There once was a time when the Arrowverse was the best live-action franchise DC had going for it, but it's a long-gone era here in 2025, and everyone is looking ahead to James Gunn's vision for upcoming DCU projects. Even so, there's a big multiverse out there, and shows like The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow still have fans calling for more, so it's not too wild to foresee a day where fans with Max subscriptions could one day get an Arrowverse movie, and it seems like Grant Gustin and others are up for it.

Candice Patton, Tom Cavanagh, and Danielle Panabaker joined up with Gustin for Fan Expo Cleveland, and they had some encouraging takes on whether they'd appear in a hypothetical Arrowverse movie. CinemaBlend's Laura Hurley attended the convention and can confirm that the cast responded to the idea almost in unison with positive thoughts:

• Grant Gustin: "Yeah."
• Tom Cavanagh: "100%, absolutely."
• Danielle Panabaker: "I'm available!"
• Grant Gustin: "We are actors with families."
• Candice Patton: "We got bills to pay!"
• Tom Cavanagh: "We are all available! We are in, fully in!"

It's only been about two years since the series ended, but apparently, a good chunk of the stars are interested in making a comeback for an Arrowverse movie if that's a possibility. The Flash did leave the door open for future adventures in its finale, so it wouldn't be too hard to pull them back into the mix for a movie, at least speaking from a story standpoint. I would certainly love to see more with Barry's kids, as we only just scratched the surface of what they were capable of.

I don't think it's a question of whether fans want to see The Flash crew back in action, because YES. But I think it's fair to say we have to wonder if any current DC execs want that to happen. Let's not forget that Grant Gustin was snubbed from appearing in The Flash movie, despite DC having Ezra Miller appear in The CW series years prior. It felt like a big oversight, considering The Flash's popularity as a TV series had to play some role in the movie getting a feature film in the first place.

Beyond that, it seems everything in DC is shifting under James Gunn's vision, with his upcoming Superman movie primed to really get the new era underway. With so much focus on building up the movie side of DC and the Arrowverse completely dying out with the conclusion of Superman & Lois, I don't like the odds of any revival happening, but I would love to see it happen all the same.

While we have no idea if The Flash will ever return in any form, The CW's series is available to stream with a Netflix subscription. While the latter seasons are hit and miss, I still stand by it as one of the best superhero shows ever to grace television, and I would love to experience it for the first time all over again if I had the chance.

The Flash Season 8 finale delivered its huge Reverse-Flash twist and other big moments a month ago, and while The Flash Season 9 is on the way, it won’t air on The CW until sometime in 2023. At this point, it’s unclear if the ninth season will be the final one for the adventures of Barry Allen and his friends and family, or if this DC TV show could make it to ten seasons. Either way, showrunner Eric Wallace is looking to accomplish certain goals before The Flash ends, and that includes Barry and Iris West-Allen conceiving at least one of their children.

Future versions of Barry and Iris’ children, Nora and Bart, have factored into The Flash mythos since the earlier version of Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Nora West-Allen was introduced in Season 4. Thanks to their ages being mentioned at certain points in the series’ run, we know that Nora is born around 2023, and Jordan Fisher’s Bart will follow seven years later. So on the subject of if at least Nora will be conceived before The Flash is over, if not Bart too, Eric Wallance simply said:

I highly doubt that The Flash will still be running (pardon the pun) into 2030, taking us to roughly 16 seasons, as not even Supernatural hit that number. So unless there’s a flash forward to over half a decade from now now, it seems unlikely that Bart’s conception, let alone his birth would be touched on in The Flash. Nora, on the other hand, is a different story, because unless some retconning is coming up, she’s supposed to be born next year! Granted, just because The Flash Season 9 won’t air until 2023 doesn’t mean that the season’s events couldn’t at least start back in 2022, but still, we’re coming to a point where this needs to be addressed.

However, as Eric Wallace added in his chat with TV Line, since he doesn’t know when The Flash will come to an end, he has to always act as those this TV journey could come to an end at any point, which affects how he tackles plot arcs. In his words:

With Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow having been cancelled earlier this year, and the revelation that Superman & Lois has been set on a different Earth, that leaves The Flash as the only CW series still set in the main Arrowverse continuity. Some teases have been set up for Season 9, like Season 6 baddie Bloodwork coming back, as well as the Season 8 finale setting up things like Cecile getting telekinesis and a mysterious blue crystal being shown in a lab in 2049, potentially setting up the Arrowverse debut of Cobalt Blue. For the most part though, Season 9 is shrouded in mystery, and if it’s like the last several seasons, Eric Wallace and everyone else working on the show will only have around 18-20 episodes to tell their story. So while Eric is hoping to throw Nora’s conception into the mix, don’t presume it’s guaranteed.

As we move closer to The Flash Season 9’s premiere, CinemaBlend will pass along any big news concerning what’s coming in this upcoming batch of episodes. Fortunately, there’s plenty of upcoming small screen content to look forward to in the coming months listed in our 2022 TV schedule.

When The Flash debuted on The CW back in the fall of 2014, it didn’t just introduce viewers to a brand-new corner of the then-burgeoning Arrowverse. It also gifted fans with a number of talented actors, including Iris West (eventually Allen) actress Candice Patton. The star has become a fan favorite over the years, with many coming to appreciate her take on the iconic DC Comics character. Sadly though, things got off to a rough start for Patton, as her casting was met with a significant amount of backlash from “fans.” Now, as the superhero show heads towards what could be its final season, Patton is opening up about sticking with the role despite online harassment and initially having a lack of “support systems.”

It was a bit surprising when Candice Patton was cast in the role of Iris West, considering the character had historically been portrayed as a white redhead. However, from the jump, there were a number of people who appreciated the change for this new take on the Flash mythos. Those positive sentiments were unfortunately accompanied by a wave of racist and misogynistic attacks via social media. Patton essentially stepped into an arena where countermeasures for such things hadn’t been put in place at the time. And for the star – who was one of DCTV’s first prominent Black actresses, that was difficult to deal with:

Such vitriol has become all-too-common when it comes to fandom, as The Flash is far from the only TV series or movie whose casts have had to deal with such abuse. Throughout her time on the program, Candice Patton has clapped back at the haters, though. For example, when someone once claimed that she was ruining the show, she provided a response that was gold. Dealing with such negativity can be annoying but, as she explained on the Open Up podcast, what she really found “frustrating” was how she treated differently from her co-stars:

During the conversation, the Young and the Restless alum would even admit that she wanted to “leave the show as early as season two” of The Flash because she was feeling “unhappy.” I think many of us would agree that she shouldn’t have had to go through such things over the past several years but, at the very least, her experiences have yielded positives. Today, studios are more attentive when it comes to protecting actors of color from such attacks. The Star Wars franchise spoke out on the racist backlash that Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Moses Ingram received and sharply chastised those who’d shared negative sentiments.

Candice Patton, as previously mentioned, has also become a beloved part of the DCTV mythos and has helped pave the way for other women of color within the genre. Patton, alongside others like Titans’ Anna Diop, has spoken on representation and why it matters. On top of that, Iris West has been depicted as a Black woman in more recent comics and animated productions, a trend that was arguably jump started by Patton’s work.

More recently, Candice Patton missed a number of episodes during Season 8 of The Flash (which recently concluded) but, ahead of the finale, she was confirmed to be returning for Season 9. One would hope that as the show enters what might be its final year, Patton will be treated with the dignity and respect that she very well deserves. 

Past seasons of The Flash can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

Another season The Flash has come and gone, and storylines have been wrapped up (including that long-running Diggle story arc). However, some may still be wondering why Candice Patton missed a few episodes during the eighth season. It was a head-scratcher, but the actress has provided insight into her absences. And as you'd expect, COVID played a role.

