The Flash, DC's upcoming Ezra Miller-led film, is in a bit of a strange place, given its star's recent arrest and slew of alleged crimes, but the film itself appears to be testing well with audiences.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, despite a near-constant stream of controversies centered around star Ezra Miller, The Flash is actually doing quite well in test screenings. THR says test audiences are hailing it as one of DC's finest -- "it has been receiving some of the highest scores at test screenings since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight movies." Those positive test screenings stand in sharp contrast to the disastrous test screenings that reportedly led to the cancellation of Batgirl, another high-profile DC film. Batgirl was slated to reintroduce Michael Keaton as Batman ahead of the actor's role in The Flash.
Nolan's Batman films (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises) are considered by most to be among DC's most impressive films. In fact, the trilogy is regarded by many fans as one of the greatest cinematic superhero projects of all time. If The Flash is truly as big of a hit among test audiences, then it's not hard to see why DC has been hesitant to scrap the project entirely. As THR puts it, "execs and creatives believe they have a critical and box office hit on their hands that lives up to those scores."
The largest hurdle currently standing in the way of The Flash's timely release is its lead actor. Ezra Miller, who's been playing Barry Allen (aka the Flash) in DC projects since 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has been the subject of an onslaught of criminal allegations in the past several months. Miller has been accused of manipulating and endangering a child, and it's been alleged that they operated a cult-like home in Iceland. Recently, the actor was allegedly caught on camera breaking into a Vermont home.
Miller has recently formally apologized to Warner Bros. Discovery executives for their bizarre and potentially criminal behavior in a bid to ensure that The Flash makes its anticipated release date. Miller, reportedly undeterred by threats of legal action and disparaging headlines, was swayed by the prospect of The Flash's cancellation. Following reports that the film might be canceled, Miller swore to seek help for what they describe as "complex mental health issues."
The Flash is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 23, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter