Ezra Miller has been surrounded by controversy in recent times. Their run-ins with the law have become fodder for tabloids, and their continued work in DC has been questioned by some. However, Warner Bros. is reportedly still open to working with them.
Last year, Miller's legal woes included accusations of burglary, assault, and even grooming. These issues followed The Flash star for months before they checked into treatment for mental health issues. Despite this, Miller returned to The Flash set to shoot more footage for the movie. Even amidst various recastings at DC since James Gunn and Peter Safran took over, Miller has seemingly remained under Warner Bros.' employ.
According to a recent report by Variety (published before Miller's plea deal), Warner Bros. is allegedly open to bringing Miller back as The Flash. The report states that "some executives" (it does not name them) are amenable to bringing Miller back, as the actor has remained out of trouble since starting treatment for their mental health. The report places The Flash alongside films like Blue Beetle as some that could survive the jump to the next iteration of the DC Universe.
However, the move might be an unpopular one. Polls from last year show American audiences are in favor of cancelling The Flash after Miller's controversies. That seems incredibly unlikely because the film spent years in development, and Warner Bros. has already spent $200 million on the film. An outright cancellation would represent a significant monetary loss.
Such a financial hit might not sit well with Warner Bros. executives. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has previously stated he aims to increase the company's profits. Therefore, it would be difficult to justify such a high cost, particularly as some of the more salacious allegations are currently unproven in a court of law. One of Miller's alleged grooming victims has denied these claims.
So it seems Miller may be here to stay, at least for now. Still, the report is shocking because it had generally been assumed that Warner Bros. hadn't canned Miller because they were waiting for the release of The Flash to avoid affecting audience engagement with the project. The fact that other actors have been let go and even had their cameos removed from The Flash, such as Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot, is odd. Miller is one of the last of the original Justice League members left standing, despite being the only member embroiled in legal issues and other controversies.
The Flash is scheduled to be released in theaters on June 16, 2023.
Source: Variety