Warner Bros. Has ‘High Hopes’ for ‘The Flash’ Despite Ezra Miller’s Increasingly Public Problems
Ezra Miller isn’t leaving The Flash. Right now, among the many scandals that Warner Bros. has concerning casting, one of the biggest is Miller, who has gotten into multiple issues with assault. In Hawaii, the actor has “been arrested or taken into custody several times for harassment, disorderly conduct, and a traffic violation.”
Two Hawaii residents also filed a temporary restraining order against Miller after “they allegedly broke into the couple’s bedroom and tried to steal their passports and wallets.” The restraining order was later dropped, but created a lot of unease, especially since these took place only a few years after footage came out of Miller appearing to choke a woman outside a bar in Iceland.
However, there is just no way for Warner Bros. to do anything about Miller in The Flash unless they reshoot everything, according to Variety’s sources:
Barring unforeseen developments, sources say, Warners is barreling ahead with intention to give the superhero film the full blockbuster treatment. “The Flash” simply cost too much money to scrap the project entirely and it likely will not generate the revenues needed to turn a profit without playing in theaters. For option three to happen without triggering a major backlash, Miller would need to be on their best behavior. And that’s a big question, because so far Miller has been dogged by one controversy after another, leaving collaborators concerned about the actor’s welfare.
That’s a very daunting place to be for Warner Bros., which has been dealing with a series of casting controversies. If this isn’t enough to get rid of an actor, then what was the standard set before? Of course, for Warner Bros., it really all comes down to money and whether Miller’s actions may pose a problem in the future, even if they haven’t yet. With The Flash, they are hoping mainstream audiences won’t care, and that seems likely at the moment.
“Though Miller’s behavior could certainly force Warners to make The Flash a one-and-done project, it’s not intended to be a one-off adventure,” Variety says. “Despite it all, Warner Bros. remains enthusiastic about The Flash, believing the film to be one of DC’s strongest theatrical efforts.” Well, sure. I guess.
(via Variety, featured image: WB)
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