"It Feels Like A Character That Was Made For Them" - 'The Flash' Director Andy Muschietti Wants Ezra Miller Back For A Sequel
NurPhoto. Getty Images."In an upcoming episode of The Discourse podcast (which will be released closer to the film’s debut), filmmaker Andy Muschietti and his producing partner, Barbara Muschietti raved about Ezra Miller’s performance as Barry Allen in 'The Flash.' In fact, when asked if there is a chance Miller could be replaced in a sequel, considering all of the issues the actor has experienced in their personal life, Andy Muschietti feels as if there isn’t anyone else who can take over the role and do a better job. Therefore, if a sequel is made and the Muschiettis are involved, Ezra Miller will star.
"'If [a sequel] happens, yes,' Andy Muschietti said about Miller returning for another ‘Flash’ film. 'I don’t think there’s anyone that can play that character as well as they did. The other depictions of the character are great, but this particular vision of the character, they just excelled in doing it. And, as you said, the two Barrys – it feels like a character that was made for them.'
"Barbara Muschietti added, 'In principal photography, Ezra was brilliant and the most committed and the most professional [actor]. Ezra gave everything for this role – physically, creatively, emotionally. They were absolutely supreme.'"
The vast majority of buzz about The Flash has been positive, save for the alarming off-set behavior by main star Ezra Miller. Unclear how Miller's saga might impact the box office, but the prevailing opinion is that they deliver an outstanding dual performance.
As Miller (who uses they/them pronouns) continues to get treatment for what they described as "complex mental health issues", the press tour is heating up ahead of the DC tentpole's June 16 wide release. It's assumed all the promotion and interviews at junkets won't feature Miller at all, but I gotta say, I'm pretty surprised that the Muschiettis are giving such a ringing endorsement of their Barry Allen.
Obviously you're not going to be out promoting the movie you worked so hard on and straight-up trash the person who carried your entire big-budget blockbuster. However, it'd be very, very easy for the Muschiettis to tip-toe around the subject of Miller as much as possible, give boilerplate/basic/vague answers and sort of just say, "They're good in the movie! Moving on!"
But no! If there's a sequel, the Muschiettis want Miller back as The Flash. They're, like, wholeheartedly saying it without any detectable reservations.
What makes this development even more interesting? Rumors were flying around that Miller was having outbursts and episodes during production (follow the link for a long thread of stories on the blog about the whole saga/more on The Flash from Hubbs and I).
It had to be a taxing shoot for Miller to be sure. Combine that with the alarming behavior when they weren't working, and all signs point to a toxic, tense working environment. Guess that wasn't really the case, or wasn't a dealbreaker, based on how the Muschiettis described the actor. Words like "professional", "supreme" and in particular, the director's line of, "I don't think there's anyone that can play that character as well as they did" just seems to suggest Ezra Miller's career may be salvageable. Did not think that was going to be in the cards several months ago when all the news of multiple arrests was breaking.
In another interview that the Muschietti siblings did recently with Entertainment Weekly, Barbara confirmed there were never any plans to cancel The Flash in spite of Miller's conduct; Andy added the following about the whole situation:
"We have a lot of empathy in general for people who need help, and especially in mental health issues. That's why they are taking the necessary steps to deal with their recovery, and we support them in that."
For all the flak Warner Bros. Discovery has taken for cutting costs, shelving projects such as Batgirl, for some reason changing HBO Max to just "MAX" and all the pressure that's on to revive their prized comic book characters on the big screen, they stuck to their guns with The Flash amid a lot of turmoil. Despite the opening box office tracking low at $70 million domestically, I won't be surprised if it winds up hitting the billion-dollar mark worldwide. Not an easy task given those modest initial projections. Helping the cause, though, is the presence of two Batmen: Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are returning and are said to do amazing work.
Even audiences and critics who've seen the film early had certain surprises withheld to avoid spoilers/leaks. None of the confirmed post-credit scene footage has been screened to date either.
Two weeks out from The Flash, and I'm not sure how this iteration of Barry Allen fits into newly established DC Studios plans masterminded by James Gunn. He has said that the movie serves as a reset of the DC Universe. How that's all worked out and whether it leads to a sequel or not with or without Miller, I'm almost as excited to see that resolution as much as the movie itself. Prayers up for a Grant Gustin cameo!
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