Via social media, fans of The Flash made note of the fact that Candice Patton’s Iris West-Allen was absent from four consecutive episodes near the end of Season 8. Within the narrative, it was explained that the character was dealing with her time sickness. But more recently, Patton revealed on her Instagram stories, via TVLine, that her contract was designed in way that allowed her to appear in fewer episodes. This was essentially a failsafe in the event that the borders between the U.S. (where she lives) and Canada (where the show films) were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the post, the actress also explained that from the jump, she was “more than happy” to be featured in more episodes if the situation remained stable (which it did). However, the network opted not to exercise that option in the deal, meaning that things would remain as arranged.

It's honestly a bit disappointing that things played out as they did. With much of Season 8 focusing on Iris and her increasing time sickness, one would've thought that such a thing would take center stage in the season's final episodes. On the bright side, though, fans will be seeing more of Iris West-Allen in Season 9, as Patton was confirmed to be returning for the upcoming season, which will premiere midseason on The CW. 

The Season 8 finale not only resolved Iris’ illness but also included a big twist that seemingly saw Reverse-Flash killed off once and for all. The episode was written as a series capper, so there did seem to be a bit of finality to the proceedings. As of right now, there's no telling what lies ahead in the ninth season, though I'm hoping that Iris gets a bit of a reprieve after everything she's been through.

One thing that is known is that Season 9 will include the return of a major big bad. Season 8's penultimate episodes teased the return of Ramsey Rosso, a.k.a. Bloodwork, by way of a comic book -- a reveal that was pretty on-brand for the DC Comics-adapted show. Team Flash definitely has a serious weight off its shoulders with Reverse-Flash seemingly gone, but you can bet that Rosso is going to shake things up for them in the worst possible way.

It's currently unknown whether Season 9 will be The Flash's last but, given that the Season 8 finale was planned as a final episode, the producers could be looking to end things for sure next year. Such a thing would be bittersweet, but the idea is made all the better by the fact that Candice Patton will indeed still be around and (hopefully) in more episodes.

While you wait for the next season of The Flash, be sure to check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule for programs to watch in the meantime.

Warning: SPOILERS for The Flash episode “Negative, Part One” are ahead!

At the end of last week’s episode of The Flash, Candice Patton’s Iris West-Allen, who’s been part of The CW series since the beginning died. No, this isn’t like in Season 3 when a holographically-disguised H.R. Wells took her place to be killed by Savitar; this time around, Iris has truly perished. However, as is often the case in superhero stories, death won’t be a permanent state for Iris, as ahead of “Negative, Part Two,” a.k.a. the Season 8 finale, it’s been confirmed that Patton will be back for The Flash Season 9.

Until today, it hadn’t been clear if Candice Patton would return for another season of The Flash, as back in early April, she responded “Not quite sure. TBD” to a fan who asked on an Instagram AMA if she’d be back for Season 9. A few weeks later, Patton shared a video of her removing her makeup from her trailer, and the caption said “THAT’S A WRAP ON IRIS WEST-ALLEN,” although that obviously could’ve just been in reference to Season 8. Still, taking all that into account with Iris dying in “Negative, Part One,” it seemed like this Arrowverse character’s journey might have come to an end. Not so, as TV Line is reporting that Patton has closed a new deal to keep playing Iris in The Flash Season 9.

Candice Patton is the second actor who’s been part of The Flash since the beginning who’s staying a series regular in Season 9, with Grant Gustin having signed a deal back in Season 9 to stick around as Barry Allen, although he may not appear in every episode. There’s no official word yet on if Danielle Panabaker will be back as Caitlin Snow, and it’s already been announced that Jesse L. Martin is leaving The Flash’s main cast at the end of Season 8, although he’ll make recurring appearances as Joe West in Season 9. The Flash’s other current main cast members include Danielle Nicolet as Cecile Horton, Kayla Compton as Allegra Garcia and Brandon McKnight as Chester P. Runk.

When we left off with Iris West-Allen in the final minutes of “Negative, Part One,” her time sickness was worse than ever, but she was then summoned by the Negative Still Force version of Deon Owens to serve as a human shield for Barry Allen’s lightning attack against Deon and the Negative versions of the Strength and Sage Forces. With Iris’ "sacrifice," the Wells version of Eobard Thawne, a.k.a. the one played by Tom Cavanagh, was resurrected out of the body of Thawne played by Matt Letscher, a.k.a. the redeemed one we’d previously spent time with in Legends of Tomorrow. With Wells Thawne back in play with his super speed, and with his wife dead beside him, Barry had a look of pure rage on his face as “Negative, Part One” ended.

We’re just a day away from seeing how Iris West-Allen will be brought back to life before The Flash Season 8 wraps up, but at least fans of the character can take comfort knowing her story isn’t over. Regarding Season 9, there’s still a lot we don’t know about what it holds in store, and there are many fans wondering if this could be the series’ final season. That said, along with Grant Gustin and Candice Patton’s returns, another thing we can count in Season 9 on is the reemergence of Sendhil Ramamurthy’s Ramsey Rosso, a.k.a. Bloodwork, which was recently teased at the end of an Arrowverse tie-in comic book series.

CinemaBlend will continue sharing the biggest news items concerning The Flash, and you can look through our 2022 TV schedule to see what else is currently airing and what shows are left to premiere this year.

Barry Allen's powers on The Flash may seem like he can do just about anything, but his on-screen wife and journalist extraordinaire has some things that she can't do anymore on The CW show. Leading lady Candice Patton recently revealed what her character, Iris West-Allen, is no longer allowed to wear.

Candice Patton posted a photo to her Instagram from her trailer on set in celebration of a new episode of The Flash. She showed off her red hair and a top that exposed part of her stomach. When complimented by a fan in the comments who hoped that the outfit was for Iris, Patton admitted some unfortunate news:

Patton didn’t give any information into why she’s not allowed to show her midriff on TV anymore. She has shown her midriff in the past on the series multiple times, even if it wasn’t a lot. But now that Iris runs a growing media network with the Citizen, it’s possible they want her to keep her in professional attire. 

Iris became a big part of Team Flash in Season 4 when she started leading the team alongside her speedster husband. At the same time, she continued writing for her blog, the Central City Citizen, which only continued to grow. When Season 8 kicked off, it was revealed that it is now Central City Citizen Media, a full-fledged outlet with a bigger office and staff.

The journalist has been changing up her style over the seasons, so perhaps this is a way of simply doing something different? She started wearing a lot of curls beginning in Season 6, which meant a lot to Candice Patton. Hopefully there is a good reason that the actress isn’t allowed to show her midriff on TV anymore, but at least she can still post about it. Take a look at her photo:

Candice Patton not being allowed to show her midriff marks a departure from days gone by on The Flash, when female characters (including Iris) showed far more flesh from time to time. In fact, even a character from another show lost her shirt during a trip to Central City, when Emily Bett Rickards crossed over from Arrow as Felicity Smoak.

Meanwhile, the “Armageddon” event on The Flash has been changing the course of the series and it’s only going to get bigger. Only time will tell how much Barry will be able to change back to the status quo by the end of the event, including whether or not Joe is truly gone for good. It will be interesting to see what will happen in these final two episodes of the event and what will happen on the series moving forward.

DC FanDome’s BAWSE Females of Color Within the DC Universe panel gathered superhero bawses. What is a BAWSE? Pronounced like boss, a BAWSE has confidence and reaches their goals. They do what it takes to get into the room and to be seen and heard. DJ D-Nice and Grammy-winning singer/actress Estelle hosted the panel with actresses across DC television and film to discuss how they use their confidence and vulnerability to navigate their careers in Hollywood, with a focus on the importance of representation in the media.

For young children, seeing characters who look like them when growing up is powerful because it expands a child’s idea of what they can be and achieve. During the live panel, Candice Patton, who plays Iris West on The Flash, recalled receiving a tweet from a mother who said she was watching the show with her young daughter who said:

It’s heartbreaking that a child would even ask this but, for many, that’s the reality. After years of being limited and restricted in what you’re allowed to do (like always being a side character), it’s hard to lift the lid off the box and dive into new opportunities. This was a positive interaction for Patton because it solidified the influence the role has given her. She was excited to respond and send a message to the little girl.

