The Flash (2022)

[Gotham Knight]

It is being suggested now that part of the Flash delay might be because it is now very, very apparent that Miller is a problem child. Could The Flash retcon himself? Anyway, Miller seems to have completely lost it. The stories keep coming that he is an easily agitated weirdo who will attack you as soon as he can maneuver you into a conflict.

There's an established trend now and it's that Ezra has issues. I'd like to know if it impacts upon the film's box office in any way. And if people who loathe Miller feel any different about his conduct next year. And that's not taking in to account the possibility of more incidents like this happening. On another point, I've seen talk there was possibly a scene filmed for Aquaman 2 that featured Keaton meeting Momoa. But because The Flash is coming out after that movie it has now been pulled - but it may be used later. Sounds believable actually.

It makes me wonder. This behavior has long been of concern and I'm thinking what if the reason that this film was developed as a 'Flash and Batman' team up movie was owed to these concerns. Early reports asserted that Keaton was co-headlining the movie. Is that why he was chosen? Affleck's star power is going out the door...so is Keaton the guy who has babysit the movie on the promotional front?

In lighter news: The Flash test screened. The response was very positive. I believe the 'Snyder cut is canon' stuff is coming from this screening.

[Gotham Knight]

Update: multiple sources are now saying that Affleck doesn't die and that the Snyder Cut canon is being 'set aside,' not destroyed. I don't care for that. I think it hurts the film if it they decide to do this. You can't be half pregnant. Either you restore the Snyder canon (can't believe I'm saying that) or you pull the dang trigger.  That's a knee jerk, but maybe they'll make it work. Mysteries of the multiverse! Seems like a tall order to have your cake and eat it too, but maybe they'll swing it.

[The Dark Knight]

Update: multiple sources are now saying that Affleck doesn't die and that the Snyder Cut canon is being 'set aside,' not destroyed. I don't care for that. I think it hurts the film if it they decide to do this. You can't be half pregnant. Either you restore the Snyder canon (can't believe I'm saying that) or you pull the dang trigger.  That's a knee jerk, but maybe they'll make it work. Mysteries of the multiverse! Seems like a tall order to have your cake and eat it too, but maybe they'll swing it.

If they went with stone cold dead route I'd be sure to make it memorable and worthy. But it wouldn't be my first preference. Even if Affleck never returns to the role it would be comforting to know his character still exists in some form in his own pocket universe. I can't see the downsides for doing so.

[Silver Nemesis]

More news concerning the antics of Ezra Miller:

Ezra Miller has been hit with a temporary restraining order by two residents in Hilo, a small town in Hawaii where Miller was arrested earlier this week. The "Fantastic Beasts" and "The Flash" actor was released from jail after paying $500 in bail and then reportedly threatened a couple on the property they've been staying at in Hawaii, the Associated Press reports.

According to Hawaii Police Assistant Chief Kenneth Quiocho, police escorted Miller off the property hours after they posted bail. A resident on the property called the police and asked for advice on removing two houseguests. The restraining order against Miller says the actor burst into the Hilo couple's bedroom and threatened them. Miller allegedly stole some of the couple's belongings, including a passport and wallet.

Variety has reached out to Miller's representative for further comment.

The temporary restraining order against Miller was filed Tuesday, March 29. The actor was arrested Monday, March 28 and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment after an incident at a bar. The Hawaii County Police Department said in a post that South Hilo officers responded to a report of a disorderly bar patron. Police determined that Miller had become unruly while other patrons sang karaoke and had begun "yelling obscenities." Miller then "grabbed the microphone from a 23-year-old woman singing karaoke and later lunged at a 32-year-old man playing darts."

According to Quiocho, Miller has been the source of 10 police calls in Hilo since March 7. It is unknown at this time how long Miller has been in Hawaii.

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/ezra-miller-restraining-order-threatened-couple-arrest-1235218839/

He went ham on a pregnant woman so I can't say any of this is too surprising.

Still, he had that reputation before principal photography commenced on the movie so I wonder why he was brought back at all.

I can't imagine why WB hasn't fired Ezra. If he was irresistibly charismatic and really great as the Flash, then I could understand them trying to weather the controversy and keep him around. But he isn't charismatic and he's been awful as the Flash since day one. Yet WB continues to push him as one of their major stars through the Fantastic Beasts and DCEU movies. Has he got dirt on one of the executives or something?

The Barry Allen Flash, the comic book version, is my favourite DC hero after Batman and Superman, and it pains me to see him portrayed as an immature goofy Peter Parker clone in the DCEU. They should use the new movie to give the character a fresh start. Bring in someone more masculine and mature to portray him and have the writers base his characterisation on the Pre-Crisis Barry from the comics instead of the MCU Spider-Man.

WB has mishandled the DCEU Flash from the get go, and the miscasting of Miller was only the start. They had him cameo in not just one but two movies before giving him a proper introduction in Justice League, and even then Whedon cut some of his most important scenes and didn't bother to introduce any of his supporting cast besides Henry Allen. The studio has failed to lay the groundwork for a story as complex as Flashpoint. But then the first Flash solo movie should never have been a Flashpoint adaptation to begin with. That would be like starting a new solo Batman series with an adaptation of Under the Hood. Some stories have to be built up to, and WB hasn't established the necessary foundations to tackle Flashpoint or Eobard Thawne. Thawne's one of the best super villains ever, but his rivalry with Barry needed to be developed considerably before reaching the Rebirth/Flashpoint stage. There's a long history between those two characters, and the murder of Nora Allen – the catalyst that triggers the Flashpoint arc – is a consequence of that history.

