It’s not easy juggling the demands of a big budget movie with an artistic vision and studio demands to make the final product as mainstream as possible. It’s an issue that normally leads to the more creative people quitting, such as when Marvel lost Edgar Wright during the pre-production for Ant Man. Right now, Warner Bros. and DC Comics are also experiencing some of those creative differences first-hand, as the upcoming silver screen adaptation of The Flash just lost Rick “Dope” Famuyiwa.
The fastest man alive is now running without a director, and is very much looking like the forecast release date of March 2018 will soon be delayed as the future of the scarlet speedster is up in the air once again. Famuyiwa isn’t the first director to vacate the director’s chair on The Flash either, as screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith also ran a quick exit out of the DC Universe back in April.
Speaking to THR, Famuyiwa described how he pitched a Flash movie that had “a version of the film in line with my voice, humor, and heart,” but was also edgier than what Warner Bros. were pursuing after the severe critical drubbing they received from Batman V Superman and Suicide squad.
When I was approached by Warner Bros and DC about the possibility of directing The Flash, I was excited about the opportunity to enter this amazing world of characters that I loved growing up, and still do to this day.
While it’s disappointing that we couldn’t come together creatively on the project. I remain grateful for the opportunity. I will continue to look for opportunities to tell stories that speak to a fresh generational, topical, and multicultural point of view. I wish Warner Brothers, DC, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, and Ezra Miller all the best as they continue their journey into the speed force.
And maybe that ain’t so bad! The source of the Speed Force and the rest of the DC Universe has undergone a tonal renaissance as of late, reinforcing an idea that now more than ever the world needs heroes. Demigods and titans who fight the good fight by leading and inspiring ordinary people to be more than they are.
And that’s an idea which doesn’t always line up with dark and edgy themes. It’s not that there isn’t a place for such ideas, but the Flash happens to be a hero who runs on optimism. Hopefully the third time is the charm when a new director hops into a project that is quickly bleeding creative talent.
Last Updated: November 1, 2016
