The release of Suicide Squad was supposed to be the boost that Warner Bros. and its DC Extended Universe needed after Man of Steel and Batman v Superman – but even though David Ayer’s supervillain team up film has made big bank at the box office, it’s still causing the sort of vitriolic debate amongst fans that makes long-term investment in the DCEU brand a challenge. And so, that challenge has now passed to DC/WB’s 2017 films, Wonder Woman and Justice League.
With Suicide Squad currently in the crosshairs, one wonders what the stars of Justice League must be thinking, now that pressure for correcting the missteps of the DCEU is now on their collective shoulders. Well, one League memeber is addressing that very question: Ezra Miller, aka the movie version of The Flash.
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Miller was approached by MTV, and asked how he and the other Justice League cast members (which include Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Mamoa and newcomer Ray Fisher) find motivation to bring their best, when the DCEU is still mired in so much negativity.
Here’s what Miller had to say:
“You needn’t look any further than the Suicide Squad director and cast response to the negative reviews to feel how negative critiques motivate us. Ultimately, we can’t base anything on [the critical response]. As artists, we aim to please absolutely everybody with our work, but we also know that we have to keep expressing ourselves as best as we can express ourselves… It’s like that T.I. song, ‘Motivation.’”
You really can’t blame Miller – or any other Justice League cast/crew member – for saying that the hate only motivates. After all, what else would they say about a movie they are actively making and eventually have to promote all over the world? Do we ever expect to hear an actor say “Yeah, I was excited before, but now, after hearing the reviews, I’m sad to be doing this!” Yeah, not likely to happen anytime soon.
Of course, the story about Suicide Squad is still being written as I write this. Critic reviews put it below Batman v Superman in some aggregate tallies, but fan opinion has been a lot more favorable – to the tune of a $280 million worldwide opening weekend box office. When all is said and done, the DCEU could be on a much better track in the minds of the people who really count: the moviegoing public. And with both Wonder Woman and Justice League having dropped some buzz-worthy trailers at Comic-Con this summer, the 2017 DCEU films are on the way to doing well for themselves.
NEXT: How Fast is Ezra Miller’s Flash?
Suicide Squad is now in theaters; Wonder Woman is coming on June 2, 2017; followed by Justice League on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 16, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League 2 on June 14, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020.
Have you seen Suicide Squad yet? Want to win a Hot Toys Joker figure from the movie? All you have to do head on over to ComicBook.com’s Movie Database or click the image above and rate the movie to enter! A winner will be chosen August 19th, 2016!