The Flash may make Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's villain story even more tragic and inescapable. Jason Momoa's first solo adventure as Arthur Curry surpassed expectations, with the movie going on to gross $1.149 billion at the worldwide box office. That made 2018's Aquaman become not only the highest-grossing DCEU film by a comfortable margin, with second place going to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with $872.7 million, but also the biggest win for DC at the box office ever. Based on that, it will be interesting to see if Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's story proves itself as gripping as the first film's did.
One important aspect of that story will be impacted by the events of Ezra Miller's The Flash movie. In The Flash, Miller's Barry Allen goes back in time to save his mother's life, which leads to a multiverse-wide adventure for the speedster. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn said that The Flash resets the DCEU, with the new DC Universe taking its place. If that does happen, then Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which releases six months after The Flash, could already be a part of the new DC Universe. That means The Flash will likely lead to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's villain story being even more brutal.
The Flash Can Make Black Manta's Origin Story More Tragic
The Flash rebooting the DC Universe leads to Aquaman and Black Manta's connection being stronger than it was in the first movie, with the two characters being "destined nemesis," as the villain, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, will be back to serve as the main antagonist of the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. With The Flash rebooting the DCEU into the new DC Universe, Aquaman and Black Manta would be rivals in two separate universes, showing the level of hatred that matchup conveys. The universe reset could also lead to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom making Black Manta's story more tragic.
Director James Wan revealed that Aquaman 2 made changes to accommodate the DC Universe's shifts since Gunn and Peter Safran arrived. Perhaps one of those changes will lead to Black Manta's origin story becoming even more tragic. The first version of the character's origin included a young Black Manta being kidnapped by pirates and becoming a slave. One day, the child saw Aquaman swim by the pirates' ship and tried to call for help, only for the hero to not notice him, which led to Black Manta holding a lifelong grudge that he would pursue after killing his captors.
The Flash Can Make Black Manta's DC Movies Story Even Closer To The Comics
Aquaman brought to life a version of Black Manta's more recent origin story from DC Comics' New 52 continuity. To follow up on that, The Flash could lead to a change in the timeline to allow Black Manta's origin story to be closer to the comics and differentiate the DCEU and the new DC Universe. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom could reveal that the timeline changed to allow a version of the story of Black Manta being hired by a scientist to take Arthur Curry's blood to prove he was an Atlantean to happen.
Then, it could be shown that the death of Black Manta's father in the first film was due to the villain having accidentally killed Aquaman's father, Tom Curry, when trying to take a sample. This would be a shocking twist, and it would help set Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom apart from the DCEU while bringing back Black Manta and Aquaman's rivalry.
June 2023 will see the release of a bunch of highly-anticipated titles from various genres and franchises, such as an animated Spider-Man movie, a horror movie from the mind of Stephen King, a long-awaited movie from the DC Universe, Pixar’s latest movie, Wes Anderson’s newest project, and more. May also saw some big titles arriving in theaters, such as Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Robert Rodriguez’s sci-fi action movie Hypnotic, the biopic Blackberry, the tenth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast X, and Disney’s latest live-action adventure, The Little Mermaid.
As May saw mostly big releases, none of them are available to stream yet, and they don’t have projected release dates for streaming either, but luckily, June will bring some of 2023’s most anticipated movies. A variety of titles for all ages and tastes will be hitting theaters in June, such as the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a horror movie based on a Stephen King story, a new Transformers movie, Pixar’s latest animated story, Barry Allen’s biggest and most chaotic adventure to date, and the return of the legendary Indiana Jones. Here’s every movie coming to theaters in June 2023.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – June 2
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, set in the shared multiverse known as the “Spider-Verse”. Set over a year after the events of the first movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) as he’s unexpectedly approached by Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) to complete a mission to save every universe of Spider-People from supervillain the Spot, who could cause a massive disaster. Miles and Gwen go on a journey together through the multiverse and meet its protectors, the Spider-Society, led by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), with whom Miles finds himself at odds on how to handle the Spot. Also part of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s voice cast are Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, and Daniel Kaluuya.
