Andy Muschietti, the director behind the DC Extended Universe's "The Flash," has candidly attributed the film's box office underperformance to a lack of broad appeal, particularly citing that "a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character." In a conversation with Radio Tu, translated by Variety, Muschietti highlighted the film's failure to captivate "the four quadrants" of moviegoers—a term used in the industry to denote a film's appeal across all demographics. The superhero movie, which boasted a hefty $200 million budget, struggled to draw in audiences from all age groups and genders, essential for justifying its high production costs.
"The Flash failed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that," Muschietti explained. "When you spend $200 million making a movie, [Warner Bros.] wants to bring even your grandmother to the theaters." He further noted from private discussions that the film particularly struggled with the two female quadrants, indicating a significant gap in its appeal.
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The four quadrants, as delineated by Hollywood, encompass males under 25, males over 25, females under 25, and females over 25. Muschietti's reference to "all the other reasons" for "The Flash's" lackluster performance likely alludes to additional factors such as the film's negative critical reception, backlash over its extensive use of CGI—especially in recreating deceased actors without family consent—and its unfortunate timing at the tail end of a now-defunct film universe.
Despite these challenges, DC Studios appears to maintain confidence in Muschietti. He is slated to direct "The Brave and the Bold," marking the first Batman film in the newly restructured DC Universe led by James Gunn and Peter Safran. This move suggests that while "The Flash" may not have met expectations, Muschietti's vision continues to be valued within the evolving landscape of DC's cinematic endeavors.
