‘The Flash’ Sequel Could Reportedly Happen if Box Office Results Compare to ‘The Batman’
Ezra Miller as The Flash in Warner Bros. Discovery’s The Flash.
One of the biggest entertainment stories of the past few years has been the endless behind-the-scenes drama surrounding The Flash and its lead actor Ezra Miller. The movie has also suffered a few changes as Warner Bros. Discovery tries to figure out how to move on with the DC franchise, and it’s been assumed for a while that it would be the end of the DCEU as we know it, with this year’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom acting as the epilogue. (Blue Beetle will apparently be folded into the new continuity.)
Despite that, though, a script for a sequel was commissioned last year from Aquaman scribe David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. It reportedly features Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl in a limited capacity. And though it doesn’t mean it will happen, a new report by TheWrap suggests that the studio would be ready to push the green button on it should the first film deliver at the box office. And how much, exactly? According to the story, the studio would be satisfied with a worldwide gross north of $750M, i.e., making at least what Matt Reeves’ The Batman did last year.
The film is currently tracking for an opening weekend between $70M and $105M, according to Box Office Pro, and a global bow of $155M, according to Deadline.
The obvious question now is about Miller’s involvement. The actor made their first public appearance since their legal problems in spring 2022, but was very succinct in their words, simply thanking the filmmakers, studio, and cast for their support. Speaking on the podcast “The Discourse”, director Andy Muschietti revealed a couple of weeks ago that a sequel to The Flash would only move forward with Miller as the lead. Muschietti’s own involvement is a bit of a question mark at this point, as he’s reportedly attached to direct The Brave and the Bold for DC Studios.
THE FLASH
(L-R) EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen/The Flash, SASHA CALLE as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen/The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE FLASH,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics
While it’s unclear how it would fit into the narrative of the upcoming DCU from James Gunn and Peter Safran, the studio can always label it as an Elseworlds story, like Joker or The Batman. However, that comes with its own problems as well and a big headache for the audience trying to put the pieces together a few years from now, which is exactly what prompted Warner Bros. to do a reboot of the entire franchise. It’s all a giant mess, and while we thought The Flash could clear things up for us, the truth is that it might just mess it all up.
From a money standpoint, though, it makes total sense. If a movie makes a billion dollars, no studio executive would be crazy enough not to explore a sequel (except for maybe Titanic). The audience and their wallets are the ultimate jurors here; in a capitalist society, money rules the world, and if the box office gives Ezra Miller its thumbs up as the lead, then they should be good to go for round 2. And make no mistake, those mental health problems they were talking about last year will go away sooner than they expected if Warner Bros. wanted them back.
For now, it’s all a case of “wait and see”. There is still the possibility that TheWrap is acting as a studio spokesperson, leaking exactly what Warners wants out — that they are in the (mentally healthy) Ezra Miller business. Logic dictates that everyone should move on, and maybe give Sasha Calle another go as the DCU’s Supergirl. But once again, money talks.
The Flash opens in theaters worldwide on June 16.
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings, but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as authors like Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.