Representation extends beyond looks. Depending on a person’s environment, any aspect of their personality could stand out and, unless they are surrounded by open and accepting people, it can be difficult to accept themselves, too. For these people, seeing whatever aspect sets them apart or makes them different being portrayed on television or in film in a positive light can help them embrace that part of themselves.

An example of this was discussed during the panel by Nafessa Williams, who plays the first black lesbian superhero, Anissa Pierce/Thunder on Black Lightning. She recalled a conversation she had a Comic-Con where a girl told her:

It seems like a heavy burden to carry, making someone else feel normal, but also rewarding. As things change and evolve in the entertainment industry over time, diversity will become normal, accepted, and celebrated, and these women will forever be a part of that history.

While eight women being brought together for this panel representing various superheroes in the space is an amazing feat in itself, not all were received kindly when cast in their roles.

Anna Diop spoke of the backlash she received after booking the role of Kory Anders/Starfire in Titans. People were upset with a black woman being given the role which had historically been white:

When characters are adapted from a book, comic, or other previous story, it’s not hard to understand people wanting the characters to be as close to the way they had originally seen them, or have become used to seeing them as possible. Fans love something for a reason and have every right to desire that reason to remain intact throughout multiple iterations of whatever it is they love.

That being said, every individual that works on a story, be it the writer, director, actor, etc. has something new and unique to bring to it, and limiting them by keeping a character constrained to one way they have always been portrayed also limits their creative ability and ultimately the story being told.

Diop is no stranger to this idea and also touched on when she realized she could and would make a difference. Despite what were historically normal or expected stories for women of color to tell in the industry, Diop kept auditioning, and learned to lean into what worked. During the panel, she said:

Instead of seeing her skin as a deterrent in Hollywood, she’s flipped the script and started using it to her advantage, which is sure to be an inspiration to all aspiring female BIPOC actresses. This has given us the Starfire we’ve come to know and love, and I’m sure there are many more to come in the future!

There’s no stopping any of these ladies, so be on the lookout for their future work.

Who is your favorite female superhero of color in the DC Universe? Let us know in the comments!

With a hectic Season 6 that brought the organization Black Hole and Efrat Dor's genre-swapped Mirror Master Eva McCulloch, The Flash had to wrap things up early with a mega-cliffhanger, thanks to the production getting shut down in March. While waiting to see if Season 7 will incorporate the creative team's original plan to end the sixth season, fans can now start speculating about The Flash potentially returning to a pivotal moment in Barry and Iris' lives that Candice Patton understands viewers were upset about, and she kind of agrees.

The big polarizing event in question is Iris and Barry's "wedding ceremony," for lack of a better phrasing, which didn't even officially happen on The Flash itself, and was instead relegated to the end of Legends of Tomorrow's concluding chapter in the "Crisis on Earth-X" crossover event. When asked if she would be interested in The Flash righting that perceived wrong (which co-star Grant Gustin is totally down for), Candice Patton told Entertainment Tonight this:

Not only were Barry and Iris shoehorned into getting married on a show other than The Flash, but it was barely even a shadow of the original set-up, with zero proper guests and David Ramsey's John Diggle officiating the outdoor nuptials. What's more, their witnesses were Stephen Amell's Oliver and Emily Bett Rickards' Felicity, who also decided to tie the knot alongside their vigilante pals. So that's two huge super-couples that got married on a show that none of them starred on. Regardless of one's feelings in general, it was inarguably a weird choice to make.

The Flash fans have long wanted to see Barry and Iris take a trip down the aisle where there's an actual aisle for them to walk down, and it sounds like Candice Patton is in the same camp. I also adore that she's in the "fans watching The Flash DVDs in the future" camp. Long live physical media!

As it was stated above, Candice Patton isn't the only Flash star who would be interested in seeing Barry and Iris' full-blown wedding come to pass on the proper superhero show, with Grant Gustin also putting his support behind the matrimonial idea. Here's what he told ET:

Indeed, if there was ever a time for Barry and Iris to reconfigure their relationship to make that bond even stronger, it would be in Season 7 after Iris' Mirrorverse situation gets completely figured out. Things have been in a strange place for a while now, so The Flash would be smart to set up a noteworthy event to mark the two characters getting back on common ground. Let us know in the poll below if you agree or not.

The Flash Season 6 is now finished, with Season 7 already renewed and hopefully aiming for an October 2020 premiere, though fans will have to stay tuned to see whether production schedules will return to normal over the summer months. In the meantime, check out everything that is definitely coming to the small screen soon with our Summer 2020 TV schedule.

This poll is no longer available.

While The Flash’s Candice Patton is putting in some solid work playing two versions of Iris, Barry is still unaware that his wife is not who she appears to be. With Mirror-Iris revealed to be working alongside Eva McCulloch, who is still stuck with the real Iris behind the glass, The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace teased that the situation with Iris’ double will get cleared up soon, but that may not necessarily be a good thing for everyone in Central City.

In the immediate aftermath of Iris being pulled into the mirror world, Barry felt that something was off with her, though he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. Worried that they were growing apart, Barry was reassured by Joe and Mirror-Iris that the changes were simply due to the fact that she had to step up in the wake of Barry’s possible death in “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” However, that was several episodes ago, and fans have been wondering if Barry will ever figure out the Mirror-Iris situation. Speaking with TVLine, The Flash’s Eric Wallace promises that realizations are coming, but it’s not so cut and dry. In his words:

Welp. I suppose this wouldn’t be The Flash if learning the truth didn’t come with “tragic consequences,” but at least Barry won’t be in the dark much longer. I’d even wager that after learning the truth about Mirror-Iris, the Black Hole plot might take a rather deadly turn. At this point, neither the audience nor Team Flash knows what Carver, the CEO of McCulloch Tech, is really after. Only that he’s stealing Eva’s science creations...for mysterious reasons. The only reasons to steal things on The Flash.

Meanwhile, Iris is still under the assumption that Eva is a good person, only now she’s got two mirror clones to do her bidding in the real world. However, the plot synopsis for Season 6’s Episode 16, titled “So Long and Good Night,” reveals that Iris will finally grow suspicious of Eva. Personally, I think she will learn Eva is up to no good around the same time that Barry finds out about Mirror-Iris, and the storyline will ramp up from there. You could even say their plots are mirroring each other!

While The Flash’s “So Long and Good Night” was scheduled to air on March 31, it was pushed back a week and will now air on Tuesday, April 7 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our midseason guide.

Ever since the announcement that Candice Patton would be playing Iris West-Allen on The CW’s The Flash, haters have been after her. While many fans dearly love the character, some have called for Patton to be fired and have come up with empty excuses for why they just can’t seem to get on the Iris West train. Even after six seasons being on the show, the attacks -- often race-related -- haven’t stopped. Most recently, some fool told Patton that she ruined The Flash and she responded with best clap back ever.

Candice Patton recently posted a photo to Twitter from the set of The Flash. It didn’t take long for the haters to flood her mentions and one bold troll even told her that “single-handedly ruined” the show. Patton’s response was spectacular:

You can see the full exchange below.

This isn’t the first time Candice Patton, who recently sported her natural curls in The Flash, has received such comments online and it sadly won’t be the last. Over the summer, series star Grant Gustin (Barry Allen), after being called out for his silence on the hate Patton kept getting, stepped in and posted a PSA video to Instagram about the racist attacks his co-star has received over the last six years.

Grant Gustin declared that he had Candice Patton’s back against the haters. “Iris is an African-American actress. She is black. She is beautiful. And she is our Iris and she is always gonna be,” the actor said. In case anyone wasn’t clear on that, Candice Patton is here to stay. Case closed. Prior to Grant Gustin’s video, however, no one from the show or The CW network had ever publicly denounced the racist attacks against the actress.

