Andy Muschietti on 'The Flash' Failure: Lack of Interest in Character

Director Andy Muschietti has openly discussed the reasons behind the box office failure of his DC Extended Universe film, "The Flash." In an interview with Radio Tu, translated by Variety, Muschietti pointed out that a significant factor was the lack of broad appeal for the titular character. He stated, "a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character," which he believes contributed to the film's inability to attract "the four quadrants" of moviegoers—a term used in the industry to describe the goal of appealing to all demographics, including males and females under and over 25 years old.

Muschietti elaborated on the film's shortcomings, saying, "The Flash failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that." He emphasized the high stakes involved with the film's $200 million budget, noting that Warner Bros. expected the movie to draw in a wide audience, including older demographics like grandmothers.

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In private conversations, Muschietti discovered that the lack of interest was particularly pronounced among the two female quadrants, further hindering the film's success. He reflected, "All of that is just the wind going against the film I’ve learned."

Beyond the character's appeal, Muschietti alluded to "all the other reasons" for the film's failure, which likely include its poor critical reception, the heavy reliance on CGI, including the controversial use of digital recreations of deceased actors without family consent, and its timing at the end of the now-defunct DCEU.

Despite the setback with "The Flash," DC Studios appears to maintain confidence in Muschietti. He is reportedly set to direct "The Brave and the Bold," marking the first Batman film in the newly envisioned DC Universe under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran.