Despite being one of the first DC Extended Universe projects to be announced, The Flash has faced numerous obstacles over the years. Ezra Miller first cameoed as Barry Allen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, and later made his full debut as the Scarlet Speedster in Justice League, but the Flash movie itself has continually been delayed due to director departures, script changes, scheduling issues, etc. Now Miller is reportedly tackling writing duties on The Flash as well, but he’s not alone, as longtime DC Comics writer Grant Morrison is helping him out.
According to THR, this latest development on the script front comes as a result of conflicting creative visions between Ezra Miller and The Flash directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The duo, who were tapped to helm The Flash early last year, want to go in a lighthearted direction with the movie, similar to what’s been done with Aquaman, which has grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide, and Shazam!, which is getting positive early buzz. Miller, on the other hand, wants The Flash to be darker, and he subsequently took the initiative to work on the script with Grant Morrison, whose DC Comics credits include runs on Batman, Justice League of America, Doom Patrol and, especially fitting here, The Flash, not to mention miniseries like All-Star Superman, Final Crisis and The Multiversity.
Needless to say that Ezra Miller working on The Flash’s script is going the extra mile, and the report notes that the actor is “deeply committed to the character.” That said, depending on how this all works out, it could affect Miller’s future as The Fastest Man Alive. If Warner Bros decides it doesn’t like Miller’s take on The Flash, then the actor might leave the project. Miller’s holding deal on The Flash also apparently expires in May, so the involved parties will, ironically, need to work fast to settle all this if the actor is going to stay on board. This new script could be turned into the studio as early as next week.
It should be noted that even if Ezra Miller were to depart from The Flash, it wouldn’t mark the end of his relationship with Warner Bros. He’s still attached to reprise Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts 3, which begins shooting this fall. Nevertheless, the prospect of Ezra Miller leaving Flash behind if he can’t reach an understanding with the studio would be a big shakeup, although that wouldn’t be the only DC superhero recasting in the DCEU. In January, Ben Affleck confirmed in January he won’t play Batman again, and a younger actor is being looked for to play the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
We’ll have to wait and see what creative direction The Flash ultimately ends up going and whether Ezra Miller will be a part of it, but at least the actor has a comic book veteran in his corner to help him hash out the story he has in mind. When we last saw Miller’s Barry Allen at the end of Justice League, he had been hired by the Central City Police Department and was continuing his superhero activities. At one point the Flash movie was going to be an adaptation of 2011’s Flashpoint, and while that no longer appears to be happening, it is one of the darker Flash comic book storylines, so maybe the script Miller and Grant Morrison are working on could draw inspiration from it.
Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for any updates on The Flash’s progress, but in the meantime, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is in development for this superhero franchise.
