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Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios are betting a lot on The Flash. So far, it has had highly positive early reactions from fans, critics, and influencers after they got to watch it at CinemaCon 2023 and other exclusive fan screenings. Even big-name celebrities like Tom Cruise and Stephen King have highly praised The Flash.
With so many people calling it a game-changer and one of the best superhero movies ever made, the hype for the film must be very high, and it ought to score a big opening weekend at the worldwide box office. But unfortunately, the film isn’t tracking the kind of opening the studio would be happy with.
The Flash’s box office looking at a slow start
DC’s latest outing has reportedly been produced on a budget of $220 million. So, with these expenses and the kind of rave reactions it got, Warner Bros. would have wanted the upcoming Flash movie to open with somewhere between 100-$150 million at the very least.
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But DC movies have faced a major downfall in recent times, and according to THR, The Flash will only end up making $70 million on its opening weekend. Meanwhile, The Wrap reported that it will bring in $75 million in the first three days, which still puts it around the Black Adam range as Dwayne Johnson’s DC film opened with $67 million.
Black Adam went on to make $393 million worldwide, and Warner Bros. Discovery can’t afford to see similar numbers from Ezra Miller’s upcoming flick. It is a film that a lot of their hopes ride on, as it’s supposed to give the franchise a semi-reboot and lead fans into James Gunn’s DCU. So, after Black Adam’s low numbers and Shazam 2’s colossal failure, The Flash needs to be a success.
Why the opening projections are so low
Multiple factors have resulted in such a low box office prediction for The Flash. The first of them involves the controversies surrounding Ezra Miller. Over time, they have been getting the help that they need, but it’s possible that many fans still don’t want to watch Ezra Miller’s movie after everything they did in the last 2-3 years.
Along with Miller’s past image, his DC movie is also arriving in the worst possible month of 2023. June is supposed to be a big month for all movie fans as it features the greatest number of potential blockbusters of the year.
But it could also prove to be the worst month for every movie as the competition will be really high, especially since they have to compete with May releases as well. The likes of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, and The Little Mermaid are already fighting for space, and we’re about to get Spider-Verse 2, Transformers 7, and Indiana Jones 5 in June.
Furthermore, The Flash is going head-on with Disney/Pixar’s Elemental on June 16. So the pre-ticket sales of the film aren’t as high yet because people have a lot of movie options and aren’t sure about watching Ezra Miller’s upcoming movie in the opening weekend.
Why The Flash could turn things around
Even though the review embargo for the upcoming Flash movie hasn’t lifted, fans, critics, and celebrities have already created a lot of buzz about the film. So, if the film turns out to be as good as the people are raving it to be, then more people will be inclined to watch it in the coming weeks.
Furthermore, The Flash could also secure a lot of repeat viewings, which could allow the film to go beyond $500 million at the very least. However, that still may not cut it as WB’s expectations from the film would be much higher.
As per Deadline, The Batman (produced on a budget of $200 million) earned $770.9 million worldwide and generated a revenue of $177 million after adding the digital and streaming earnings and deducting all the expenses. So, Ezra Miller’s DC movie might need around 700-$800 million to generate a similar profit, which is a tough ask in such a cluttered market.
But Aquaman made $1 billion after opening with $67 million. So, WB should be afraid but also optimistic.
