The Flash may have already revealed the movie’s secret villain

The Flash will pit Ezra Miller’s DC speedster against Man of Steel’s General Zod after breaking the universe – but he’s not the only villain the hero will face.

Andy Muschietti’s upcoming movie, which is set to reboot the DC Universe ahead of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new slate of films and TV shows, will follow Barry Allen as he travels back in time to save his mother’s life.

Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne warns him that he could “destroy everything” by going into the past, and he basically does: he ends up trapped in an alternate universe with Michael Keaton’s Batman, Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, and Michael Shannon’s Zod, who wants to annihilate the world.

We also know Miller’s hero will team up with another version of himself, but this may be setting up the film’s secret villain.

The Flash movie has a secret villain

While General Zod is being pushed as the main villain of The Flash in the trailers, it’s believed Dark Flash will be the primary antagonist as the events of the movie progress.

Given the TV show’s superb use of the character, fans have been curious to see if Barry’s arch nemesis Professor Eobard Thawne, aka Reverse Flash, will appear in the movie. Alas, it seems unlikely – but Dark Flash is an exciting alternative.

Firstly, we know for a fact that Dark Flash is in the movie: he’s pictured in the leaked Funko Pop collection, and the official toy of the character was listed online.

“As he pushes the boundaries of his powers, Barry Allen encounters a mysterious and terrifying vision amidst The Speed Force – something, or someone, is seemingly using the abilities of The Flash for nefarious purposes,” its description reads.

Secondly, in the Japanese trailer for the film, Miller’s Barry Allen (the one in the alternate timeline) can be seen with spikes on his back, similar to those seen on the toys.

Dark Flash appears to be inspired by Black Flash, first introduced in 1998’s The Flash (Volume 2) #138. He’s the “Grim Reaper” for speedsters, returning them to the Speed Force when they die. He’s not really a villain, per se, but it’s unclear how much the film will take from the comics. According to BuzzFeed, he’s capable of “stealing the soul of speedster heroes.”

You can read more of the speculation surrounding the movie’s villains here.

The Flash hits cinemas on June 15 in the UK and June 16 in the US. Find out more about the movie here and check out the rest of our coverage here.