The Flash sped into CinemaCon, with Warner Bros. screening the DC film for theater owners nearly two months ahead of its June 16 release.
The Flash has been the talk of the convention, and earlier in the day, Warners made the film the closer of its presentation, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav saying of the feature: “It’s the best superhero movie I’ve ever seen.” (The executive has watched it three times.)
Peter Safran, co-head of DC Studios, praised star Ezra Miller ahead of the screening, as did director Andy Muschietti, who said, “I discovered they are an incredible comedian and also [handled] all the action required for a big spectacle like this. They wanted to do all the stunts, and I let them.”
Miller stars in dual roles as different versions of Barry Allen, with Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck playing different versions of Batman. Sashe Calle stars as Supergirl, while Michael Shannon reprises his role of General Zod from the 2013 feature Man of Steel.
The film comes after a tumultuous 2022 for Miller, who was arrested multiple times last year and was the subject to controversies, culminating in the actor issuing a statement Aug. 15 apologizing for their behavior and saying they would receive help for “complex mental health issues.”
In January, Safran told reporters of the possibility of the actor reprising the role in the future: “Ezra is completely committed to their recovery. We are fully supportive of that journey they are on right now. When the time is right, when they are ready to have that discussion, we will all figure out what’s the best path forward.”
Observers on the ground at CinemaCon note that Warners knows it has a winner on its hands with The Flash, and by screening the film early, it hopes to turn the focus away from Miller’s past and towards the film itself.
Read on for first reactions from The Flash.
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/xYSn0zuXMm
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) April 26, 2023
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/F7SHA30vZM
— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) April 26, 2023
THE FLASH: far more madcap than I expected. Really nailed what reading a 5-issue crossover comic book is like. Tons of Ezra Miller being zany and time paradox stuff. Nerds will lose their minds at the ending. And beginning and middle. Comics!
— Jordan Hoffman (@jhoffman) April 26, 2023
Just watched #TheFlash at CinemaCon. It has some stuff in it you will not believe and it showcases much more of Barry Allen’s powers. It is indeed one of DC’s best and fits nicely as a bridge story between the old and new DCEU franchises. It’s also the funniest DC movie. pic.twitter.com/uDepMKVVG1
— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) April 26, 2023
Yup. #TheFlash is as good as rumored. It’s Back to the Future meets Spider-Man: No Way Home with all the humor & heart of the former and action and surprises of the latter. If anything, it might be a tad too ambitious but it’s also just incredibly satisfying, heartwarming & fun. pic.twitter.com/Yysb9mjiAm
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) April 26, 2023
I don’t know what to say other than #TheFlash delivered more than I could have hoped. The acting is beyond great. Keaton delivers everything you want. Supergirl is my new favorite superhero? I’m genuinely shocked this movie meets and surpasses the hype. I never expected that. pic.twitter.com/PcmpJ2juZ6
— Chris E. Hayner (@ChrisHayner) April 26, 2023
#TheFlash is fantastic. I know Ezra Miller has made a lot of mistakes but they are soooooo good in this movie. Loved Keaton, the action, humor and emotion. Andy Muschietti has crafted something special. Thumbs way up.
WB didn’t show the after the credits scenes. pic.twitter.com/J8KsdrKVwz
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 26, 2023
this is truly one of the best superhero movies ever. believe the hype. oh my god. #TheFlash
— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) April 26, 2023
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/7QqiHVNAJy
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) April 26, 2023
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/mYJrz7YUZG
— Scott Mantz 🖖 (@MovieMantz) April 26, 2023
#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/zRa1Xzl79l
— Daniel Howat (@howatdk) April 26, 2023
Yeah, #TheFlash is legit great! It delivers some notably thrilling, fun and creative moments I felt I hadn’t seen in a million other superhero movies. It had me smiling from the Warner Bros. logo at the top and I even dug stuff inspired by movies I wasn’t into. pic.twitter.com/B5vFyFBBcl
— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) April 26, 2023
Caught an unfinished cut of #TheFlash and dug it quite a bit! Especially how the narrative challenges Barry to confront who he is, who he could have become, and how one’s influenced by the people in (or not in) their life.
It’s a successful mix of heartfelt coming-of-age… pic.twitter.com/CB7mTDEZXC
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) April 26, 2023
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/hhT6dXz6PO
— Sean O’Connell (@Sean_OConnell) April 26, 2023
I got to watch an unfinished cut of #TheFlash! 🧵
It’s an unabashedly comic book movie & a loving homage to DC film history. For a film that resets the #DCU, it also does a great job of closing the circle.
Michael Keaton’s return as #Batman is simply…PERFECT. pic.twitter.com/xlufy9CzrG
— POC Culture (@POCculture) April 26, 2023
Just out of #TheFlash at CinemaCon. Believe the hype folks – truly one of the great superhero movies. Ezra Miller (x2), Sasha Calle and MICHAEL KEATON. It’s pretty perfect and one of the best films of this type you could ever hope to see.
— JoBlo.com (@joblocom) April 26, 2023
#TheFlash is pretty great, and it makes sense to me now why DC didn’t shelve this one. Michael Keaton is … chef’s kiss. I didn’t realize how much I needed Keaton’s Batman in my life again. Some really emotional moments here. Sasha Calle is awesome – I want to see more of her! pic.twitter.com/2DYhSKMfyI
— Jenna Busch (@JennaBusch) April 26, 2023
I just watched #TheFlash and it’s the most vibrant superhero film I have ever seen! The colors are impeccable and the action is such a thrill. Ezra Miller leads with depth! @MichaelKeaton is superb as Batman again! @SashaCalle captivates with grace as Supergirl! A brilliant film.
— Jeff Conway (@jeffconway) April 26, 2023
#TheFlash is full of mindbending visuals, nostalgia on top of nostalgia, and humor that will have you in stitches. This feels like not just the culmination of the Snyder era, but of all of DC Cinema.
— Tyler Nichols (@zombievictim) April 26, 2023
