Andy Muschietti on 'The Flash' Failure: Lack of Interest in Character

Director Andy Muschietti of the DC Extended Universe film "The Flash" has attributed the movie's box office underperformance to a lack of broad audience appeal, particularly noting that "a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character." In an interview with Radio Tu, translated by Variety, Muschietti pointed out that the film did not successfully engage "the four quadrants" of moviegoers, a term used in the film industry to describe a movie that appeals to all demographics: males under 25, males over 25, females under 25, and females over 25. He emphasized that with a $200 million budget, the studio expected a film that could draw in a wide audience, including even the least likely viewers like "your grandmother."

Muschietti elaborated that his private conversations revealed a particular disinterest in the Flash character among the two female quadrants, which he believes contributed to the film's challenges. He also alluded to "all the other reasons" for the film's failure, which may include its negative critical reception, heavy reliance on CGI, including controversial uses to depict deceased actors, and its timing near the end of the now-defunct DCEU.

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Despite the setback with "The Flash," DC has continued to work with Muschietti. He is reportedly set to helm "The Brave and the Bold," marking his next venture into the newly rebooted DC Universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran's leadership.