Amidst the drama surrounding the new heads of DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran, and the recent clearing house of the current DC Cinematic Universe (DCEU) which saw the removal of Henry Cavill’s Superman and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam from their line of superheroes, Ezra Miller’s ‘The Flash’ will likely push through according to some Warner Bros. executives.
Announced earlier in 2014, the film has certainly taken its time, with fellow Justice League members aside from Cyborg having already had their own titles; that is if you consider Ben Affleck’s appearance in the 2016 Batman v Superman, despite it being a hero-tandem project. Pushed back again and again due to undisclosed issues during its production, it also did not help that the movie’s lead, Ezra Miller was caught in several legal controversies in a number of different territories such as; Hawaii, Massachusetts, and North Dakota—a streak madness others might describe. Miller was noted to have reportedly been charged with disorderly conduct and harassment after yelling out profanities at a karaoke bar in Hawaii, as well as being arrested on a second-degree assault charge after an altercation at an intersection, also in Hawaii, among many others.
Miller has since apologized for his actions, and willingly opted to receive treatment for his “complex mental health issues.”
“Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment. I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe, and productive stage in my life,” the actor shared with PEOPLE via their representative on Aug. 15.
According to IGN, Miller simmering down and taking the necessary steps on the road to recovery, resounded well among Warner Bros. executives, now believing that they can move forward with him. Furthermore, the actor reportedly met with them and affirmed his commitment to playing the Scarlet Speedster.
That sounds amazing, good on you Ezra Miller, but that doesn’t change the fact that although this film is set to release this year, it was announced earlier in 2014 and was likely a key component of Zack Snyder’s vision for the DCEU. Things have changed with the arrival of James Gunn and Peter Safran who have prepared a roadmap for the franchise’s complete and total reboot. “Peter & I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn’t be more over-the-moon about; we’ll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year,” Gunn shared via Twitter.
Peter & I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn’t be more over-the-moon about; we’ll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) December 15, 2022
If the decision is to move forward with ‘The Flash’, then perhaps those at the top of Warner Bros. particularly Gunn and Safran see a place for the “fastest man alive” in their narrative moving forward—or maybe he can be used as a tool to seamlessly reboot the franchise. What I mean, is utilizing the speedster’s ability to rewind time and create branched realities, as seen in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ as well as in other animated films, series, and comics. Miller’s ‘The Flash’ may very well be an instrument for a smooth transition from the old DCEU to the new one, without making it seem abrupt and awkward while making it make sense in the grand scheme of things.
Only time will tell however if Miller’s role with the newly revamped DCEU will be only to herald Gunn’s reboot. After all, Gal Gadot has not officially been removed as Wonder Woman despite her third film getting scrapped, and Jason Momoa is speculated to be possibly playing Lobo in a future project despite losing his mantle as Aquaman.
‘The Flash’ is set to open in theatres on June 16, 2023.