Following a tumultuous 2022 for Ezra Miller, which saw the actor plagued by run-ins with the law and several accusations of assault and abuse, there were significant concerns about The Flash movie making it into theaters.
Since then, The Flash has continued to steadily approach its release date. The conventional wisdom has been that the film will act as a “reset,” paving the way for James Gunn‘s new take on the DC Cinematic Universe and potentially set the stage for Miller to be recast. However, Miller’s fate might not be sealed after all.
In a new interview, The Flash director Andy Muschietti has made it clear that Miller could continue to be play the speedster if the film generates enough box office for a sequel. Via Variety:
“If [a sequel] happens, yes,” Muschietti said about having Miller back as the Flash. “I don’t think there’s anyone that can play that character as well as they did. The other depictions of the character are great, but this particular vision of the character, they just excelled in doing it. And, as you said, the two Barrys — it feels like a character that was made for them.”
Of course, a sequel to The Flash is an “if,” considering DC’s last two films, Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, didn’t exactly light the box office on fire.
In the meantime, Muschietti has also been heaping praise on another key part of The Flash: Michael Keaton. According to the director, the whole film hinged on Keaton returning as Batman, and if he didn’t, well, that was that. There was no backup plan. It was Keaton or bust.
“We were, of course, [filled with] blind confidence that you have when you’re developing a movie and you get excited about ideas like this,” Muschietti told io9. “[It] just pushes you forward. We were all excited believing that having Michael Keaton as Batman would be a great thing in the movie. And also, I think we all believed that he would be excited about it. And he was.”
The Flash speeds into theaters on June 16.