The Flash Is Going To Hurt The Next DC Superhero Blockbuster
The Flash was a film that was riddled with baggage before it even hit theater screens, and the film’s poor performance might affect the upcoming box office hopes of Blue Beetle. However, there’s also hope that the film can buck the recent underwhelming stream of DC-related box office disappointments, as it has several things working in its favor that the Flash movie didn’t. While it’s unfortunate that Ezra Miller’s superhero bomb has made people wary of DC, there is a chance that things play out differently.
There is doubt that Blue Beetle will be able to perform at the box office after multiple DC failures like the studio’s most recent outing, The Flash.
For one, The Flash had a reported budget of $220 million compared to the $120 million budget of Blue Beetle. This means that the latter film already doesn’t have to perform as well to be considered a box office success. And although Jaime Reyes and his Scarab aren’t quite as well known by casual audiences as Barry Allen, the film could end up doing better over time if it gets positive word of mouth.
The Flash got some early hype of name recognition alone, but the movie was critically panned and the CGI was widely criticized. Blue Beetle, on the other hand, may not get a bombastic opening weekend, but positive word of mouth could easily help to launch it forward. This is especially true once people find out that their investment in the character of Jamie Reyes will be worthwhile in the future.
The Flash had a reported budget of $220 million compared to the $120 million budget of Blue Beetle. This means that the latter film already doesn’t have to perform as well to be considered a box office success.
The Flash was one of the last remnants of the gradually-becoming defunct DCEU, as James Gunn will be restarting the DC film and TV universe with the DCU. Gunn has officially confirmed that Blue Beetle and Jamie Reyes will be the first character introduced for the DCU, so those who are invested in this new storyline have good reason to get invested in the character.
Many people may have found it hard to care about what happened to Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen, knowing they are likely nixed for future plans.
Speaking of Ezra Miller, they are likely another reason that contributed to the failure of The Flash, a string of legal troubles and controversies that may have held some audience members back from going.
Xolo Mariduena, who plays Jamie Reyes in Blue Beetle, is an unproblematic lead that people won’t have qualms about supporting in theaters. Blue Beetle is also a win for representation, as it is the first solo film for a Latino superhero that is directed and written by and starring Latinos.
Latino Representation Could Boost Success
Early reviews of the film have indicated that not only is the quality of the movie high, but it also is a film that celebrates Latino culture. These early positive reviews and the support for representation could help launch Blue Beetle even further, as Latino groups and organizations have already signed an open letter encouraging people to support the film (via Variety). This is yet another advantage the film has over The Flash.
So, while The Flash may have put a damper on people’s excitement about going to see DC movies in theaters, there is a chance things go in the other direction. Blue Beetle has the negativity of recent DCEU films working against it, but it also has just as many factors working in its favor. We’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out when it hits theaters this weekend.
