in 2013. Directed by Jay Oliva, the eponymous animated film captures the core essence of the story. The Flash is depicted as an imperfect hero, who in a moment of selfishness, decides to come back in time to save his mother. But unlike the 2023 live-action film, the consequences of his actions play out very differently. A young Bruce Wayne dies on that fateful night in the alley, and his father becomes The Batman instead  — a ruthless Batman who is not afraid to pull the trigger on his adversaries. Superman’s spaceship, carrying him to earth as an infant, which was supposed to safely land on Jonathan and Martha Kent’s farm in Kansas, crashes into the city of Metropolis instead, killing thousands.

The biggest and most pivotal change in this alternate reality that The Flash inadvertently created is regarding Aquaman and Wonder Woman. After a series of incidents the King of Atlantis, Aquaman, declares war on Themyscira and their new Queen, Wonder Woman. Their war leads to World War III, devastating half the planet and costing millions of lives.

The animated film excels because it has a formidable villain in the form of the Reverse Flash, whose only aim is to destroy The Flash both psychologically and physically. The depths of his hatred are revealed in the dialogue where he seems keen to destroy Flash’s legacy. The decisive quote goes as follows: “If it means shattering your golden throne in history, linking your name forever to this city’s darkest hour, then my life is a small price to pay”.

Unfortunately, the live-action film does not feature any of these storylines. Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman battling each other in epic war sequences would’ve made for scintillating cinema. But the Reverse Flash, the story’s main antagonist was also omitted from the live-action adaptation. Thankfully, the animated film is an excellent adaptation, with a compelling narrative, riveting set pieces, and it’s not for the faint-hearted. It also offers a nuanced character analysis of some of DC’s greatest characters.

You can watch Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox on Amazon Prime rental.

• Written by Ryan Gomez

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