With The Flash film in production, it finally looks like Barry Allen will be getting a bigger role in the DCEU moving forward, meaning more characters from The Flash comics may be on the way too. A fan-favorite villain has always been Eobard Thawne, otherwise known as Reverse-Flash.
Reverse-Flash is known as the man who murdered The Flash’s mother, Nora Allen, and set the hero down the path to becoming the fastest man alive. With the antagonist for The Flash still unknown to fans, it could be very likely that the title may already belong to Reverse-Flash. But who could possibly fill the shoes of the iconic villain? These are five actors that could take on the role of Barry Allen’s greatest enemy.
Tom Cavanagh
There are some obvious choices for Eobard, the most blatant of them being Tom Cavanagh. The Canadian actor has been around for decades but had a resurgence when he was introduced as Harrison Wells on the CW’s The Flash. In the show, Wells was a mentor and father figure to Barry Allen but ultimately was revealed to be Eobard Thawne.
If the DCEU wants to introduce Reverse-Flash in the same way, Tom would be a no-brainer, as he can bring an empathetic side to the villain while still being able to strike fear in viewers. With the recent news that Cavanagh will be leaving the show after its seventh season, he wouldn’t be tied down by filming the series and could be open to starting new projects. Whether or not he’d be willing to play the character again for the DCEU is another question.
C. Thomas Howell
Another person familiar with Reverse-Flash’s story and characterization is C. Thomas Howell. Howell has voiced the villain in numerous DC animated films such as Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay. He already has the voice of Eobard Thawne down, growly, taunting, and all-knowing.
With the experience he already has, Howell could easily translate his voice work to the screen. Besides voicing a villain, he also spent years on a recurring role on the CBS series Criminal Minds as a notorious killer named “The Boston Reaper” who terrorized the main cast for seasons.
Glenn Howerton
This pick may seem a little out of left field, but it just might be wild enough to work. Glenn Howerton is primarily a comedic actor, known for his decade-spanning role as the hilarious yet terrifying Dennis Reynolds in the series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Peacock series A.P Bio but has dramatic chops to spare and could definitely portray a villain on the level of Eobard Thawne.
The Julliard graduate is frequently dark with his comedy, going places other actors won’t. He is also not a stranger to superhero films, auditioning to play Star-Lord in Guardians Of The Galaxy and even being director James Gunn’s second pick for the role after Chris Pratt. Howerton could bring a playful, yet sinister layer to Reverse-Flash, creating an interesting mirror for Barry Allen.
Jared Padalecki
Another veteran actor for the CW — the home of DC shows like Legends of Tomorrow and Arrow — Jared Padalecki spent fifteen long years acting alongside Jensen Ackles as Sam Winchester in the smash-hit show Supernatural. Besides his role as Sam, Padalecki has only had bit parts in films and television shows muttered across his career (except for playing Dean Forrester in Gilmore Girls for a few years in the early 2000s.)
He seems to be going back to the CW well, though, with his role as Cordell Walker in the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot. But now that his time as a Winchester is over — and left out of a spin-off — it just might be the perfect time for Jared to pick up something new and challenging, like playing a villain. There’s no doubt that he has the talent for it, just whether or not he is given a chance to do it.
Justin Hartley
It’s clear that Justin Hartley has all the makings of a superhero, or in this case, supervillain. Attractive and charming, the actor has been in the Emmy-winning NBC series This Is Us for five years. He also has been involved with previous iterations of DC.
Hartley portrayed Oliver Queen, better known as The Arrow, on Smallville for years and is voicing different versions of Superman and in the upcoming Injustice animated film. He was even rumored for the role of Barry Allen for CW’s The Flash back in 2013. Besides his previous connections to DC, Hartley also looks very similar to the comics’ portrayal of Eobard Thawne, with his blond hair and striking features.