After a spate of controversies involving The Flash star Ezra Miller, questions have been raised over whether Warner Bros. should replace the actor in the film, but this may not be realistically possible.
The Flash is slated for release in the summer of next year and will mark Ezra Miller’s sixth appearance as DC’s scarlet speedster (or seventh, if you count both versions of Justice League separately). However, despite appearing in the role several times already, Miller is yet to lead a solo movie as the Flash.
While fan excitement for the film, which is also set to feature both Ben Affleck’s and Michael Keaton’s versions of Batman, has been high, its reputation has been marred by Ezra Miller’s recent legal troubles. Miller has been arrested on multiple occasions this year for harassment, disorderly conduct and a traffic violation. This has raised questions over whether Warner Bros. will replace the actor in the upcoming DC film.
Too Late To Replace Miller
While Ezra Miller’s highly publicized arrests have caused a headache for DC and Warner Bros. executives, the fact remains that it is too late in the day to replace them in The Flash. Filming wrapped prior to any of the incidents in which Miller was arrested and insiders have said replacing them in the role would require reshooting the entire movie. This is hardly surprising, given the fact Miller plays the title character.
Given the prevalence of Ezra Miller in The Flash, digitally replacing the actor with another performer – as happened with Kevin Spacey and Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World – is simply not a feasible option. Reshooting the vast majority of a costly superhero blockbuster is also not something Warner Bros. can likely afford.
Warner Bros. is also unlikely to want to mess with The Flash too much, or consider postponing it or moving it to an HBO Max exclusive release, as the film has reportedly performed incredibly well at early test screenings. DC movies have generally struggled to keep up with the mega hits produced by Marvel Studios. There have been a few exceptions, of course, but with a potentially reality-altering plot, The Flash represents an opportunity for DC to course correct their cinematic universe and land a much-needed box office success at the same time. Warner Bros. simply cannot afford to interfere with the film’s release or consider extensive last-minute reshoots now.
Directed by Andy Muschietti from a script written by Birds of Prey scribe Christina Hodson, The Flash is inspired by the Flashpoint comic book storyline, which followed Barry Allen as he navigated an altered DC Universe. Written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Andy Kuber, Flashpoint radically altered the status of the DC Comics universe and led to the launch of the New 52 titles.
In addition to Ezra Miller, The Flash also features Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck as two separate versions of Batman, Ron Livingston as Henry Allen, Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Antje Traue as Faora-Ul and Sasha Calle as Supergirl. Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Rudy Mancuso, and Luke Brandon Field are also on board in undisclosed roles.
The Flash opens on June 23, 2023. Stay tuned for all the latest news regarding the future of The Flash, and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
Source: Variety
