As far as comic book movies go, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy tends to be regarded as the gold standard of the genre. The Dark Knight, which earned Heath Ledger his posthumous Oscar for his performance as The Joker, has even been named by many as the best comic book movie of all time.
Ever since the trilogy came to a close with 2012's The Dark Knight Rises, Warner Bros. has switched its focus to trying to build a DC Cinematic Universe. That endeavor has not proven as easy as intended, with many obstacles on the way, but it now aims to course-correct its storytelling with 2023's The Flash.
The speedster epic has been through plenty of ups and downs, from difficulties getting into production to the recent controversy surrounding Miller. Many were becoming increasingly uncertain that The Flash would ever see the light of day, but things are beginning to look up as of late.
With all those obstacles and difficulties, some have been questioning whether The Flash can ultimately live up to all this build-up. Now, with ten months to go until release, a new report has suggested it may well be something special.
The Flash Reportedly Lives Up to Dark Knight Trilogy
According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, Ezra Miller's The Flash has received among the highest test screening scores for a DC superhero movie since Christopher Nolan's acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy - which starred Christian Bale as Batman.
Executives and creatives behind The Flash are reportedly confident it will be a critical and box office hit. After months of controversy surrounding Miller, the atmosphere regarding the movie is said to be more positive than it has been in a long time following the actor's recent apology.
Previous news from test screenings that emerged in June described The Flash as having been "extraordinarily well-received," with Warner Bros. continuing to be "enthusiastic" about the movie.
Update: A source reported to The Direct that The Flash has scored in the mid-80s with test audiences despite plenty of visual effects work still to go.
Can The Flash Really Be That Good?
Hollywood has recently begun to see an increasing number of leaks coming out of test screenings. Not only has this led to certain details emerging, such as Amber Heard's Aquaman 2 screentime, but it also offers audiences a much stronger gauge of quality pre-release than ever before.
According to insiders, test screening attendees are asked to rate a movie as either excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor. A score can then be awarded to the cut based on the percentage of viewers who rated the flick in the top two categories.
Early screenings of Batgirl, Shazam 2, and Black Adam all reportedly tested similarly in the low 60s. By contrast, ViewerAnon and BigScreenLeaks have both claimed The Flash to be testing in the 70s, which is considered to be a high rating.
The Flash receiving comparisons to the Dark Knight trilogy behind the scenes only adds to the understanding of why Warner Bros. has been so adamant to power through the Ezra Miller controversy, as it must truly be something special.
Hopefully, provided Miller can avoid any further difficulties, talk of the actor's controversial actions will have died down by the time release comes about, allowing The Flash to enjoy positive reactions and a successful box office.
The Flash hits theaters on June 23, 2023.
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