The Flash could be an overwhelming failure that proves costly for Warner Bros. Discovery.
Per Twitter user Luis Fernando, The Flash managed to cross the $200 million mark globally in its second weekend at the box office; however, the $200 million budgeted DC Extended Universe film, which saw a 72% drop off at the U.S. box office, could potentially lose that exact amount. With a marketing campaign reportedly costing $150 million and a $190 million production budget, Fernando claims that The Flash may go down as the worst "financial catastrophe" since Justice League in 2017. Additionally, Fernando believes that Warner Bros. Discovery could have lost less money by putting The Flash straight to Max instead of a theatrical release.
In its first weekend, The Flash was projected to gross in the neighborhood of $60-$70 million domestically. The industry was shocked when the movie only managed to muster $55 million instead. Since then, industry insiders have been scrambling to figure out the exact cause of The Flash's underperformance.
Ezra Miller Was Never Going to be Replaced as the Flash
The most glaring issue that has plagued The Flash since its production was the ongoing legal troubles of star Ezra Miller. While DC fans speculated that the actor could be replaced to save the movie, Warner Bros. Discovery stood by the star as they publicly declared they would be seeking help for complex mental health issues. Producers Andy and Barbara Muschietti went further in stating that replacing Miller was never in the cards for them.
Another source of criticism for The Flash was the movie's CGI. Director Andy Muschietti went on the defensive, claiming that the superhero's "Speed Force" visual effects were always intended to look like a distorted "Waterworld." The Flash visual effects artist Zach Mulligan, however, slammed the CGI by blaming the studios at large for setting "insane" deadlines that resulted in low-quality effects.
The most common debate about The Flash underperforming is pointed directly at new DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. Since taking over the DC brand on film in late 2022, Gunn and Safran have laid out their slate of projects that would not feature any actors from the Zack Snyder era, including Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot. Though the duo expressed optimism about keeping Miller as the Flash in the new DC Universe with a sequel script already written, the chances of that happening now are far less likely.
The Flash is now playing in theaters.
Source: Twitter