DC Studios co-chairpeople and CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran reaffirmed on Monday at the presentation of their initial DCU slate that they’re “fully supportive” of “The Flash” star Ezra Miller’s recovery.
“Ezra is completely committed to their recovery. And we are fully supportive of that journey that they’re on right now,” Safran said.
Miller was charged with a felony count of burglary into an occupied dwelling and a minor charge of petit larceny after video surveillance allegedly showed Miller entering neighbor Isaac Winokur’s home on May 1 before stealing three bottles of liquor from his pantry. The incident was the latest development in an ongoing series of legal and personal troubles, including allegations of assault and various forms of emotional and physical abuse. The actor previously announced they had entered into treatment for “complex mental health issues” and apologized in a statement to media about their recent behavior, saying, “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.”
Does Miller still have a future as Barry Allen after “The Flash” comes out? Both DC Studios Chiefs will talk to Miller when the timing works.
“When the time is right, when they feel like they’re ready to have the discussion, we’ll all figure out what the best path forward is,” Safran added. “But right now, they are completely focused on their recovery and in our conversations with them over the last couple of months, it feels like they’re making
enormous progress.”
As for “The Flash” movie itself, Gunn had incredibly high praise: “I will say here that ‘Flash’ is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.”
This sentiment jibes with consistently strong word of mouth out of multiple test screenings for the long-in-the-works feature, which was directed by Andy Muschietti and co-stars Kiersey Clemons and Michael Keaton.
Whatever happens with Miller, Gunn made a point to note that the film isn’t just one person, but the efforts of many.
“I also think it’s important to point out that thousands of people worked on ‘The Flash,’ and these people dedicated the past few years of their lives to making something really special. Andrés Muschietti, the director, Barbara Muschietti the producer, Christina Hodson, the writer, Michael Keaton,” Gunn said. “To start making it as if a movie is one person and depends on this one person is something that can be frustrating as a filmmaker, especially as a director, who knows that oftentimes actors spend three months on a set and a director spends two years of his life creating this movie.”
“The Flash” is set for release on June 16, 2023 and will be part of the “Elseworlds” plan for the unified DCU going forward, meaning it’s not technically part of the cohesive storyline that Gunn and Safran are mapping out but could have ramifications and crossover potential in the future.
