On Tuesday evening, the Scarlet Speedster, also known as DC Comics superhero “;The Flash,” made a crashing appearance at CinemaCon, the annual convention of movie theater owners in Las Vegas. Despite being touted as “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made” by executives at Warner Bros. and DC, the film may not have cleared those lofty expectations. Nevertheless, it elicited cheers, laughs, and maybe even a few tears from the audience at Caesars Palace.
While the audience at CinemaCon is a vested interest in the success of the blockbuster-hopeful, showcasing “The Flash” in this capacity is yet another sign of Warner Bros.' passionate support of the project. This support is impressive, given the controversies surrounding Ezra Miller, the lead actor, as well as myriad director shake-ups, COVID-19 delays, and regime changes at the studio and DC.
In “The Flash” Miller’s heroic character, Barry Allen, travels back in time to prevent his mother’s murder, which carries unintended consequences and cracks open the DC multiverse. Prying open those portals leads to all kinds of unexpected cameos, sparking enthusiastic applause from the crowd. Miller did not attend CinemaCon, nor did their co-stars Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Kiersey Clemmons, or Michael Shannon. Director Andy Muschietti and his producing partner Barbara Muschietti were present to introduce the film, which was described as “a four-year process.”
The siblings stressed that the version of the film that screened on Tuesday is unfinished, “but it’s still pretty awesome.” There are no closing credits, so it’s possible that even more surprises are in store for those who purchase tickets.
During the studio’s hours-long CinemaCon presentation, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav told the CinemaCon crowd that he’s already seen “The Flash” three times. “It’s a very emotional movie. You’re going to go through all the emotions,” he said.”It’s the best superhero movie I’ve ever seen.”
Prior to Tuesday’s screening, much of the press around “The Flash” has been overshadowed by Miller’s off-screen behavior. The actor, who faces assault and abuse allegations, has apologized for their past actions. “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,” Miller said in a statement last summer. “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.”
Despite these personal issues, the studio has expressed confidence in Miller’s performance. As Muschietti talked up the film during Warner Bros.” presentation on Tuesday morning, the filmmaker praised Miller as “an incredible comedian” who has “all the action required for a big spectacle like this.” Muschietti added, “They wanted to do all the stunts, and I let them.”
In conclusion, while “The Flash” may not have cleared the stratospheric expectations that Warner Bros. and DC have touted it to be, it has received a positive response from the audience at CinemaCon. The film is one that has faced numerous hurdles, but Warner Bros.’ passionate support of the project indicates that it is one to watch out for. Despite Miller’s off-screen controversies, the studio has expressed confidence in their performance, and as David Zaslav has stated, “The Flash” is “the best superhero movie I’ve ever seen.” The theatrical debut of “The Flash” is set for June 16, and audiences will soon be able to judge for themselves whether the Scarlet Speedster has lived up to the hype.