Is Ezra Miller Still The Flash After All?
Reports of Ezra Miller’s DC departure may be premature. A couple of days ago, ScreenGeek reported that a source claimed Warner Bros. was seriously considering replacing Miller in The Flash, with Dylan O’Brien as one of the top candidates to take over as Barry Allen. Now, Variety’s Adam B. Vary has tweeted that he’s being told this is not the case.
I'm told that WB is *not* considering replacing Ezra Miller on THE FLASH. Miller was arrested twice in Hawai'i this year, once for disorderly conduct and harassment, and again for second-degree assault.
More context here: https://t.co/zKj8zSZxcWhttps://t.co/gqYWKszS6k
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) May 9, 2022
Vary further explained that The Flash has been done filming for months, and Miller plays several versions of the character, so to replace him would require reshooting the entire movie. Apparently, an older version of this tweet – which has been deleted, so we can all sleep tonight – misgendered Miller by not referring to a single person in the plural form, something I imagine Variety considers far worse than the multiple assaults Miller allegedly committed. The nerve of some people.
It is also worth noting that THE FLASH finished shooting months ago, and Ezra Miller plays multiple versions of Barry Allen. Replacing them would effectively mean reshooting the entire film.
(I deleted a previous tweet for misgendering Miller, who identifies as nonbinary.)
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) May 9, 2022
Geeekosity agrees with Vary, citing a report of theirs from April 20 that, though they’re getting tired of Miller’s seeming inability to keep his hands off people, Warner Bros. isn’t going to replace him for The Flash because it cost “over $200 million” to make, so reshooting the entire thing simply isn’t feasible. However, Geekosity’s sources say that Miller’s status beyond this film is “hanging on a thread,” with Warner Bros. Chairman Group chairman Toby Emmerich and others from “the old regime” – meaning those who were around before Discovery bought Warner Bros. – in his corner while Discovery CEO David Zaslav is angry. Behind closed doors, Warner Bros. considers him what an insider describes as “a serious liability.”
Perhaps this is what ScreenGeek’s source meant, and the discussions are about replacing Miller after The Flash releases. Based on the financial stakes, I tend to agree with Vary and Geekosity; it sounds like it would be too expensive to reshoot The Flash. In other words, we’re stuck watching this goofy weirdo share the screen with Michael Keaton’s Batman, which is a bummer, but I understand Warner’s position. Although, as I said about Batgirl, I think we should expect the marketing to downplay Miller as much as possible and focus on the Bat.
What do you think is Ezra Miller’s likely fate in the DCEU? Do you want to see him replaced down the line? Would Johnny Depp still be Captain Jack Sparrow if he demanded to be referred to as “they”? Let us know in the comments, and stick around Geeks + Gamers for more Hollywood headaches!
