The Flash's theatrical run is coming to an end, and it is set to finish with lower box office earnings compared to another infamous failure for Warner Bros. and DC.
The expectations were sky-high for The Flash as Warner Bros. touted it as the greatest comic book adaptation ever made even before its release. However, the film turned out to be a disappointment for various reasons, receiving both positive and negative feedback from critics and audiences alike. During its second weekend in theaters, The Flash experienced a significant drop in attendance, ranking second in terms of decline among comic book movies, narrowly trailing behind Sony's Morbius.
The Flash has underperformed at the domestic box office, earning slightly over $106 million within a month. This falls short by $10 million when compared to Green Lantern's box office revenue. Despite being showcased in fewer than 800 theaters, The Flash is expected to continue its downward trajectory. Both films, with an approximate budget of $200 million, have proven to be major financial disappointments for Warner Bros. Notably, Green Lantern has faced ridicule not only from fans but also from its own star, Ryan Reynolds, in the Deadpool franchise.
The Flash is not the only DCEU film that has underperformed at the box office recently. Shazam: Fury of the Gods had an even worse outcome, earning only $57 million domestically. Surprisingly, Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam, which received heavy criticism and incurred significant losses for the studio, managed to surpass The Flash and Shazam's combined domestic earnings with $168 million. This has led some fans to view Black Adam as a relative success compared to its initial release.
There are various factors contributing to The Flash's disappointment at the box office. One primary reason is the controversies surrounding Ezra Miller, who portrays the Flash. Additionally, the film generated high expectations among viewers due to endorsements from executives like James Gunn, who hailed it as the best comic book movie ever made. Unfortunately, the film failed to live up to these expectations, particularly due to subpar visual effects.
The upcoming DC films may face a similar destiny with the potential release of Blue Beetle on August 18th, coinciding with a possible actors' strike that remains unresolved. Consequently, the actors involved in the film will be prohibited from promoting it during the strike, potentially having a substantial impact on its box office success. This brings into question why some fans should bother watching Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as it will be disconnected from future DC movies due to The Flash rebooting the old DCEU into the DCU. To add, The Flash is currently accessible on various digital platforms.
Source: Box Office Mojo
