Filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are keeping quiet about their original pitch for The Flash, hinting that they may revisit the idea in the future. The two have become some of the most in-demand creative minds in Hollywood after hits like 21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie, and most recently Project Hail Mary. They also helped build Sony’s acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse as producers and writers. Their involvement in a DC Comics property once seemed like a natural next step.
In 2015, Warner Bros. brought Lord and Miller on to develop a script for The Flash, which was then scheduled for release in 2018 as part of the growing DC Extended Universe. This was around the same time the studio pushed forward with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in hopes of matching Marvel’s expanding lineup. Lord and Miller’s version, set to star Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, would have marked a lighter, character-driven take on the hero. But by that summer, the duo left the project after being hired to direct Solo: A Star Wars Story for Lucasfilm and Disney.
The partnership with Lucasfilm did not last long. In 2017, Lord and Miller exited Solo halfway through production, citing creative differences with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and writer Lawrence Kasdan. Their departure caused a major shake-up for the Star Wars spinoff and became one of several public examples of tension between young directors and studio leadership during that era.
By the time The Flash finally reached theaters in June 2023, nearly a decade after Warner Bros. first announced it, the film had a long history of false starts and changing directors. The final version failed to meet expectations, becoming one of the biggest box office disappointments in the DCEU. Industry analysts said the poor turnout reflected “franchise fatigue” and a lack of trust among audiences after years of inconsistent DC releases.
Since then, new DC Studios co-chair James Gunn has confirmed that neither The Flash nor Aquaman will appear in the first phase of his rebooted DC Universe. Gunn said in 2025 that these heroes will be kept on hold for at least two years while the new continuity establishes itself. The move highlights Warner Bros.’ attempt to reset its superhero division after several underperforming projects. Although, I’m not sure James Gunn really knows how to make a Flash movie…
Still, Lord and Miller’s growing Hollywood cachet might give their Flash concept a second life. Their creative track record, especially with the critical and commercial success of the Spider-Verse films and the recent $80 million opening of Project Hail Mary, suggests they could restore energy to the character. But with the genre struggling to recapture its former profitability, even their involvement could be a risky play for Warner Bros. A fresh take on a hero audiences just saw fail might not be the win the studio needs right now.
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