When Candice Patton’s role was announced in 2014, certain DC Comics fans took issue with the fact that Iris West was going to be played by a black actress. You’d think that after so many seasons of Patton as Iris they’d have grown tired of the recycled hatred (I know I have), but they’re nothing if not relentless. Thankfully, The Flash's leading lady is resilient in the face of such criticism.

In Season 6 of The Flash, Iris West-Allen has been dealing with a lot. Not only did she lose her daughter, Nora West-Allen (Jessica Parker Kennedy), but she also received word from The Monitor that Barry “has to die” in the upcoming five-episode crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Additionally, the latest version of Harrison Wells, who could be good or bad, found traces of a multiverse particle called eternium on Iris, which piqued fans’ interests and could have big implications for the back half of Season 6.

The Flash’s next new episode airs Tuesday, November 19 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. Also, keep an eye out for Candice Patton’s Iris West-Allen when she crosses over to other Arrow-verse shows in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” which kicks of December 8 with Supergirl at 8 pm. ET.

The Arrow-verse just keeps getting bigger and bigger. With the Arrow-specific spinoff Green Arrow and the Canaries on the way, The CW has also announced that they’re developing a new spinoff series called Superman and Lois. The project, which will be headed up by former The Flash showrunner Todd Helbing, will star Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth “Bitsie” Tulloch as Superman and Lois Lane, respectively.

Tyler Hoechlin is no stranger to the Arrow-verse, having appeared in several episodes of Supergirl since Season 2. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Tulloch made her debut as Lois Lane in last year’s Arrow-verse crossover, “Elseworlds,” which saw Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen and Grant Gustin's Barry Allen switching places for a while. Both Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch were previously announced to be reprising their roles as Lois and Clark in this year’s crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths” and now they’re getting their own show!

Taking to Instagram to share his excitement for the series, which will also include Lois and Clark’s child, Tyler Hoechlin said this:

Next to his caption, Tyler Hoechlin posted an old photo of Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder as Superman and Lois Lane from 1978’s Superman. I believe the symbolism should be pretty clear.

Earlier this year, Tyler Hoechlin confirmed that he didn't really watch any previous Superman performances prior to taking on the role himself, because he didn’t want it to inform his take on the character. But it looks like Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel can serve as the exception here. Speaking about the similarities between that image and the next pic of him and his co-star, Hoechline said:

Not to be one-up-upped by her new co-star, Elizabeth Tulloch also shared a lengthy post celebrating the announcement of Superman and Lois' development process.

Elizabeth Tulloch has not been shy about the admiration she has for Lois Lane. In “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” she’ll get to share the screen with Erica Durance’s Lois Lane (Smallville), and Tulloch is super pumped about getting to play a journalist in our current climate.

Other Arrow-verse stars also chimed in with their celebratory tweets. The Flash’s Candice Patton, who is giving Iris West-Allen a fun new look in Season 6, was thrilled for Elizabeth Tulloch in particular. Since both Iris and Lois are journalists married to superheroes, they should definitely get their fair share of interactions in the future. Hopefully, they'll get to meet in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" so that fans won't have to wait until Superman and Lois to get their fill.

Arrow star Stephen Amell, whose final bow as Oliver Queen is said to be a happy one, also took to Twitter to congratulate both Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch. "Crisis on Infinite Earths" may be the final time Oliver gets to share scenes with Lois and Clark, which is a sad thought, but he seems ecstatic knowing the Arrow-verse will be in good hands.

The last we saw of the Arrow-verse's Clark Kent and Lois Lane they were getting engaged, expecting a baby, and going off to live in Argo City for a while. It's possible that the new series will bring them back to Earth, especially now that "Crisis" is looming large.

Superman and Lois is currently in development and has not yet been ordered to series, but it's a probable outcome. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more information about the show. In the meantime, you can watch the remainder of the Arrow-verse shows, which now includes Batwoman, on The CW.

This fall season may be the biggest one in the history of the Arrow-verse ever. Batwoman will be having its pivotal inaugural season, Arrow is ending, and the mega crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is adapting one of the biggest comic book storylines in DC Comics' history.

It's a year that could be very good or very disappointing for Arrow-verse fans, though The Flash's Candice Patton seems optimistic folks are going to be psyched. The Iris West-Allen actress spoke about Arrow's finale taking place during "Crisis on Infinite Earths," and revealed it's going to be a tough act for the rest of the Arrow-verse to follow.

The Arrow-verse has had some consistently solid high stakes crossovers in years' past, and this coming one may be the biggest of them all. With Arrow ending and the breadcrumbs dropped in last year's "Elseworlds" and Arrow finale, it appears likely that the series will end with Oliver Queen dying in some way. The Arrow Season 7 finale even showed Oliver's headstone, with his death dated for 2019.

Granted, there could be another reason Oliver isn't around in the future, but bottom line, he probably won't be popping up in other Arrow-verse shows anytime soon. Which, is a big deal. Stephen Amell helped build the Arrow-verse with his portrayal of Oliver Queen, and without him, this fictional universe is going to feel different. When asked how his death (or disappearance/exit) will affect fans, Candice Patton told Comicbook.com it's going to be nothing short of "devastating."

And while there is no replacing Oliver Queen, it would seem The CW can and has replaced Arrow. Besides the fact that Batwoman is premiering in the fall and there's plans for another Arrow-verse show after that, The Flash has come into its own and has surpassed Arrow in popularity over the years. With Arrow coming to an end, The Flash will now be the most senior show in the family.

It's an immense responsibility to be the show that anchors it all together, but it's something The Flash should be able to handle. Patton talked briefly about when she realized The Flash's upcoming promotion of sorts, and how none of it would be possible without Arrow.

Arrow is owed a lot, which may be why so much work went into making the show's send off such an event. The original Crisis on Infinite Earths comic marked a new era in DC Comics, so it's only fitting the mega crossover will likely do the same for the Arrow-verse. Let's just hope the franchise can continue to thrive without the Green Arrow swooping in and out of adventures.

Stephen Amell's NSFW Reaction To The Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover Synopsis

The Arrow-verse's "Crisis on Infinite Earths," crossover kicks off with Supergirl on The CW Sunday, December 8 at 8 p.m. ET. Stick with CinemaBlend for more details on the crossover in the meantime, and for the latest news on what's happening in the world of television and movies.

Iris West-Allen is getting a new look in Season 6 of The Flash and we’re here for it. Leading lady Candice Patton took to social media to share her exciting new hairdo and it was a bit of a different look than what we’re used to seeing Iris sporting on the show. Patton wrote about how much it means to be wearing her natural curls on the show and that the new hairdo will debut in Season 6, Episode 5. Not only will Iris have a new hairstyle, but series showrunner Eric Wallace found an in-show reason for her curly locks to make an appearance.

Eric Wallace, who took over from previous showrunner Todd Helbing, is very excited about Iris’ hairstyle, too. Speaking to TVLine, the showrunner spoke about the hairstyle change and how it will include Iris letting loose a bit and “being herself”. After all, she was just faced with the disappearance of her and Barry’s daughter, Nora West-Allen, she’ll be busy trying to grow her newspaper, and will also be dealing with Barry’s impending death. So, Iris definitely deserves a break from all that stress.

Iris’ hair change is noteworthy because Candice Patton has never before been allowed to wear her natural hair on The Flash, though the actress has asked about it before and fans have been fighting for it for a long time. It’s not only a big change, but it’s so important for representation. Not only does it mean a lot to Patton, but she knows that it’s important for the women and young girls who “look like” her to see Iris showcase various sides of her personality and life as a black woman. That includes rocking her natural curly locks, which she showed off on Twitter.

Over the summer, Patton’s co-star, series lead Grant Gustin, made a statement addressing the racist attacks that the actress has been facing since the moment she was cast in 2014. While it was long-overdue, Gustin made it clear that Candice Patton “is our Iris” and that she “always will be”.

