After a period of inactivity, there seems to be a lot of news coming out of Warner Bros’ The Flash movie recently. As The Inquisitr covered, some reports claim that the film will start production in November. However, a new exclusive from The Hollywood Reporter indicates that star of The Flash , Ezra Miller, has taken on the responsibility of writing (possibly re-writing at this stage) the script for the movie, along with acclaimed comic book writer Grant Morrison.
The Flash has been stalled in development at Warner Bros. for years now. Miller was originally cast in the role prior to his first appearance as the character in Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice in 2016. After his appearance in Justice League in 2017, both Miller and the Flash have stayed put until the standalone movie was scheduled to begin. In the meantime, Miller completed the Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them sequel, The Crimes Of Grindelwald for Warner Bros. as well. After going through many directors, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein were said to have been confirmed and developing the project since January 2018. However, the THR report now uncovers that the delays may have been caused by creative differences between Miller and the co-directors.
The DC Cinematic Universe (DCEU) has struggled since its inception with its films being critically unappreciated, with constant criticism being their dark and joy-less tone and style. Recently, Warner Bros. has been trying to move away from that template of DC Comics films, with standalone films that are vibrant and, seemingly, completely off the wall unique. There is a Joker movie in production with Joaquin Phoenix directed by Todd Philips, which looks to be a standalone film from the Jared Leto Joker from Suicide Squad . Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn character from that film is getting her own adrenaline-fueled spin-off in Birds Of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn.
Most recently, Warner Bros. biggest success has been Aquaman , which abandoned the connections to Justice League and focused on a fun and enjoyable superhero thrill ride. The studio’s next release, Shazam! , looks to take that same approach to newer heights. Directors of The Flash , Daley and Goldstein, were also hired with that light-hearted fare in mind, given that their writing credits include Spider-Man: Homecoming , and directorial credits include Game Night ; both films that are lighthearted in tone while still being substantive in the story.
However, the THR report indicates that Miller wants a darker take on the story and is willing to write the script for his version himself. It’s unclear if Miller will leave the project if his script isn’t chosen, or what the status of the film will be going forward. A reworking of the script at this stage may mean that the reported production start of November 2019 may come and go.
No release date has been set for The Flash.
