Andy Muschietti officially confirms his involvement in directing The Flash solo film, and says it’ll be his next movie. The project has undergone by far the most creative hurdles and development hell of any DCEU film, with multiple directors signing on and departing. The film’s difficulties really came to a head earlier this year, with reports of creative differences between leading man Ezra Miller and then-directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, with the directing-duo aiming for a lighthearted tone while Miller favored a darker approach.
Ultimately, Miller took it upon himself to write his own script with comic book writer Grant Morrison, while rumors at the time indicated his days as the Scarlet Speedster were nearing an end. However, while Warner Bros. decided not to proceed with Miller and Morrison’s screenplay, the studio elected to keep Miller in the role of Barry Allen, with Daley and Goldstein departing the project. Andy Muschietti, director of 2017’s IT and the upcoming sequel IT Chapter Two, would subsequently enter talks to direct the film. Christina Hodson would also board as screenwriter, with The Flash marking her third screenwriting role for a DCEU film, following the upcoming Birds of Prey and the in-development Batgirl.
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While Muschietti had previously tiptoed around questions about The Flash at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, this marks the director’s first public confirmation of his involvement in the film. The topic of The Flash came up during an interview with Fandango as part of the promotional tour for IT Chapter Two. When asked by correspondent Nikki Novak if he would indeed be directing The Flash, Muschietti matter-of-factly replied, “Yup.“
Muschietti further explained how he was drawn to the project, stating, “What captivated me about the Flash is the human drama in it.” He elaborated, “The human feelings and emotions that play in the drama [of it]” were the factors that enticed him to sign on to direct. However, fans of Muschietti’s work on the IT movies shouldn’t necessarily hold their breath for the film to carry a similar horror movie feel, as Muschietti explained, “I can’t promise that there will be any horror [elements in it], really, but it’s a beautiful human story.“
While The Flash has undergone the most birthing pains of any DC film, Muschietti’s comments will doubtlessly come as a welcome sign to fans that the film may finally break free of its development purgatory and enter active production. Furthermore, while Muschietti’s confirmation of his own involvement doesn’t directly address Miller’s continued tenure as Barry Allen, it also signals the director’s intent of taking the film in the direction that Miller had aimed for with his and Morrison’s screenplay. There’s still a lot of unknowns at play with The Flash, but at the very least, fans can take comfort that the ball finally seems to be rolling for the Fastest Man Alive.
Source: Fandango
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