James Gunn Banished Half The DCEU To The Phantom Zone, And Yet Ezra Miller's Future Remains Up In The Air
The Warner Bros. Discovery merger hasn't gotten off to the smoothest start, has it? From the controversies surrounding Dana White's "Power Slap" to the cancelation of "Batgirl" and other completed projects, the media conglomerate has made some unpopular decisions and then some. However, the decision to press ahead with the release of "The Flash" in the wake of Ezra Miller's myriad of scandals is arguably the most hotly debated story of the bunch.
In case you didn't know, Miller has made headlines for all of the wrong reasons these past couple of years. The controversies surrounding "The Flash" star include allegations of assault and abuse, as well as burglary charges and erratic behavior. According to Variety, Miller has since revealed that they're in treatment to overcome the "complex mental health issues" that have contributed to their poor behavior, and that's enough reason for Warner Bros. and DC to keep them around for the time being.
DC's new heads of entertainment, James Gunn and Peter Safran, seem happy to stand by Miller as the duo ushers in a new age for the franchise. At the same time, they've let go of performers who aren't embroiled in hot-button scandals, begging the question: What makes "The Flash" worth saving?
Ezra Miller's DC future will be decided at a later date
For now, Peter Safran and James Gunn are remaining tight-lipped about Ezra Miller's future in the new DC Universe. At a recent DC Studios event, which was attended by Jenna Busch of /Film, Safran revealed that the actor's future is still up in the air, but noted that Miller is fully committed to getting better. "When the time is right, when they feel they are ready to have the discussion, we'll all figure out what the best way forward is," the DC co-boss said. "But right now, they are completely focused on their recovery."
While it seems that DC's chiefs are going to reassess the Miller situation after "The Flash," they're excited about the movie. At the aforementioned event, Gunn described it as "a fantastic movie that I really love, that resets the entire DC Universe" (via Twitter). Per NBC News, the company's President and CEO David Zaslav told investors and reporters that the film is "terrific," but he didn't address any of the controversies surrounding Miller.
The behind-the-scenes praise for "The Flash" certainly doesn't hurt Miller's chances of being kept around for the long haul, though it's possible that the movie is just too integral to the franchise's new creative direction to not support it. After all, Gunn himself said that it's the film that will pave the way for a whole new era of DCU adventures. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. Discovery hasn't lent the same amount of support to other actors and projects, which has left a bad taste in people's mouths.
A bad look for DC and Warner Bros. Discovery
While it's good that Ezra Miller has been getting help for their troubles, DC's decision to stand by the actor and "The Flash" is questionable at best. In addition to the moral arguments surrounding the situation, James Gunn and Peter Safran's takeover has coincided with several projects being canned.
As a result of these cancelations, actors who haven't been accused of any wrongdoing have parted ways with the franchise, at least for the time being. Henry Cavill won't return as Superman, despite seemingly leaving "The Witcher" to focus on the DCU. Elsewhere, "Wonder Woman 3" was scrapped, meaning that Gal Gadot probably won't be returning to the franchise anytime soon. Dwayne Johnson's "Black Adam" is gone for now as well, and he's the biggest actor on the planet.
Of course, a franchise being rebooted means that some casualties are inevitable. That said, parting ways with some of the franchise's most beloved performers and canceling movies like "Batgirl" is a bad look for DC. Right now, many people are of the belief that Miller hasn't made the necessary amends to deserve such a high-profile gig. No matter how good the film is, their presence in "The Flash" paints DC in a bad light. The studio could have recast Miller and reshot their parts, but they've chosen to remain committed to the performer ahead of everyone else. What type of example does that set moving forward?