The CW’s The Flash has snagged Dawson’s Creek star John Wesley Shipp, who played The Flash in the early 1990s CBS television series, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
In Flash, Shipp will guest star in the pilot playing a mysterious character. However, if Flash receives a series order, Shipp’s role would expand to recurring status.
Shipp joins a cast that includes Tom Cavanagh as physics “rock star” Harrison Wells; Jesse L. Martin as Detective West; Candice Patton as West’s daughter and Barry’s love interest Iris; Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow, a bioengineering expert; and Rick Cosnett as Detective Eddie Thawne. This leaves one main role open: Hartley Rathaway.
In addition, Grant Gustin stars as Barry Allen/The Flash in The CW pilot, which serves as an origin story similar in vein to Arrow. Barry — introduced in Arrow‘s two-part winter finale in December — is a Central City assistant police forensic investigator who visits Starling City to look into a series of unexplained robberies that may have a connection to a tragedy in his past. Through a freak accident, he is given the power of super speed that transforms him into the fastest man alive.
In the Warner Bros. TV’s spinoff of Arrow, Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and director David Nutter from Arrow will serve as executive producers and Berlanti, Kreisberg and DC Entertainment’s Geoff Johns will write the pilot script, with Nutter directing. Melissa Kellner Berman will serve as co-executive producer.
Originally, Flash was slated for a backdoor pilot on Arrow airing in the second half of the season, similar to how The Vampire Diaries helped launch spinoff The Originals last year.
CBS’ The Flash only aired 22 episodes during their 1990’s season before getting the ax after struggling against tough competition from Fox and NBC’s strong Thursday primetime lineups before being relegated to Saturdays.
Shipp, repped by Stewart Talent, starred as patriarch Mitch Leery in Dawson’s Creek and most recently recurred on MTV’s Teen Wolf as Isaac’s father.