THE FLASH: Batman Toys Massively Outsold The Scarlet Speedster; Movie's Failure Negatively Impacts Comic Sales

THE FLASH: Batman Toys Massively Outsold The Scarlet Speedster; Movie's Failure Negatively Impacts Comic Sales

The Flash is the biggest superhero movie flop ever released, but its failings have seen comic book sales take a severe hit. As for action figures, Batman has completely dominated the Scarlet Speedster...

News
By JoshWilding - Aug 23, 2023 06:08 AM EST
Filed Under: The Flash
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

The Flash was released on June 16 to mostly positive reviews - it has a so-so 64% on Rotten Tomatoes - and a lot of scepticism among fans. The movie had, of course, been widely praised by noteworthy celebrities before its theatrical debut but not everyone was buying it. 

Throw in Ezra Miller's continued legal troubles and a series of bad DCEU movies and it's no wonder The Flash ended its box office run with just $268 million worldwide.

The movie boasted a $300 million production budget before marketing costs were factored in, making this DC Comics adaptation the biggest comic book movie flop ever released. As you might expect, that's had an impact on toy sales.

The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Jordan Hembrough, founder of the toy retail site Hollywood Heroes, who says, "When you look at the Flash toys, the character from the movie that outsold everything else was Batman and the Batmobile." 

The Scarlet Speedster was overshadowed by the Dark Knight in his own movie, no great surprise all things considered.

However, while DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn is proudly touting the fact his recent Tweets about various DC Comics titles have helped rocket them to #1 on Amazon, The Flash's release has had a negative impact on the Fastest Man Alive. 

"Flash books are down. Anything related to this film is kind of dropping," CovrPrice co-founder Matt Devoe reveals. "The Flash film didn’t have anything for fans to take and speculate on. In fact, it’s led to a lot of confusion of, 'OK, what is DC doing with their future lineup?'"

Needless to say, a lot of work will need to be done by DC Studios in order to restore faith in Barry Allen among fans and moviegoers. 

The Flash is no longer playing in theaters but we did recently learn when it's set to premiere on Max.

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Fogs
Fogs - 8/23/2023, 6:37 AM
O RLY?

I was pretty sure the nostalgia would hit stronger, and this would gross more. But obviously not due to the Flash.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 8/23/2023, 8:29 AM
@Fogs - Flash opening with 55 mil and grossing 268 mil overall is because of nostalgia AKA Batman. If it didn't have Batman it would've been like Shazam 2 and Blue Beetle right now....which is projected to not even hit 150 mil world wide.
Fogs
Fogs - 8/23/2023, 9:10 AM
@mastakilla39 - true.
StSteven
StSteven - 8/23/2023, 5:02 PM
@mastakilla39 @Fogs - I Sid it before in another thread or two, but can we just get a version of this movie that only has the parts that Keaton is in? Like, I don't really care about Barry (especially 2 of them) or his story but surely by now someone has made a YouTube video with just the scenes with Keaton. Release that as "Batman Returns Again" or something, throw it in a 4K box set with the first 2 movies and I'll buy it. And maybe some Batman action figures too (I've at Target they have a set with Batman and a 27" wingspan Batwing that might fit in nicely in my movie room hanging from the ceiling).
Spawnnn
Spawnnn - 8/23/2023, 6:41 AM
"In fact, it’s led to a lot of confusion of, 'OK, what is DC doing with their future lineup?"

Remember when movies were movies? Not content to tease more content that leads to even more content?
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 6:51 AM
@Spawnnn - yeah. I'm pretty sure that's getting to why superhero movies are failing. It's getting to be such a commitment to focus on all these cinematic universes and sequels.

Then you have top gun maverick and avatar 2 coming in just being like "here's more of what you liked before".
mountainman
mountainman - 8/23/2023, 8:42 AM
@Origame - Yes.

Look at the top earning movies since theaters reopened:

1) Avatar 2 - A sequel to a movie from almost 15 years ago. This means the brand is not oversaturated. Straight forward story. Minimal politics (whaling and imperialism where in there but not overly tied in) and no modern social issues.

2) Spider-man No Way Home - Integrating all 3 modern Spidermen into one movie. Very straight forward story and no modern politics or social issues.

3) Top Gun Maverick - 30+ years after the original. Straight forward action movie. Honored the original characters while successfully introducing a diverse new set of recruits. Minimal politics (generic bad guy nation was the enemy) and no modern social issues.

4) Mario Bros - Very safe but popular adaptation of the video game. Just about everybody loved it. No politics or modern social issues (besides maybe the argument of Peach not needing saving but that wasn’t heavy handed at all).

5) Barbie - Haven’t seen it so I have no comment. Heard different things about it’s messaging. Either way there is no denying it’s a huge hit.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 8/23/2023, 8:47 AM
@Spawnnn - Superhero ips are connected to merch sales (comics, toys, costumes, etc.). If they don't garner interest or have sequel plans it affects the sales of merch because buyers usually don't invest in merch for "one-off" films. All failed films right now are going to affect the comic storylines too because DC Comics won't invest in ips that no 1 cares about either.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 9:12 AM
@mountainman - just saying for barbie, I saw it with my super feminist sister and she said it was, in her words, too woke.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/23/2023, 10:14 AM
@Origame - I’ve heard both sides of the argument and I’m not a fan of speculating. Let’s say it is woke, well that’s only 1 out of the top 5 earners over the last few years that is. And I’d also say it’s success is not because it’s woke. But I can’t pass a personal opinion about the movie so I really don’t try to comment based on other people’s opinions. The fact is, most of the top earners in recent years have stayed away from the current culture war issues. Most people just want quality and agenda-free cinema.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 10:20 AM
@mountainman - oh no I agree. It's just I don't get how anyone can argue barbie isn't woke. Like it's not even trying to be subtle about it.

Barbie goes to the real world and is immediately sexually harassed while Ken is just treated with respect. It literally ends with her fighting against the patriarchy, which they call the patriarchy.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/23/2023, 10:33 AM
@Origame - So my argument as someone not interested and who hasn’t seen it, is that Barbie, since the toy was invented, has always been a feminist icon. This isn’t the same as taking Star Wars, that used to be straight forward space fantasy who’s only real world comparison would be to anti imperialist war, and intersecting modern sensibilities. I guess I just don’t care if Barbie is woke or not.
MarvelZombie616
MarvelZombie616 - 8/23/2023, 10:56 AM
@Origame - I hate "woke" movies and i liked Barbie.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 11:16 AM
@MarvelZombie616 - well you like a woke movie.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 11:23 AM
@mountainman - my thing though is it doesn't need to be antagonistic against men as a concept to be feminist. Like you want a "you go girl" message thats great. But vilifying half the population is just too far. Imagine if a star wars movie revolved around fighting the matriarchy.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/23/2023, 2:55 PM
@Spawnnn - I remember a time when movies weren't so confusing.

Even before cinematic universes, we never multiple Batman and Joker movies competing for attention and getting sequels. Series of separate multiverse movies all at once from the same brand. Movies where random superheroes show up with no explanation or origin.

Things are wild as [frick] right now. No wonder people are confused.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 6:48 AM
You're seriously doubling down on the $300 mil budget despite me pointing out that wasn't the point of that article you used as a source, and is most likely a typo?

Ffs.
Oberlin4Prez
Oberlin4Prez - 8/23/2023, 8:46 AM
@Origame - Josh is a hack, what else is new.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/23/2023, 3:01 PM
@Origame - It's actually closer to $330, before marketing and distribution. So I hear. Don't know where Josh is getting his info from, but it may be an underestimation.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 3:24 PM
@ObserverIO - where are you getting yours from?

And he got his from the Hollywood reporter, in an article where they're talking about merch and not budget.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/23/2023, 3:38 PM
@Origame - I have this sourdough bread that I put in an old toaster I got from my last visit to the exotic Orient (or somewhere Arabian, I can't remember) and when the bread is toasted it has on it a series of etchings, to the trained eye it is unmistakably ancient Sanskrit.

I take the toast to my local Sanskrit interpreter and they tell me what it says.

One morning it said that The Flash's budget was actually closer to $330 million before marketing and distribution.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/23/2023, 3:38 PM
@Origame - I trust my toast. It's sourdough.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 4:02 PM
@ObserverIO - sorry but I only trust toast with clear images of Jesus in them.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/23/2023, 4:21 PM
@Origame - I trust them too, but they never have hollywood insider gossip on them.
Origame
Origame - 8/23/2023, 4:28 PM
@ObserverIO - yeah, but sourdough is very disney biased.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 8/23/2023, 6:49 AM
Movie was decent. Guess my pussy just doesnt hurt whenever I see Ezra Miller
marvel72
marvel72 - 8/23/2023, 8:51 AM
@Matchesz -
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 8/23/2023, 8:58 AM
@Matchesz - How about your neck? Ezra loves warming the neck of his fans.
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 8/23/2023, 6:55 AM
"Movie's Failure Negatively Impacts Comic Sales"......No, Don't try to tie the failure of modern comics to a bad movie son. the movie sucked and comics have been dieing for years.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/23/2023, 3:04 PM
@harryba11zack - And both for the same reasons.
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 8/23/2023, 7:17 AM
I'm skeptical on the comic sale part. People who were turned off from reading theam by the movie weren't reading them in the first place and people already reading them aren't going to treat a bad adaptation as some dealbreaker against the character as a whole.
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