The CW’s “The Flash” has found its big bad for the show’s upcoming fifth season — Chris Klein (“American Pie,” “Election”) has signed on to play the supervillain Cicada, it was announced Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con 2018.
Described as a grizzled, blue-collar everyman whose family has been torn apart by metahumans, Cicada now seeks to exterminate the epidemic — one metahuman at a time.
First introduced in DC Comics in 2001 and created by Scott Kolins and Geoff Johns, Cicada is an apparent immortal who murdered his wife during a thunderstorm sometime in the early twentieth century. Filled with regret, he tried to kill himself, only to be struck by lightning, which gave him a vision that he’d live forever and bring his wife back to life. Years later, he formed a cult that murders people saved by The Flash, stealing their energy in order to prolong his own life.
Per “The Flash” Season 4 logline, after out-thinking The Thinker, you’d hope that Barry Allen aka The Flash (Grant Gustin) might have some down time to contemplate his future with his new wife, Iris (Candice Patton). But with their speedster daughter from the future, Nora (new series regular Jessica Parker Kennedy), already grown and a part of their lives, they’ve now got to face Central City’s newest menace — the DC Super-Villain Cicada!
“The Flash” season five premieres Tuesday, October 9, at 8/7c on The CW. The show is executive produced by Greg Berlanti, Todd Helbing, Sarah Schechter and Eric Wallace.
19 Stars Who Went to Comic-Con in Disguise, From Ben Affleck to Lupita Nyong'o (Photos)
Since Comic-Con is a hotbed of superfans, stars like to go into stealth mode in order to experience the fun. See the celebrities who have walked in disguise at the annual fan fete in San Diego, California.
In 2011, Esquire magazine writer Chris Jones accompanied Justin Timberlake at Comic-Con dressed as beloved "Sesame Street" duo Bert and Ernie, respectively.
Twitter
While attending 2011's Comic-Con to promote "The Amazing Spider-Man," Andrew Garfield pulled a double-fake by dressing as... Spider-Man.
Getty Images
Former "Doctor Who" star Matt Smith put on a Bart Simpson mask to walk the floor at the 2013 event.
YouTube
Bryan Cranston surprised his co-stars at a "Breaking Bad" panel in 2013 with a creepily realistic Walter White mask.
Getty Images
Former Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe left his invisibility cloak at home and donned a Spider-Man costume to attend the 2014 Comic-Con.
In 2014, "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson posted pics of himself on Facebook strolling through San Diego as an evil jester.
Facebook
Jack Black walked the floor of the 2014 event wearing a Stormtrooper mask but admitted that he didn't fool many people. "Everybody's just like, 'Jack Black, you in there?'" he told MTV News. "And I'm like 'No, it's not me. I don't know what you're talking about.'"
MTV
Samuel L. Jackson mysteriously tweeted this bemasked shot of himself with his castmates from "Kingsman: The Secret Service" in 2014.
Twitter
According to science blogger Phil Plait, "Mythbusters" host Adam Savage built this elaborate costume for the 2014 event.
Twitter
Former "Hills" star Audrina Patridge went blue as the X-Men character Mystique at the 2014 convention.
Instagram
Simon Pegg put a "Star Wars" mask on top of his "Shaun of the Dead" outfit for the 2014 Comic-Con.
Twitter
"Game of Thrones" actress Maisie Williams went all out for the 2014 convention, putting on both a Spider-Man mask as well as a Guy Fawkes disguise.
Instagram
Marvel star Mark Ruffalo pulled on this creepy mask to wander Comic-Con in 2015.
Facebook
While there were plenty of fans who dressed as Jared Leto's green-haired Joker at the 2015 Comic-Con, the "Suicide Squad" star himself went undercover in a baboon mask. "He had no idea. :)" the star wrote in his Instagram caption.
Big-screen Superman Henry Cavill put on a Guy Fawkes mask and walked the convention floor in 2016 -- and even fooled Will Smith and other stars of DC Comics' "Suicide Squad."
When she wasn't promoting "Black Panther" in Hall H, Lupita Nyong'o went running around the convention floor in a Pink Ranger outfit at Comic-Con 2017.
Twitter/Lupita Nyong'o
"Batman" star Ben Affleck avoided Batman questions in 2017 by walking around the convention floor in a Sesame Street shirt and a hideous green mask.
In 2018, Mark Hamill hid among fans on the convention floor disguised as a First Order stormtrooper. nd yes, he joked about Leia’s infamous “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?” line in his Instagram post.
Instagram
1 of 20
Celebrities avoid the mad crush by going undercover at the San Diego fan event
Since Comic-Con is a hotbed of superfans, stars like to go into stealth mode in order to experience the fun. See the celebrities who have walked in disguise at the annual fan fete in San Diego, California.