This article originally appeared on EW.
Director Rick Famuyiwa has left the Warner Bros. project due to creative differences, EW has confirmed. The director, who helmed the 2015 Sundance darling Dope, joined the film just a few months ago, signing on in June after previous director Seth Grahame-Smith departed.
Grahame-Smith penned the script based on a treatment by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, but he also left due to creative differences. Ezra Miller is still set to star as the Scarlet Speedster (a.k.a. Barry Allen) after making his debut with a cameo in this year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and he’s joined by Billy Crudup as Barry’s dad and Dope star Kiersey Clemons as the female lead.
According to a source, Famuyiwa planned an edgier approach to the material, and DC and Warner Bros. clashed with his take, especially after critics bashed Suicide Squad in August.
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In a statement obtained by EW, Famuyiwa explained his decision to leave the project and wished the film well.
“When I was approached by Warner Bros and DC about the possibility of directing The Flash, I was excited about the opportunity to enter this amazing world of characters that I loved growing up, and still do to this day,” Famuyiwa said. “I was also excited to work with Ezra Miller, who is a phenomenal young actor.
“I pitched a version of the film in line with my voice, humor, and heart,” he continued. “While it’s disappointing that we couldn’t come together creatively on the project, I remain grateful for the opportunity. I will continue to look for opportunities to tell stories that speak to a fresh generational, topical, and multicultural point of view. I wish Warner Brothers, DC, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, and Ezra Miller all the best as they continue their journey into the speed force.”
Sources say Famuyiwa’s departure will probably affect the film’s timeline, as the studio looks for a new director. The Flash is set to hit theaters on March 16, 2018.
Warner Bros. declined to comment.
Miller will next appear as the character in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which is dated for Nov. 17, 2017.
—Reporting by Nicole Sperling
