The Flash just can't catch a break.
The latest box office figures are in, and the Scarlet Speedster's first (and likely last) big-screen adventure has actually taken in $3 million less than initially reported, with $61.2 million over the course of its 4-day domestic debut.
Could a better international performance make a significant difference? Possibly, but the film isn't off to a great start overseas, either, and finished the weekend with a global haul of just $138.7M.
With a reported $200M+ budget and a massive P/A campaign, The Flash has a long road ahead.
The movie's disappointing bow is likely due to several factors, but whatever is contributing to the lack of interest, it seems clear that the DCEU is simply failing to resonate with general audiences on the same level as the MCU. The brand really is in dire need of a fresh coat of paint, so James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU reboot couldn't have come at a better time.
The Flash was touted as a must-see cinematic event by Gunn and others, with Warner Bros. doing everything in its power to hype up the film, likely in an effort to counteract the negative headlines generated by star Ezra Miller's recent brushes with the law. Whether this ultimately had an impact on ticket sales is obviously up for debate.
"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, and 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.