In the aftermath of the Arrowverese's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, the entire concept of reboots has been effectively nullified in DC films and TV shows. Based on the eponymous DC Comics story line,Crisis on Infinite Earthswould prove to be as sprawling and all-encompassing a crossover as the CW has ever done. It would also mark a pivotal turning point for the Arrowverse itself.
Crisis would see Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow becoming the Spectre and sacrificing himself for the sake ofthe Multiverse. With Oliver's death, it would also bring the launching pad for the whole Arrowverse continuity itself to an end, withArrowwrapping up after two more episodes following Crisis(though the show's prospective continuation, Green Arrow and the Canaries, still hasn't been officially greenlit yet.)However, the effects on DC's various film and television properties wouldn't stop there.
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Put simply, Crisis on Infinite Earthswould establisha massive DC Multiverse by sprinkling references and character appearances from throughout its big and small screen libraries. With the sheer amount ofmaterial incorporated into the crossover,Crisiswould also send an unexpected message aboutthe many individual DC adaptations that have been produced over the years. Specifically, that when it comes to all things DC, the term "reboot" no longer carries any weight.
As it was produced as part of the Arrowverse, Crisis on Infinite Earthsprimarily takes the perspective of the various characters and series therein. With some of theindividual series existing in separate continuities from the others, Crisisalso served to unify all the individual Arrowverse showsinto a single reality (along with the remainder of Arrow's story). However, even this only scratches the surface of just how much DC materialwas featured onthe crossover.
In addition to the Arrowverse shows, Crisis on Infinite Earths also included a wide range of other DCmovies and TV shows, with the most prominent being an appearance by Tom Welling as the Clark Kent seen on the long-running seriesSmallville,Brandon Routh returning as the Man of Steel fromSuperman Returns(with Routh's portrayal itself being a continuation of Christopher Reeve's), and a verysurprisingEzra Miller cameo as the big screen version of The Flash from the DCEU. Other DC properties also received smaller but nevertheless noteworthy shoutouts in Crisis,includingthe 1960sBatmanseries, Tim Burton'sBatman, and the DC Universe streaming showsTitans, Doom Patrol, and Swamp Thing, among others. By including such a huge volume of DC content, Crisis on Infinite Earths served tocommunicate the relevance of all of them to the larger DC Multiverse, but it would send another message with a few of the continuities it featured.
One particularly noteworthy aspectabout Crisis on Infinite Earthsis the number of the DC properties it includes that have previously had the reset button hit on them. The most obvious example isSuperman Returns, whichdebuted in theaters in 2006, only for Superman to be rebooted on the big screen with 2013's Man of Steel. That didn't stop Crisisfrom giving Brandon Routh's Kal-El a significant role on the crossover, right alongside Routh's Arrowverse role as Ray Palmer aka The Atom.
Crisiswould also touch upon other DC films and television series that have also been rebooted or otherwise discontinued, such as inthe early reference the '60sBatmanserieswith Burt Ward's cameo. DC Universe's Swamp Thing was also barely into its run before being canceled, only for Crisisto include it in its final round-up of the various realities within the DC Multiverse, while the early 2000s Birds of PreyTV series was also worked into Crisis. Furthermore, 2005's Batman Beginswould essentially serve as the progenitor of contemporary reboots, yet Robert Wuhl would be seen reprising his role of Alexander Knox from Tim Burton's 1989 Batman movie mere moments into Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Additionally, the crossover would also continue the Arrowverse role of John Wesley Shipp's early '90s Barry Allen, following his appearance in the previous Arrowverse crossover Elseworlds, whileCrisis even managed to work in the'60s animated series Super Friends into its final scene. By featuringreferences big and small to so many disconnected DC adaptations, Crisis on Infinite Earths would not only establish a massive Multiverse umbrella, but it would also make a statement on the very concept of reboots as they now relate to DC.
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By making Crisis on Infinite Earths so incredibly inclusive of such a wide range of previously unrelated DC properties, thecrossover has alsoestablished something significant for DC'slegacy on the big and small screens. Specifically, by resurrecting both films and television shows that had previously had their stories come to a close, and establishing them as existing in a cohesive Multiverse with other DC continuities, Crisis on Infinite Earths has effectively "de-booted" numerous DC properties while positioning them as being relevant alongside those that are still ongoing.In a nutshell, the term "reboot" essentially no longer applies when it comes to DC.
In aftermath of Crisis, any DC movie ortelevision production can now be plugged into any continuity ofits choosing, or none at all. Whether one chooses to exist within the Arrowverse or DCEU continuities or go the Joker route and position itself as its own unique entity, the existence of one now doesn't cancel out any others. Additionally, Ezra Miller and Grant Gustin's respective versions of Barry Allen having definitively acknowledged each other opens a world of possibilities all on its own, on top of dovetailing withcomments Miller had made regarding The Flash moviein an interview prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths.
With every individual DC theatrical or televised story line referenced within Crisis, the Multiverse that the crossover has established has given DC movies andtelevisionseries a huge degree of creative license when it comes to continuity. Each individual DC franchise can essentially do its own thing with or without crossing over with or acknowledging the existence of any others. On top of that, by resurrecting numerous DC continuities that had already come to an end and allowing them to intermingle with those that are still ongoing, the notion of reboots, when it comes to DC, is now a completely moot point as a result ofCrisis On Infinite Earths.
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Growing up, Brad developed an innate love of movies and storytelling, and was instantly enamored with the world of adventure while following the exploits of Indiana Jones, Japanese kaiju, and superheroes. Today, Brad channels his thoughts on all manner of movies, from comic book films, sci-fi thrillers, comedies, and everything in between through his writings on Screen Rant. Brad also offers philosophical musings on martial arts and the filmographies of everyone from Jackie Chan to Donnie Yen on Kung Fu Kingdom, where he's also had the privilege of interviewing many of the world's great stunt professionals, and hearing plenty of gripping stories on injuries incurred in their line of work and the intricacies of designing the acts of death defiance he first thrilled to as a youngster. When he's not writing, Brad enjoys going on a ride with the latest action hit or Netflix original, though he's also known to just pop in "The Room" from time to time. Follow Brad on Twitter @BradCurran.
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DC Movie & TV Reboots Are Meaningless After Crisis On Infinite Earths - Screen Rant
