Andy Muschietti Responds to ‘The Flash’ Criticism: “People Love to Jump on Bandwagons”

Director Andy Muschietti recently opened up about the mixed reactions to his 2023 superhero film The Flash in a conversation reported by The Playlist. The movie, which starred Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, was one of DC’s most talked-about releases, not just for its story, but for the controversy that surrounded it.

The Flash was meant to be a big moment for the DC Extended Universe. It followed Barry Allen as he traveled back in time to save his mother, only to get stuck in an alternate past. The film featured a major cast, including Sasha Calle in her debut as Supergirl, Michael Keaton returning as Batman, and Michael Shannon as General Zod.

Despite the big names and a large budget, the movie didn’t perform as expected. It made around $271 million worldwide against a cost of over $200 million, which made it one of DC’s biggest box office disappointments.

Critics had mixed opinions too. Many praised the humor, action scenes, and performances, but they weren’t as kind about the visual effects and the film’s third act. The movie’s struggles were often linked to several factors, including Ezra Miller’s legal troubles, the planned reboot of the DC Universe, the growing fatigue with superhero films, and confusing marketing.

Looking back, Muschietti said he has no regrets about the film and still feels proud of what he and his team made. “No, we just moved on and understood that sometimes there’s a headwind and a project that you dedicated a lot of work to,” he said. “And we’re very proud of it. I think it’s a good movie.”

He also talked about how the negativity around the film grew online, even from people who hadn’t seen it. “A lot of people did not see it. But you know how things are these days — people don’t see things, but they like to talk s** about it, and they like to jump on bandwagons,” Muschietti said. “They don’t really know. People are angry for reasons that are unrelated to these things.”

The director acknowledged that Miller’s off-screen issues definitely played a part in shaping how people saw the movie. “Of course, we had a publicity crisis with Ezra that is undeniable. And I’m not questioning that. But yeah, we love the movie. And actually, we really recommend it.”

Even with all the challenges, Muschietti said he appreciated how the studio continued to back the project. “This may seem immaterial now, but we also had so much support from the studio, really, at a point where they could have been like, you know, backing out because of all the issues we were having with publicity. And they went all in, and we all went all in.”

He ended on a positive note, saying that his love for the movie hasn’t faded. “And again, we love the movie. We, you know, we gave it our blood, sweat, and tears all the way to the end. And I watched it, like a week ago, and loved it again.”

Despite the film’s difficult journey, Muschietti’s words show he still stands firmly behind The Flash and the work that went into it.

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