Andy Muschietti, the director behind the DC Extended Universe film "The Flash," has openly discussed the reasons behind its disappointing box office performance. In an interview with Radio Tu, translated by Variety, Muschietti pinpointed a major issue: a lack of broad appeal, particularly noting that "a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character." He emphasized that the film struggled to attract "the four quadrants" of moviegoers—a term used in the industry to describe the ideal audience that includes males and females, both under and over 25 years old. Muschietti explained, "The Flash failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that. When you spend $200 million making a movie, [Warner Bros.] wants to bring even your grandmother to the theaters."
In private discussions, Muschietti discovered that the character of the Flash, in particular, did not resonate with the two female quadrants, further hindering the film's appeal. He stated, "I’ve found in private conversations that a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character. Particularly the two female quadrants. All of that is just the wind going against the film I’ve learned."
Beyond the character's appeal, Muschietti alluded to "all the other reasons" for the film's failure, which include negative critical reception, criticism over its heavy use of CGI—especially the controversial recreation of deceased actors without family consultation—and its release timing near the end of the now-defunct DCEU.
Despite the setback with "The Flash," DC Studios has not severed ties with Muschietti. He is reportedly set to helm "The Brave and the Bold," marking the first Batman film in the new DC Universe spearheaded by James Gunn and Peter Safran. This suggests confidence in Muschietti's directorial capabilities, despite the challenges faced with his previous project.
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