The Flash movie has received another twist to its seemingly endless development process. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Andy Muschietti, who was behind the enormous success of the Stephen King adaptation of It and the upcoming It: Chapter Two, is now in talks to direct The Flash movie for Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment. His sister Barbara Muschietti will produce.
Surprisingly, actor Ezra Miller is expected to stay on board, although they will not be using his treatment that he worked on with comics superstar Grant Morrison. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the most recent creators attached to this film, have officially moved on. The script’s new writer is Bumblebee’s Christina Hodson, who also wrote the upcoming Birds of Prey movie. She’s also attached to a Batgirl script, although there hasn’t been any news on that front in a while now.
According to the report, Daley and Goldstein essentially walked away after it took Warner Brothers too long to green light their version of the movie into production. There were also reported clashes with Ezra Miller, who wanted a darker take on the material. The duo’s script was more lighthearted and in the vein of Spider-Man: Homecoming, which they wrote. Miller and Morrison’s darker take apparently didn’t go over well with Warner Brothers, but they decided they wanted to keep Ezra Miller in the red tights regardless.
This is the latest DC film to be taken on by a veteran of the horror genre. Besides It, Muschietti directed Mama. James Wan made his name on the Saw and Conjuring films, and took Aquaman to a billion dollar global success. David Sandberg, who directed Annabelle: Creation and Lights Out, managed to make Shazam! for a modest budget. The film was a commercial and critical hit, and took a little known character to the mainstream success. Whatever the formula is, it has worked out for Warners.
If Ezra Miller remains as Flash, that means the rumors of the existing DCEU going away with the exception of Aquaman and Wonder Woman are premature. Which is fine by me — the DCEU just needs a fresh coat of paint, not a total reboot. And Ezra Miller was the highlight of Justice League. Why get rid of what works? Although we hope that costume goes away. Give us something sleeker Warner Brothers!
Images: Warner Brothers
