Netflix Superhero Flop Proves The DCEU Deserved To Die
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU), while a great idea, ended up not doing nearly as well as it could have, with no clear direction for the films. Though there were some successes, like with Wonder Woman, the DCEU faced more failures than it did successes. The Flash, though not the last film in the DCEU, is the one where it all came to a close, and shows what 10 years of repeated mistakes from a studio does to a franchise.
Flashpoint In One Movie
The Flash follows a rather standard storyline for the DC superhero on paper. Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) is struck by lightning and ends up with the ability to go extremely fast. He uses his power to try and save his mother by running back in time, but in doing so, he creates a world with no superheroes. He has to rely on a retired Batman and another version of himself to right the timeline.
I’m Batman
Throughout The Flash, several actors playing the well-known superheroes appeared to help highlight the different timelines. For example, Michael Keaton (Batman ’89), Adam West (Batman ’66), Ben Affleck (Batman V. Superman), and George Clooney (Batman and Robin) all appeared, either in person or through archived footage, showcasing their roles as Bruce Wayne or Batman.
As for the DCEU itself, things were a struggle from beginning to end. There were complete overhauls, focus shifts, changes in studios and methods, and so much more that filled this potential universe with dramatic highs and lows before it was finally shut down.
Removed From Expectations Fans Enjoy It
Though The Flash has a good score on Rotten Tomatoes, 83 percent fresh from audience members and 63 percent from critics, it still stands as a testament to where DC went wrong. The film bombed at the box office, only grossing $271.3 million.
Originally, The Flash was highly anticipated by fans of the DC universe, though critics weren’t so sure. However, the film ended up not delivering much of what it promised, with complex storylines and a huge deviation from the original comics being some of the main problems.
Trying Too Hard
The main struggle for The Flash, and the DCEU as a whole is in premise. The first DCEU films were set to be serious and gritty to distinguish them from Marvel. However, the rotating and questionable casts, wildly different tones between movies, and complicated storylines made the film a perfect example of what went wrong with the universe as a whole.
There were several reasons for the bomb, on top of the not-so-great story. For one, Miller, who played the main character in The Flash, had a lot of controversial incidents and arrests surrounding them at the time the filming was finished, which caused Warner Bros to delay release in the hopes some of the controversy would die down.
Studio Meddling
Additionally, the ending was meant to set up a different timeline, which would help set up Batgirl in Batman Beyond. However, due to Warner Brothers getting bought by Discovery, and a decision to end the DCEU, the ending was reshot two more times. This made The Flash’s ending much more confusing and left fans unsure where the universe was going to go after this.
If you want to watch the 2023 film and see if it’s bad enough to mark the end of an era for DC, The Flash is available to stream on Netflix.