The Flash Season 6 will start ten seconds after the Season 5 finale and will see Barry and Iris struggling to grieve Nora as well as getting a visit from the Monitor himself with the news that Barry will die in the upcoming crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths”. Per Eric Wallace, Season 6 will be split into two major parts: pre and post-”Crisis”, with the first half of the season introducing the villain, Bloodwork, played by Sendhil Ramamurthy. And if the San Diego Comic-Con sizzle trailer is anything to go by, then Iris, Barry, and the rest of Team Flash will have their hands full.

The Flash Season 6 will premiere on Tuesday, October 8 at 8/7c on the CW. For a full list of TV shows premiering this fall, be sure to check out our schedule.

After fans accused The Flash star Grant Gustin (Barry Allen) of being too quiet on the topic of racist comments against co-star Candice Patton (Iris West), he made himself very clear. Gustin posted a video message to his Instagram story, emphasizing -- in case it was not obvious after five years as love interests -- that he has Patton's back. Here's what he said to fans:

Hear, hear. To some fans, that kind of defense was a long time coming.

When The Flash premiered in 2014, some DC Comics fans took issue with a black actress in the role of Iris West, who had previously been depicted as white. Apparently some fans felt Grant Gustin didn't do enough to defend Candice Patton, since his words and popularity could've been influential in silencing racist comments.

However, the reason he made a whole video now is kind of interesting because it seemed to be tied to his support for LGBTQ rights. He posted a video the other day on Instagram supporting an LGBTQ cause and it led him to speak further.

Some The Flash fans in the comments weren't happy with Grant Gustin openly supporting LGBTQ rights and said they'd unfollow him. The conversation eventually seemed to turn toward trolls, bullying, and the racist comments Candice Patton has received since she was cast. Gustin commented on his LGBTQ post with this note on defending co-stars:

Along with that statement, he also posted his video message to fans through Instagram story, which was later shared by fans:

No one said being a superhero was easy. Part of Grant Gustin's job is connecting with fans, but sometimes those fans have extremely different opinions, and you can't please everyone. In this case, he's taking a strong stand to support his #1 co-star, and that's that.

After several years, The Flash fans have gotten used to -- and most love -- Candice Patton's Iris West. Viewers are excited to see what's ahead for Barry and Iris (and Nora?) in The Flash Season 6, which premieres October 8 on The CW, followed by the highly anticipated "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event. The new season just started filming -- leading Grant Gustin to have to shave, along with a new Killer Frost look for Danielle Panabaker.

The first footage for the Arrow-verse's "Elseworlds" crossover has been released, and it featured a very uncomfortable kiss between two characters. At least, that seems to be the case for one of them, as Stephen Amell's Barry Allen appears very confused and surprised that Iris is locking lips with him.

For Iris, it appears to be business as usual as she's still hopelessly in love with her best friend and meta dream man Barry Allen. For Barry, it appears to be a different story as Stephen Amell's version of the character seems shocked by his current life and his surroundings. It gives off the vibe that while he is Barry Allen to everyone else, this Barry knows there's something wrong with the situation.

It's possible this isn't Stephen Amell portraying an alternate Earth's Barry Allen, but rather Amell's Oliver Queen in a world where everyone else believes he's Barry Allen. If that's the case, somehow Oliver has retained enough of his memory to know this isn't right, but it's not clear from the footage how similar to Barry Allen he is. For example, Amell's Barry may be aware he's not the Barry Allen of Earth-1, but does he still have his speedster friend's powers?

The various photos Stephen Amell has posted on social media appear to indicate he will portray a speedster at some point during the "Elseworlds" crossover. There are no guarantees that the Barry Allen in this clip is the same as the one who suited up, however, and it could be one of those scenarios where Oliver Queen ends up standing in for some other Earth's doppelganger for reasons we can only guess at right now. Apparently, it's not for the free kisses, as Amell's Barry Allen looked taken aback by Iris' affection.

So, if this Barry Allen is confused by what's happening when he wakes up that morning, will the same be true for that Earth's Oliver Queen? It's possible Grant Gustin's Oliver Queen (provided he's Oliver on the same Earth where we see Stephen Amell's Barry) is also incredibly confused by what's happening. Conversely, there's a chance that nothing has changed for him, and he'll be confused by his friend's identity crisis and insistence that he is actually someone else.

Of course, this is all speculation and it's really hard to determine what's happening for sure in this "Elseworlds" footage. The only thing we seem to know for sure is that something crazy is going on, as the crossover's tagline "Destiny will be rewritten" flashed across the screen and confirmed something is not right in this scene. Hopefully, "Barry's" supposed identity crisis is only temporary and not "infinite," as one can never know what's coming with The Monitor in the mix.

The Arrow-verse's "Elseworlds" crossover begins on The CW Sunday, December 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more on upcoming fall shows before and after the big three-night event, head on over to our handy fall premiere guide.

The Flash kicked off its fifth season with an episode that saw Barry and Iris getting to know their daughter from the future. Nora had a bad habit of dropping spoilers about events that haven't happened yet and already mucked up the timeline by interfering, but Barry held off from sending her back to the future once he learned her big secret: he disappeared for more than a quarter century when she was only a little girl, and she has no memory of him.

Candice Patton, who plays Iris on The Flash, weighed in on how long Barry and Nora will keep that secret from everybody else:

Viewers of The Flash are used to mysteries being strung out for multiple episodes by this point, and some instances work better than others. The show arguably waited far too long with the Savitar identity reveal back in Season 3, and fans' patience with the Mystery Girl might not have lasted through the entire hiatus if the Season 4 finale hadn't dropped the Nora bombshell. Candice Patton's comments that the big secret will be revealed sooner rather than later should come as a relief to many.

Of course, Candice Patton couldn't reveal exactly how many episodes would pass before The Flash drops the bombshell that Barry is going to disappear and possibly never come back. At the very least, unless the timeline changes, Iris will spend more than 25 years without Barry by her side, and her relationship with Nora clearly isn't the best. Her relationships with both Barry and Nora could potentially suffer the longer they keep this secret from her.

While Barry might not want to break the terrible news to spare Iris the sadness, she's bound to find out, and she's too smart not to realize that something is up with Barry and Nora. All things considered, Barry and Nora would be wise to bring Iris in on the secret, even if it does emotionally devastate her at first. Iris became the leader of Team Flash for a reason; she'd be a huge asset in figuring out a way to change the timeline and stop Barry from going missing.

Will the family team-up result in a "Crisis On Infinite Earths" situation? We'll have to wait and see. Fortunately, Candice Patton went on in her chat with TVLine to say this about the awkwardness between Iris and Nora:

Just as we don't have to wait until the end of the season for Barry's big secret to break, we won't have to wait until the end to see Nora and Iris come together. As endearing as it was to see Iris try to be the "cool mom" to Nora and adopt her future daughter's slang in the season premiere, it might get uncomfortable to watch Nora rebuff Iris' attempts to bond for 20+ episodes. Score for mother/daughter bonding!

See what's in store for Iris, Barry, and Nora with new episodes of The Flash on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. A lot is going to happen in the first half of Season 5, what with the upcoming 100th episode and the beginning of the huge "Elseworlds" crossover. For other viewing options, check out our fall TV premiere schedule.

The Arrow-verse will look quite different in the next season, and not just because Nora West-Allen is on the scene, Oliver Queen is in the clink, and John Constantine is taking the Legends through mystical adventures. No, another change will be the absence of Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West, who jumped from The Flash to Legends of Tomorrow in the 2017-2018 season. Lonsdale's on-screen sister Candice Patton was asked about saying goodbye to him at San Diego Comic-Con, and she had this to say:

CinemaBlend's TV Editor Nick Venable asked Candice Patton about her feelings regarding Keiynan Lonsdale's departure during roundtable interviews at San Diego Comic-Con, and she seems to be banking on her TV bro returning to the Arrow-verse at some point. The Flash cast is clearly tight-knit, and losing Lonsdale -- even if it was due to his own decision rather than getting killed off or sent out of the Arrow-verse against his will -- isn't going to be easy. Sure, he wasn't around The Flash as much once Wally took his break from Team Flash and then shifted to Team Legends, but he was still around, and there's always the chance for crossovers in the Arrow-verse.

