Flash Forward

Ezra Miller, best known for his roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and We Have to Talk About Kevin, will be speeding to screens in 2018 in DC Universe's The Flash. The news marks the first time an openly queer actor has been cast to play a superhero movie's title role. He's also the first out actor to be cast as a superhero in a major comics franchise.

Ellen Page was cast as Kitty Pryde in the X-Men films, but before coming out in 2014; Ian McKellen, out since 1988, also takes a major role in that series, but as supervillain Magneto. And Neil Patrick Harris voiced Nightwing and Matt Bomer voiced Superman for animated films, while Angelina Jolie played Tomb Raider's Lara Croft, (who is more Indiana Jones than Wonder Woman).

"I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders," Miller told Out in 2012. "I am very much in love with no one in particular. I've been trying to figure out relationships, you know?"

The announcement from Warner Bros. was also accompanied by the news that the studio would be releasing 11 films based on other DC Universe characters between 2016 and 2020, including a stand-alone movie for Aquaman and several Justice League films. Audiences might catch a glimpse of Miller as the new Flash in some of the earlier films (possibly Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016) before making his solo turn as the Crimson Comet in 2018.

On the following pages, look back at some of Miller's previous roles.