Ironically, things aren't running so smoothly for Warner Bros.' movie based on speedster The Flash. So far they've lost two directors to creative differences, the first being Seth Grahame-Smith, the second and most disappointing is Rick Famuyiwa who departed last week. At best this is a momentary stumbling block for a film that is key to the growing Justice League universe being hammered out. At worst it's a sign of deeper issues with the production.
According to stars Ezra Miller and Kiersey Clemons, this is just the nature of the business, although that's not to say they aren't disappointed, too. Miller tells Collider...
“These processes are complicated, and I think it can—from afar—appear to be, as you say, something interpersonal or dramatic. That is rarely the case. These are groups of people taking the development of projects extremely seriously, and the teams are changing all the time. There’s often a lot of flux in who the team of the production of a film is before that production starts, and in this case, you hear about it, because it’s a critical figure—the directors that have been coming on and leaving. For me, it’s sort of a tragic relay race, and we’ve had a couple really incredible people carry this baton, and their marks are left on that baton, and the work that they’ve given to the project will certainly be represented in whatever the final product comes to be.”
He's right, but the difference is that The Flash is part of a larger whole. If the film is delayed from its March 2018 date it could disrupt the entire DCEU slate. As for Clemons, she's mostly upset that she won't be able to reunite with Famuyiwa, who directed her breakout role in Dope. She tells THR...
“Rick was one of the main reasons I wanted to do the movie. So him not being a part of it is obviously very upsetting to me. All I can do is give it up to the gods. Let’s see what happens. Let’s see who’s going to jump in. Ezra and I are going to do what we promised to do from the beginning. No matter who the director is, I am going to do what I think Iris should be.”
We'll see what happens, but I dig the attitude both actors are bringing to the table right now. It's possible we may see Phil Lord and Chris Miller step up to take a more active role, otherwise let's hope the next director is someone who can keep the movie on track.