Keiynan Lonsdale spoke out about his decision to leave the Arrow-verse, and he made it quite evident that there's no bad blood that led to him moving on from the superhero life. The actor made a splash in the mainstream thanks to his role in Love, Simon, so he could success sooner rather than later on the big screen or perhaps elsewhere on the small screen. The superhero life isn't for everybody. Besides, maybe he could come back in a few years to recur. If Colton Haynes can return to Arrow, why can't Lonsdale return to Flash or Legends if he so desires at some point?

A big question now is how The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow will write Wally West out of the shows. Legends has the habit of bringing characters in and out of the action, so there should be less of a problem for that show than The Flash. Wally actually sped onto the scene in The Flash Season 4 finale to celebrate the birth of his baby sister (and inadvertently meet his niece from the future). The Flash will have to explain his sudden disappearance. At least The CW has confirmed that Wally won't be killed off!

We can only wait and see. The Arrow-verse has been shuffled around The CW lineup for the 2018-2019 TV season, and you can get the details on The CW's fall TV premiere schedule. For some action ahead of the fall, check out our summer TV premiere guide.

This many years after the particle accelerator explosion, The Flash's characters are pretty used to dealing with completely over-the-top situations that have zero precedence. Never before Season 4, however, did Barry and Iris have to deal with the arrival of their own offspring visiting from the relatively distant future. Nora West-Allen's presence in Season 5 will make things pretty complicated for Team Flash, and star Candice Patton gave fans an early idea of how Iris and Barry deal with the situation in the early days of Season 5.

I'm pretty sure Iris and Barry's "What the hell?" reaction to Nora is the most relatable element that is humanly possible on The Flash, since isn't the kind of thing that affects characters on many shows outside of something like Futurama. Knowing the show usually shifts its main narrative along a few months to account for the real-world summer hiatus, I imagine at least that first month after Nora shows up is just Iris and Barry saying, "Huh?" with varying levels of intensity.

Even tough Nora never really got too invested with any of the Team Flash members she crossed paths with during her time-traveling jaunts, she already had a ton of information about all of them, including all of their future fates. (We're kinda worried about Barry in that sense.) But Iris and Barry don't have that kind of privileged information at the ready, and they'll likely never fully get used to Nora's presence. I mean, Iris is still having to wrap her head around going through pregnancy at some point in the very near future, which is something Candice Patton addressed at POPSUGAR's Play/Ground festival while asking her own questions about the situation.

We know that Jessica Parker Kennedy's Nora West-Allen will be around The Flash Season 5 for the long haul, which will provide a lot of bonding time between the future parents and their future kid, even if a lot of it involves wide-eyed disbelief. To answer Candice Patton, though: if Nora has Barry Allen's DNA in her, then her time-travel shenanigans almost definitely fudged up whole storylines and then some. We just have to hope that Black Flash isn't able to track her down at any point.

Also, I'm just going to sidestep the prospect of Barry and Iris potentially not being together in Season 5. If a couple can make it through alt-history Nazis from another dimension wrecking their wedding, they can make it through anything.

The Flash will return to The CW for Season 5 on Tuesday nights this fall at 8:00 p.m. ET. To see what other shows will be showing up in the meantime, head to our summer premiere schedule.

Spoilers ahead for the sixteenth episode of The Flash Season 4, called "Run, Iris, Run."

The Flash has introduced a number of speedsters over the years, ranging from good guys like Barry Allen, Jay Garrick, and Jesse Quick to very bad guys like Eobard Thawne. In "Run, Iris, Run," we saw another character gain superspeed abilities when a meta by the name of Melting Point transferred Barry's powers to Iris (Candice Patton). At first, Iris struggled with taking over as Central City's speedster superhero due to her lack of experience, but she rose to the occasion when a meta unleashed his dangerous fire powers on the city and threatened to destroy an apartment complex and kill a lot of people.

Luckily, Harry (with the help of his Thinking Cap) figured out a way for Iris to save the day, and she pulled it off by mastering a speedster power that hadn't been used on The Flash in the past: creating a tidal wave. Flash executive producer Todd Helbing spoke with CinemaBlend and other outlets at a screening of "Run, Iris, Run," and he had this to say about why the episode introduced a new speedster power:

The folks at The Flash have apparently been considering a tidal wave as a speedster power for a while, but they were saving the introduction for a momentous occasion, and what could be more momentous than Iris gaining superspeed? She's one of the few major characters on The Flash who never had superpowers in any capacity, and she has mostly stayed out of the physical fights unless those physical fights come to her. After Ralph gave her grief about staying behind at STAR Labs when the rest of the team was in danger on the streets, Iris was determined to do whatever necessary to save lives and prove herself as a hero.

The tidal wave certainly allowed her to prove herself! Although Harry came up with the idea for the tidal wave and Barry had to talk her through how to harness superspeed to run on water, Iris is responsible for achieving something no other speedster on The Flash had ever accomplished. It proved that Iris would be at least as epic a superhero as Barry or any of the others if she had powers. Of course, Iris has always been a hero on the show, but The Flash isn't the show in the Arrow-verse that really allows for non-superpowered superheroes on a regular basis. By giving her superpowers, The Flash let her show off her strength and heroism in a brand new way.

Barry didn't resent or envy Iris for accomplishing something he never even considered, which was a nice sign of how he has matured as a speedster. His confidence in himself and his wife makes adds new depth to Barry that is certainly fun to watch now that the show is in its fourth season. In fact, he lovingly asked Iris to help him learn how to pull off the tidal wave himself, and the end of the episode proved that Iris will use her superspeed experience as inspiration. She decided that she needs to be more hands-on in her contribution to fighting the good fight, and that involves returning to journalism. The episode didn't reveal whether or not Iris' time with superspeed will be related to that mystery woman, but it didn't rule a certain theory out. We'll have to wait and see what happens next for Iris.

New episodes of The Flash air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. If you're still looking for other shows to watch now and in the coming weeks, take a look at the midseason TV premiere guide and our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule. Don't forget to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in superhero news. If you're not up on the TV cancellations that have happened so far this season, take a look at our rundown of the biggest shows to get the axe so far..

Spoilers below for The Flash's latest episode, titled "When Harry Met Harry."

In The Flash's most recent episode, it appeared Team Flash had unlocked a major clue in their quest to find and take down The Thinker. Rather than the villain bursting into S.T.A.R. Labs as foes have in the past, Barry & Co. delivered a house-call to Clifford DeVoe's home address. But instead of finding a blue-tinged brainiac flying around and playing holographic chess, they met a seemingly domesticized DeVoe, with his assistant posing as his wife. According to the show's stars, though, coming face to face with The Thinker only makes things harder for Team Flash. According to Candice Patton:

While this might be something of an exaggeration, it sounds like Barry is going to go to some Fatal Attraction-ish lengths in order to try to understand everything about DeVoe. In talking with ComicBook.com, Candice Patton says that Barry's actions are troublesome for Iris, because she's watching her future husband get bogged down over obsessing about DeVoe in ways that don't necessarily follow GCPD protocol. Something tells me the rule-eschewing Ralph Dibny will play a big role in Barry going beyond the law in his quests, but will we see Barry end up back in jail at some point?

It was previously teased that The Flash would be taking some darker turns in Season 4 tied to Barry's maddening infatuation with The Thinker. (Not as dark as the Savitar situation, mind you.) We all know how hard it is to get one's mind off of something once the fixation sets in, and even though most of us haven't busied ourselves with tracking down evil nemeses with impossible knowledge about the future, we can still understand Barry's mental plight, as well as everyone else's worries that he might be losing sight of the bigger picture.

