Regardless of the recent off-stage controversy of leading star Ezra Miller and early skepticism about the movie, The Flash is still one of the most highly anticipated superhero films of 2023, featuring the iconic Scarlet Speedster of the DC Extended Universe. The movie is directed by Argentinian director Andy Muschietti and is largely influenced by the comic storyline Flashpoint in 2011, which sees Barry Allen on his quest to travel back in time to save his mother Nora from her ill fate. The film is also regarded as the 13th, and quite possibly the last installment for the DC Extended Universe, before James Gunn rebuilds everything from scratch with Superman: Legacy.
However, after a relatively meh opening week, The Flash significantly fell short at the box office in the second, which drops a whopping 72% from the first week in the US, grossing only $210.9 million worldwide so far, and is showing no signs of improvement so far. Considering the movie has a considerable $200 million (excluding marketing costs), it’s not a positive number by any means. Let’s find out how The Flash is flopping so hard at the box office through this article.
#1. The controversy around Ezra Miller is a huge turn-off for fans.
Source: DC Studios
While Miller is generally praised by critics for their performance as the Fastest Man Alive, their recent personal scandals are not something that is easily overlooked by the audience. Like a superhero franchise, the actor also has a timeline of shocking incidents that makes everyone raise their eyebrows, from physical assault, grooming, drug abuse, emotional manipulation, carrying firearms, and showing signs of being mentally unstable. Quite recently, The Flash star is also accused of hosting a mother and her three children on their personal farm in questionable condition, and got arrested twice last year in Hawaii.
With these allegations, Warner Bros has shown their anxiety about the project, and The Flash almost fell through until the actor publicly apologized to both the studios and the audience. However, according to Deadline, Miller won’t remain in the DC Universe following the 2023 film release. Because of these very incidents, fans have their own reasons to remain skeptical about buying tickets.
#2. The movie receives mixed reviews from critics, and "Mixed" is not enough.
Source: DC Studios
According to critics on Rotten Tomatoes, The Flash’s score is barely above average with a 6/10 score, while having a whopping 95% audience reviews. Other sites, such as Metacritic, also give the same score. The movie isn’t great or terrible, as they say, which, for a superhero movie, is a bad sign overall. Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad aren’t exactly critical darlings either, but at least they’re controversial enough to make an impact on the audience.
With The Flash’s review stuck in the middle, it’s easy to see why people would rather want to watch something bad rather than boring.
#3. The concept of the Multiverse is nothing new.
Source: DC Studios
Two years after Marvel established a solid concept of the Multiverse in the MCU, starting with the fan-favorite Spider-Man: No Way Home, DC has just barely scratched the surface with The Flash. Barry Allen’s act to return to the past continuously to save his mother and allies, which leads to the collapse of the Multiverse is a very predictable plotline by the studio, as this motif has been used many times before by Marvel, and it's hard to say that DC is trying anything new.
Besides, if it’s about the Multiverse, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is clearly a much better option, with different unique dimensions and hundreds of Web-Slinger variants. The animated film’s story is also widely praised by the community, while still managing to feast the audience’s eyes with the distinct art style.
#4. The Flash has below-par CG effects.
Source: DC Studios
For a 2023 superhero movie that cost a $200 million budget, the special effects used in The Flash are a letdown to fans. From the badly-rendered babies in the first action sequence to the fights against General Zod and Dark Flash, it’s hard to believe this is the effect created by modern-day technology. At times, even Barry’s iconic suit looks like a poorly-made outfit for cosplay events rather than a superhero’s attire.
Addressing this problem, a movie’s artist reveals that the crew had an extremely heavy workload and had to work under stressful conditions. Other reasons might include the departure of Weta Digital, the VFX company behind Man of Steel, Batman vs Superman, and Justice League, forcing Warner Bros to use less experienced artists to finish the work. No matter the reason, it’s hard to attract the audience to a superhero movie if the CGI quality is in doubt.
#5. There are too many references and spoilers to give away the movie’s plot.
Source: DC Studios
Even without the spoilers, The Flash is already too predictable on its own, as its storyline ties heavily with the Flashpoint in comics. Serving as the final movie to end the era of the DCEU, Warner Bros has gone all out to make sure the movie can create a final spark, by putting every idea, reference, and spoiler possible in trailers and teasers.
Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, along with Michael Shannon’s return as General Zod are along teased before the film’s release. Meanwhile, the movie also includes cameo roles of Nicolas Cage, Michael Reeves, Helen Slater, and more as different superheroes’ variants during the Speed Force sequence. At times, it feels like The Flash is too overstuffed with characters, and the early giveaway of the main cast also prevents fans from buying tickets, as it completely negates the element of surprise in the movie.
#6. It has too many potential opponents at the box office.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Releasing in the summer might not be a very good idea for The Flash, as it has fierce competition from other summer Movies.at the moment, such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Transformers: Rise of The Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Elemental. Especially, Across the Spider-Verse is another superhero movie with a similar concept about the Multiverse, which is critically acclaimed by both audiences and pundits. It’s easy to understand why The Flash struggles against these movies.
Can you think of any other reason that makes The Flash flop as it is? Can James Gunn turn the DC Universe around with his talent? Share your thoughts in the comment.