The Flash is a ‘beautiful human story’, says director Andy Muschietti

Andy Muschietti has confirmed that he will direct The Flash, and he already has a specific approach in mind for the character’s solo film.

The Flash solo film has seen its fair share of starts and stops over the past several years, having gone through numerous directors. Things now seem to be looking up, as a director appears to be attached. Not only that, but he also has an idea of how he’ll tackle the Scarlet Speedster.

Following a report last month, director Andy Muschietti finally confirmed to Fandango that his next project will be The Flash. The filmmaker, widely known for helming It and It: Chapter Two, shot down the idea of employing horror elements in the film. His interest in the movie stemmed from the “human drama”:

"“An element of horror? I don’t think so. What captivated me about the Flash is the human drama in it,” he said.  “The human feelings and emotions that play in the drama [of it]. It’s going to be fun, too. I can’t promise that there will be any horror [elements in it], really, but it’s a beautiful human story.”"

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Muschietti isn’t wrong about the personal problems that plague the character outside of his career as a superhero. In recent comic book, television and film incarnations, Barry Allen’s mother was murdered under mysterious circumstances and, as a result, his father was arrested and placed in jail for allegedly committing the crime. This leads Allen to do whatever he can to prove his father’s innocence. This aspect of his character was highlighted with Ezra Miller’s iteration of the character in 2017’s Justice League and will likely be expanded upon in The Flash.

One thing Muschietti has proven with the It franchise is that he knows how to mine character and emotion from extraordinary circumstances. And even though he will now be working within the superhero genre, the same principles are still applicable. Having an actor of Ezra Miller’s caliber in the lead role will also help to convey the emotions he wants audiences to feel.

The Flash is still a wild card at this point, but it’ll be interesting to see what arrives at the finish line when it hits theaters in 2021.