Project Hail Mary Directors Eye DCU Comeback With Their Take on The Flash
Tapped in 2015 to craft a treatment for The Flash, the Project Hail Mary directors say the concept still has legs—and could sprint back to life.
So, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller — you know, the brains behind 21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie, and the Spider-Verse films — were once in line to do a Flash movie for Warner Bros. That never happened, and if you’re wondering what their take would have looked like, you’re out of luck for now. They’re staying tight-lipped, and for a pretty understandable reason: they think they’ve still got gold in that pitch and don’t want to use it up yet.
The Secret Lord & Miller Flash Pitch
Recently on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Lord described their vision for The Flash as "pretty different" from what eventually ended up being released in 2023. They wouldn't spill any real details, though. Miller chimed in that it was "a very elaborate treatment that we really like," but, again, they’re keeping it under wraps. Why? Lord summed it up: "It's a good idea that I am afraid to not be able to use someday."
"It's a good idea that I am afraid to not be able to use someday."
Translation: in Hollywood, you never want to burn a decent idea, especially if it might actually get made later.
How Did These Guys Get Involved with The Flash To Begin With?
Wind the clock back to 2015. Warner Bros. was trying to build its own Marvel-style shared universe (the DCEU) and had just started setting up standalone films for different DC heroes. Lord and Miller were brought in to draft a treatment for a Flash movie, with Ezra Miller already attached as the lead. If things went to plan, that movie was supposed to hit theaters in April 2018. At that point, Lord and Miller were even being eyed to direct.
But Then... Solo Happened
- April 2015: Lord & Miller officially on board for The Flash movie script (possibly directing).
- June 2015: They ditch The Flash when Lucasfilm gives them the gig to direct Solo: A Star Wars Story.
- June 2017: They’re fired from Solo mid-production, reportedly after butting heads with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Lawrence Kasdan (read: classic 'creative differences').
- Meanwhile, The Flash keeps getting pushed back, directors and writers jump ship, and the whole thing turns into a cautionary tale for would-be franchise architects.
The Flash (2023): Nine Years Later, A Movie Nobody Really Wanted
Fast-forward to June 2023 — The Flash finally limps onto screens, almost a decade after the first announcement. And let’s just say it did not go well. Box office? Yikes. Reviews? Brutal. By this point, DC’s original shared universe (the DCEU) was gasping for air, and James Gunn was already waiting in the wings to reboot everything as the shiny new DC Universe (DCU).
Will Lord & Miller Get Another Shot?
As of 2025, don’t hold your breath. James Gunn says heroes like The Flash and Aquaman are off the table for at least a couple of years in his DCU, probably because audiences just saw their DCEU versions flame out. Still, you can’t totally rule out a Lord & Miller Flash movie down the line. Consider this: after the mess that was Green Lantern, DC is trying to rehab that character with the more grounded Lanterns TV show. In other words, a total reinvention isn’t off-limits.
If there’s anyone with the credibility to pull off a fresh take, it’s Lord and Miller. Between their track record with Spider-Verse and the fact that Project Hail Mary just pulled an $80 million opening weekend, Warner Bros. might need them more than they need Warner Bros.
If (okay, when) the next version of The Flash actually happens, don’t be surprised if these two end up at the center of it — especially if they hold on to that killer pitch a little while longer.