Andy Muschietti Explains Why ‘The Flash’ Struggled at the Box Office
Andy Muschietti, the director, has discussed why, despite being a highly anticipated DC movie in 2023, ‘The Flash’ did not fare well at the box office. Ezra Miller played Barry Allen in the film, which brought in $271 million worldwide. But with a $200 million production budget and high marketing costs, it was considered a financial bust.
Muschietti highlighted the film’s inability to resonate with a wide audience as a major problem during an appearance on Radio Tu’s La Baulera del Coso program. Blockbusters are frequently expected to appeal to all four audience quadrants, including men, women over 25, and those under 25, he noted. He pointed out that a lot of women didn’t find the Flash character appealing, and that the show had a hard time with female viewers in particular.
Muschietti also mentioned “superhero fatigue” as a contributing reason, implying that the overabundance of the genre might have tempered interest in the movie.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
The film also had issues since Ezra Miller, the main actor, was involved in legal disputes before its premiere. Miller agreed to a trespassing offence after entering a not-guilty plea to felony burglary charges in October 2022. Since then, they have expressed regret for what they did and sought mental health therapy. Recognizing this publicity crisis, Muschietti clarified that a director does not influence such circumstances.
The movie also received backlash for its computer-generated imagery, which Muschietti justified as purposefully created to mirror Barry Allen’s viewpoint. In addition, its many cameos generated conflicting responses, with some Hollywood celebrities, such as Tim Burton and Nicolas Cage, voicing their displeasure. According to reports, even the family of Superman actor Christopher Reeve objected to Reeve’s posthumous inclusion.
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Some critics praised ‘The Flash’ in spite of the difficulties. The film’s inventive use of time travel earned it a four-star rating from NME. The story’s human motivation—Barry Allen’s wish to save his mother—set it different from other superhero movies, according to reviewer Alex Flood. In addition, Flood praised the dynamic soundtrack and captivating computer-generated imagery, which he claimed elevated the time-travel aspects to a remarkable level.
Despite major obstacles, ‘The Flash’ was praised by some people for its distinct interpretation of the superhero genre.
–Farheen Ali
