Head-to-Head: Grant Gustin vs Ezra Miller as The Flash - Uncovering the 12 Key Distinctions!

Summary

Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller both played Barry Allen/The Flash in the same era.

Miller's Barry and Gustin's Barry have notable distinctions. One prominent difference is that Gustin's Barry was initially depicted in a universe devoid of Batman and Superman, whereas Miller's Barry became a member of the Justice League.

Grant Gustin's portrayal of Barry Allen in The Flash show and Ezra Miller's portrayal in the DCEU display significant differences. These disparities stem from the contrasting worlds surrounding them and the multitude of events they have experienced. Although both actors were cast as Barry Allen around the same time, The Flash show consisted of nine seasons before The Flash movie premiered. From the start, Arrow and its spinoffs were separate from the DC movies, hence the divergence in the Flash characters. Ezra Miller joined the DCEU as the Flash shortly after the debut of The Flash series starring Grant Gustin. Grant Gustin went on to play Barry Allen for nine seasons in The Flash and featured in various crossover episodes within the Arrowverse. Conversely, Ezra Miller's Barry Allen initially appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's Knightmare sequence and made subsequent appearances in Suicide Squad before his official debut in Justice League. As The Flash movie and The Flash season 9 concluded, here are the significant distinctions between Grant Gustin's Barry Allen and Ezra Miller's Barry.

12 Grant Gustin’s Barry Had A Team Flash (Ezra Miller’s Didn’t)

One of the major distinctions between Gustin’s Barry and Miller’s Barry is the absence of a Team Flash for the latter. The Flash series, drawing inspiration from the successful formula of Arrow, introduced the concept of a Team Flash. In the Arrowverse, Barry Allen received support and assistance from the scientists at STAR Labs, eventually forming bonds with Cisco, Caitlin, and the enigmatic Dr. Wells. These individuals, primarily original characters or reimagined versions of established DC figures, served as the show's supporting cast. However, in the DCEU, with the exception of the Justice League missions, Barry Allen operated as a lone superhero.

11 Green Arrow Mentored Gustin’s Flash (Batman Mentored Miller’s)

Both Gustin's Barry Allen and Miller's Barry Allen were mentored by veteran vigilantes who had more experience as superheroes than the scarlet speedster. However, the CW's version of The Flash received guidance from Green Arrow, while the DCEU's Flash was mentored by Batman. Grant Gustin made his debut as Barry Allen in Arrow season 2, where his episodes acted as a backdoor pilot for The Flash series. Throughout the Arrowverse, Oliver Queen remained a close friend and mentor to Barry. In the DCEU, it was Bruce Wayne who recruited Barry to join the Justice League. Bruce and Barry continued to maintain their friendship, as evidenced by Ben Affleck's appearances in The Flash.

10 Gustin’s Flash Didn’t Know Batman & Superman Initially (Miller’s Did)

Originally, Grant Gustin’s Flash was limited to a world where well-known characters such as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were off-limits. This constraint resulted in the Arrowverse feeling somewhat constrained compared to the expansive DC Universe. In contrast, Gustin’s Barry Allen stood out as one of the few metahumans seen by the public in the pre-Crisis Arrowverse. The DCEU, on the other hand, had the freedom to include any DC characters, allowing Miller’s Barry to exist within a fully realized DC Universe that already included heroes like Batman and Superman when he became the Flash.

9 Ezra Miller’s Flash Joined The Justice League (Grant Gustin’s Didn’t)

Due to their different franchises, only one of these two versions of Barry Allen was able to join the Justice League. Ezra Miller's Flash was specifically designed to be part of a shared universe centered on the Justice League, while the Arrowverse had limitations on how many DC characters they could include. This meant that the Arrowverse version of the Flash, portrayed by Grant Gustin, was never a member of DC's iconic superhero team. Although "Crisis on Infinite Earths" did introduce a Justice League-esque team, it was not explored further. Shortly after becoming a hero, Miller's Barry Allen joined the Justice League.

8 Gustin’s Flash Knew What Killed Nora (Miller’s Didn’t)

Flash's mother's death is presented differently in The Flash show and the DCEU. In the show, Barry witnesses his mother's murder by a yellow blur that cannot be explained. This traumatic event serves as inspiration for Barry to investigate bizarre occurrences worldwide, leading him to cross paths with Starling City's Arrow vigilante. Eventually, when the Reverse-Flash appears, Barry recognizes him as his mother's killer. On the other hand, in the DCEU, Barry returns from the kitchen to find that his mother, Nora Allen, has already been killed. The identity of who murdered the Flash's mother in the DCEU remains undisclosed, although it is likely to be addressed in The Flash 2's storyline.

