The Flash is One of the Biggest Flops in the History of Comic Book Adaptations

Another let-down for DC: several weeks after its theatrical release, "The Flash" is now definitively regarded as a disaster and one of the biggest flops in the history of comic book adaptations.

After "Black Adam" and "Shazam 2" fell short of their financial expectations, all hopes from DC might have been placed on Barry Allen's solo adventure. The chances that the movie could turn out to be a hit were not bad at all: The first reactions from test screenings were almost euphoric and James Gunn also spoke of a "fantastic film". Likewise, the casting of Michael Keaton could have made sure that fans of the old Batman films would once again make their way to the movies. But no chance: "The Flash" failed miserably and was able to bring in a mere 265 million dollars after a nine-week run.

According to Comic Book Movie, the film is now likely to have turned into an outright loss-maker for Warner Bros. and overshadow even the disappointing results of its predecessors. According to some analyses, "The Flash" would have had to bring in at least $300 to $400 million on a budget of $200 million to prevent it from being deemed a loss for Warner. As such, the movie can be regarded as one of the biggest blunders in the history of comic book adaptations and sets yet another sad record for DC.

A new and promising superhero adventure, "Blue Beetle", opened in theaters a few days ago, yet initial estimates indicate that it will also prove disappointing. It remains to be seen how the planned DCU under James Gunn will perform financially for Warner Bros. Prior to the planned reorientation with "Superman: Legacy" in 2025, we can also look forward to a further adventure by Jason Momoa in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" in December.

If you want to see for yourself whether "The Flash" really deserved its lack of success at the box office: the film has been available digitally since July 18, 2023.