Whether you happen to feel that the movie gets a bit of a bad rap or not, there's no denying that 2023's The Flash starring Ezra Miller proved to be a major misstep.
Despite DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn hyping the film up as "one of the best superhero movies" he's ever seen in the build-up to its release, The Flash was not embraced by the majority of fans or general audiences, and only ended up grossing $271 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $200–$220 million.
Now, director Andy Muschietti has spoken in-depth about the movie's failure for the first time, and the filmmaker believes that a number of factors beyond his control contributed to the overall negative reception.
The video interview was recorded in Spanish, so it's possible that some things may have been lost in translation (thanks to Reel Anarchy for the breakdown).
“It’s the result of a mental health situation, you know. It turned out the way it turned out, let’s say. I mean, they were dealing with a mental health situation, and well, when you make a movie, there are things you just can’t control. One of them is when actors have a public relations crisis. You know, they got into trouble, was arrested in Hawaii, etc., etc. I had, in general, a very good experience with them. They’re a great actor, a great comedian. I was very surprised by them. But then, towards the end, I came across all of this.
I’d say this happened months before the release, just before the premiere, and well, it was a setback. Later, other factors piled up, like, you know, the fatigue with the superhero genre. Years later, I started learning about other things, like how when a movie like this is made, there’s an expectation to appeal to all four quadrants of the audience. And this is a movie that, apart from everything else I mentioned, I think failed in the sense that it didn’t appeal to all four quadrants of the audience.
When a $200 million movie is made, the studio expects to bring everyone, even your grandmother, to the theater. And in private conversations later on, I learned things like how a lot of people weren’t interested in the Flash as a character. Half of those four quadrants — the two female quadrants — many women didn’t care about Flash as a character. These are things that worked against the movie, and I gradually found out about them. But I’m very happy with the movie, and I highly recommend it.”
The Flash did actually receive decent reviews (63% on Rotten Tomatoes), and does have its defenders out there. Muschietti might have a point about the character not appealing to a broad enough demographic, but it's worth noting that The Flash CW series was the network's most-watched DC-based show.
The Fastest Man Alive will no doubt find his way into the DCU eventually, but when asked on social media why we're getting a Clayface movie before a new Wonder Woman or The Flash film, Gunn said that they're "holding a beat on development" of a new project featuring the character - which would seem to confirm that something Flash-related has been discussed, at least.
"Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash features Barry Allen traveling back in time in order to change events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to help. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian…albeit not the one he’s looking for.
Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?"
The Flash is produced by Barbara Muschietti and Michael Disco, with a screenplay by Christina Hodson, an a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein and Joby Harold, based on characters from DC. Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film.