The Flash: Will it fall victim to DC's recent box office missteps?

Despite hope for redemption after DC's previous less-than-stellar box office performances, it appears that the highly-anticipated movie, The Flash, may also falter. DC's recent cinematic release, Shazam! Fury of the Gods has posted a worldwide gross of a mere $133.4 million, making it the lowest-earning film in DCEU history.

Such disappointing results follow the release of the much-hyped Black Adam in November 2022. Although the film raked in $391.3 million globally, there have been contradictory reports, including from Dwayne Johnson himself, regarding the movie's profitability for the studio.

The steep production budget of $260 million left little space for Warner Bros. to profit significantly from Black Adam. And now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, The Flash is also projected to underperform at the box office.

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The Flash at the box office: A predicted slow start and Warner Bro's unrelenting superhero struggles

A recent report from The Hollywood Reporter suggested that The Flash is on track for a rather unimpressive $70 million domestic opening weekend. This estimate falls considerably short of the $93 million that the much-criticized Justice League pulled in during its 2017 opening weekend.

Conversely, Box Office Pro's tracking estimates that Andy Muschietti's first foray into the superhero genre could yield between $115-$140 million on its opening weekend.

Such stark differences in predictions may spell trouble for Warner Bros. and its CEO, David Zaslav. With the Father's Day weekend anticipated to draw in larger audiences and the film receiving commendations from personalities like Tom Cruise and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, Warner Bros. has high expectations.

Drawing parallels with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which had a steady but not outstanding opening of $118 million, the performance of superhero movies can have ripple effects. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quatumania, released in February, received a lackluster reception from fans, yielding the lowest worldwide total among the franchise's three films.

This failure may have contributed to Vol. 3's slower start (Vol. 2 garnered $146.5 million on opening), possibly due to audience fatigue or disappointment with the preceding film. Such a predicament seems to be unfolding in DC, with the recent releases of Black Adam and Shazam! 2 failing to build momentum for The Flash.

Despite Johnson's tireless promotion of Black Adam to his 381 million Instagram followers, the film managed an underwhelming $67 million opening in North America.

In comparison, Warner DC has seen success with its so-called DC's Elseworlds stories like Joker and The Batman that adopt a more serious narrative.

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DC's attempt to reset the universe with Flash

The journey since 2013's Man of Steel has been fraught with missteps for DC. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, highly anticipated in 2016, left critics and fans underwhelmed. While it enjoyed reasonable box office success, it laid a weak foundation for 2017's Justice League, setting it up for failure.

Negative reception hampered DC's most potent superteam, leading to Zack Snyder releasing his version of the film in 2021 due to a surge in fan support.

James Gunn is now tasked with rejuvenating DC and setting it on a new path, with Superman: Legacy slated for July 11, 2025.

The Flash is expected to "reset many things" in the DCEU, says James Gunn, which is crucial given the recent poor performances. This reason, among others, might explain why expectations for The Flash's opening are subdued.

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Dealing with the Ezra Miller controversy

The controversy surrounding lead actor Ezra Miller has been a significant issue throughout the promotional campaign. Miller gained considerable media attention in March and April 2022 due to multiple arrests in Hawaii, ranging from impeding a highway to disorderly conduct and second-degree assault.

Despite these incidents, the marketing for the movie has been intense, with trailers prominently featuring Michael Keaton's Batman and Miller's Flash. However, Warner Bros. hasn't effectively addressed the Miller controversy, leaving the situation unresolved.

Despite this, director Andy Muschietti recently praised Miller's portrayal of Barry Allen, questioning the widely held belief that Miller would be replaced in any potential sequel to The Flash.

The controversy, compounded with previous failures and the daunting task of resetting the DC universe, might drag The Flash's box office prospects down. Only time will tell if the return of Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck as the Batman can salvage The Flash when it hits theaters on Friday, June 16, 2023.