Early reactions to Michael Keaton's Batman return, undoubtedly among countless other important innovations for the franchise.
The DCEU itself hasn't been quite the success that Warner Bros. had hoped it would be. Despite incorporating a number of DC's most iconic heroes and villains, the films of the DCEU so far have been divisive at best, with mixed critical reception and additional behind-the-scenes controversy surrounding the franchise. However, test screenings of The Flash have so far garnered positive reactions, and it's been reported that Warner Bros. considers it the best film of the DCEU so far.
The news that there have been such positive reactions to test screenings of The Flash is not only welcome to those holding out hope for the DCEU's future, but it suggests that the film is managing to juggle the many delicate aspects at play with a remarkable degree of success. The Flash is understood to have a complex multiversal plot that can fix old DCEU errors and bring in elements of past DC franchises. If the movie was to fumble these key aspects, it's reasonable to assume that the film as a whole would be far less enjoyable, as its major draws are also its biggest risks. The positive reactions appear to prove that The Flash not only entertains but also fulfills its potential by delivering on its well-publicized selling points. With a narrative that looks to expand the scope of the DCEU, The Flash contains an awful lot of moving parts, and early positive reactions are encouraging not just for the film, but for the DCEU's future.
The Flash's story is undoubtedly an ambitious one with both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton returning as Batman. As details of its plot have been revealed over time, it has seemed to become more and more complex, with talk of Multiversal crossovers, departing heroes, and new characters introduced into the franchise. As the film is set to introduce an alternate Batman into the DCEU, its story will be pivotal in reshaping the future of the franchise, and Warner Bros.'s ability to properly execute such a maneuver has been called into question after previous DCEU movies. As The Flash is delivering Michael Keaton's Batman return, resurrecting Michael Shannon's Zod, and introducing many other new characters via its Multiverse story, establishing the proper tone (and reconciling Keaton's Batman with the DCEU) is absolutely vital to its success.
What's more, The Flash is not yet ready for release. This indicates that even with early reactions being positive, there's still time for further improvements. As the DCEU's Flash has already appeared many times ahead of his solo movie, audiences have a good idea of what to expect from the film's titular character, but the unknown elements are the ones that will make or break The Flash's first solo movie. With positive reactions to test screenings, it would seem that not just The Flash but the very future of the DCEU is looking good.
