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The Flash Director Reflects on the Film's Reception

Andy Muschietti, director of the DC production The Flash, opens up about its negative reception and his current thoughts on the film.

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Article Summary

  • The Flash director Andy Muschietti stands by the film despite negative critical and fan reception.
  • Box office performance fell short, with The Flash earning just $271 million globally—low for a superhero film.
  • Muschietti highlights the creative team’s passion and the movie’s challenging rollout amid DCEU shakeups.
  • With DC Studios shifting direction, The Flash’s 2023 version is unlikely to return but still has devoted fans.

The Flash is one of DC's most recognizable heroes thanks to decades of comics, animated series, and event storylines that kept some version of Barry Allen or Wally West in the spotlight. So, when a solo movie was initially confirmed, expectations were high. Unfortunately, the release told a different story. Despite some clever ideas and a few oddball swings that somehow clicked, the film struggled to connect with many and finished with a modest worldwide total of $271 million (very low numbers for a superhero film).

Now that some time has passed, the film's director, Andy Muschietti, says he still stands by the work.

Andy Muschietti on The Flash Reactions

The Flash: 2 HQ Images Spotlight The Title Character [And Not Batman]
© 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. (L-R) EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen / The Flash, EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen / The Flash and SASHA CALLE as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures' action adventure "THE FLASH," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Speaking with The Playlist, he pointed to the team's commitment and the studio's support at a time when headlines made the rollout difficult. As he explains, "We love the movie. We, you know, we gave it our blood, sweat, and tears all the way to the end. And I watched it, like a week ago, and loved it again." He also notes, "But you know how things are these days. People don't see things, but they like to talk s*** about it, and they like to jump on bandwagons."

The Flash arrived as the DCEU era was winding down. Warner Bros. had already set the table for a reset under DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, who unveiled a new interconnected plan called Chapter One: Gods and Monsters with fresh films and series built to live in a unified continuity. And the new direction is already taking shape. Creature Commandos launched the on-screen reboot in animated form. Then, Gunn's Superman opened the film side of the DCU and has a follow-up dated for 2027. Peacemaker also returned within that continuity and played as a connective piece for what comes next.

Where does that leave The Flash? As Gunn and Safran carve the path forward, the Scarlet Speedster will likely return in some form, but the version that hit theaters in 2023 isn't one we'll be revisiting. But if there's a silver lining here, at least the ambitious production still has some devoted fans in the mix, which means it wasn't all bad.

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Aedan JuvetAbout Aedan Juvet

A self-proclaimed pop culture aficionado with a passion for all things horror. Words for Cosmopolitan, Screen Rant, MTV News, NME, etc. For pitches, please email aedanjuvet@gmail.com
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