'Flash' Director Blames Character's Lack of Appeal for Film's Failure

Andy Muschietti, director of the DC Extended Universe film The Flash, attributes the film's box office failure to a lack of broad appeal. Speaking to Radio Tu, and as reported by Variety, Muschietti stated the film didn't successfully reach "the four quadrants"—a term referring to the key demographic groups (males under 25, males over 25, females under 25, and females over 25) necessary for a $200 million budget film to succeed. He explained, "The Flash failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that. When you spend $200 million making a movie, [Warner Bros.] wants to bring even your grandmother to the theaters." He further elaborated, revealing insights from private conversations indicating a significant portion of the audience, particularly women, lacked familiarity or interest in the Flash character itself: "I’ve found in private conversations that a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character. Particularly the two female quadrants. All of that is just the wind going against the film I’ve learned." Muschietti's comment about "all the other reasons" likely encompasses the film's mixed critical reception, concerns about its CGI, the absence of deceased actors' family consultation, and its release within a declining film universe. Despite The Flash's underperformance, Muschietti remains involved with DC, slated to direct The Brave and the Bold, the first Batman film in James Gunn and Peter Safran's revamped DC Universe.

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