Because they're definitely going to need to look at the big picture in order to figure The Thinker out. The big bad is apparently capable of visualizing the myriad outcomes that will follow any given situation, which guides all of his actions. His assistant, known as The Mechanic, showed some worries in the episode that gave viewers a reason to suspect that DeVoe's arrogance could be his downfall. But until Team Flash figures out a few more pieces of this puzzle, DeVoe is probably safe to ooze confidence so freely.

Here's Carlos Valdes' explanation for what will have to be done for Team Flash to get the upper hand at some point.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm having fun picturing DeVoe and The Mechanic blindly running around their suburban abode, changing clothes and shoving all kinds of evil tech gadgets under rugs and into closets. Until we know where things are going, keep watching The Flash every Tuesday night on The CW at 8:00 p.m. ET. If you're wondering when we'll see Katee Sackhoff's Amunet Black again, here's what the actress told us. And check out everything left to debut in 2017 with our fall TV premiere schedule. And our big cancellation rundown will clue you in on everything that ended this year.

Barry Allen walked off into the Speed Force at the end of Season 3, but he's coming back in Season 4 -- because let's be honest, you can't have The Flash without its titular hero -- and he's returning with more than a few issues. In fact, Iris West actress Candice Patton recently opened up and explained that Barry and Iris will have to seek some professional help when Barry finally zips back to Central City, and apparently hilarity will ensue as a result. The actress explained:

The fact that Barry and Iris will need a third party to help them work through their issues isn't necessarily surprising. After that whole ordeal last season with Savitar (who turned out to be a scarred, dark-timeline version of future Barry), they never really had a chance to unpack her survival, her killing Savitar, and everything else that happened between them, since it wasn't very long before Barry had to sacrifice himself to the Speed Force. Now, with Barry coming back (and acting pretty weird when he finally returns), they're going to need to fix a few relationship issues before they decide to move forward as a normal couple, if that description even applies to them anymore.

Despite something as dreaded as couples therapy rearing its head in the upcoming season of The Flash, it doesn't sound like the romantic issues will be nearly as severe as the problems Barry and Iris faced in previous years. Barry will have let go of a considerable amount of emotional baggage during his time away, and based on Candice Patton's comments at Heroes & Villains Fan Fest (via one attendee), it feels like these scenes will be used more to deliver laughs than straight heartfelt emotion. Think less Kramer vs. Kramer and maybe more The Odd Couple, in terms of how The Flash will approach this angle. (Barry is such an Oscar.)

Even without the funny business, it seems doubtful that this couples therapy subplot could have any significant and permanent negative impacts on the West-Allen dynamic. After all, we already know that Barry and Iris will finally tie the knot this season -- thus giving Iris the Flash-ified newspaper byline teased during The Flash's first season. (Not that we think that wedding will go smoothly, but we can hope.) Beyond that, Season 3 was so heavily influenced by the drama between these two; to keep things fresh, playing their increasingly improving relationship for laughs can allow the series to give WestAllen shippers their happiness while focusing the episodes on other issues, like Harry's diminishing sense of purpose and The Thinker's master plan.

Barry Allen and Iris West will get to work on their relationship woes when The Flash returns to The CW for Season 4 on Tuesday, October 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET (right before the Season 3 premiere of Legends of Tomorrow). That said, The Fastest Man Alive's solo series isn't the only show premiering this fall, so check out our fall premiere guide for more information on everything debuting in the next few months!

Warning! This post contains potential spoilers for Season 4 of The Flash, read at your own risk!

Many who watched the awesome Season 4 trailer for The Flash were shocked to hear Iris West giving that trademark opening monologue typically reserved for Barry Allen. After all, in a team full of metas without day jobs, why is Iris leading Team Flash when Season 4 begins? Actress Candice Patton gave fans answers at San Diego Comic-Con and our Head TV Editor Nick Venable was there to capture her responses, which start below:

While it may not be the best move career-wise for Iris West to make herself frequently absent to battle metas, Candice Patton does make a strong case for why it has to be her to step up and not someone else on the team. As we saw in the trailer, it's kind of hard for Cisco, Joe, and the rest of Team Flash to mope when the person who unquestionably misses Barry Allen the most is pushing to move on without him. As Patton states, the move seems to fit her well as fans have been showering the comment section of the trailer on YouTube begging for the crime-fighting Flashpoint Iris and Wally to make a comeback.

That's all well and good, but how will The Flash make a case for Iris being lead over veteran Team Flash members like Cisco or Harrison Wells? On paper, Iris West isn't the most experienced, strongest, or smartest on the team, but she's definitely an asset. Iris's main strength, as Candice Patton states below, is her ability to rally those around her and bring comfort in stressful situations:

Exactly how long Iris will need to lead Team Flash remains to be seen as the trailer for The Flash seemed to show them bringing our boy home already. We do have reason to suspect that whoever is in that costume is not Barry, although it seems highly unlikely that The CW would shut out Grant Gustin for an entire season. The real question is, just how long can they keep Barry in the Speed Force and keep things interesting?

If Candice Patton has an answer to how long Barry Allen will be absent, she's certainly good at hiding it. Patton artfully dodged any tells on when fans could expect to see Barry back on The Flash when answering a question regarding how he would respond to her taking control of Team Flash:

The Flash returns October 10th at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. For more on Season 4, be sure to check out Tom Cavanaugh talking about the return of Harrison Wells, or how the Arrow-verse could be way darker this season. For more regarding great shows one can watch during the summer, visit our summer premiere guide.

When The Flash brought Season 3 to a close, things were reaching status quo for this show's finales, meaning happiness was all but absent and the future looked completely out of control. Most of that had to do with Barry entering the Speed Force in order to avoid Armageddon, of course, and it sounds like Central City is going to go quite a long time without the Scarlet Speedster around to help out. According to star Candice Patton, Barry is going to be trapped in the Speed Force for over six months, and that's just the minimum.

When Season 4 arrives this fall, The Flash will apparently be taking a six-month jump forward in time, and Barry will still be caught up in his depressing Speed Force experiences for that entire span. That, in and of itself, is worth at least an hour of rapidly-mumbled conversations about how Central City is managing to cope without the rare metahuman that doesn't want to destroy everything in sight.

Of course, Wally is always around as Kid Flash, and it appears he'll be sticking with that moniker, per actor Keiynan Lonsdale's recent comments. He says he wants to experience Wally's journey as its own thing, so that he can earn any future heroic promotions, as it were. I'd imagine having to keep Central City safe for six months without Barry around is one hell of a learning experience for Wally, and even if Jesse Quick sticks around Earth-1 with her dad, it's still a tall order for the young heroes.

Not that Wally is the only West family member capable of stepping up during Barry's extended absence. (And I'm not talking about Joe, who obviously already protects the city.) Iris will likely be affected the most when The Flash returns, considering her and Barry's relationship had taken such strides in Season 3. Here's what Candice Patton told TVLine about it.

Unfortunately, Candice Patton got mum whenever she was asked about potentially taking on more heroic responsibilities within Team Flash. It would be kind of awesome for a sanity-sapped Barry to emerge from the Speed Force (by whatever means necessary) to see a costumed Iris taking down bad guys. A lot can change in six months, and if Barry's gone for even longer, it'll only create more differences.

So while we know Barry will be caught in the Speed Force for over six months, and that he'll definitely be back by the time the big four-show crossover takes place, we're still not sure when he'll emerge. The best way to find out is to stay tuned to CinemaBlend and to watch Season 4 when it debuts on The CW on Tuesday, October 10, at 8 p.m. ET. Head to our summer premiere schedule to see all the shows yet to debut and return in the coming months.

Spoiler warning for anyone who still hasn't yet watched The Flash's season finale.

When The Flash brought Season 3 to its Force-ful closing, the show used the entirety of Team Flash in bringing down the big bad Savitar. Perhaps most importantly, the superhero drama at last allowed its perma-damsel Iris West to get the upper hand on the situation when she put a bullet in Remnant-Barry. And here's what actress Candice Patton had to say about that big finale.

