Director Andy Muschietti has shared his perspective on why The Flash, a $200 million blockbuster, struggled to make a significant impact at the box office.
Released in 2023, The Flash managed to gross $271 million by the end of its theatrical run.
While this figure is far from insignificant, it fell well short of covering the film’s massive budget and marketing costs. For the DC film to turn a profit, it needed to generate roughly double its earnings.
According to Muschietti, the main reason for this shortfall was the film’s inability to appeal to “all four quadrants” of moviegoer demographics—men over 25, men under 25, women over 25, and women under 25—despite Warner Bros.’ efforts.
“‘The Flash failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that,” Muschietti said during an appearance on Radio Tu’s La Baulera del Coso show.
“When you spend $200 million making a movie, [Warner Bros.] wants to bring even your grandmother to the theaters.”
Muschietti further elaborated, explaining that in private discussions, he found a lack of enthusiasm for the Flash compared to other iconic DC characters like Batman or Superman.
This sentiment was especially prevalent among women in both younger and older age groups.
“I’ve found in private conversations that a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character,” Muschietti said. “Particularly the two female quadrants. All of that is just the wind going against the film I’ve learned.”
In addition to its box office struggles, The Flash faced numerous hurdles leading up to its release, including prolonged production delays and off-screen controversies involving its lead star, Ezra Miller.
