While The Flash TV series continues to race on The CW, The Flash movie is slowly progressing as one of the many entries in the DC Extended Universe. However, it encountered a setback in late April when Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter writer Seth Grahame-Smith dropped out of directing due to “creative differences.” Since then, fans have been waiting to see who will fill his shoes, and now we finally have the replacement director: Rick Famuyiwa.
As reported by Deadline, Warner Bros has tapped the Dope director to helm the Scarlet Speedster’s 2018 movie, with a finalized deal coming shortly. It was mentioned in the report that Famuyiwa “provided a vision” that not only would resonate with young viewers, but was also compatible with the script the studio had on hand. Famuyiwa teased on his Twitter page in recent weeks that he might be associated with something DC Comics-related, but nothing was confirmed until now. He will be working off a script written by Grahame-Smith, which in turn was based off a treatment by The LEGO Movie masterminds Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Rick Famuyiwa’s writing and directing credits over the years include The Wood, Brown Sugar and Talk To Me, but last year, his prominence increased with Dope, which told the story of a ‘90s pop culture-obsessed high schooler who accidentally gets entangled in the world of drugs and crime in his Los Angeles neighborhood. Dope’s protagonist was a self-described “geek,” which is also fitting for Flash, as Barry Allen is a forensic scientist at the Central City Police Department. Famuyiwa also had a good handle on crafting young people in Dope, which is great for The Flash, as Barry is one of the youngest superheroes on the Justice League. Granted, Famuyiwa didn’t write the script, but under his direction, it sounds like the movie is in good hands. It’s also a good sign that that Warner Bros is securing someone with plenty of directorial experience to succeed Seth Grahame-Smith rather than pick another first-timer.
Just like in the comics, The Flash movie will follow the latest adventure of Barry Allen, who gained super speed abilities after being struck by lightning and chemicals at the same time in his forensics lab. So far the only actor confirmed for The Flash is Ezra Miller as Barry, making this his third DCEU appearance after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League: Part One. The production is reportedly in the midst of casting major roles like Iris West and Eobard Thawne, but Warner Bros has yet to make any official character announcements. Unlike Man of Steel and Wonder Woman, The Flash won’t be an origin story, though don’t be surprised if we see glimpses of the accident that gave him his powers.
The Flash speeds into theaters on March 16, 2018.
