Credit: Warner Bros.DC’s The Flash is one of the most disappointing comic book movies according to its current box-office numbers.
The film has been surrounded by controversy from the start as Ezra Miller (who plays Barry Allen/The Flash) has been involved in a series of serious allegations and harassment claims over the last few years. Even Michael Keaton’s fanservice Batman hasn’t been enough to sway audiences, especially as it became clear that the special effects and storyline were just as bad.
It couldn’t square up against Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which was released two weeks before The Flash. In its first weekend, Across the Spider-Verse made an estimated $120 million during its opening weekend, climbing the ranks in record-setting numbers. In comparison, Flash only made about $55 million during opening weekend, far less than half of its budget.
During its second weekend, Flash only brought home $15.3 million, a jaw-dropping 73% decrease from its opening weekend numbers. It marks the worst DC drop so far, even compared to other poorly performing films like Black Adam (2022) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). Both films have been major disappointments for DC, and it looks like Flash is about to join the ranks.
The film also faced the issue of DC’s impending retcon as James Gunn steps up as newly appointed CEO of DC Studios. He announced an all-new DC Universe, revealing that none of the previous DC characters or movies would be part of it, making Flash little more than the end of a tumultuous string of DC crossover films.
Considering the film’s $200 million dollar budget, it was expected to be “one of the greatest superhero films of all time, ” but it seemed doomed to fail from the start. Although director Andy Muschietti has stated that Ezra was brilliant and wouldn’t be replaced in a future Flash sequel, he’s signed on to direct Batman: The Brave and the Bold, so a second Flash movie doesn’t seem forthcoming any time soon.
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