Despite the massive behind-the-scenes trouble for The Flash, director Andy Muschietti is still proud of the DCEU film. The Flash was a high-profile, troubled production, having gone through multiple directors and release dates, all while star Ezra Miller was generating headlines about abuse and assault allegations. By the time the movie raced into theaters on Jun. 16, 2023, the DCEU was on the way out as James Gunn began work on his new DCU. The Flash bombed at the box office and, despite a mixed critical reaction, became a go-to punching bag for superhero and movie fans, considered by many a low point in the superhero genre.
Speaking with The Playlist about the upcoming It: Welcome to Derry television series, director Andy Muschietti touched on The Flash and how he is still proud of his DC entry. When asked about the film’s fallout and if it had any impact on his confidence, Muschietti said, “No, we just moved on and understood that sometimes there’s a headwind and a project that you dedicated a lot of work to and we’re very proud of it. I think it’s a good movie.”
Muschietti later went on to say that some people wrote off the movie without seeing it, but he also understands, given the controversy around Ezra Miller. This was one of the few times the director has spoken about the actor since the movie’s release. Muschietti said:
“A lot of people did not see it. But you know how things are these days, like people don’t see things, but they like to talk s— about it, and they like to jump on bandwagons. They don’t really know. People are angry for reasons that are unrelated to these things. Of course, we had a publicity crisis with Ezra that is undeniable. And I’m not questioning that.
But yeah, we love the movie. And actually, we really recommend it. This may seem immaterial now, but we also had so much support from the studio, really, at a point where they could have been like, you know, backing out because of all the issues we were having with publicity. And they went all in, and we all went all in, and again, we love the movie. We, you know, we gave it our blood, sweat, and tears all the way to the end and I watched it, like a week ago, and loved it again.”
The Fallout of ‘The Flash’
Despite everything working against The Flash, Warner Bros. and DC bet big on the film. David Zaslav, James Gunn, and even Tom Cruise gave glowing endorsements to the movie before it opened in theaters. While not a glowing score, The Flash‘s 63% Rotten Tomatoes score was actually higher than the likes of Black Adam, Suicide Squad, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. However, with a reported $220 million budget, the movie grossed only $271.4 million worldwide, becoming an even bigger flop than 2011’s Green Lantern.
Upon its release, The Flash was widely criticized for poor CGI and, particularly, the film’s third act, which featured CGI deepfake cameos of deceased actors like George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, and Adam West. Many felt like this was an excuse to generate applause moments and was in poor taste regarding reanimating deceased actors. However, some did enjoy The Flash, particularly Sasha Calle’s portrayal of Supergirl, and many were disappointed that she would not be carried over into the DCU.
The Flash being a major box office bomb did not impact Andy Muschietti’s career, as his ability to get the troubled production past the finish line might have played a significant factor in his being chosen to direct the DCU’s Batman film, The Brave and the Bold. Muscheitti already showcased an eye for impressive Batman action scenes for both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck’s depiction of the Caped Crusader. The Flash character, though, won’t be racing into the DCU anytime soon. James Gunn has said that The Flash and Aquaman are years away from joining the new DC franchise. When The Flash finally arrives in the DCU, Gunn is likely to go with a non-Barry Allen incarnation, potentially Wally West.
- Release Date
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June 16, 2023
- Runtime
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144 minutes
- Director
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Andy Muschietti
- Writers
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Christina Hodson, Joby Harold, John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Carmine Infantino, Gardner Fox, Harry Lampert, Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel, Robert Kanigher, William Moulton Marston
- Franchise(s)
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DC Extended Universe