DC’s The Flash had a lot of buzz around it prior to release, partly through the exploits of star Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton once again donning the cowl to play Batman. Once The Flash flopped, most of the conversation that was left centered on the special appearances from other DC characters, including a brief one from Christopher Reeve’s iconic take on Superman. But not everyone thought it was a touching inclusion.
Responding to one take that Christopher Reeve’s The Flash cameo was “one of the worst things I’ve seen in any film, ever”, John Glover – who Lionel Luther on Smallville – leaped tall buildings to defend the choice, tweeting, “I think it’s up to his family / estate and not anyone else. Chris’ dedication to the franchise led him to Smallville as dr swan. He loved Superman and would have wanted to be included. And this is from someone who worked with him in plays and on Smallville.”
When questioned how, using that logic, George Reeves – who played the character on TV from 1952-1958 – could have been included since he died in 1959 and had no children, Glover offered a possible reason and continued to support the addition of Christopher Reeve in The Flash. “Good question, no idea on George or heirs. Looked like footage from the show for his moment. As for Chris, if you don’t know how WBD got clearance don’t assume no one was consulted. Chris loved supporting the universe.”
In addition to Christopher Reeve, The Flash hosted other iterations of Superman, chiefly the aforementioned Reeves and Nicolas Cage, who was supposed to play the superhero for Tim Burton. Uh, sorry, Henry! Other DC characters that pop up include Helen Slater’s Supergirl, and Adam West’s Batman.
But there would only be so much that a Christopher Reeve or Nicolas Cage appearance could do for The Flash, as it proved to be a financial disappointment to say the least, pulling in just $55 million on opening weekend before dropping more than 70% the following week.
What do you think of the usage of Christopher Reeve as Superman in The Flash? Did it work or did the sequence feel shoehorned in? Give us your take in the comments section below.