‘The Flash’ to Screen for the First Time at CinemaCon 2023 (EXCLUSIVE)

“The Flash” is set to blaze through CinemaCon 2023, where Warner Bros. Pictures will screen the superhero blockbuster at the annual convention of movie theater owners in April, multiple sources told Variety.

Showing the film in this capacity is yet another sign of Warner Bros.’ passionate support of the project, one that has been saddled with controversy due to trouble surrounding star Ezra Miller. It’ll be the first full screening of “The Flash,” which opens in theaters on June 16.

CinemaCon is taking place in Las Vegas from April 24 through April 27. Major studios typically bring sizzle reels, first-look trailers and trot out celebrities at the yearly gathering, which is designed to get exhibitors pumped about the movies they’ll put on their screens in the coming year.

Showing a completed film usually goes over big with this crowd, full of cineplex honchos and theater managers looking to rub shoulders with Hollywood insiders. Last year, Paramount devoted its hours-long presentation to the first full showing of Tom Cruise’s blockbuster sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” which played like gangbusters to the room of cinema owners before becoming a box office sensation.

Warner Bros. is expected to still bring a formal presentation to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, so “The Flash” is scheduled to play in the late afternoon on April 25 after the studio teases its upcoming film slate.

Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.

“The Flash” is a remnant of a former DC Films regime, but internal reception is apparently so strong that it has the full-throated support of new studio leaders James Gunn and Peter Safran. Gunn recently referred to the film as “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made,” noting Miller’s path forward as the Scarlet Speedster would be based entirely on their recovery from ongoing emotional issues.

“Ezra is completely committed to their recovery,” Safran said at the time. “And we are fully supportive of that journey that they’re on right now.”

In recent years, Miller exhibited troubling behavior, which has led to legal issues and assault and abuse allegations. In mid-January, the actor pled guilty to unlawful trespassing in a Vermont burglary case. They could face up to one year’s probation and must pay a $500 fine. In addition to the Vermont incident, Miller was caught on camera in acts of aggression against Hawaii police and appeared to a choke a fan at a bar in Iceland in 2020.

Miller, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, has self-described mental health struggles and has addressed ongoing concerns about their behavior.

“Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment,” Miller said over the summer. “I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”

Andy Muschietti directed “The Flash,” which also stars Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton (both returning as their respective Batmans), Kiersey Clemmons, and Michael Shannon.

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