For the week that ended on September 2nd, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s The Flash (2023) topped both the Blu-ray-only and overall packaged media charts in its debut. The theatrical version of the DC Comics character, not to be confused with the version from the 2014 TV series of the same name (which also saw both its final season and a complete series released on Blu-ray this week), first appeared in a cameo in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016. Initially, a film starring the character had been set for 2018, but amid other DC Extended Universe films struggling at the box office, various delays caused The Flash to shift several times, until filming began in 2021. But, the film’s release would be further complicated by the merger of of Warner Bros. parent WarnerMedia and Discovery into Warner Bros. Discovery in April 2022, as well as a series of high-profile arrests for the film’s star, Ezra Miller, and the announced reboot of the entire DCEU franchise. This last event subsequently led to rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery could cancel The Flash altogether, as they had done with Batgirl in August 2022. Happily, however, following positive test screenings, The Flash was set for a June 2023 release..
Unfortunately, the many delays and controversies seem to have affected audience enthusiasm for The Flash, which opened below expectations to $55 million on its first weekend and has legged it to only $108 million so far. And unlike some “blockbusters” this year which have been saved by the international box office, the global haul for The Flash stands at just $268 million. Given the reported budget of $200 million or more, it is estimated that the film will lose Warner Bros. some $200 million and go down in history as a major box office bomb. This week, The Flash had an HD share of 70%, with 31% of units sold from the 4K UHD format. Note that The Flash continues a recent trend at Warner Bros. of single-disc 4K UHD releases, although the more expensive retailer exclusive versions, like the Best Buy Exclusive 4K UHD SteelBook and Walmart Exclusive 4K UHD Icon Edition DigiPack, contain both a 4K UHD disc and a Blu-ray….
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