All is not good in Flash land.
It’s become the biggest irony of the DCEU that, while projects that enjoyed a lot of positive buzz, such as Batgirl, have been shelved, The Flash is still on its way, despite the ever-growing number of troubling headlines featuring the name of the movie’s star, Ezra Miller. In light of the Justice League actor being charged with a felony burglary earlier this week, the latest word has it that Warner Bros. has drawn up three contingency plans for the Scarlet Speedster’s solo film.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, “a source with knowledge of the situation” alleges that the studio has one preferred course of action. Miller, who is said to be currently staying with their mother, is apparently intending to receive professional help in the near future. If this occurs, WB hopes that they could give an interview explaining their erratic behavior in an attempt to clear the air and rebuild their reputation. In this event, The Flash would be released as planned.
Alternatively, if Miller does not go ahead with seeking professional help, the studio would nevertheless press forward and drop The Flash in cinemas next summer, but instead remove its leading star from the movie’s promotional tour and only allow them to do limited press. The third option is the most drastic. Should Miller’s legal problems continue to pile up, WB will be forced to ditch the film altogether. Reshooting it with a different actor has been ruled out due to the fact that Miller appears in virtually every scene.
THR notes that with its blockbuster $200 million plus budget, scrapping The Flash would be an “unprecedented” move, so naturally, Warners is keen to avoid this eventuality at all costs. However, it seems the decision is somewhat out of their hands as it reportedly all depends on whether Miller seeks out the help that they so clearly need.
At the time of writing, The Flash is due to open in theaters on June 23, 2023.