The long-awaited solo Flash movie turned out to be a major disappointment for fans. Barry Allen's introduction in Justice League had sparked excitement, as he brought a much-needed sense of humor to the otherwise dark and serious tone of the film. Fans were eagerly anticipating his solo adventure. However, numerous controversies surrounding Ezra Miller, coupled with delays in production, cast doubts on the movie's release. Surprisingly, despite Warner Bros. Discovery canceling a completed Batgirl film, the Flash movie, led by Ezra Miller, was released on June 16th and was met with a resounding failure.
Early reviews of The Flash created an unrealistic image of what fans could expect when watching the film on its opening weekend. It seemed as though everyone in Hollywood was heaping praise on the movie, with James Gunn, the creator of iconic films like Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, Scooby-Doo (2002), and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, going so far as to claim it was the best superhero film ever made. While this might have been Gunn's way of promoting his new role as co-CEO of DC Studios, his endorsement gave The Flash more credibility than the general audience believed it deserved.
The Flash is the latest box office failure for WBD
The Flash had disappointing box office earnings, making only $55 million domestically during its 3-day release. This puts it second-to-last among all the DCEU films, with a budget of approximately $220 million (for comparison, Black Adam had a $67 million domestic opening weekend). Ticket sales continued to decline throughout its holiday weekend release, making it uncertain how much money The Flash is projected to lose for WBD.
Following the releases of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, DCEU movies appeared to lose popularity with audiences, and The Flash is another film in this trend. Coming after Shazam: Fury of the Gods, this movie dealt a heavy blow to the franchise, which was supposed to regain momentum before Gunn's new DCU. It is difficult to determine exactly why The Flash performed poorly at the box office, but the conflicting reviews from audiences who saw the movie during its initial previews and those who watched it after its release provide some insight.
Despite the initial previews of The Flash receiving celebrity endorsements, the film's release was met with a mediocre critical response, which further dampened the anticipation of Flash fans. The box office numbers may have suffered due to the absence of a traditional press tour by the cast to promote the film. Additionally, years of setbacks and changes in leadership made audiences apprehensive about the final product's value, questioning whether it was worth the price of a theater ticket. Moreover, the general public's reluctance to support a film led by Ezra Miller, who faced no consequences for committing horrific crimes, was made all the more evident as it was produced by the same studio that stood by Miller. Most likely, a combination of these factors, along with various others, contributed to the film's underwhelming reception.
Will Blue Beetle survive lowered enthusiasm?
The forthcoming Blue Beetle film offers something that The Flash appears to be lacking: an authentic introduction to a character who fans are likely to encounter again. In a sense, Blue Beetle serves as a gentle initiation to James Gunn's interpretation of a fresh DC universe, with Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle being the first character to be featured in these expansion plans. Although the initial trailer received positive feedback, Blue Beetle will face an arduous struggle.
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That being said, WBC is not introducing an unknown character to help wrap up the DCEU before Gunn starts working. Blue Beetle already has a dedicated fanbase due to its popularity in comic runs and DC animation over the years. Despite being a B-list legacy hero, Blue Beetle has gained enough recognition that any fan of the character would be thrilled to see an live-action origin story. Moreover, Blue Beetle will make history as the first comic book movie about a Latino superhero. WBC is confident in Blue Beetle's potential for success, as the studio has already approved two more installments to be part of Gunn's DCU.
Blue Beetle is already showing promise as a standalone origin story that doesn't delve into multiverse narratives. Unfortunately, The Flash's failures have shown that DC's next movie has a lot riding on it. Currently, Blue Beetle can't afford to merely do well – it must make up for The Flash's shortcomings.
Can Aquaman 2 break the cycle?
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will mark the end of the DCEU, concluding the successful franchise with its sequel. Despite the first film's strong performance at the box office, there are concerns about the sequel's potential to live up to its predecessor. Issues such as negative reactions from test screenings, public disapproval of Amber Heard as Mera, and the trend of lackluster DCEU sequels, raise doubts about the quality of the upcoming Aquaman installment. While there is a chance for this movie to break the cycle of underwhelming DC live-action films, the question remains: is it necessary?
Both Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom were already in production prior to James Gunn's appointment as co-CEO of DC Studios and his plans for a franchise reboot. Gunn confirmed that The Flash's events would serve as the soft reboot and introduction of his new universe. Furthermore, he revealed that Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle would be the first hero in the revamped DCU. Director James Wan had to make adjustments to align with Gunn's new vision for the universe, but Gunn recently announced that Jason Momoa's Aquaman will not appear in future films. With the impending reboot, everything in the upcoming Aquaman movie may become inconsequential. In light of this, one might question the purpose of the events in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom if they will be left behind by Gunn's new direction.
