The long-delayed Warner Bros. superhero movie The Flash, about a speedster who travels back in time to stop his mother’s murder, finally hits theaters on Friday. Based on DC Comics characters new blockbuster has survived three directorial changes, most recently the legal troubles of star superhero Ezra Miller.
Miller, 30, who is non-binary, is accused of yelling harassment and obscenities at a Hawaii bar, injuring a woman by throwing a chair, and breaking into a Vermont home and stealing a bottle in the spring of 2022. It made headlines after being accused of three separate incidents. of alcohol.
Most of those cases have now been resolved, so let’s take a look at what happened here, the film’s troubling development history, and how Miller’s controversy will shape the future of the series.
When did Ezra Miller join ‘The Flash’?
Miller, then 22, 2014 cast. At the time, the actor was primarily known for his outstanding role in the 2012 film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s young adult novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Since then, they’ve starred in several movies in the DC Extended Universe, including 2016 blockbusters Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, as well as his 2017 Justice League. and has played Flash in the TV series.
Miller was cast almost ten years ago, so why the delay?
“The Flash” It was originally set to be directed by Seth Grahame-Smith and released in 2018.was delayed in production by the pandemic, further plagued by script rewrites and post-production delays, and suffered three directorial changes with the team of Grahame-Smith, Rick Famuyiwa, John Francis Daly and Jonathan Goldstein. . Andy Muschietti made it to the end of the movie.
When did Miller’s legal troubles start?
It wasn’t until March 2022 that they made headlines for the first time. Arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment When I visited Hilo, Hawaii. They were accused of yelling obscenities at a karaoke bar and engaging in deviant behavior. And it turned out to be the latest episode of a pattern. The assistant police chief pointed out that Miller was the subject of the incident. 10 complaints in the last month.
A few weeks later, they were charged with second-degree assault for injuring a woman by throwing a chair after she was asked to leave their Hawaii home.
In Vermont, where they lived, Mr. Miller said they broke into the house next door In May, he stole a bottle of alcohol and was charged with trespassing, felony burglary and petty theft.
Miller also faced grooming accusations such as: tokata iron eyesis a Lakota activist, who called the allegations a “smear campaign.” A representative for Miller declined to comment on the second lawsuit that led to the temporary protection order against them.
What is the status of the trial?
In the Hawaii karaoke bar incident, Miller Claimed not to appeal He was fined $500 for disorderly conduct and a misdemeanor. As part of a plea bargain, prosecutors dropped the harassment charges.
Authorities said the assault case was referred to prosecutors, but no formal charges have been filed.
In the Vermont case, Mr. Miller said: plead guilty Charged with trespassing, robbery and theft in January Dropped As part of a plea bargain. They were ordered to a year of probation and pay a $500 fine, as well as sobriety and random drug tests.
What does Miller say about their behavior?
In August they issued an apology He said he was seeking mental health treatment. “I recently went through a period of serious crisis, but now I understand that I suffer from complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment,” Miller said. said in a statement. “I would like to apologize for any concern and upheaval that my past actions have caused you. I am committed to doing the work necessary to return to a healthy, safe and productive phase of my life. It’s being worked on.” Asked about this week’s incident, a spokesperson for Miller pointed to an earlier statement.
How did Warner Bros. react?
According to Rolling Stone, after the first two arrests, Warner Bros. put all future Miller projects with the studio on hold after an emergency meeting with Miller. report.
Has the studio considered an alternative to ‘The Flash’?
Hard to believe this nuclear option was on the agenda: shooting on film was wrapped When Miller was arrested, and given that most of the scenes feature Miller, the cost of casting and reshoots was $220 million movie would have been huge.
Will Miller participate in the “Flash” promotion?
They are absent from their annual promotional tour. At its premiere in Los Angeles on Monday, Miller walked the red carpet According to a video posted by Deadline, he sent a shout out to the director. They also thanked studio executives for their “care, insight and concern for my life.” The studio had previously announced that Miller would not be appearing personally after the premiere. Warner Bros. Chief Executive Michael De Luca previously said: told the vulture He said that “The Flash” is “not a PR-driven movie” and that “Ezra doesn’t necessarily have to be in the forefront of publicity.”
What other projects are you working on?
Miller is having a great June. In addition to headlining “The Flash,” he’s starring as a young Salvador Dali in a new biopic about the surrealist painter.Daliland‘ was released on June 9 (with Ben Kingsley playing an older version of the artist).
The situation will become more uncertain in the future. “Harry Potter” fans know them for playing troublemaker Credence Barebone in the “Fantastic Beasts” spin-off series, originally planned as a five-movie series, but no further series planned. at a loss In response to the poor performance of last year’s third work “Secret of Dumbledore”. As for the upcoming “Flash” project, it’s clear that Warner Bros. has a design for a character in the DC Extended Universe, but it’s unclear if Miller will be the one in the red suit.
“Ezra is fully committed to their recovery and we fully support them in their ongoing journey,” said James Gunn, who was named co-CEO of DC Studios. Peter Saffron is said in January New DC movie and TV projects announced. “When the time is right, when they feel ready to talk, we will all find out what the best path forward is.”
Is “flash” interesting?
Reviews vary 67 percent fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes. IndieWire’s Kate Erbland wrote, “Andy Muschietti’s films have a lot to offer, often showing flashes of brilliance (apologies).” Variety’s Owen Gleiberman He stated that the multiverse’s vanity “provides an excuse to throw anything but the Batcave sink at the audience.” At least Tom Cruise is a fan. The Hollywood Reporter reportedly coldly called Muschietti to convey his admiration after demanding a copy be sent to his home in Beverly Hills.It’s ‘everything you want in a movie’, Cruz reportedly he.
