It Director Andy Muschietti in Talks to Direct The Flash, and We Have a Good Guess as to Why

The long-gestating The Flash solo film finds itself back at the starting line, with a new director and writer in talks to join the project. It director Andy Muschietti is in talks to helm the film, having just wrapped production on It: Chapter Two. In addition, Christina Hodson (Bumblebee, Birds of Prey) is said to be rewriting the script.

Muschietti and Hodson are the latest to join the embattled project after writing/directing team John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Spider-Man: Homecoming) left after creative differences with star Ezra Miller. The duo wanted a more lighthearted, comedic take while Miller wanted a darker tone for the film.

Miller has since been rewriting the script with comics legend Grant Morrison, but Warner Bros. has decided not to move forward with their pitch. The addition of Muschietti and Hodson is an interesting combination but not a surprising one.

Muschietti’s 2017 Stephen King adaptation grossed $700 million worldwide on a budget of $35 million for Warner Bros., and scored an 85 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The DCEU has seen success with superhero films helmed by horror directors, thanks to James Wan, best known for Saw before Aquaman and David Sandberg, who preceded Shazam! with Annabelle: Creation.

Meanwhile, Birds of Prey is already getting good buzz and is a highly anticipated release for 2020.

The DCEU is on a roll with the success of last year’s Aquaman and this spring’s delightful hit Shazam!, both of which succeeded thanks to a lighter tone than previous DCEU entries. Miller, whose contract expired in May, appears to be staying on for the role.

While I’m excited about the addition of Muschietti and Hodson, I’m still unsure of a dark, gritty Flash film (if that indeed is what it will be). Miller’s Barry Allen brought some much-needed levity to the gloomy Justice League movie, and his nerdy kinetic energy as Allen naturally lends itself to a film with a lighter touch.

But maybe this new team is aiming for something more darkly comedic. It had solid moments of humor among the Losers Club, and Hodson’s Bumblebee had plenty of warmhearted nostalgia. As for Birds of Prey, the tone seems to be dark comedy, but we haven’t seen enough of it to know for sure. Besides, what comic book character personifies dark humor better than Harley Quinn?

What do you think of Muschietti and Hodson joining The Flash? Will they be the key to finally getting the Speedster off the ground and into movie theaters?

(via The Hollywood Reporter, image: Warner Bros.)

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