In a candid interview with Radio Tu, as translated by Variety, director Andy Muschietti attributed the box office failure of his DC Extended Universe film, "The Flash," to a lack of broad appeal. He pinpointed the film's inability to captivate "the four quadrants" of the movie-going audience—a term used in the industry to describe the goal of appealing to all demographic groups. With a hefty budget of $200 million, Muschietti noted that Warner Bros. had expectations for the film to draw in a diverse audience, including even "your grandmother."
Muschietti further elaborated that a significant challenge was the general disinterest in the Flash as a character, particularly among the two female quadrants. "I’ve found in private conversations that a lot of people just don’t care about the Flash as a character," he explained, indicating that this lack of connection was a headwind for the film's success.
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The four quadrants, as defined by Hollywood, include males under 25, males over 25, females under 25, and females over 25. Muschietti's reference to "all the other reasons" for "The Flash's" underperformance likely alludes to various criticisms the film faced, such as its negative critical reception, the heavy reliance on CGI, including controversial uses to recreate deceased actors, and its positioning at the end of the now-defunct DCEU.
Despite these setbacks, DC Studios seems to retain confidence in Muschietti. Reports indicate he is set to direct "The Brave and the Bold," marking the first Batman film in the newly envisioned DC Universe under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
