The Flashfinally sprinted into theaters this past weekend amid much speculation about the future of the DC Universe. Expectations for the film were high, and the projected earning was around $70 million during opening weekend. However, while this weekend was the perfect opportunity for the Ezra Miller film to shine, audiences did not seem too intrigued, resulting in lower box office earnings than expected.
The Flashmovie had a long journey from inception to fruition, with the film first being announced in 2014. Miller was confirmed to play the lead then, and a theatrical release date of March 2018 was announced. After several hiccups, directorial changes, misconduct charges, and lockdowns caused by the pandemic,The Flashfinally made its way to theatersalmost a decade after the idea was conceived. After that rather exhausting ride, it failed to perform up to fan expectations.
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Official figures forThe Flashare out after its first weekend in theaters, and the film brought in $55 million domestically, which despite being a big number is lower than expected. The first-day earnings rounded off to $24.5 million at the box office, which included the Thursday night previews, andThe Flashwas already struggling. The film earned less thanBlack Adam’s $26.6 million on its first day, which already had many concerned. But, what’s even more concerning for the studio is that the film’s reported budget is around $200-220 million.
Looking back at the films released over the past decade, all live-action films that opened in the summer below the $75 million mark at the box office ended up grossing less than $220 million overall, as stated byRotten Tomatoes. As far as the DC films in the recent past are concerned, they’ve all been below average at the box office. This list includesShazam!,Birds of Prey, andWonder Woman 1984. DC’sBlack Adamhad high earnings of $391 million, but it still isn’t considered a success for the studio due to its high production costs.
The Flashhas struggled a lot on its way to the theaters. Due to the recent controversy surrounding Miller, the promotion leading up to the film has also been muted, with hardly any press tours, similar to other big DC films. Add to that new DC Studios boss James Gunn and Peter Safran’s plans to shake up the entire DCU and work towards a reboot of sorts, which has left many fans confused about the purpose behind the film. The ending ofThe Flashwas completely changed by Gunn, leaving many fans puzzled by the film’s conclusion.The Flashhas also received mixed reviewsfrom fans and critics, which is the worst outcome for a dying cinematic universe.
