Grant Gustin Says He’d Still Return as the Flash in James Gunn’s DCU, Even at 36

Legacy superhero castings rarely disappear from fan conversation completely, especially when the actor in question delivered one of the most beloved live-action interpretations of a character in recent memory. Grant Gustin’s nine-season run as Barry Allen on The CW’s “The Flash” turned him into the definitive live-action Scarlet Speedster for an entire generation of viewers, and that connection hasn’t faded in the years since the show ended.

Since James Gunn took the reins of DC Studios and began building out the new DC Universe, fans have repeatedly floated the idea of Gustin returning to the role in some form, whether through a full DCU casting or a comic-book variant appearance. Those rumors have resurfaced again and again, with Gunn himself frequently weighing in, sometimes playfully, sometimes bluntly, without ever fully closing the door.

Gustin addressed the ongoing speculation once more during an appearance on the Awkward Puppets podcast, confirming that he would still want to return as the Flash in Gunn’s DCU despite now being 36 years old. He suggested the appetite for that kind of return isn’t just his own, noting that a lot of fans appear to want the same thing.

That sentiment lines up with comments Gustin has made previously when directly asked about a potential comeback. Speaking at Fan Expo Denver, when a young fan asked which character he’d want to play if Gunn cast him in the DCU, Gustin answered with a single word: “Flash.” He’s also said in the past that he trusts Gunn and would take on the role again if asked.

Grant Gustin says he would want to return as The Flash in James Gunn’s DC Universe despite being 36 years old "It feels like a lot of people [want that too]" (via Awkward Puppets) https://t.co/i1t0rhueOI

— CoveredGeekly (@CoveredGeekly) September 17, 2026

Gunn’s own responses to the recurring speculation have varied in tone but never amounted to an actual commitment. Earlier this year, when a fan suggested on Threads that Gustin’s casting “had to happen,” Gunn replied bluntly, “It happened on TV for 9 seasons,” seemingly closing the door on the idea.

More recently, when another fan referenced a “decent rumor” about Gustin returning as a comic-book variant, Gunn responded only with, “Please define ‘decent rumor,'” alongside a laughing emoji, offering no real confirmation either way.

Despite the mixed signals, Gunn has also spoken positively about Gustin as a performer, previously calling him “an incredibly talented guy” and saying he’d “love to work with him at some point,” even if that role ends up being something other than the Flash. Gunn has additionally confirmed that no Flash project currently sits in active development at DC Studios, which makes any near-term return purely speculative for now.

An extended trailer for THE FLASH season 9 has been released. #TheFlash⚡️ pic.twitter.com/kYwhMGjobm

— Bam Smack Pow (@BamSmackPow) January 13, 2023

The persistence of this speculation isn’t hard to understand given the character’s history on the big screen. Ezra Miller’s turn as the Flash in the DCEU, including the much-maligned 2023 standalone film, left many fans hoping any future live-action Flash would return to Gustin’s more beloved take on the character.

It’s also worth noting that a recent viral post falsely claiming Gustin had already been officially cast as the DCU’s Flash, complete with a fabricated 2028 release date, has been debunked, with no such announcement or project confirmed by DC Studios. For now, Gustin’s potential return remains exactly what it’s been for years: a genuinely popular fan wish that both he and Gunn keep gently entertaining without ever making it official.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!