A new report indicates that “It” director Andy Muschietti is in talks to direct an upcoming Flash movie starring Ezra Miller as Barry Allen.
The report comes from The Hollywood Reporter. They also note that Warner Bros. will tap [easyazon_link identifier=”B07QXT7J4J” locale=”US” tag=”boundingintocomics-20″]Bumblebee[/easyazon_link] and Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson to write a new script for the film in the hopes of going into pre-production by January 2020.
A previous script had reportedly been written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who wrote Spider-Man: Homecoming. Daley and Goldstein were expected to direct, but it appears that is no longer the case. THR reports the two left the project “voluntarily” amid reported creative differences.
Those creative differences appear to have been between the writers and star Ezra Miller. Daley and Goldstein allegedly preferred a more lighter take on the hero, while Ezra Miller has been outspoken about taking The Flash in a darker direction. In fact, Miller reportedly teamed with comic book writer Grant Morrison to write a much darker screenplay for Miller’s Barry Allen. However, Warner Bros. appears to have passed on that script.
As to what it contained, Miller provided a few details that included the idea of a Speedster Multiverse.
“We are talking about sparking a whole new universe, which is not just the DC Multiverse. It’s also, it’s the Speedster Multiverse. And the Speedsters are the ones who connect all of the disparate pieces. Because Marvel is a universe, just one world and all the same characters in it. DC is a multiverse. All these different stories with different realities, different characters, and different versions of characters, and the Speedsters are the ones who move through it all. They are like the connecting bridge between all these different collaged parts.”
The Hollywood Reporter does note that “dealmaking has not yet begun.” They add, “Official orders are expected to go out shortly.”
If this report pans out to be true, it could mean good things for a Flash solo film. The film has been plagued with delays. Initial reports indicated the film would begin production back in February, but had since been delayed to late 2019. Now, it appears it’s being pushed back to January 2020.
The constant delays and apparent creative differences even sparked a recent report that Warner Bros. was looking to replace Miller’s Barry Allen with a Wally West for The Flash solo film.
Not only has the film itself seen problems, but there appears to be an overall lack of communication at Warner Bros. since AT&T took over the company. Aquaman director and Swamp Thing executive producer James Wan admitted as much when he announced he had no idea why Swamp Thing was cancelled after the first episode debuted. Wan’s statement was echoed by fellow executive producer Gary Dauberman.
Warner Bros. has also had problems at the top. Kevin Tsujihara recently resigned and Warner Bros. just recently announced his replacement in Ann Sarnoff.
There also appears to be a lack of direction at Warner Bros. as to what they want to do with the DC Comics properties. Warner Bros. Pictures Group Chairman Toby Emmerich admitted to as much in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in January.
Emmerich stated:
“We all feel like we’ve turned a corner now. We’re playing by the DC playbook, which is very different than the Marvel playbook. We are far less focused on a shared universe. We take it one movie at a time. Each movie is its own equation and own creative entity. If you had to say one thing about us, it’s that it always has to be about the directors.”
What do you make of Andy Muschietti potentially directing a Flash movie with Ezra Miller returning as Barry Allen?