Rick Famuyiwa Has Dropped Out of Directing The Flash

The Flash has lost another director. Rick Famuyiwa has stepped away from the project, citing creative differences, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. They elaborated, saying “the Dope director’s vision of making a movie with more edge clashed with the studio’s take.”

Famuyiwa follows in the footsteps of Seth Grahame-Greene, who left the project earlier this year. Famuyiwa told THR:

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. 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.

The Flash was scheduled to begin production in early 2017. Ezra Miller will reprise his role as the scarlet speedster from Batman v. Superman and The Justice League. Dope’s Kiersey Clemons is set to play Iris West, with Billy Crudup as Barry Allen’s father. Ray Fisher’s Cyborg will also appear in the film, which will likely be delayed in order to search for a new director.

Famuyiwa is far from the first director to clash with a studio over the creative trajectory of a film. Edgar Wright had an infamous falling-out with Marvel over the direction of what was once his Ant-Man, a dispute that suggested that, in a system dominated by studios, a director’s voice might not matter all that much.