The Flash: James Gunn and Peter Safran Were Reportedly "Open" to Ezra Miller Returning in New DCU

The Flash finally made its way into theaters this past weekend, and its contributions to the old and new DC Universe are being talked about quite a bit. With James Gunn and Peter Safran stepping in to run DC Studios last fall, and announcing plans earlier this year for a newer "reset" version of the overall franchise, the question of what elements from The Flash will carry over has remained. A new article from The Hollywood Reporter breaks down The Flash's lackluster performance at the box office, and it reveals that Gunn and Safran were previously "open" to star Ezra Miller returning as Barry Allen / The Flash in the new DCU. While it's unclear exactly what movie or Max-exclusive series that would have been in, it reportedly could have been "possibly as a supporting character in other projects."

It is unknown at this point if Gunn and Safran still want Miller to return to the role, given The Flash's box office numbers and Miller's real-life legal troubles.

What is The Flash movie about?

The Flash speeds into theaters on June 16th, promising to reshape the DC Multiverse with the help of familiar faces and brand-new heroes. Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) ventures to the past to change history, resulting in massive repercussions for the future. Forced to team up with another version of Barry, the mysterious Kryptonian known as Supergirl (Sasha Calle), and the iconic Batman (Michael Keaton), the Scarlet Speedster is forced to reckon with his mistakes and save a doomed reality. The Flash is directed by Andy Muschietti, written by Christina Hodson from a story by Joby Harold, and produced by Barbara Muschietti.

"The studio wanted to tell the story and, of course, I agreed that it was a great story," Muschietti recently told reporters. "It's basically time travel that includes the origin story, which is basically the mother and the father, and their accident. All of those elements were sort of attached to this thing. That's why in my opinion, it was like you're killing several birds with the same stone in a way. And of course time travel is always a good idea. Batman is always a good idea."

"This is more like a suspense. It is a buildup to that moment, which makes probably a more emotional experience, because you understand everything that's happening," Muschietti added. "In Flashpoint, it's more like Jacob's Ladder, 'What is happening? Mom, I don't have powers. My mom is alive.'"

The Flash is now playing exclusively in theaters.