The Flash Director's Recent Comments Were Wrong About Why The Movie Bombed At The Box Office But I Still Have Hope For His Upcoming DC Universe Batman Movie

Andy Muschietti’s reasons for why The Flash bombed at the box office might be wrong, but I think he remains a fine choice to helm Batman‘s first DC Universe movie. Ben Affleck was added to the list of live-action Batman actors with multiple appearances as Bruce Wayne in the DCEU. However, much like what happened with Superman star Henry Cavill, Affleck will not be back as Batman in James Gunn’s DC Universe. While recent rumors suggested Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne could join the DCU, a new actor will take on the role in Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie.

The anticipated Batman film will follow Bruce Wayne discovering he has a son, Damian. The Flash‘s Andy Muschietti will direct the Batman film, and I can understand why some DC fans might not be sure about that choice. Ezra Miller’s first solo film as the Flash lost Warner millions, becoming one of the biggest box office bombs of all time. Recently, Muschietti made some comments about why he thinks The Flash failed. I do not agree with the points raised by the director, but Muchietti understands Batman better than the Flash, so I’m hopeful for the Dark Knight’s upcoming movie.

I Do Not Agree With Andy Muschietti’s Reasons For The Flash Movie’s Failure

The Director Tried To Explain The DCEU’s Biggest Box Office Bomb

DC Studios’ James Gunn, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, Tom Cruise, and other Hollywood figures got to watch The Flash before release, sharing positive thoughts about the DC movie. However, Ezra Miller’s first DCEU solo film was not the hit the studio expected it to be. With a controversial lead star, poor CGI, baffling multiverse cameos, and an ambitious story that did not fully deliver on its premise, The Flash bombed at the box office. The DC movie’s budget of $200 million means that its worldwide gross — $271.4 million — resulted in a loss of over a hundred million for Warner.

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That loss is calculated by how movies spend around the same amount of their budget on marketing, so The Flash was quite costly. Now, The Flash director Andy Muschietti has revealed the reasons he believes his DCEU movie failed. Speaking with Radio TU (via @FlashLegacyBR/Twitter), Muschietti claimed the Flash is an unknown character, so “a lot of people” do not care about the hero. The director also mentioned how Hollywood divides the audience into four quadrants — Male over 25, Male under 25, Female over 25, Female under 25 — and The Flash needed all to go watch the film, but Muschietti said that women did not respond to The Flash.

I disagree with Muschietti’s The Flash comments. Honestly, I don’t think he understands Barry Allen. Grant Gustin’s 10-year run as the speedster in the Arrowverse, leading the franchise’s most popular series, showed Flash can work in live-action. It just so happens that The Flash movie was not as good as Gustin’s series. The real issues with the film were related to Miller never being a fan-favorite and having been part of many controversies in the lead-up to the film, as well as the bad CGI, the negative reviews, and the DCU reboot that was announced beforehand, making The Flash pointless.

I Thought The Flash Movie Showed That Muschietti At Least Understands Batman

Andy Muschietti Handled Different Versions Of Bruce Wayne Well

While Andy Mushcietti’s comments about The Flash confirm to me that he does not understand the character, I have to say that his next DC movie is much more suited to his skills. In The Flash, Muschietti’s most consistent storytelling came from the film’s versions of Batman. Due to the multiverse’s role in the project, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, and George Clooney all appeared as their versions of Bruce Wayne. Keaton and Affleck had bigger roles than Clooney, but all of them served to show that Muschietti could handle Batman quite well.

Keaton’s Batman was as gripping as he had been several years prior in two movies. Seeing a jaded Bruce slowly realize how a new generation of heroes inspired him to be better was perfect for that version of the character. As for Affleck, not only did his Batman get the most comic book-like, fantastical Batman sequence I have ever seen in a live-action movie, but his conversation with Barry about his parents and not changing his past was the character’s best DCEU moment. It was deeply emotional, and I loved that Affleck’s Batman went out on a high note.

Andy Muschietti’s Past Projects Make Him Perfect For The Brave And The Bold

The Director Can Handle Batman’s Darker Tone With Ease

Aside from nailing three versions of Batman in The Flash, the rest of Muschietti’s filmography also gives me faith that he will deliver with The Brave and the Bold. The director is mostly known for his skills with horror projects, and I think that makes Muschietti a good fit for Batman. The IT franchise shows his potential to make sure that Gotham City is a violent place full of shadows for Batman to explore. Matt Reeves’ The Batman franchise has found great success with that approach, and Muschietti’s work on IT‘s Derry could translate to a Gotham full of history.

Upcoming Batman Movies
Movie	Release Date
The Batman – Part II	October 1, 2027
The Brave and the Bold	TBD
The Batman 3	TBD

James Gunn has said that the DCU will have a variety of tones. This means each project will be allowed the creative freedom to tell its story the way it best fits the characters showcased in the project. With Batman, who is a darker character known for his scare tactics towards criminals and violence, Muschietti can excel. I believe his horror roots could lead to a perfect representation of Batman’s Gothic inspirations, with Bruce Wayne being shrouded in darkness and making the most of it. A lot of Batman’s villains are scary, and Muschietti could really tap into that.

Could The DCU Batman Movie Change Its Director?

Recent Developments Suggest The Path DC Is Taking

Bruce and Damian Wayne in The Brave and the Bold promo comic book art with Damian aiming a sword at Batman

Andy Muschietti was announced as the director of The Brave and the Bold in June 2023. In a note to Variety, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran classified The Flash director as a visionary, claiming he was really the only choice to helm the DCU’s first Batman movie. However, with The Flash bombing at the box office and many months without updates on The Brave and the Bold, fans started to think that DC had quietly fired him. That is not accurate, and Muschietti remains set to direct the DCU Batman film.

Muschietti’s role in the Batman franchise was recently reconfirmed by the director. He wants to bring The Brave and the Bold to life, and DC is committed to doing so with him. Muschietti also said he had talks with Gunn about the tone and story of the Batman movie. Due to The Batman being delayed to 2027, Muschietti claims his Batman film will also be postponed to avoid both coming out close to the other. The little movement in The Brave and the Bold does not mean Muschietti is out, and I’m convinced he can deliver a gripping Batman movie.