The first Flash solo movie should have come out back in 2016 instead of Suicide Squad, and it should have starred someone like Ryan Gosling in the lead. Gosling has the right look, height and physique to portray Barry, and he has the acting ability to convey the character's focused analytical temperament. To my knowledge, he's also never choked out a pregnant woman.

The first Flash solo film should have introduced Barry, his parents, his colleagues at the Central City police crime lab and Iris West, plus a handful of his classic rogues. It also needed to introduce certain important concepts, such as the Speed Force. This would have set the Flash up to appear in Justice League (2017), which would in turn have introduced the concept of time travel (see the Snyder Cut), and after that the Flash could have starred in another solo movie released in 2020 instead of Birds of Prey. This second film should then have introduced Kid Flash and the vendetta between Barry and Eobard Thawne. Then we would have had an adequate setup for Flashpoint.

[Gotham Knight]

More updates. Zod is alive after the reset. A very early rumor from way back, that the Burton Batman has gone mad, appears to be correct. The Black Flash is in it, portrayed as a Ghost of Christmas Future like harbinger of doom.

[Gotham Knight]

The movie teases a crisis event (post credit) that will likely come 3-5 years from now. The hook is that WB is going to do the mea culpa for Snyder fans by allowing the Snyderverse (which still exists) to be a part of that Crisis event film. This is where most of Affleck's stuff comes into play.

[The Dark Knight]

A very early rumor from way back, that the Burton Batman has gone mad, appears to be correct.

I'm all for this. Even if it meant abandoning the Bruce Wayne persona completely and calling himself Batman ala Kingdom Come, or at one time running Gotham like a Police State with drones when Alfred passed away. I honestly don't think it would be out of character for the Burton Batman given his obsessive traits in his first two films. Advanced age could make him more desperate and thus more dangerous.

The movie teases a crisis event (post credit) that will likely come 3-5 years from now. The hook is that WB is going to do the mea culpa for Snyder fans by allowing the Snyderverse (which still exists) to be a part of that Crisis event film. This is where most of Affleck's stuff comes into play.

Which would make a Batfleck return very possible. Five years or so is a considerable length of time for Ben to take a break and explore other projects before coming back. Given the circumstances I'm feeling better about the way things seem to be handled on this front given complete erasure of the Snyderverse seemed likely.

[Travesty]

I can't imagine why WB hasn't fired Ezra. If he was irresistibly charismatic and really great as the Flash, then I could understand them trying to weather the controversy and keep him around. But he isn't charismatic and he's been awful as the Flash since day one. Yet WB continues to push him as one of their major stars through the Fantastic Beasts and DCEU movies.

The Barry Allen Flash, the comic book version, is my favourite DC hero after Batman and Superman, and it pains me to see him portrayed as an immature goofy Peter Parker clone in the DCEU. They should use the new movie to give the character a fresh start. Bring in someone more masculine and mature to portray him and have the writers base his characterisation on the Pre-Crisis Barry from the comics instead of the MCU Spider-Man.

I 100% agree. I love The Flash. He's my #2 after Batman, and I absolutely hate Ezra's portrayal as Barry. He's like a goofier version of Wally. He doesn't give me any kind of Barry Allen vibes. I'm just not a big Ezra fan as it is, and he sounds like a complete and total piece of sh*t in real life. The only reason why I'm excited for this movie, is because of Keaton returning. That's it.

[Gotham Knight]

Another hot rumor inbound: Kara Zor-El/Kara Danvers is the last survivor of Krypton on the new Rebirth Earth. Kal-El was killed by Zod on Krypton when he was a baby.

Henry Cavill's Superman is alive in the Snyderverse and that door remains open, but he was not in this test cut. Early rumors have been divided. Some insist he has filmed something, others claim he is only in television footage. The most recent rumor is that no he is not in it and he is done with the role, but just like Affleck, there is no longer a period at the end of the sentence. So, if something changes, he can return as part of Crisis.

[The Joker]

Bring in someone more masculine and mature to portray him and have the writers base his characterisation on the Pre-Crisis Barry from the comics instead of the MCU Spider-Man.

There seems to be a very intentional decision to steer clear of the classic Pre-Crisis Barry Allen characterization/incarnation within the cluster that is the DCEU for whatever reason. Its like, WB just HAS to have s (youthful) someone making quips on the team, and it's regulated to the Flash. But, as you say, it's really Barry Allen Flash in name only. I mean, I'm not super knowledgeable about Green Lantern, but I recall similar complaints were pointed at the 2011 Ryan Reynolds GL film as well. Where some fans felt WB essentially made Hal Jordan like a DC version of the cinematic version of Iron Man/Tony Stark. I don't really know how accurate that assessment is, but it would have been a foregone conclusion that there would be similarities drawn the minute Reynolds was cast. Especially with how both RDJ/Reynolds have a blatant predisposition to lean into sarcasm.

The movie teases a crisis event (post credit) that will likely come 3-5 years from now. The hook is that WB is going to do the mea culpa for Snyder fans by allowing the Snyderverse (which still exists) to be a part of that Crisis event film. This is where most of Affleck's stuff comes into play.

It's (almost) surprising that with the current cut of The Flash, someone had the foresight to leave the Snyderverse in it's own pocket universe for a possible card to play later, rather than just downplaying, and destroying it. I could actually see the 'current' brass in charge when this current cut was made wanting to implement something like that. Wonders never cease.

Keats variant Flashpoint Batman being nuts can either be played with dramatic effect, or it can be seen as unintentionally comedic. Depends on how the delivery is, and how it's played with in the film itself. Plus we know he has a role Post-Flash in the Batgirl series, so is his overall arc essentially the road in regaining his humanity/sanity? Or will Keats be introduced as bonkers, slowly puts on a front that he's in recovery, only for us to find out that he's built Brother Eye due to his paranoia?