The Flash’s Director Gets Real About Why He Thinks The DCEU Film Bombed

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It’s surprising to think that “The Flash” will be celebrating its second anniversary in a few months. Released during the summer of 2023, Andy Muschietti’s superhero movie garnered mostly average reviews and didn’t do well at the box office. Analysts deemed it a misstep on Warner Bros.’ part. As he prepares for his next DC film, Muschietti has shared insights about why “The Flash” underperformed.

In an interview with Radio TU, the filmmaker talked about various subjects, eventually touching on his upcoming comic book movie. He mentioned that for a studio film with a $200 million budget, it needs to be appealing to a wide audience, so much so that even grandmothers would enjoy watching it. The reason why the movie didn’t resonate as expected, according to the Argentine director (translated by Flash Legacy Brasil), is because there was little interest in the character among certain age groups or demographics.

The reason The Flash didn’t succeed, along with factors like Ezra Miller and superhero overload, was that it didn’t resonate with every demographic (also known as the four quadrants). It failed to connect with them. When you invest $200 million in a film, Warner Bros expects to attract even the casual moviegoer, such as your grandmother. In my personal discussions, I found that many people aren’t particularly interested in The Flash as a character, especially women. This seems to be a trend. In essence, it appears that the movie encountered strong opposition.

In the vast world of comic book heroes, Barry Allen’s Flash stands out in a unique light. Adored by many comic enthusiasts, he has graced multiple media platforms throughout the years, such as The CW’s Arrowverse series that spanned an impressive nine seasons. However, it’s also possible that there are those who don’t share the same fascination for the Scarlet Speedster. Despite the opinions expressed by Andy Muschietti during his YouTube stream, it’s crucial to consider other aspects affecting his movie.

A notable aspect that drew attention prior to the movie’s premiere was the legal troubles faced by the main actor, Ezra Miller, from 2020 to 2022. These included allegations of choking, burglary, and grooming, with the latter resulting in a dropped lawsuit. Before the release of Flash, there was widespread speculation that these issues might harm the film’s success. Whether they actually did so is up for debate, but it’s worth pondering the possibility.

Furthermore, Andy Muschietti’s film came out towards the tail end of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), a period when other films within this franchise didn’t perform well financially. In 2022, Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam had a modest opening at the box office. Despite surpassing some other contemporary DC movies, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s box office revenue was also relatively low. I believe that growing tiredness of the DCEU and awareness of the new DC Universe continuity might have played a role in diminished interest in these films.

As a diehard DC Universe fan, it seems like Andy Muschietti is eyeing a venture into the DCU. He’s been connected to the movie titled “The Brave and the Bold“, but it might take some time before we see it on the big screen. In a recent chat with Radio TU, Muschietti mentioned that he hasn’t spoken to DC Studios Co-President James Gunn since he began filming his superhero project. When Muschietti finally dives in, I’d bet my last popcorn that he’ll apply the lessons he gleaned from working on “The Flash“.

You can still stream The Flash now using a Max subscription.

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2025-01-12 19:37