Preach it, Candice Patton! For years now, fans like us have been clamoring for The Flash to spin a winning character arc out of the first half of the iconic West-Allen pairing. And yet each time it seemed like Iris might be allowed out of her ever-threatened cocoon, the show just put her right back in the crosshairs of another dangerous villain. Season 3 was the epitome of that pigeon-holed approach, with the bulk of everyone's actions going toward saving her from a future death at Savitar's metalloid hands. (When she could have just skipped town without telling anyone.)

Thankfully, when Candice Patton shows up in the finale's behind-the-scenes video seen below, she's immediately talking about how sweet it is that Iris was the character that got to kill Savitar. Without going on any tangents accusing Team Flash of botching this victory by not just shooting Savitar inside S.T.A.R. Labs earlier in the episode, we're just going to hope that Andrew Kreisberg and the rest of the creative team have learned from Iris' past seasons. And that by the time all the problems from next season comes around, she'll look a lot more like her Earth-2 counterpart than her Season 1 memory. The children need to be inspired, people!

There are a ton of characters from The Flash and Arrow that we never want to see again, but Iris the Badass definitely is not one of those. She's always welcome. You can check out the whole video below, which also features Tom Cavanagh getting goofy with Tom Felton.

The Flash has been renewed for Season 4 already, so we know that it'll only be another four or five months until we get to see the Scarlet Speedster possibly back in action on The CW. And if you're looking to catch up with everything that happened in Season 3, you won't have long to wait to stream it all on Netflix. In the meantime, you can check out our summer TV schedule to see what all the other new and returning shows coming to TV are.

Spoilers below for the most recent episodes of The Flash.

The Flash most recently pit the Scarlett Speedster and his heroic team against an army of sentient gorillas, setting further "anything can happen" precedents, and we're just a few weeks away from the musical crossover with Supergirl, which looks to be as baffling as anything the Arrow-verse has provided thus far. And while we knew a few details, such as the episode's villain and who was cast for "Duet," the actual subject matter has eluded fans. But now we know the episode will be putting a strong focus on one character in particular: Iris. According to co-showrunner Aaron Helbing.

Considering the whole crux of The Flash's current narrative is Barry saving Iris from a future death at Savitar's...hands?...it feels like every episode of the CW drama should have Iris super-involved in some way. One could easily assume a musical episode would be so gimmicky that the creative team would sidestep the overarching plot to deliver something more standalone and frothy, but The Flash apparently isn't going that route, which is great. I mean, assuming Iris isn't being used in some ridiculous way that has zero to do with her impending death, or lack thereof.

Especially considering Barry ended "Attack on Central City" by asking Iris to marry him, which should make everything coming up in their lives more important than everything in the past. Speaking of the past, though, set photos from the episode indicate a trip back to a time about 70 or so years ago, although without any big details given, it's hard to know what to make of that. Beyond a general hope that Jesse L. Martin owns his own jazz and blues lounge, for which he performs 24/7. I could use some singing narration from Joe.

There were hints that the episode, which will feature Glee alum Darren Criss as the classic Flash comic book villain Music Meister, would have Central City's key non-damsel in the spotlight, as shared by Aaron Helbing when talking to TVLine. One of them came from star Candice Patton herself, once production on the episode began.

A lot of familiar faces will show up during "Duet," so it'll be interesting to see how Iris factors into it all. Expect to see John Barrowman's Malcolm Merlyn and Victor Garber's Martin Stein showing up, as well as Jeremy Jordan's Winn Schott. Not to mention Melissa Benoist's Supergirl, who was kind of a gimme.

The Flash airs Tuesday nights on The CW, with the big musical extravaganza coming Tuesday, March 21, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Be sure to have your kazoos and tap shoes at the ready, and head to our midseason premiere schedule to see what else is coming to the small screen in the near future.

No matter how hard you try, you can’t outrun destiny. Amid all of his romantic entanglements over the course of The Flash's first two seasons, Barry Allen’s heart continues to truly belong to his surrogate sister Iris West. Audiences have watched their relationship develop as the show has progressed, but now it seems that Barry’s recent incursion to Earth 2 will have a major impact on the nature of their feelings for one another.

Actress Candice Patton explained to TVLine how recent events in the alternate universe will forever change her dynamic with Barry back home:

The more they hear about how they will end up together, the more they start to believe that it must be true. In a way, it sort of gets back to how Barry described the Earth 2 doppelgangers of his loved ones: no matter what Earth it is, they are the same people. Iris knows that she has a future with Barry on Earth One, and on Earth Two they have become a happily married couple. They’ve tried to deny or bury their feelings for one another, but at the end of the day, they’re starting to see that fate is unavoidable

So much is different on Earth 2, from the stunted relationship between Barry and Joe to the fact that Floyd Lawton is not only alive, but a loyal officer of the Central City Police Department who can’t shoot worth a damn. Despite the fact that everything on this new Earth looks and feels so utterly different from what our heroes have become used to, the relationship between Barry and Iris somehow remains consistent across time and space.

All that being said, none of this means we will see our Barry and Iris get together any time soon. The Flash has done an exemplary job of planting seeds for potential storylines without committing to fleshing any of them out in the near future. We've seen instances of this before; for example, the Season 1 finale provided glimpses of the Flash Museum and Barry Allen behind bars. These plot points both have precedents in the comics, but won’t necessary be addressed this season, or potentially even next season. Although it’s a show revolving around the fastest man alive, The Flash has taken its sweet time allowing the romance between Barry and Iris to flourish, and we have to say it’s been better because of its restraint.

We will keep you up to date on the latest and greatest Flash news as it becomes available to us. This week’s episode will see Earth 2 Barry and Iris attempting to rescue Earth 1 Barry from the clutches of Zoom, so we can easily expect to see their dynamic explored even further. The Flash airs Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.

Those who are up to date on CW's Arrow know that Barry Allen -- a.k.a. the eventual Flash -- had been hitting it off with the lovely Felicity Smoak during his visits to Starling. But as there's been no word of Felicity making any kind of permanent departure from Starling to Central City (Olicity fans' heads might explode if that were the case) it's probably safe to assume things aren't meant to last between those two, especially assuming the Flash pilot goes to series. So that leaves an opening for a love interest in the mentioned spinoff, and it appears that's been filled by the lovely Candice Patton, who ha sheen cast to play Iris West.

Those familiar with the comics know that Iris is Barry Allen's eventual wife, however there's no telling whether or not the potential Flash series intends on following that particular arc. However, THR does say that the character becomes a love interest for Barry. She's also a grad student who is Barry's quick-witted best friend and the daughter of Jesse L. Martin's Detective West.

Spoilers ahead about Barry Allen if you're not caught up on Arrow!

Grant Gustin has already appeared on Arrow a couple of times as Barry Allen, introducing the character that will be at the center of the Flash spinoff. At present, Barry Allen is still in a coma after the lightning storm that affected Central City. From what we know, Felicity is still concerned for Barry's wellbeing enough to visit him in the hospital. It seems likely that the arc between Felicity and Barry will be resolved and presumably concluded, as I can't see them having a long-distance relationship that crossed over between Arrow and Flash on a regular basis. That is, assuming Flash goes to series, which it hopefully will. In which case, it seems like Iris is the potential long-term love interest for the character. And that's just as well, as it sounds like Barry has a close connection with Jesse L. Martin's Detective West, both on a professional and personal level.

Candice Patton's credits include the role of Tori on The Game, as well as appearances in Rizzoli & Isles, CSI: Miami, Harry's Law and Grey's Anatomy. In Flash, she joins Gustin, Martin and the recently cast Rick Cosnett and Danielle Panabaker. CW will likely determine the fate of this drama by the Spring up fronts, if not sooner. Given how long we've known about the drama, we'll hopefully be hearing good news about its future in the near future. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, check out the preview for tomorrow night's Arrow here.