Speed Casting: Five Actors Who Should Play The Flash

With the news that Bradley Cooper will not be playing the Flash and Ryan Reynolds already busy with two other comic book franchises, who's left to play the Scarlet Speedster? As a public service to help keep the Sentient Pile of Pudding Known as Sam Worthington away from the role, Movieline is happy to present the five best actors to play the Flash.

Neil Patrick Harris: He's already got a fair amount of Flash experience under his belt from voicing the character in the Justice League animated movie, plus he's got the quick, dexterous wit that any good Flash needs. Plus, it's 2010; isn't time we have an openly gay actor play a superhero?

Justin Timberlake: He allegedly auditioned for the Green Lantern, but I think the Flash is a much better costumed crusader for JT to play. Covered in a head to toe bright red costume, you need an actor with a truckload of charm and personality to not seem ridiculous, and The Social Network

proved that Timberlake's got screen presence to spare.

Joel McHale: The paintball episode of Community already showed that McHale's certainly got the body to play a superhero and can handle any action trope thrown at him with aplomb. Besides, don't we need the guy that fights villains like Mirror Master, Weather Wizard and Captain Cold to have a sense of humor?

Ryan Gosling: An incredibly talented actor, he's got the perfect combination of talent, charm and physicality. But he's poo-pooed the idea of acting in a comic book movie, preferring to stay in his super-indie movies. Which is swell, but accumulating a little box office clout might help getting his next NC-17 flick a decent shot at the box office. Even Marlon Brando did Superman, bud.

Kieran Culkin: Wait, wait; hear me out! One of the best parts of Scott Pilgrim, he's an undeniably magnetic actor who knows his way around both drama and comedy. Sure, he's a whisper-thin lad, but the Flash does nothing but run around all day - have you seen what a marathon runner looks like? Besides, he's got enough off-kilter, weirdo charm to fit in well with the Silence of the Lambs aesthetic that the producers seem to be foolishly going for.