The director of ‘The Flash’ acknowledges Ezra Miller’s ‘PR Crisis’ and explains why the movie didn’t work out.

Director Andy Muschietti has acknowledged the box office disappointment of The Flash and discussed the impact of lead actor Ezra Miller’s “PR crisis” on the film’s promotional campaign. Despite its $200 million production budget, The Flash earned only $271 million worldwide, far below expectations for a major DC film.

Miller’s controversies, including arrests and allegations related to mental health issues and inappropriate behavior, significantly overshadowed the film’s release. In 2022, Miller was arrested in Hawaii after an incident at a karaoke bar, faced harassment accusations in Germany, and was linked to an unsafe environment with children in Vermont. The harassment order against them was lifted in June 2023, ahead of the film’s premiere.

In a recent interview with Radio Tu’s YouTube show La Baulera del Coso, Muschietti addressed the challenges the film faced. He mentioned that studios invest heavily in marketing such films, hoping to attract a broad audience. However, he found that the character of The Flash didn’t appeal to all demographics, particularly women, which contributed to the film’s underperformance.

Muschietti also spoke candidly about Miller’s controversies, stating, “We had a publicity crisis with the main actor, who is Ezra Miller, who got into trouble due to a mental health situation.” He continued, “When you make a movie, there are things that you can’t control, and one of them is when actors have a PR crisis… I had, in general, a very good experience with them. They are a great actor and a great comedian.”

Despite the challenges, Muschietti expressed satisfaction with the film itself, emphasizing his positive working relationship with Miller.