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Ezra Miller at the “The Flash” premiere held at TCL Chinese Theater IMAX on June 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk | Miscellaneous | Getty Images
After nearly a decade in development, “The Flash” is finally hitting theaters this weekend.
the Warner Bros. Discovery The feature arrives at a time of major corporate change and following a series of legal tussles for its star, Ezra Miller.
With an expected opening in the $75 million to $85 million range, The Flash is expected to be a welcome box office contribution to the DC Comics franchise. In addition to Miller, it features Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck reprising the roles of Batman from previous films.
Newcomers – “Black Adam” and “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” – failed to captivate audiences, and together have grossed over $500 million worldwide.
“Black Adam” opened to $67 million domestically in October and “Shazam!” The sequel made just $30.1 million during its first three days in theaters earlier this year. Both films were widely panned by critics.
“The Flash” garnered more positive reviews on the way to its Friday debut, with many critics ranking it among the best DC movies.
There were concerns that the film might never see the light of day after Miller, who uses the pronouns they and they, made headlines in 2020 for a video that showed them appearing to violently choke fans. Other misconduct incidents escalated in 2022, when Miller was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment at a karaoke bar in Hawaii. Miller was too accused of grooming minors.
Last year, Miller admitted they had been “through an intense crisis period” and would undergo treatment for “complex mental health issues” in the way they were charged with felony burglary in Stamford, Vermont. Miller ultimately avoided jail time with a plea deal struck in January.
The actor has been largely absent from the public eye since that time, only to return to the Los Angeles premiere of “The Flash” on Monday. They haven’t done any big interviews or promotions for the movie and it’s been reported that Warner Bros. Not currently planning any future projects with them.
Before Monday’s show, Miller addressed the audience at Ovation Hollywood, thanking DC Studios co-presidents and co-CEOs Peter Safran and James Gunn for their “grace, discernment, and care.”
Safran and Gunn joined DC in November after years of inconsistent box office showings from the studio. The couple announced a new slate of DC-based movies and TV shows in January, including new films featuring Superman, Batman, and Supergirl. Gunn, who just ended a successful run with rival DC Marvel and his “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy, is writing and directing “Superman: Legacy.”
“The Flash” — along with Blue Beetle, set for August, and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” set for December — marks the last remnants of the old DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
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