Superhero adventure movie The Flash, starring Ezra Miller, has disappointed critics at the box office this weekend.
The film was expected to be a big hit, after excited reactions to the film’s trailers and previews, including filmmaker James Gunn calling the film “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made” in the lead-up to its release date.
However, in its opening weekend the film has raked in less than half of what was projected at the box office.
The plot follows Barry Allen as he uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future. It stars actors such as Sasha Calle, Ezra Miller, and Ben Affleck.
How much has the film made at the box office?
Box office projections suggested it would make at least $70 million (£54.6 million) over the weekend.
But the movie has sadly failed to meet expectations at the box office, bringing in an initial $24.5 million (£19 million) and may even underperform against recent DC film Black Adam - which was branded a failure when it brought in $62.2 million (£48.5 million) in its opening weekend.
Why hasn’t the film performed well?
Though we don’t know the exact reasons the movie hasn’t performed well, there are various factors that point to the possible reasons it has not performing as well as what was predicted.
Some have suggested that Ezra Miller’s (who stars in the movie) recent behaviour has put fans off from going to see The Flash. In recent years, he has been involved in a string of legal trouble including arrests for disorderly conduct.
TMZ have said: “Some might attribute [the low box office performance] to Ezra themself ... who’s been mired in controversies for about 2 years now.
“It might also be the lack of a traditional press run the studio opted for - there were hardly any interviews in the lead-up.”
The Hollywood Reporter also wrote: "Box office pundits are divided as to whether Ezra Miller’s off-screen woes are impacting the film’s performance.
"Miller was arrested multiple times in 2022 and was the subject of several controversies, culminating in the actor issuing a statement in August of last year apologizing for their behavior...
"Miller walked the red carpet at the movie’s premiere but has otherwise been absent from doing publicity for The Flash."
In August 2022, the actor made a statement: “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. 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.”
In addition, the critics responses to the film have been mixed, to say the least. Matt Zoller Seitz from RogerEbert.com called The Flash “simultaneously thoughtful and clueless, challenging and pandering”, while another, Kirsten Acuna from Insider, was unimpressed by the film’s “unnecessary cameos”, saying that they were there “seemingly for the sake of it”.
What have audience reactions been?
At the time of writing, Rotten Tomatoes has rated The Flash 66%, while the audience has rated it 85%. So reviews are mixed: one tweeter said "The Flash is a perfect Flash movie if you’re looking for an unlikable Barry Allen, none of his rogue’s gallery, Flashpoint without Cyborg and Thomas Wayne, awful CGI, and lots of cheap/cursed pops."
While another said: "I’m seeing a lot of negativity about The Flash movie right now and honestly? It gave us Sasha’s Supergirl and more time with Keaton’s Batman. I loved both of those aspects way more than I can about the negative ones."