The Boogeyman – June 2
The Boogeyman is a supernatural horror movie directed by Rob Savage and based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Stephen King. The Boogeyman is the story of Sadie Harper (Sophia Thatcher), a high school student who along with her little sister, Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair), is dealing with the death of their mother, and their father, Will (Chris Messina), although a therapist by profession, is too devastated by his own pain to support his daughters. One day, a desperate patient shows up unexpectedly at the Harpers’ house asking for help, but they bring a terrifying entity that preys on the Harpers and feeds on their greatest suffering. Also starring in The Boogeyman are Marin Ireland, Madison Hu, LisaGay Hamilton, and David Dastmalchian.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – June 9
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the seventh installment in the Transformers film series, serving as a standalone sequel to Bumblebee and as a prequel to the movie that started it all. Set in 1994 Brooklyn, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts follows Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), an ex-military electronics expert, and Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), as they are swept up in a three-way conflict between the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons as they help Optimus Prime and the Autobots in a war to protect the planet from the arrival of Unicron. Also starring in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts are Luna Lauren Vélez, Tobe Nwigwe and Michael Kelly, with the voice cast formed by Peter Cullen, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, Ron Perlman, Michelle Yeoh, John DiMaddio, Peter Dinklage, and more.
The Flash – June 16
After a long wait due to various delays, The Flash is finally coming to theaters in June. Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash will see Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) using his powers to travel back in time in hopes of preventing his mother’s murder, but messing with time can have dangerous consequences. Barry becomes trapped in an alternate reality without metahumans, and with the help of his younger self, an alternate and older Batman (Michael Keaton), and Kryptonian castaway Supergirl (Sasha Calle), he will do his best to save this world from the restored General Zod (Michael Shannon) and, hopefully, return to his universe. Also part of the cast of The Flash are Ben Affleck, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, and Antje Traue.
Elemental – June 16
Elemental is the latest movie from Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Peter Sohn, Elemental takes place in Element City, a place where fire, water, land, and air residents all live together, but there’s one big rule: elements can’t mix. When fiery young woman Ember Lumen (voiced by Leah Lewis) meets go-with-the-flow guy Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), she finally ventures outside her home in Firetown to explore the world and, in the process, realizes what she actually wants instead of doing what her parents want her to. Also part of Elemental’s voice cast are Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Mason Wertheimer, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Catherine O’Hara.
No Hard Feelings – June 23
No Hard Feelings is a coming-of-age comedy directed by Gene Stupnitsky. Set in Montauk, New York, No Hard Feelings follows Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence), a young woman working as an Uber driver who is on the edge of bankruptcy after her car is repossessed. Maddie then accepts a Craiglist posting and her new employers are now the concerned parents of Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), an introverted 19-year-old who shows no interest in dating or having sex. In exchange for a Buick Regal, Maddie agrees to become Percy’s “girlfriend” and “date his brains out” to help him join adult life. Also starring in No Hard Feelings are Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales, and Scott MacArthur.
Asteroid City – June 23
Asteroid City is a sci-fi rom-com written and directed by Wes Anderson, from a story by Anderson and Roman Coppola. Set in 1955, Asteroid City centers on a group of students and parents from across the country who gather at a Junior Stargazer convention for scholarly competition, rest, recreation, comedy, drama, and romance, but it will all be spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events. As expected, Asteroid City has a long cast list with big names, among them Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Steve Carell. Asteroid City will have a limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on June 16 before expanding to a wide release on June 23.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – June 30
The fifth and final installment in the Indiana Jones film series will arrive in theaters at the end of June. Directed by James Mangold, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will take viewers back to 1969, as Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) grows uneasy over the U.S. government recruiting former Nazis to help beat the Soviet Union in the space race. Now accompanied by his goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Jones will race against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history, while also facing Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a NASA member and ex-Nazi involved with the moon-landing program who seeks to use it for his own gain. Also starring in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, and Shaunette Renée Wilson.
DC Studios' upcoming superhero movie The Flash has received high praise from Stephen King.
The accomplished novelist shared his thoughts about the movie on Twitter, saying, "I got an advance screening of The Flash today. As a rule, I don't care a lot for superhero movies, but this one is special. It's heartfelt, funny, and eye-popping. I loved it."
I got an advance screening of THE FLASH today. As a rule I don't care a lot for superhero movies, but this one is special. It's heartfelt, funny, and eye-popping. I loved it.
