It was 2014 when Ezra Miller was first announced to be portraying the The Flash, and now, nearly a decade later – after appearances in Suicide Squad, Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Justice League – fans will finally get to see them lead their own movie. The Flash held its world premiere at CinemaCon tonight ahead of its June 16 release, and the first reactions are here to help expand what we know about The Flash. Is the upcoming DC Extended Universe movie worth all the delays, director drop-outs and rewritten scripts?
Fans have a lot of questions about what’s to come from The Flash, and we’ll keep it SPOILER-FREE here, but we do know the movie will follow the “Flashpoint” storyline, which is one of DC’s most important, with the potential to change the DCEU as we know it. Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen screws with time to the point of rewriting history and affecting other DC characters’ paths. The latest trailer featuring Michael Keaton’s Batman proves that the Caped Crusader will factor heavily into this. CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg was one of people who screened The Flash at CinemaCon, and he Tweets that it is safe for fans to go ahead and get excited:
I didn’t know what to make of the hype before The Flash, but WOW. The movie is an absolute blast from end to end. It’s hilarious, thrilling, emotional, and surprising. What an incredible way to launch the next chapter of DC movies. Get excited! pic.twitter.com/4kvf1hWeihApril 26, 2023
CinemaBlend Managing Editor Sean O’Connell has a similar sentiment post-screening, praising Ezra Miller’s performances (plural!) and writing that his viewings of the blockbuster will hit triple digits:
Nostalgic. HILARIOUS. With tons of heart and two outstanding performances by Ezra Miller. I honestly can’t believe #TheFlash actually exists. It’s magical. It presses every button. I’ll see it 1,000 times. pic.twitter.com/hhT6dXz6POApril 26, 2023
Nicola Austin calls The Flash a love letter to DC, and this writer is one of many making note of just how funny this film is:
#TheFlash is a compelling, character-driven flick with a real emotional core & game changing stakes. With heart & humour aplenty – along with some shocks & surprises – there’s so much to be excited for. Keaton steals the show with a terrific performance. A real love letter to DC! pic.twitter.com/TkhTjcciszApril 26, 2023
This one’s for the nerds, Erik Davis of Fandango says, as the movie left him in tears. He is floored by how good The Flash is. While there was some question about how much Ben Affleck is actually in The Flash, Davis says he gives some of his best Batman moments, and Michael Keaton and Ezra Miller are “amazing” as well:
DC’s #TheFlash is TREMENDOUS! Forget DC, it is without a doubt among the best superhero films ever made. An all-timer. Inventive storytelling, FANTASTIC action sequences, great cast. SO MANY nerdy details. I’m in tears at the end. Everything you want from a superhero film & more pic.twitter.com/xYSn0zuXMmApril 26, 2023
Scott Menzel of We Live Entertainment is just one of the CinemaCon patrons calling The Flash one of the best superhero films of all time. The critic says avoid spoilers at all costs, because there are some awesome surprises awaiting audiences:
The Flash is hands down one of the best superhero films of all time. No joke, The Flash is the ultimate movie going experience as it has a little bit of everything! Action, emotion, heart, humor and plenty of nostalgia. Ezra Miller is phenomenal as dual Barry Allens. Michael… pic.twitter.com/F7SHA30vZMApril 26, 2023
Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com Tweets that the movie is inventive both in its storytelling an style. He also joins pretty much all of the other CinemaCon audience members in saying he can’t wait to see a repeat viewing:
Damn, #TheFlash is good! It’s super inventive both visually and in concept. The dynamic of two Barry Allen’s is crazy well done.Emotions hit me intensely hard, solid surprises, and it got me wanting to watch again and really eager to see how they follow it. Well done. pic.twitter.com/7QqiHVNAJyApril 26, 2023
Ezra Miller is, as expected, garnering a lot of praise, but Michael Keaton is the center of a lot of the reactions as well, including that of film critic Scott Mantz, who says The Flash is the perfect blend of action, heart and humor:
THE FLASH is awesome! One of the very best DC movies, a perfect blend of action, heart & humor! So many WOW & chill-inducing moments that longtime DC fans will love! EZRA MILLER is superb (twice, actually!) & MICHAEL KEATON’s still got it! #TheFLASH #BATMAN #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/mYJrz7YUZGApril 26, 2023
Daniel Howat of Next Best Picture raves about what he calls “one of the better multiverse movies out there.” The moviegoer also notes how well the movie balances some great humor with intense emotional stakes, Tweeting:
#TheFlash is massively entertaining! Extraordinarily funny, but still has solid emotional stakes. It’s one of the better multiverse movies out there.Tons of fun surprises. A genuinely superb superhero movie – one of the best in a long time! Very, very satisfying. #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/zRa1Xzl79lApril 26, 2023
Of all the upcoming superhero movies, this one so far sounds like a can’t-miss option. The CinemaCon crowds seem to be really fired up, so now we’ll just be counting the days until The Flash hits theaters on Friday, June 16. In the meantime, you can see what else is coming to theaters soon with our 2023 Movie Release Schedule.