The Flash season 8: release date, cast, plot and latest news
Grant Gustin's hit series is continuing an impressive run.
The Flash is gearing up to start work on its eighth season, which looks set to be the most explosive yet for Barry Allen and his metahuman friends.
Showrunner Eric Wallace has been busy stoking up anticipation for the next chapter in the DC Comics drama, which will kick off with a five-part event storyline that will enlist guest stars from across the Arrowverse.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the executive producer teased that there are no restrictions on who could appear, so fans will be waiting with bated breath to find out if their favourite gets a surprise cameo.
"I will say the whole gambit is open — it's wide open," Wallace revealed. "We are considering literally every character from every Arrowverse show to potentially come and play with us for part of this five-part special event."
The opening storyline has been described as a "temporary replacement" for the epic crossover events that have shaken up the Arrowverse lately, which aren't currently possible due to pandemic restrictions.
Amid rumours that the long-running show could be coming to an end, Wallace stated that he believes there's scope for it to continue for "several more seasons", but nothing has been confirmed just yet.
Read on for everything we know so far about The Flash season eight on The CW and Sky One, including UK air date, cast, and plot spoilers.
The Flash season 8 release date
The Flash season eight will premiere on US broadcaster The CW on Tuesday 16th November, roughly one month later than its usual October launch date.
This delay is due to the show's production cycle being out of its usual pattern, after the coronavirus pandemic saw production on the seventh season delayed until late 2020, with filming ultimately not wrapping until late June 2021.
In order to give the cast enough time to recuperate from the intense work that goes into the show, The Flash season eight won't start shooting until September 2021.
However, this later start could well work in the show's favour, as The CW is planning a five-part event story to kick-start The Flash's next run – hinting at plenty of guest stars from across the shared DC universe.
“The idea for The Flash is, [showrunner] Eric Wallace and Greg [Berlanti, exec producer] have come together and are talking about other superheroes from the CW-verse who will come together in each individual episode,” said The CW boss Mark Pedowitz (via Deadline).
"It will not be quite be a crossover but will have a crossover-type feel and the introduction of all these characters."
The Flash's UK air date has historically been just a few weeks after the US, although for season seven, Sky One chose to hold the episodes for approximately three months and could do so again.
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The Flash season 8 cast
Grant Gustin will return to lead the cast of The Flash once again in season eight, portraying the eponymous speedster and his civilian alter-ego Barry Allen.
After some brief uncertainty, Deadline has now confirmed that co-stars Jesse L Martin, Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker will also be reprising their roles as Joe West, Iris West-Allen and Dr Caitlin Snow respectively.
Their contracts were due to expire at the end of season seven, which would have given them an opportunity to leave the show, but it appears they are keen to see their characters continue.
However, The Flash will be missing two of its original cast members when it returns to television, as Carlos Valdes and Tom Cavanagh have opted to leave the long-running show to pursue other projects.
However, for one of them at least, it might not be a definitive goodbye, as Cavanagh has hinted he would return to The Flash at some point down the line, telling TV Line he isn't "completely" leaving the show.
"Flash is always going to need Reverse Flash, and that’s who I play," he said. "I think we’re always aware that that guy, the antihero, the guy’s real nemesis is always going to be out there lurking, which allows me to leave the show without completely leaving the show, in a good way.
"It’s always a little more heartbreaking to leave a thing that you’ve spent a lot of time doing when you know that it’s game over and you’re not going to see anybody again. This is kind of the best of both worlds, and I’m grateful for that."
Also likely to return for season eight are Brandon McKnight and Kayla Compton as Chester P Runk and and Allegra Garcia, who were both instrumental in creating a new Speed Force in season seven.
The Flash season 8 plot
Little is known about the plot of The Flash season eight just yet, beyond the fact that the next batch of episodes will open with a five-part event story that will have a "crossover-type feel".
Guest stars from across the Arrowverse are expected to appear, but it is yet to be confirmed exactly which heroes we can expect to cross paths with Team Flash.
In an interview with TVLine, The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace discussed what his top priorities are for storylines heading into season eight.
He said: "Barry and Iris are happier than ever, but also because they’re super happy, now they have to face the greatest challenge ever, because we have to resolve, 'What’s up with her time sickness? What’s up with Dion? What’s up with those green eyes that we saw in Episode 16?'
"That’s a problem that’s still got to get solved, and you’ll never imagine where it goes. It’s going to be amazing," Wallace teased.
The executive producer went on to say that one of the next season's new antagonists will be the "biggest and most powerful villain" that Barry Allen has ever faced, renewing the show's commitment to upping the ante each time.
Returning villains have also been teased, which is particularly exciting following the surprise return of Tom Cavanagh's Eobard Thawne (aka Reverse Flash) in the season seven finale.
The actor has technically departed the show as a series regular, but has previously hinted that he would return to it in the future when the time was right.
Of course, It won't just be non-stop action, as The Flash has also built up a fanbase on soapier stories about its characters and the bonds that tie them together, with romantic subplots coming to the forefront in season eight.
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"We’re going to see a few more relationships blossoming in season eight of The Flash than we’ve seen in the last two years," Wallace told Deadline.
"I won’t say with what characters, but let’s just say romance is going to be in the air in a very bizarre way, in the middle and back half of our season. It’s going to be really fun, and you might even see some old, familiar faces from our first few seasons of the show."
The Flash season 8 trailer
There's no trailer for The Flash season eight just yet, with filming not due to start until September. RadioTimes.com predicts we'll see early footage in mid to late October, shortly before the premiere date.
The Flash season 8 premieres on The CW in November. Looking for something else to watch? Check out more of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