King's glowing review comes after Tom Cruise praised The Flash in March, having seen an advance copy of The Flash sent to him by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. After watching the film, which was hand-delivered to his Beverly Hills home, Cruise cold-called director Andy Muschietti to congratulate him. The actor reportedly described The Flash as "everything you want in a movie," adding that it's the "kind of movie we need now."
With The Flash's release just around the corner, DC is generating positive press by inviting a roster of big names to attend advance movie screenings. In addition to King, actor Jaden Smith took to social media to share his thoughts about The Flash, describing the movie as life-changing. These reactions already show contrast to DC's most recent release, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which didn't perform well.
Ezra Miller's Performance as Barry Allen
Producer Barbara Muschietti recently expressed admiration for Ezra Miller's portrayal of Barry Allen in The Flash, emphasizing their dedication, discipline, and the extraordinary effort they put into the role. The film's director (and Barbara's brother) Andy Muschietti reiterated the sentiment about Miler, commending the actor for performing their own stunts.
Warner Bros. is setting the stage for its grandest release of the year with The Flash, as the film endeavors to redefine the previous DCEU and usher in a fresh era for the DC Universe. The story follows Barry Allen, who travels back in time via the Speed Force to save his mother's life. However, changing the past has significant consequences, and Barry finds himself stuck in a world without metahumans. When General Zod threatens humanity, Barry enlists the help of a stranded Kryptonian and an older Batman to defeat him.
The Flash sees Ezra Miller portray two versions of Barry Allen, while Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton star as different versions of The Dark Knight. Sasha Calle appears as Supergirl, and Michael Shannon returns as General Zod, a character he portrayed in Man of Steel in 2013.
The Flash will hit theaters worldwide on June 16, 2023.
When it comes to superhero teams, the Flash has a reputation for being the group's jokester. This was especially the case when Wally West joined the League as a younger and more upbeat version of the character. This is no different with Bart Allen, A.K.A. Impulse, in Young Justice. Arguably, Bart has had the worst treatment in DC Comics, never receiving the respect he deserves.
So far, the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths event has sent dozens of heroes into alternate, 'perfect' realities. Included in those numbers are Superboy, Robin and Impulse, who get sent to a nostalgic, '90s-themed world, reminiscent of their days together as Young Justice. In this reality, they're never replaced as sidekicks, and even better, they're destined to become the next Superman, Batman and Flash. They never quite have enough time to investigate the "too good to be true'"nature of their situation, as they're tossed from one fight to the next. Of the trio, Impulse is the most suspicious of their new reality.
In Dark Crisis: Young Justice #3, by Meghan Fitzmartin, Laura Braga and Luis Guerrero, tensions rise between the Young Justice boys as they face off against old foes who have had a major impact on each of their lives. Interestingly enough, Bart is the only one to voice his concern, recognizing that the interruption is likely yet another trick this world is pulling on them. Too absorbed in the situation, Robin and Superboy dismiss him. Impulse’s inevitable refusal to finish things with Deathstroke results in a fight between him and Superboy. When Impulse attempts to explain his hypothesis that Cassie is controlling this reality, Superboy becomes defensive and even Robin is hesitant to make a judgement just yet, stating that they need “more data.” This only makes Impulse even more upset, his resentment boiling over as he finally snaps at his friends: “That’s it, isn’t it… You’ll listen to each other. You just won’t listen to me. You never have.”
Despite all they’ve been through as friends, the experiences of Young Justice in Dark Crisis continue to demonstrate just how little the group understands each other—only amplified by their separation. In issue #2, even Wally West cracks a joke about Bart always goofing around, not taking him seriously when his successor tries to ask about what’s going on. Just like all the Flashes, Bart Allen is a scientist at his core; he’s a believer in facts and evidence, recognizing patterns that many others don’t see—and not just because he has super speed. While Tim might be better known as the detective in Young Justice, this often means Bart is overlooked and simply typecast as the 'class clown'. Impulse has never been given the credit he deserves as a serious hero, despite having previously sacrificed himself (just as Superboy had), and even saved the universe.
Fortunately, Bart’s outburst makes things finally click for his friends, and they eventually learn to reject the reality they’ve been flung into. However, that doesn’t excuse the damage that’s been done. DC has finally admitted that Impulse deserves more recognition, not just as a Flash but a great hero in his own right.
