As The Flash's trailer earns praise, concerns over Ezra Miller's past behaviour persist

The Flash'srecently released trailer has apparently impressed even the sceptics. This Andy Muschietti directorial will not only rip open the multiverse for the DCU (DC Universe) but also serves as a soft-reset button to usher in a new phase of the cinematic universe, which will not feature, for instance, Henry Cavill's Superman. Cavill was revealed to be returning to DCU in the post-credit scene of Black Adam, but later, when Gunn assumed command it was said that he will not be coming back after all. Anyway, The Flash brings back Michael Keaton as Batman and even features a cameo from Ben Affleck's Batman. Since the film deals with the multiverse the possibilities are endless, and there may be more surprises in store. But before that, there's a problem to solve.

The curious case of Ezra Miller

The Flash, a $200 million project, has been in trouble ever since it went into production. Mind you, this is apart from the troubles over conflicts between the studio and the writers and directors. The project has seen the comings and goings of multiple writers and filmmakers over the years before Muschietti, who directed the It movies for Warners, joined the project. The real cause of distress is the star of the movie, Ezra Miller, who has had numerous run-ins with the law in the last couple of years. Even the lockdown induced by COVID-19 did not deter them as they were involved in a spate of incidents around the globe and many of which were violent in nature. Some people told Vanity Fair as saying that Miller claimed to be Jesus, the Devil, and the next Messiah, among other things. Naturally, the Warners execs were apprehensive of the bad press the film and by extension, the studio was getting.

After mulling over whether to scrap the expensive production altogether (like Batgirl, made at a budget of $90 million, indeed was by the new regime after Warner Bros was merged with Discovery), it was decided to let the movie finally go out in the wild in 2023 summer. And Gunn gave his vote of confidence, when he unveiled a part of the future slate of DC movies, to the movie, saying it is one of the best superhero movies ever made. The movie's quality and its production costs likely made sure The Flash did not die and is all set for a huge summer release.

Also Read:The Flash trailer out! Ezra Miller has Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck for company

In August last year, Miller released a statement via Variety saying they have "gone through a time of intense crisis" and had begun treatment for mental illness. But concerns remain. Many DC fans are still anxious over their destructive behaviour. Some others have said their alleged crimes were forgiven too easily by Warner Bros when other actors (Johnny Depp's name emerges again and again) are punished for doing something they did not do. (Depp did win a defamation case against his ex-wife and actress Amber Heard in Fairfax, Virginia over allegations of domestic violence, but most legal experts think this does not really exonerate him).

Depp was fired from the Fantastic Beasts franchise by Warners after he lost an earlier defamation case against UK tabloid The Sun which had called him a "wife-beater". He was also removed by Disney from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and even after his supposed "rehabilitation", his fans say, he has not been rehired by these studios. This is in stark contrast to Miller, who is keeping the role even though they allegedly hurt many people and has also been accused of grooming an underage girl.There are even calls for boycotts by a section of DC fans.

Are the concerns valid?

That is for the people involved to say, but if Miller's erratic behaviour was a result of genuine mental illness(es), then that is different from the accusations levelled against Depp (which, also, might not be true, but we do not know for sure). Perhaps their crimes, if any, are too serious to ignore. But that is for the law to decide. And in Depp's case, he does appear to be coming back to the movies, gradually, though he might not score a big studio project anytime soon.

Will The Flash be a success?

If you had asked me the same question before Gunn raved about the film, I would have said no, it would be another failure for DC. Gunn, who with Safran is the head of DC Studios, has had a long and super-successful experience with superhero cinema at both DC and Marvel and the man knows his stuff. Having been raised on a steady diet of comics, Gunn has demonstrated a remarkable ability to create engaging stories featuring a diverse range of characters who are able to overcome their differences and work towards a shared goal. With his work on Peacemaker, he has shown that he is also adept at crafting compelling stories centered on a single character, particularly when given the freedom to deconstruct and add his signature irreverent humor.

Also, The Flash features multiple DC characters and as the new trailer showed, looks all-around fun and exciting. If it is anything like that trailer, we bet the film is going to surpass the $1 billion mark.

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