The Flash could live up to its early reputation as “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made” – and it’s because of Top Gun: Maverick.
Development on a movie centered on The Flash first began in the 1980s. However, it wasn’t until the rise (and fall) of the DCEU that it kicked into a higher gear – but its problems were far from over.
Changing scripts, directors, and overall franchise plans got in the way, not to mention Ezra Miller’s numerous controversies, including allegations of assault, harassment, grooming, robbery, and more.
Against all the odds, the film is set to hit cinemas this year, and some believe Warner Bros may have something truly special on its hands.
Why The Flash might actually be incredible
There’s a big reason The Flash could be as great as early reports have said: it’s premiering in full at CinemaCon nearly two months before its release.
What was the last movie to do that? Top Gun: Maverick, one of the most critically acclaimed films of last year, not to mention the second-highest-grossing movie behind Avatar 2. The reception coming out of the convention was euphoric, with the audience cheering and hailing it as a perfect blockbuster.
One of the last blockbusters to screen in full at CinemaCon was TOP GUN: MAVERICK. Paramount knew they had the goods with that one.
Speaks volumes for how WB feels about #TheFlash pic.twitter.com/jlJLpZVOsj
— Sean O'Connell (@Sean_OConnell) April 17, 2023
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According to past reports, the studio weighed up the possibility of canceling The Flash altogether amid Miller’s scandals once coming to light on a weekly basis. After their apology, the publicity around the film has somewhat stabilized, although you don’t need to look too hard on social media to find people reminding others of the actor’s behavior.
Nevertheless, given the actor’s troubles and the dawn of James Gunn’s rebooted DCU, why else would Warner Bros go full steam ahead on The Flash? Tom Cruise reportedly phoned David Zaslav to tell him it’s “the movie we need right now”, and Gunn praised it as “f*cking amazing” and “one of the best superhero movies [he’s] ever seen.”
CinemaCon is where Paramount world premiered TOP GUN: MAVERICK last year and it led to a historic theatrical run. WB obviously is hoping that playbook will work again with showing THE FLASH there. pic.twitter.com/an90C4yhs0
— Jason Guerrasio (@JasonGuerrasio) February 23, 2023
Others have drawn comparisons to Top Gun: Maverick, with one user writing: “One of the last blockbusters to screen in full at CinemaCon was TOP GUN: MAVERICK. Paramount knew they had the goods with that one. Speaks volumes for how WB feels about #TheFlash.”
“The Flash’s early screening at CinemaCon is a strong indication that the movie is good,” another wrote. “CinemaCon is where Paramount world premiered TOP GUN: MAVERICK last year and it led to a historic theatrical run. WB obviously is hoping that playbook will work again with showing THE FLASH there,” a third predicted.
The Flash speeds into cinemas on June 16, 2023. You can find out more about the movie here and our other superhero hubs below:
The Batman Part II | Joker 2 | Harley Quinn Season 4 | Deadpool 3 | Fantastic Four | Avengers: The Kang Dynasty | Avengers: Secret Wars | Marvel Zombies | The Marvels | Agatha: Coven of Chaos | Venom 3 | Daredevil: Born Again | Captain America 4 | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse