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The following contains spoilers for The Flash, in theaters now.
With The Flash floundering at the box office, it may be a while before fans see another Scarlet Speedster on the big screen. However, when it happens, instead of introducing yet another Barry Allen, James Gunn and Peter Safran should consider having another hero don the red and yellow suit. In fact, Wally West is the perfect character to take the opportunity and run with it.
At the end of The Flash movie, Barry meets another Bruce Wayne. George Clooney reprises his role in a short cameo, replacing Ben Affleck. And as far as fans know, this was the only significant change to Barry's timeline. However, in the Flashpoint comic book, when Barry fixes the timeline, the entire continuity is rebooted, erasing Wally West from existence. And with the DC Extended Universe crossing the finish line with the Andy Muschietti film, perhaps the opposite can transpire as the DC Universe starts its run.
Wally West Has Been Done Dirty
In the comics and the DC Animated Universe, there was a time when Wally West was the only Flash. In the comics, Barry sacrificed himself to save the multiverse. Wally stepped in and, through his journeys, became even faster than Barry. And since Barry was considered dead, Wally became more popular and even ended up as the Flash in DCAU. Voiced by Michael Rosenbaum, the Flash had a charismatic, wise-cracking personality that fans loved.
However, some readers would argue that Wally has been done dirty ever since, as he was erased from existence in the comics. Likewise, Wally, aka Kid Flash, was killed in the Young Justice animated series and never returned despite fans clamoring for it. So, introducing Wally to the DCU would be a safe bet, as there's clearly still an interest in his story.
Barry Allen Has Had His Time in the Spotlight
As much as Barry is loved by fans, his story has now been done twice in recent years in live-action. And unlike other significant superheroes like Superman and Batman, he was replaced for an extended period of time, and comic book readers grew attached to his replacement. In addition, with The Flash TV show ending on a happy note for Grant Gustin's Barry, it makes it easier to pass the torch to the next Flash in line when the time comes. The show alluded to this when it brought in Keiynan Lonsdale's Wally, but his character was written off, only occasionally making guest appearances. But with The Flash ending the DCEU for good, opportunity is knocking for Gunn and Co. to bring Wally into the fold and make the DCU better for it.
The Flash is now in theaters.