Director Andy Muschietti recently discussed The Flash‘s box office performance, acknowledging the challenges caused by lead actor Ezra Miller’s controversial behavior during the film’s promotional campaign. Despite a large production budget of $200 million, the movie earned only $271 million worldwide, significantly underperforming for a DC Studios film.
Miller’s controversies, including multiple arrests, allegations of harassment, and troubling behavior, were widely publicized before the film’s release. In 2022, Miller faced legal issues after an incident at a karaoke bar in Hawaii and was accused of creating an unsafe environment with children in Vermont. They also faced accusations of inappropriate relationships with a young person. However, the harassment order against Miller was lifted in June 2023, just before the film premiered.
In an interview on Radio Tu’s YouTube show La Baulera del Coso, Muschietti explained how such personal crises can impact a movie’s success. He noted that when making a high-budget film, studios aim to attract a broad audience, but the character of The Flash didn’t resonate with everyone, particularly women. Despite the challenges, Muschietti expressed satisfaction with the film and highlighted his positive experience working with Miller, describing them as a great actor and comedian.
Miller made their first public appearance in years at the premiere of The Flash in June 2023, marking a moment of reconciliation after their public controversies.
