It’s been more than six months since filmmaker Rick Famuyiwa exited The Flash due to creative differences with studio Warner Bros. Pictures, and the superhero movie is still looking for a director. A new report suggests that the search might be over soon, though.
Although the report remains unconfirmed at this point, the latest list of filmmakers rumored to be meeting with WB regarding The Flash features quite a few well-known directors — including one Academy Award winner.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has recently met with Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, Kingsman: The Secret Service), Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future), and Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, The Evil Dead) in the hope of filling the director’s chair for The Flash. The report indicates that Zemeckis, who won the Academy Award for directing 1994’s Forrest Gump and was previously nominated as the co-writer on 1985’s Back to the Future, is the current leading contender for the job.
The trio of directors is quite a leap for the studio, which initially hired Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith to make The Flash his directorial debut, only to have him leave the project due to creative differences with the studio. Famuyiwa, who directed the critically acclaimed drama Dope, was later hired, only to depart in October 2016 due to creative differences.
Nothing is official at the moment regarding any of the three rumored contenders, but the report indicates that Zemeckis’ next project — an untitled movie set to star Steve Carell — could force the studio to wait a bit longer than anticipated for him to take over The Flash if he does end up directing it.
The Flash is set to feature We Need To Talk About Kevin star Ezra Miller as the title character. Miller made his debut as the DC Comics speedster in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and reprised the role for a brief scene in Suicide Squad. The film’s cast also currently includes Dope actress Kiersey Clemons as Iris West and Billy Crudup as the father of Miller’s character.
Miller will next appear as The Flash in Justice League, which hits theaters November 17.