Warner Brothers’ DC Cinematic Universe just got a much-needed dose of vibrant creative energy in the form of director Rick Famuyiwa, who will now be helming the big-screen debut of The Flash. Famuyiwa made waves last year with Sundance sensation Dope, a coming-of-age flick about a nerd named Malcolm growing up in Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles. It made a huge impression critically and clearly got the right eyes on his work, as Warner Brothers has now tapped him to replace the recently-departed Seth Grahamme-Smith.
It’s an incredibly interesting and somewhat out-of-left-field choice, though one that will likely be received very well by fans. One of the chiefest complaints of the DC Cinematic Universe has been its dour tone, and while Dope certainly wasn’t without emotional weight, it definitely skewed towards a lighter-hearted tone, one that embraced the essence of youth and misfit energy. That kind of energy would likely please fans, especially when applied to the Flash, who has a history of being a fun, comedy-heavy character. Actor Ezra Miller will be playing the second man to don the red tights, Barry Allen.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that the film is being written from a story by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the minds behind the critically acclaimed The Lego Movie. With Famuyiwa drawing from those two, things are looking good for The Flash. That said, it won’t be ready for theaters until 2018. We’ll be eagerly awaiting news on the film, and hopefully we’ll have some more for you in *ahem* a flash.
(Via Vanity Fair)
