As I’m sure you know, things are kind of crazy over at Warner Bros. when it comes to their DC Extended Universe films. Earlier this year, The Flash (not to be confused with The Flash) lost its intended director, Seth Graeme-Smith. The parting had to do with that most infamous of reasons: creative differences. Well, today’s news seems to indicate that Warner Bros./DC has found someone who is ready to take the job.
Rick Famuyiwa has signed on to direct the DCEU version of the Scarlet Speedster which is planned for a release in early 2018. Famuyiwa has recently made some waves in the film world with his highly enjoyable film Dope and his controversial HBO movie Confirmation. As far as directors go, this is a solid choice.
The movie will retain Seth Graeme-Smith’s original script — albeit with some likely tweaks to better suit Famuyiwa’s directing style — and is still on schedule. It’s to be expected that The Flash will have a ton of effects work to do, so Warner Bros./DC will want to get the ball rolling on pre-production sooner rather than later.
It’s no secret that the DC films are going through a bit of a crisis after the reception Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice received. Considering that Geoff Johns has promised to bring “hope and optimism” into the DC Extended Universe, The Flash is probably the film that will best express that belief. The CW show has already cornered the market on bright superhero stories and the films need to better reflect that mindset. Famuyiwa showcased a great talent when it came to balancing heart, humor, and sincerity in Dope and I’d bet that’s one of the reasons he got the job. DC wants to pivot in a big way with their film universe and The Flash seems like the perfect opportunity to do that.
I have faith that Famuyiwa’s hiring signals an upswing for the DCEU. We’ll keep you posted with any further updates.
