There are some news stories that make you want to jump for joy. And then there are those like this one: word has arrived that not only is Batman Begins co-writer David Goyer off the Flash movie project, but Shawn Levy is the man Warner Bros has picked to take it over.
Now, we’re not ones to judge before we’ve even seen a film (okay, maybe a little bit) but this is surely a worrying development. Admittedly, Goyer’s track record includes Blade: Trinity, which he wrote and directed, much as he was planning double duty on The Flash. And yes, it’s true that The Flash demands a very different form of superhero movie to Batman and Blade. But seriously… The man who made the recent Pink Panther movie, Night At The Museum and Cheaper By The Dozen?
Of course, what those three have in common is impressive box office tallies, which we’re sure is what got Levy the job. The films themselves are at best workmanlike (Museum) and at worst awful (Panther).
The Flash is a tricky character to film - he needs a lighter touch than the likes of Superman or Batman – and several attempts have been made to bring the adventures of Barry Allen and Wally West to the screen, with a distinctly dodgy TV comedy-drama the most recent. But somehow the story of a man blessed by radiation with “speed force” (Dash in Pixar’s The Incredibles was directly inspired by him) has always arrived feeling a little silly.
Still, we’ll give Levy the benefit of the doubt and see whether his vision for the flash is A) a good one and B) even makes it to the screen. If Goyer’s experience (and Joss Whedon’s recent departure from Wonder Woman) teaches anything, it’s that everyone’s expendable.