7 Gustin’s Barry Was Raised By The Wests (Miller’s Wasn’t)

The Arrowverse's Barry Allen and the DCEU's Barry Allen had different upbringings. Gustin's Barry was brought up by Joe West after Nora Allen's demise and Henry Allen's arrest. Barry and Iris resided together in one household for many years, with Joe West assuming the role of a father figure for Barry. This particular family dynamic involving Barry and Iris West was solely created for The Flash series and was not depicted in the DCEU. On the other hand, it is presumed that Miller's Barry Allen only knew Iris and had no knowledge of any other Wests. In the movies, the Flash's origins were not explored, leaving it uncertain who raised Barry Allen in the DCEU.

6 Gustin’s Barry Was In Love With Iris For Years (Miller’s Barely Knew Her)

5 Gustin’s Barry & Miller’s Barry Got Their Superhero Names Differently

Iris West played a significant role in both the Arrowverse and the DCEU versions of the Flash's story, albeit with notable differences. Grant Gustin's portrayal of Barry Allen grew up alongside Iris West and harbored deep feelings for her over the years. In fact, Iris was the last person Barry saw before the accident that transformed him into the Flash. On the other hand, in the DCEU, the initial encounter between Barry Allen and Iris West took place in Zack Snyder's Justice League, and it appeared they were not acquainted with each other. However, the Flash movie slightly altered their backstory in the DCEU by revealing that they had known each other since their school days. Despite these variations, their relationship was just beginning to unfold.

Oliver Queen was the first to mention the term "flash" when referring to Barry's powers. Later, Iris West would also describe the speedy hero as the "red blur" of Central City when writing a story for the newspaper. From then on, Barry of the Arrowverse became officially known as the Flash. However, in the DCEU films like Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League, Barry is not referred to as the Flash. Surprisingly, it is in The CW's Flash that the DCEU's version of the character adopts the name. In "Crisis on Infinite Earths," Miller's Barry and Gustin's Barry briefly meet, and during this encounter, Miller's Barry discovers Gustin's "Flash" alias. Strangely, this interaction is not acknowledged in The Flash movie.

4 Gustin’s Barry Fought Every Flash Rogue (Miller’s Didn’t)

Grant Gustin’s portrayal of Barry Allen in the TV series "The Flash" engaged in numerous encounters with the iconic Flash Rogues, such as Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Golden Glider, Weather Wizard, and the Trickster. In contrast, Ezra Miller's interpretation of Barry Allen in the DCEU only had a brief interaction with Captain Boomerang in the movie "Suicide Squad." It remains uncertain if the DCEU's Flash had any offscreen confrontations with other Rogues. Unlike the Flash movie, which opted for a multiverse narrative that revisited "Man of Steel's" General Zod, it did not feature any of the classic Flash villains.

3 Flashpoint Happened Earlier To Miller’s Barry Than To Gustin’s

Both Grant Gustin's and Ezra Miller's portrayals of Barry Allen have undergone their own renditions of Flashpoint, with The Flash TV series being the only one to explicitly name it as such. The concept of Barry traveling back in time to prevent his mother's untimely demise, causing unintended consequences across the timeline, originates from the Flashpoint comic book and has been adapted for the screen on multiple occasions. In the Arrowverse, Barry creates the Flashpoint timeline during the show's second season, following intense battles with various adversaries, including his arch-nemesis, the Reverse Flash. On the other hand, the DCEU's Barry encounters his own interpretation of Flashpoint in his inaugural solo film.

2 Arrowverse’s Henry Allen Knew Barry Was The Flash (The DCEU’s Didn’t)

1 Time Travel Works Differently For Gustin’s Flash & Miller’s Flash

Henry Allen, portrayed by former Barry Allen actor John Wesley Shipp in the Arrowverse, eventually discovered that his son was the Flash. Despite being incarcerated, Henry had an emotional moment when he realized Barry's superhero identity. In the DCEU, however, Henry is currently unaware of Barry's alter ego. In Zack Snyder's Justice League, Henry implores Barry to move forward and build his own future. After enduring decades behind bars, Barry's father has finally been released.

The mechanics of time travel in the Arrowverse differ from those in the DCEU, with both franchises offering multiple methods of time travel. In The Flash show, for instance, the Flash can journey to the past and interact with his younger self. Another option for Barry is to reset the timeline without creating any time doppelgangers. The Flash movie, on the other hand, introduces the Chrono Bowl, which enables Barry to perceive time differently through the speed force. Additionally, Barry can also rewind time in the DCEU, a possibility not present in the Arrowverse.