Even though The Flash premiered in theaters almost a year ago to a lackluster reception, the troubled DCEU project has faced another setback recently due to the cancellation of a merchandise item tied to the movie.
The Flash was positioned to be a significant installment in the Zack Snyder-led DC Extended Universe, receiving substantial funding and marketing support. Despite not marking the end of the struggling franchise, it was established that The Flash would act as a soft reboot for the DC films under the guidance of new studio head James Gunn, similar to the popular narrative arc found in the Flashpoint comics. This decision added a layer of relevance to the film amidst the impending reboot, generating considerable anticipation. To drive the storyline, the movie introduced multiple versions of Ezra Miller's Barry Allen character, one of which portrayed a younger, less battle-hardened, and more immature iteration from a universe where the character had not experienced significant loss.
Regrettably, this youthful portrayal of the character did not resonate as expected due to DC's misinterpretation of Barry Allen's humor as The Flash. The failure of this version to connect has created a new challenge for the franchise. As per an official announcement from Hot Toys shared on Reddit by user Galestrum1, the planned figure of the young Barry Allen character, along with a deluxe edition of the same character, have been abruptly canceled despite being previously announced for release, marking an unprecedented move for the Hot Toys company. This decision also impacted another figure from a competitor, as a planned Sakaarian Iron Man from Marvel's What if…? series was also scrapped following its announcement.
While the company attributes the cancellations to 'rapid market changes' in the official statement, the decision to cancel the young Barry action figure might initially appear linked to the controversies surrounding Ezra Miller, who has already lost another prominent superhero role in addition to facing reduced chances of involvement in Gunn's new DC Universe. However, according to long-time collectors and patrons of Hot Toys, the primary reason for the cancellations is the historically low number of preorders for the affected items. Many observers note that while the rest of the planned Flash merchandise line will proceed as scheduled, including at least one figure featuring Ezra Miller's likeness, the unpopular young Barry figure and another variant of a popular character have been axed.
Since its disappointing theatrical run, the film has been plagued by a series of setbacks, fueling uncertainty regarding its inclusion on streaming platforms like Max. Despite relatively positive video-on-demand figures, The Flash represented a significant failure in the superhero genre until The Marvels surpassed it with an even more dismal performance. The substantial negative publicity before and after the release of The Flash raises questions as to why the entire merchandise line was not scrapped earlier. While the loss of a single figure may disappoint collectors, it aligns with the film's streak of misfortune. This outcome starkly contrasts the initial high expectations surrounding the project.
Despite featuring some standout moments in DC cinema in 2023, The Flash appears destined to symbolize the superhero genre's disappointments that year, overshadowing any positive aspects. The implications of the film's failure on the character, the actor portraying him, or the future of Gunn's DC Universe remain uncertain, but the outlook is bleak.
The Flash is currently available for streaming on Max.
Source: Galestrum1/Reddit