“The Flash” underperformed expectations at the box office over the weekend, earning just $55 million.
The superhero movie starring Ezra Miller is one of two films that kicked off the summer blockbuster season with ho-hum earnings, per a Variety report. Pixar’s “Elemental” also had a poor showing, with just $29.5 million for its debut.
Warner Bros. had a challenging time promoting the film due to controversies involving Miller in the months leading up to the release. The studio partially relied on word of mouth to publicize “The Flash” and the inherent popularity of the superhero genre.
“As a rule I don’t care a lot for superhero movies, but this one is special. It’s heartfelt, funny, and eye-popping,” Stephen King tweeted of the film.
“Guardian of the Galaxy” director James Gunn said the movie was “probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.”
“The Flash” was directed by Andy Muschietti. The plot follows Barry Allen, a.k.a. The Flash (Miller), as he travels back in time to prevent his mother’s murder and inadvertently cracks open the DC multiverse. This paved the way for multiple character cameos throughout.
“This is a weak three-day opening for a superhero [film],” David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said of the results. He went on to say that “The Flash” could grow its numbers in the coming weeks like other superhero movies have.
“There have been similar openings that grew into big numbers,” Gross said.
For example, “Ant-Man” had a $57 million opening in 2015 but ended with $519 million worldwide. “Aquaman” also had a slow start in 2018, with $67.4 million to open. It earned a whopping $1.15 billion globally over time.
After making headlines following multiple accusations of criminal activity, Miller entered treatment in August 2022. The star of “The Flash,” who identifies as “non-binary,” released a statement at the time.
“Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment,” Miller’s rep told Variety on the actor’s behalf, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
“I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”
Miller was previously arrested in Hawaii for disorderly conduct after allegedly throwing a chair at a woman. The actor was also accused by two parents of grooming their daughter since she was 12 years old.