The Flash Box Office Takes a Hit for the Second Weekend, Surpassing Morbius in Disappointing Drop

The Flash's performance at the box office has been just as disappointing as last year's superhero flop Morbius. The movie, part of the DC Universe, was released in theaters on June 16 and follows the story of Barry Allen, also known as the Flash, played by Ezra Miller. This character was originally introduced briefly in Batman v Superman in 2016 and then in a more significant role in Justice League in 2017. Sadly, The Flash's box office numbers continue the downward trend for DC movies, with an opening weekend of $55 million. While this was slightly better than this year's underwhelming Shazam! Fury of the Gods, it still fell short of last year's Black Adam, which didn't even break even in theaters.

According to Variety, The Flash suffered a massive drop in its second weekend at the box office. It is estimated to end the weekend with a total of $15.3 million, a staggering 73 percent decline. This places it at the third spot on the weekend's chart. This unfortunate performance makes The Flash's second-weekend drop the worst in the history of the DC Universe, almost on par with Morbius' 73.8 percent drop. Morbius, despite its initial hype, made less than $75 million in the United States.

Will The Flash Be Able to Turn a Profit?

The Flash has faced several challenges at the box office, contributing to its struggle in generating sufficient revenue. One obstacle lies in the DC Universe's ongoing transformation following a series of underperforming films, which has led to hesitancy in fully committing to the existing characters in the franchise. The possibility of recasting, exemplified by Henry Cavill's Superman, who was initially involved in a planned Black Adam post-credits scene but later abandoned, adds another layer of uncertainty. Furthermore, the controversy surrounding Ezra Miller, the film's lead actor, due to his multiple arrests and legal issues in 2022, has further dampened anticipation for the movie.

Despite these setbacks and a disappointing second-week performance, The Flash has managed to accumulate a worldwide total of $210.9 million. While this amount is close to recouping its production budget, estimated to be within the range of $200-$220 million, the film is still far from reaching profitability. Not included in this analysis are the expenses related to publicity campaigns or the percentage of ticket sales that theaters receive, both of which need to be considered to determine the movie's true financial success.

The Flash will probably require more than twice that amount to reach the breakeven point, aiming to earn a box office revenue in the range of $400-$450 million. While it is not entirely implausible for the film to achieve this milestone by the end of its theatrical run, it faces stiff competition from highly anticipated movies such as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Mission: Impossible 7. As a result, it is possible that The Flash may struggle to stay afloat financially and potentially fail to generate any profit.