The first reactions for Warner Bros. and DC's The Flash are telling fans to believe the hype.Warner Bros. provided an early screening of The Flash at CinemaCon 2023, with critics in attendance sharing their first reactions on Twitter, most of whom had only praise for the upcoming film. While some highlighted The Flash's warmth and humor, others described it not only as DC's best film since 2008's The Dark Knight but as "one of the best superhero films of all time." Others also called The Flash "the funniest DC movie," and praised the performances of its main cast: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle and Michael Keaton. CBR's own Brandan Zachary described The Flash as "as much a love letter to DC as it is about the nature of tragedy and acceptance," adding that the film will "set off SO MANY fans in the best kind of way."
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn echoed these reactions in February. "I will say here that Flash is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made," he said at the time, adding that the movie will "[reset] everything" in the DC franchise. Serving as a soft reboot for the new DC Universe, The Flash will lead into another upcoming film, Blue Beetle, which will then lead into Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
The Flash wrapped production in October 2021 after years of development, rewrites and ongoing controversies surrounding its lead actor. However, the film has reportedly been playing well with test audiences, more than any other DC Extended Universe film before it, and has even rivaled the test screening scores for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
The Flash Will Influence the Future of the DCU
The Flash stars Calle as Kara Danvers/Supergirl, Miller as two versions of Barry Allen/The Flash and Keaton as his own version of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Other cast members include Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Antje Traue as Faora-Ul, Ron Livingston as Henry Allen, and Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen. In an interview last year, director Andrés Muschietti explained that The Flash would be the foundation for future movies about DC properties.
In an interview last year, director Andrés Muschietti explained that this storyline would be the foundation for future movies about DC properties. Miller has portrayed Barry Allen/The Flash in the DCEU since 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It is currently unclear how Warner Bros. Discovery will move forward with Miller after The Flash debuts in theaters due to the controversy and public scandals surrounding the actor. Despite this, a sequel to The Flash has reportedly already been written by Aquaman scribe David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.
The Flash races into theaters on June 16.
Source: Twitter