The Final Snyderverse Project (For Now) Is A Sequel You've Probably Never Even Heard Of

Remember the DC Extended Universe? Wow, that was a wild ride, wasn't it? 

From 2013 to 2023, Warner Bros. put out a series of interconnected superhero films based on characters from DC Comics, and they caused a teapot-sized tempest in the popular consciousness. There is still some controversy over the quality of Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," the Superman flick that kicked off the series. I needn't go into the kerfuffle over the two different cuts of Snyder's "Justice League." The DCEU ended in 2023 after 15 movies. The final film in the series was James Wan's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," which ended on a scene of Patrick Wilson eating a bug. It was a fitting ending to a bloated and forgettable film series. 

Of historical note, though: one of the bigger box office fiascos of the last decade came from the DCEU. Andy Muschietti's 2023 film "The Flash," starring the controversial Ezra Miller, was made for a whopping $220 million, as it was subjected to reshoots and reworked special effects, causing its budget to balloon. It only made $271 million, making it a massive bomb. The film sported a parallel universe plot that allowed familiar actors from a previous generation's superhero movies to appear, and the brazen fan service was already stale; many superhero flicks were already doing multiverse stories.

What many people may not be aware of, though, is that "The Flash" had a sequel. It wasn't a movie, but an audio drama series called "The Flash: Escape to Midnight Circus." It was written and directed by Harry Loevner, and was released on July 10, 2023, only about a month after the release of Muschietti's movie. It's set a few years after "The Flash," however, making it the final chapter, chronologically, in the DCEU.

"The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus" starred the same characters seen in "The Flash," but played by an all-new cast of actors. The Flash himself was played by Max Greenfield, while the character of Iris, played by Kiersey Clemons in the movie, was now played by Shalita Grant. "Escape the Midnight Circus" also had a small role for the Blue Beetle, a character that would star in his own movie a few months after the audio drama's release. Blue Beetle was played by Gadiel Del Orbe. In the movie, he would be played by Xolo Maridueña. "Circus" also featured a few lesser-known DC Comics villains like Captain Cold (Bruce Thomas).

The series spanned six episodes that ran 15 to 21 minutes each. When collected, they spanned about 93 minutes in toto. The story followed Barry Allen, aka The Flash, after he became one of Central City's favorite superheroes. Like Spider-Man before him, though, his job as a superhero has alienated his girlfriend, Iris. The Flash, as we all know, can run so fast that he can travel through time and even pass into parallel universes. In his attempts to go back in time and fix his relationship, however, the Flash accidentally falls into a parallel universe where he has no superpowers. 

In this new parallel universe, people and superheroes alike are regularly recruited to take part in a televised bloodsport event called the Midnight Circus. The Flash finds himself having to face off against parallel versions of people he knows, as well as face a few random villains besides. 

The show is available where one finds their favorite podcasts, and was included on the "The Flash" Blu-rays.

The story is just as crazy as anything seen in any of the DCEU movies, only easier to accept because it's in audio form. "Escape the Midnight Circus," as mentioned, takes place after Muschietti's film but doesn't involve the film's characters of General Zod, Supergirl (as portrayed by Sasha Calle), or any of that film's three Batmen. It's kind of a fun standalone adventure story for a character whose movie kind of stunk. It is a little frustrating that the Flash came to be known for his multidimensional powers and not his ability to run fast; the character got too powerful too quickly. 

Sadly, like everything else in the DCEU, "Escape the Midnight Circus" was erased when Warner Bros. decided to wipe the slate clean and reboot their superhero series. As of 2025, audiences now have to contend with the DC Universe, or DCU, overseen by James Gunn, the director of the DCEU film "The Suicide Squad." 2025 saw the release of "Superman," and "Supergirl" is slated for release in July of 2026. The following October, the DCU will see the release of "Clayface," a movie about an obscure Batman villain. Time will tell if audiences have any interest; superhero universes seem like a thing of the past. 

"Escape the Midnight Circus" feels like a lost curio, an ancillary project from a now-forgotten part of pop history. And it was less than three years ago. The world seemed eager to put the Snyderverse in the past. The only holdouts have been a very small but very vocal group who really, really loved "Man of Steel" back in the day. 

They can comfort themselves with "Escape the Midnight Circus," something they likely haven't listened to yet.