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Currently set to speed into theaters in June 2023, Warner's The Flash movie is set to finally give the Scarlet Speedster a cinematic solo effort. With the success of the superhero genre not waning and the DCEU still looking to compete with the MCU, there is a lot riding on the success of the film — especially considering criticisms surrounding previous entries in the universe.
The Flash movie has been in the works in one form or another for close to a decade. Now, even though it’s closer than ever to its release, changes in directors, cast, and writers, along with Ezra Miller’s recent legal troubles, this movie may be one of the most turbulent productions in recent memory.
A Flash feature film has been in the cards since the 80s. While plans to have comic book writer Jeph Loeb ultimately fell through, the project looked to be revitalized in 2004 when David S. Goyer was hired after his script for Batman Begins impressed the studio higher-ups. The project was going to focus more on Wally West, potentially star Ryan Reynolds as the hero, and be similar in style and tone to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films. Ultimately, the project fell through when Goyer departed in 2007 and Warner announced a Justice League project, which would feature Adam Brody as the fastest man alive.
Again, however this project fell through, this time due to scheduling conflicts pulling director Shawn Levy off the project. David Dobkin replaced Levy and looked to create a solo Flash film once again after the Justice League: Mortal project was canceled. The film was projected to release in 2008, but was once again delayed when the Writers' Guild of America went on strike.
Once again, changes to the writers and script direction came into play as the studio lost confidence and aimed to re-tool the project. The writers of the Green Lantern film — Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, and Marc Guggenheim — were tasked with writing a treatment. All of this happened before Warner started looking to create a shared universe of films to rival the MCU around 2013.
In 2014, it was announced that Ezra Miller would be taking on the character of Barry Allen in the DCEU with a solo film initially planned for 2016. After Miller was cast in the role, the film once again went through multiple directors and writers, this time in a much shorter period of time. The studio offered Insidious director James Wan either an Aquaman or a Flash movie, Wan ultimately chose Aquaman.
Directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller, known for their work on Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street, remake also became attached to the project. Lord and Miller wrote a treatment for the film but ultimately decided to direct Solo: A Star Wars Story, paving the way for Seth Grahame-Smith to join the movie in what should have been his directorial debut. In early 2016, the release of The Flash was moved to a 2018 release. Shortly afterward, the project was once again left without a director as Grahame-Green left due to creative differences.
Rick Famuyiwa took over duties as a director in mid-2016 and pre-production on the film finally began in October of the same year — but yet again, the film was left without a director when, after less than a month of pre-production, Famuyiwa exited. Like his predecessors, he cited creative differences with the studio. Once again, the film was put on hold, since there was no director and Miller was preparing to film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Next, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein entered negotiations to join the film, with their own version of the script. However, Miller didn't like the direction they were taking with their approach and went on to write a script himself along with comic writer Grant Morrison. The studio did not approve the Miller/Morrison script and there were fears that Miller would leave the project, but it was ultimately Daley and Goldstein that left, once again due to creative differences.
It was here that Andy Muschietti joined The Flash as director and Christina Hodson joined as a writer in November 2019, and they finally ended the revolving door of directors and writers entering and exiting the movies' production. It was not, however, the end of the troubles that have plagued the film. The controversy surrounding Joss Whedon's involvement in the Justice League film and his alleged treatment of Ray Fisher and others on set also impacted The Flash, with the fallout impacting Ray Fisher's future in the DCEU. Then production was once again stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic and principal photography didn't begin until April 2021.
It hasn't merely been studio politics that have impacted the production. Miller's behavior has also cast a less than favorable spotlight on the star and the film. A full year before the production actually began, a video surfaced of Miller choking a female patron in a bar and throwing her to the ground in Reykjavík. No police investigation took place, and neither the studios nor Miller themself commented on the situation. Miller remained fairly quiet after the incident, lying low until production on the film began.
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Unfortunately, this wasn't the end of Miller's legal troubles. In March and April 2022, they were once again accused of threatening and violent behavior, this time on the island of Hawaii. On March 28th, Miller was arrested following an alleged altercation where they became aggressive towards other patrons at a karaoke bar. Following that arrest, a couple petitioned a court for a temporary restraining order due to Miller entering their bedroom and threatening them. The request was eventually dropped; however, it appears that Miller was the subject of at least 10 calls to police during their time on the island.
As of writing, The Flash is currently due to hit cinemas in 2023 after yet another scheduling shuffle of the entire DCEU slate. Thus far, neither Miller nor the studio has made an official statement on recent events, but reports say that Warner is pausing any future projects involving Miller. With fans and critics alike calling for Miller to be replaced, their future in the DCEU is uncertain, to say the least.