According to the film’s cinematographer, The Flash isn’t really a comic book movie. Ezra Miller’s first solo outing as Barry Allen/Flash in the DC Extended Universe entered production earlier this year. The film is being directed by Andy Muschietti and written by Christina Hodson, who is also writing the screenplay for HBO Max’s Batgirl movie. Taking place after the events of Justice League, The Flash will explore its titular speedster’s ability to manipulate space and time.
Following Warner Bros.’ abandonment of the SnyderVerse, The Flash will presumably allude to the best aspects of both Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the theatrical cut. In addition to further elaborating upon Speed Force, the film will star Kiersey Clemon’s Iris West, and both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton’s Batmen—which is made possible by Flash's ability to alter timelines and/or access the Multiverse. Set photos have also revealed Sasha Calle as the Kryptonian cousin of Superman, Supergirl.
In a recent interview with Collider, cinematographer Henry Braham spoke about his work on James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad before being asked about The Flash. Like comments made about The Suicide Squad, Braham said The Flash should be looked at as more than merely a comic book movie. Read what he had to say below:
“[The Flash is] going great. I mean, it's a complex movie, and it's a fantastic concept of bringing in the generations of these kind of comic books. Again, it's not really a comic book movie. It's not based in reality, but it’s a much more kind of technically complex — I think all the filmmakers are really keen that the technical complexity of the storytelling doesn't get in the way of just good quality filmmaking. Hopefully, I don't think it'll ever come across as a superhero movie. It will come across as a movie, and that's what it is. I think that's the way these things need to go. We need to be making great, great, great films that happen to have superheroes who have truthful characters behind them, with all the character flaws that we find in humanity.”
As superhero movies continue to permeate popular culture and filmmaking legends make claims like “Marvel movies aren’t cinema,” a certain stigma has plagued the genre. It’s certainly true that the average comic book movie is formulaic, predictable, and takes screen time away from worthier films/art. However, there are plenty of others, The Dark Knight for example, that resemble the best of every genre irrespective (or because) of the source material. Braham's comments are clearly addressing the unwarranted idea that a film based on a certain medium adheres to certain clichés. Braham went on to talk about The Flash’s amazing cast, call Keaton a genius, and clarify that he’s not interested in comic book movies, but rather films that take the audience on a journey.
The Flash’s scope and scale will be facilitated by its hero’s powers. The blockbuster’s visual effects supervisor is John “DJ” Desjardin, who also worked on Flash’s climactic sequence in Snyder’s Justice League. As with that scene, in which Barry runs faster than the speed of light to save the world, The Flash’s effects should enhance the emotional impact of its story. In the wake of Justice League’s lackluster reception in 2017, continuity has been thrown to the wayside. The Flash looks to be a technologically impressive and nostalgia-driven reset button that aims to rival Spider-Man: No Way Home. That being said, The Flash isn’t just a comic book movie, it's the studio’s multiversal linchpin.
Source: Collider
