It's taken a decade to get Ezra Miller's 'The Flash' film to theaters. Here's a complete timeline.

After years of trying to get various versions of a "Flash" movie off the ground, Warner Bros. finally committed to giving the Scarlet Speedster the big-screen treatment as part of a growing franchise under Zack Snyder: the DC Extended Universe. 

James Wan was offered "The Flash" when the studio was exploring its plans for the DC Extended Universe, but he chose to direct "Aquaman" over "The Flash" at the time. He later told The New York Times that this was because Barry Allen's story had already been told on TV and he wanted to do something new.

"I felt the Flash had been done before. It had been on TV twice at that point," Wan explained. "The one that had not been done was Aquaman. I realized, wow, his character resides in this crazy, big world, and I could do something very interesting with it."

"21 Jump Street" directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller started writing "The Flash" in 2015. They were potentially going to direct the film, but chose to jump ship to "Solo: A Star Wars Story" instead — though that would become a troubled production of its own.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" writer Seth Grahame-Smith came aboard to write the script based on Lord and Miller's story as well as to direct, aiming for a 2018 release date. But he departed from the project in April 2016.

A month later, Rick Famuyiwa joined the film with plans to direct Grahame-Smith's script, and even started casting, bringing Kiersey Clemons on to play Iris West and Billy Crudup on as Henry Allen. He left a month later.

"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 in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

He continued, "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."

Writer Joby Harrold wrote a new script in January 2017, as rumors swirled that "Back to the Future" director Robert Zemeckis and "The Amazing Spider-Man" director Marc Webb were being discussed as potential options to helm "The Flash."

In July 2017, Warner Bros. retitled the film "Flashpoint," taking inspiration from the Geoff Johns storyline of the same name from 2011. It sees Barry going back in time to stop his mother's murder, drastically changing the DC universe in doing so. Dan Mazeau wrote a new script to suit the film's new title.

In January 2018, "Game Night" directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein were the frontrunners to take on the project, and it went back to being called "The Flash." The pair later told Variety that they parted ways with Warner Bros. over creative differences. The duo also met with Ezra Miller, as Goldstein recalled: "They were intense and very bright. Later, it became clear that they didn't want to quite do the same thing as we did."

Daley added: "It was a number of creative differences that caused us at a certain point to decide that it was time to go."

Ezra Miller worked with legendary comics writer Grant Morrison in 2019 on a script that emphasized science-fiction rather than the multiverse. Warner Bros. scrapped the script in May, and "Birds of Prey" writer Christina Hodson was brought on to write a new screenplay in July 2019.

News broke that "IT" and "IT: Chapter Two" director Andy Muschietti was in talks to direct in September 2019, with production starting the next year for a July 2022 release. His sister, Barbara Muschietti, was brought on as a producer.

Michael Keaton's return as Batman was officially announced in August 2020 by Vanity Fair, with Warner Bros. revealing concept art of his Caped Crusader teaming up with Miller's Scarlet Speedster at DC FanDome.

The majority of "The Flash" takes place in a universe where Kal-El/Superman (Henry Cavill) never became Earth's protector against General Zod (Michael Shannon). Instead, Kara Zor El/Supergirl is around to help save the day. "The Young and the Restless" star Sasha Calle was confirmed as Supergirl when DC released a video online of Muschietti calling her to offer her the role.

—Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) February 19, 2021

Filming started in May 2021, with Ron Livingston replacing Billy Crudup as Henry Allen due to a scheduling conflict with his AppleTV+ series, "The Morning Show." A planned cameo from Ray Fisher's Cyborg was also reportedly scrapped after the star went public with his allegations of abusive behavior from "Justice League" director Joss Whedon. 

After numerous reports about a handful of concerning incidents involving "The Flash" star Ezra Miller, the actor released a statement apologizing for their behavior, noting that they're seeking treatment for complex mental health issues.

"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 told Variety. "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."

Though Miller skipped general press for "The Flash" amid the controversy, they did attend the film's premiere on June 13, 2023. Before the screening started, they praised James Gunn, Peter Safran, and Warner Bros. for their "grace and discernment and care in the context of my life. And in bringing this moment to fruition."

Miller also thanked Andy Muschietti for his direction on the film. "I just want to say that I love you, maestro," they said. "I think you are amazing, and I think your work is monumental."