Director Andy Muschietti attributes the box office failure of his DC Extended Universe film, The Flash, to a lack of widespread audience appeal. Speaking to Radio Tu (as translated by Variety), Muschietti stated the film didn't sufficiently engage "the four quadrants" – a term referring to the key demographic groups (males under 25, males over 25, females under 25, and females over 25) – to justify its $200 million budget. He explained that Warner Bros. aims for broad appeal, hoping to attract a wide audience, including those less familiar with the character.
Muschietti further elaborated that private conversations revealed a significant portion of the population, particularly women, lacked interest in the Flash character. This, coupled with other factors, created significant headwinds for the film's success. These other factors likely include the film's mixed critical reception, CGI criticisms (especially regarding the recreation of deceased actors), and its release within a dissolving film universe.
Despite The Flash's underperformance, DC Studios has retained Muschietti to direct The Brave and the Bold, the inaugural Batman film in James Gunn and Peter Safran's revamped DC Universe.
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