The Flash Director Andy Muschietti Blames The Fans for His Movie’s Failure

In an interview on The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast, director Andy Muschietti reflected on the poor reception to 2023’s The Flash, his DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movie and, unsurprisingly, blamed the fans and internet hate.

“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,” he said. 

Director Andy Muschietti doing press for IT – YouTube, SyFy

With that, Muschietti joins what seems to be a growing chorus of directors and actors blaming the audience for not showing up to their movies. While there could be other factors for the box office failure of The Flash specifically, it’s another example of filmmakers being at odds with moviegoers. 

Not Even a Flash in the Pan

The Flash had an uphill struggle even before it was a verified box office bomb. The WGA strike hindered the movie’s promotion, since the late night talk shows were shuttered. Michael Keaton, returning as Batman, was unavailable to do press, anyway, as he was busy shooting Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. The movie’s star wasn’t even an option, as Ezra Miller’s long history of troubling behavior was becoming increasingly impossible to ignore. Muschietti admitted as much, telling The Playlist, “Of course, we had a publicity crisis with Ezra that is undeniable. And I’m not questioning that.”

Ezra Miller as The Flash in The Flash – YouTube, DC

Other reasons why The Flash may have fizzled include early reports of the movie having bad CGI, aversion to another multiverse story, and superhero fatigue. Another potential factor was the knowledge that the DCEU was coming to an end, and audiences feeling no need to invest in a universe with no future. With James Gunn and Peter Safran determined to take DC Studios in a new direction, moviegoers knew that even if the movie was, as James Gunn put it, “probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made,” and “unbelievably good,” there wouldn’t be a sequel.

Worlds collide in the second trailer for #TheFlashMovie! (And yes, the rumors are true, the movie is unbelievably good). pic.twitter.com/cRfV2QUugi

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 25, 2023

If Muschietti wanted to point fingers, he could have attributed the film’s failure to other factors. Although blaming the WGA, Warner Bros., or Ezra Miller could all have personal and professional consequences. James Gunn and Peter Safran supposedly tasked Muschietti with directing Batman: The Brave and the Bold for the DCU, and it’s in his best interest to remain in their good graces. 

Speaking of The Flash, Muschietti expressed strong affection for his movie.

Ezra Miller in The Flash – YouTube, DC

“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,” he told The Playlist.

Muschietti isn’t the first director to respond this way when his work has been rejected by consumers. But perhaps he’s putting himself in famous company.

The Divide

In 2019, Oscar-winning director Ron Howard blamed “aggressive trolling” for Solo: A Star Wars Story underperforming at the box office. “It was especially noticeable in several algorithms such as Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes,” he said, adding, “I didn’t take it personally.”

Variety reported in 2021 that legendary director Ridley Scott blamed millennials and their addiction to cell phones as the reason for The Last Duel flopping. “The millennials do not ever want to be taught anything unless you are told it on the cell phone,” Scott explained. 

Muschietti’s complaint about people jumping on bandwagons without seeing the movie is something we’re likely to hear again. It used to be that a movie would rise or fall depending on the direction of a critics thumbs, and directors could once blame them if their movies tanked. But with the rise of audience-driven review platforms like Criticless, where general viewers can share their opinions on a movie’s merits, a film’s success depends on appealing to the masses. 

What do you think? Is The Flash director wrong for attacking fans? Was the film unfairly maligned? Let us know in the comments!

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