Jump Street and Lego Movie masterminds Phil Lord and Chris Miller are, as recently announced, developing both a live-action Flash movie for Warner Bros. and an animated Spider-Man for Sony. And while they've yet to commit to directing either, Lord has given a couple of hints to podcasters Hippojuice about the direction each project is headed{
The Flash gets the bulk of his interview attention, with the writer/director confirming that the film they're plotting revolves around the Barry Allen iteration of the super-speedy hero: the second character to wear the comics' costume. For those paying attention, that's the same Flash as the Arrow-connected CW TV series, but as has been par for the course so far with DC's properties, there will be no connection between film and show.
"We’re trying to break a story," says Lord. "It’s interesting, because there’s a really popular TV show out there, and we’re trying to carve out space for the movie that’s apart from that. I think we’re doing alright. I believe [our Flash] is going to be Barry Allen. We’re more trying to stick with the cinematic universe. [Our Flash] really is its own thing, and kind of a standalone movie. We’re just trying to think of the best story. It’s kind of a different take on superhero stuff."
That "different take" business is clearly something very much on the Lord and Miller hive mind, and leads into a brief mention of the animated Spider-boot.
"It does get tricky," Lord allows, "but it’s the same thing, is there a way to do one of these movies in a new way? That’s the exciting thing about it being animated, is it opens up a lot of different possibilities. Chris and I like to carve out spaces where people will let us do what we want. So much of our careers are... these huge franchises, but kind of off a little bit to the side, and that gives us a lot of creative freedom, and that’s the thing we love. Hopefully we won’t waste that!”
Ezra Miller is in place to play the movie Flash, who is rumoured to crop up in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice for what will probably be a quick (no pun intended) cameo. If he doesn’t, then he’ll likely first emerge in Justice League, taking aim at 2017. The stand-alone Flash film, meanwhile, is set for 2018.
Lord and Miller, lest we forget, are also busy cooking up a Jump Street / Men In Black crossover movie. That one's currently in pre-production but doesn't yet have a release date.