"The Flash Director Admits Film's Failure Due to Lack of Character Interest"

In a candid interview with Radio Tu, translated by Variety, director Andy Muschietti discussed the disappointing box office performance of his DC Extended Universe film, The Flash. Muschietti attributed the film's failure to a lack of broad appeal, specifically mentioning that "a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character." He highlighted the challenge of not resonating with "the four quadrants" of moviegoers, which includes males and females both under and over 25 years old.

Muschietti noted that the film's inability to attract a diverse audience was a significant factor, especially given its hefty $200 million budget. He explained, "The Flash failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that. When you spend $200 million making a movie, [Warner Bros.] wants to bring even your grandmother to the theaters."

In private conversations, Muschietti discovered that the lack of interest in The Flash was particularly pronounced among female audiences, further contributing to the film's struggles. He remarked, "I’ve found in private conversations that a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character. Particularly the two female quadrants. All of that is just the wind going against the film I’ve learned."

Muschietti's reference to "all the other reasons" for the film's failure likely includes its poor critical reception, the heavy reliance on computer-generated imagery (CGI) — notably the controversial use of CGI to recreate deceased actors without family consent — and its timing near the end of the now-defunct DCEU.

Despite these setbacks, Muschietti's career with DC Studios seems far from over. He is reportedly set to helm The Brave and the Bold, the first Batman film in the newly envisioned DC Universe led by James Gunn and Peter Safran.

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