Released in 2023 with great hopes, The Flash performed far below expectations after a long development phase. Despite Warner Bros.’ lavish and gigantic promotional campaigns, the film failed to attract the attention it expected from both critics and audiences. So, what lies behind this disappointing box office performance of The Flash? Here are the details!
Director Muschietti: ‘We failed to capture the target audience with The Flash’
Andy Muschietti, the director of the film, made striking statements about the failure of The Flash in an interview with an Argentine radio station. According to Muschietti, the biggest problem of the film was that it could not appeal to a wide audience. The film, which failed to achieve its goal of being a production that appeals to both male and female, young and adult audiences, which is called ‘four-quadrant’ in Hollywood, did not attract attention, especially among female viewers.
‘When you spend $200 million on a film, Warner Bros. wants to attract everyone to the cinema, even your grandmother,’ Muschietti said, adding that the film failed in this regard. He also claimed that the superhero fatigue at the time and the accusations against lead actor Ezra Miller negatively affected the film’s performance.
Muschietti emphasised the lack of interest in the Flash character, especially from female viewers. However, this may not sound very sincere to some, because the CW’s long-running The Flash series has reached a huge audience over the years. In this context, the director implied that audiences were unable to connect with the DCEU’s version of The Flash.
If The Flash will one day return to the world of cinema, it seems that directors and producers should aim to create a version of the character that appeals to a wider audience… What do you think caused the failure of the film? Don’t forget to share your opinions in the comments!