After a successful decade portraying Barry Allen in the beloved TV show, The Flash, Grant Gustin’s performance starkly contrasts Andy Muschietti’s defense of the movie adaptation’s disappointing box office results. Over the past year, the DCEU has faced a series of underperforming films, including Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, all released in 2023, just as James Gunn and Peter Safran outlined plans for a new DC Universe. None of these releases achieved the box office success that studios hoped for.
In particular, The Flash was met with mixed reactions. Prior to its debut, Hollywood luminaries such as Tom Cruise, James Gunn, and Stephen King praised the film, sparking significant anticipation. However, following its release, fans and critics alike criticized the film for several reasons, including subpar CGI, jarring multiverse cameos, and a confusing storyline. These concerns culminated in a disastrous financial outcome: the film had a production budget of approximately $200 million but managed to gross only $271.4 million worldwide, resulting in substantial losses for the studio once marketing expenses were factored in.
Andy Muschietti’s Explanation for The Flash’s Failure
Director Andy Muschietti Continues with Batman at DC
As we approach two years since the film’s release, Andy Muschietti has provided his perspective on why The Flash underperformed at the box office. He noted that after discussions with industry insiders, it became clear that many people simply do not resonate with The Flash as a character. Being the first instance of any version of DC’s speedster receiving a solo film, there were no precedents to predict its theatrical performance. Muschietti also pointed to additional factors contributing to the movie’s lack of appeal.
According to him, the film failed to attract women in both larger audience segments: females over 25 and under 25. In Hollywood, audiences are typically categorized into four quadrants: Males over 25, Males under 25, Females over 25, and Females under 25. Muschietti argues that a film with a significant budget like The Flash cannot thrive if it only captures the interest of male viewers, stressing the need for cross-gender appeal. As he stated, “Warner wants to bring even your grandmother to the theaters”for a film of such high production costs, which ultimately wasn’t achieved.
Grant Gustin’s The Flash Series: A Major Success
Arrowverse Proves The DC Character Is Not the Problem
Contrary to Muschietti’s rationale, the notion that audiences lack interest in The Flash is misguided. While there have been no previous solo films to compare with Ezra Miller’s portrayal, the success of Gustin’s long-running TV series serves as a compelling counterpoint. Gustin’s tenure as Barry Allen began with a guest role in Arrow and evolved into a lead position in The CW’s adaptation of The Flash.
Watch The Flash on YouTube
Watch The Flash on YouTube
Before the release of Ezra Miller’s film in 2023, Gustin’s portrayal came to a close with the conclusion of The Flash after a remarkable nine-season run. This series, which stands as the longest-running in the Arrowverse, surpassed even Stephen Amell’s Arrow, which ended after eight seasons. Although the DCEU faced obstacles in theaters, Gustin and other Arrowverse stars managed to maintain viewer engagement and demonstrate the viability of a live-action shared universe for DC. Notably, Gustin became synonymous with the character during the Arrowverse’s tenure.
|
Arrowverse Series on Netflix |
|
|---|---|
|
Show |
Viewing Hours |
|
The Flash (9 Seasons) |
311,000,000 |
|
Arrow (8 Seasons) |
159,700,000 |
|
Supergirl (6 Seasons) |
60,600,000 |
|
Legends of Tomorrow (7 Seasons) |
37,100,000 |
|
Black Lightning (4 Seasons) |
34,600,000 |
|
Arrowverse Franchise Total |
603,000,000 |
Warner Bros. recognized the Arrowverse’s popularity, even including Gustin’s Barry Allen in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event, which featured both Gustin and Miller’s versions of the character. This move was designed to generate excitement for the film. The series premiere of Gustin’s adaptation achieved a remarkable milestone, garnering 6.8 million viewers, which made it the highest-rated show in The CW’s history, a record it maintained for several years. With an impressive 311 million viewing hours, Gustin’s The Flash was undeniably the most popular series within the Arrowverse on Netflix by 2023.
What Lies Ahead for The Flash in the DC Universe
Ezra Miller’s DCEU Movie Left a Negative Impression
Following the financial setback of The Flash, DC is looking to recast the character for James Gunn’s upcoming DCU. This transition is already underway, with David Corenswet taking on the role of Superman, replacing Henry Cavill, and Jason Momoa branching off to portray Lobo. Gunn revealed on Threads (via Noobmastter-3000/Reddit) that the studio is currently “holding a beat”regarding the development of a live-action Flash return, suggesting a need to distance the character from the negative connotations of the recent film.
As it stands, DC Studios appears to be adopting a cautious approach, allowing time to elapse before reintroducing Barry Allen to the silver screen. Similarly to the current lack of a Justice League project, they seem to be taking a deliberate pause before the speedster makes his next cinematic appearance, possibly only years away. Until then, there’s potential for Barry to appear in supporting roles in other projects, aimed at rebuilding a more favorable perception following the disappointing reception of The Flash in 2023.
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