In a surprise to no one, it seems The Flash entering the Speed Force in Zack Snyder’s Justice League winning the 2022 Oscars fan favorite award could have been rigged by hardcore Snyder fans.
The inherently controversial fan-voted awards at the 2022 Oscars ceremony were ripe for the rigging, and it’s alleged by The Wrap that that’s indeed how Snyder’s Justice League picked up its Academy Awards gong. Winning it ahead of The Matrix bullet-time scene, the Avengers assembling in Endgame, and the three Spider-Men uniting in No Way Home.
The outlet has reported bots were behind the wins, with a significant amount of the votes coming from automated accounts set up solely to vote. The accounts also automatically placed votes for the other Snyder film, The Army of the Dead. The insight came from a University of Maryland professor, who had been studying the advent of “fanbots”.
There were undoubtedly real people who voted for the films, but the sheer swing towards Snyder was unprecedented considering its direct competitor Endgame grossed $2.7 billion worldwide and has tapped further into mainstream culture than Justice League.
It’s a good bit of news for The Flash actor Ezra Miller, who has recently been having a controversial time, with two arrests. Currently based in Hawaii, the actor has faced questions over his future in the role due to their alleged misdeeds in the island state.
Miller will enter the Speed Force again soon, with the upcoming The Flash being loosely based upon the seminal Flashpoint Paradox comic arc. Set for release July 2023, it boasts two different Batmen in its cast, with both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck confirmed.
