The Flash director Andy Muschietti recently addressed whether he expects DC Studios to greenlight a sequel to the upcoming DC Universe film.
As reported by Collider, Muschietti weighed in on the possibility of a Flash follow-up during Warner Bros.' CinemaCon 2023 presentation. "We didn't talk about it [during production]. I think that we're all waiting to see how this movie does," he said. "Of course, there's excitement about continuing the story, especially if this movie is successful. Of course, there's an architecture in DC that is brewing and it's being created. And the question is, will this new architecture absorb this story? The good thing about the multiverse is that it is possible. The multiverse allows all of these different worlds to coexist and interact, and so, hopefully, yes, I mean, we don't know yet. That's the truth."
In the event DC Studios and Warner Bros. do decide to move forward with a Flash sequel, they'll reportedly have a script ready and waiting for them. An unnamed source close to Warner Bros. said as much back in October 2022, adding that the Flash 2 screenplay was supposedly commissioned on the basis that the project will only get the greenlight if The Flash meets Warner Bros.' box office expectations. This same source also claimed the Flash sequel's script was penned by Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom scribe David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Neither DC Studios nor Warner Bros. have commented on any of these claims, which means they should be taken with a grain of salt for now.
The Flash Wows CinemaCon Audiences
Something Muschietti and industry insiders seemingly agree on is that the likelihood of a second Flash solo outing happening hinges on how well fans receive the first. The Flash had its first public screening at CinemaCon, and based on the reactions of those present, a sequel could indeed be on the cards. Many of the critics who attended the screening lavished The Flash with praise, comparing it favorably to 2008's The Dark Knight. The film's warm-hearted tone and comedic elements also garnered considerable kudos, as did the performances of stars Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle.
This overwhelmingly positive response will no doubt come as a relief to Muschietti and his cast and crew, especially considering The Flash's production cycle was plagued by constant delays. The Flash producer (and Muschietti's sister) Barbara Muschietti acknowledged the movie's long road to the big screen in a recent interview, insisting that the additional time afforded by these delays actually helped make The Flash a better movie.
The Flash races into theaters on June 16, 2023.
Source: Collider