The Flash Shatters Box Office Records: The Biggest Superhero Comeback!

The Flash, touted as 'one of the greatest superhero movies of all time,' has faced significant drops in its box office performance following a disappointing opening weekend. This troubled movie was first announced in 2014 and has taken over nine years to finally hit the screens. Intended to serve as a reset for the DCEU into the new DCU, the film has faced numerous setbacks, including challenges in creating a cohesive slate of movies within the DCEU, pandemic-induced delays, and stirred controversy involving its star, Ezra Miller. On June 16th, the film was released in the domestic market, but only achieved a disappointing $55 million at the box office.

With a sluggish start for the Scarlet Speedster, the studio had hoped that The Flash would exhibit greater endurance during its theatrical run. Unfortunately, the film experienced a significant decline of 73% in its box office earnings, with a total of $15.3 million in its second weekend, following its opening weekend. Consequently, The Flash has only managed to generate a disappointing $87.6 million domestically and $123.3 million internationally, resulting in a global total of $210.9 million. This unfortunate outcome spells trouble for the studio, especially considering the hefty $200 million production budget allocated for the film.

The Flash is experiencing a 73% drop at the box office, which is even lower than other recent unsuccessful DCEU films. For instance, Black Adam experienced a 59% drop in its second weekend, while Shazam: Fury of the Gods dropped by 69%, both resulting in financial losses for the studio. The only comic book movie with a worse second weekend drop is Morbius, which saw a decline of 73.8%. So, why is The Flash underperforming?

There are potentially several reasons behind The Flash's lackluster box office performance. Firstly, Miller's controversies have deterred some individuals from attending the movie. Moreover, the film faces tough competition in theaters from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, another multiversal superhero movie. It has been recently revealed that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has two versions playing in theaters, leading to heightened audience interest and repeat viewings.

In addition to that, Twitter users have expressed their dissatisfaction with the poor CGI and inappropriate cameos. Furthermore, the movie's intention to reset the DCEU may be another factor contributing to fans' lack of interest. While a reset could potentially benefit future films, it has created a division among the fan base and turned many people off from watching The Flash. Regardless of the cause, this does not bode well for upcoming DC projects such as Blue Beetle and Aquaman 2. The Flash is currently being shown in theaters.

Source: Variety