“The Flash,” the long-delayed superhero film from Warner Bros. about a speedster who travels back in time to try to prevent his mother’s murder, finally hits theaters on Friday. The new film, based on a DC Comics character, has survived three director changes and, most recently, legal concerns concerning its primary protagonist, Ezra Miller.
Miller, a 30-year-old nonbinary guy, gained notoriety in the spring of 2022 following three different events in which they were accused of harassing and yelling obscenities at a bar in Hawaii, throwing a chair and hurting a lady, and breaking into a Vermont home and taking bottles of alcohol.
Here’s a look at what happened, the film’s contentious production history, and how Miller’s controversies may affect the franchise’s future now that the majority of those charges have been handled.
When did Ezra Miller get involved in “The Flash”?
Miller was cast in 2014 at the age of 22. The actor was then most recognized for his memorable performance in the 2012 film version of Stephen Chbosky’s young adult novel “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Since then, they have portrayed the role of the Flash in a number of DCEU movies and TV shows, including the 2016 blockbusters “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad,” as well as 2017’s “Justice League.”
The pandemic delayed “The Flash,” which was initially scheduled for a 2018 release and was then beset by script revisions, postproduction holdups, and three instances of directors quitting: Grahame-Smith, Rick Famuyiwa, and the team of Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. Andy Muschietti saw the movie through to the end.
When did Miller’s legal troubles begin?
When they were detained and accused of unruly behavior and harassment while visiting Hilo, Hawaii, in March 2022, they made headlines for the first time. They were accused of acting strangely and shouting obscenities at customers at a karaoke bar. The assistant police chief noticed that Miller had been the target of 10 complaints in the previous month, so it turned out that this was only the most recent incident in a trend.
A few weeks later, they were accused of assault in the second degree after allegedly hitting a woman with a chair after being ordered to leave a house in Hawaii.
They were accused of breaking into a neighbor’s home in Vermont, where they were residents, in May and stealing bottles of alcohol. This led to accusations of trespassing, felony burglary, and petty larceny.
Miller was also accused of grooming a Lakota activist named Tokata Iron Eyes, but she has labeled the claims a “smear campaign.” Regarding a second incident that resulted in a temporary order of protection being brought against them, Miller’s representative declined to comment.
Where do the court cases stand?
In the Hawaii karaoke bar case, Miller entered a no-contest plea to disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and they were required to pay a $500 fine. Prosecutors dismissed the harassment charge as a condition of the plea agreement.
According to authorities, the prosecutor referred to the assault case, but no formal charges have been filed.
In the Vermont case, Miller entered a guilty plea in January to trespassing; as part of the plea agreement, the burglary and larceny charges were dismissed. They were required to pay a $500 fine, complete a year of probation, refrain from drinking, and submit to random drug testing.
They apologized and stated they were getting mental health therapy in August. Following a recent period of extreme crises, Miller stated, “I now understand that I am experiencing complex mental health issues and have started ongoing treatment.”
According to a Rolling Stone story, Warner Bros. decided to halt all of Miller’s upcoming projects with the company after an urgent meeting with the actor following the first two arrests.
Did the studio consider a replacement for “The Flash”?
It’s incredible that this nuclear option was ever considered since the movie was already finished filming when Miller was detained, and since they appear in the majority of the scenes, it would have been extremely expensive to recast and reshoot the $220 million movie.
They are not participating in the usual promotional tour. According to a video shared by Deadline, Miller walked the red carpet at the premiere in Los Angeles on Monday and thanked the filmmaker. Additionally, they expressed gratitude to the studio heads for their “grace, discernment, and care in the context of my life.” The studio has previously stated that Miller would not be making any other public appearances after the premiere. We don’t necessarily have to put Ezra out before its campaign because “The Flash” is “not a P.R.-driven film,” Warner Bros. CEO Michael De Luca previously said to Vulture.
In addition to starring in “The Flash,” Miller also plays a teenage Salvador Dal in the June 9 release of “Daliland,” a new biopic about the surrealist artist.
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Further down the road, things become murkier: While “Harry Potter” fans may recognize them from their portrayal of the troubled wizard Credence Barebone in the “Fantastic Beasts” spin-off series, future films in what was initially intended to be a five-film series are in limbo due to the third film’s dismal performance last year, “The Secrets of Dumbledore.” Warner Bros. has drawings for the “Flash” character in upcoming “Flash” films, but it’s not certain if Miller will be the man in the red suit.
Reference: A Timeline of Ezra Miller’s Recent Controversies
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