Money, more than morality, drives film releases

We have entered the awards corridor, that magical time of year when movie studios release titles most likely to garner nominations. The old rules for cinematic release are being rewritten by streaming services and lingering discomfort with indoor crowds. Still, this one remains eternal, like no white shoes after Labour day. Summertime is for blockbusters, but fall is for great acting.

Even great acting, however, can't insulate a movie from toxic off-screen behaviour.

Take Will Smith's upcoming slavery epic, Emancipation. The $120-million feature was slated for a late-2022 release as a surefire Oscar contender. That was before this year's Oscars became the most-memed telecast in awards show history. Smith resigned from the Academy in disgrace after physically assaulting host Chris Rock. There's intense speculation Apple may delay the movie release and skip this awards season entirely.

The pendulum swung hard toward accountability with #metoo and #timesup, but it's not clear if it will stick, or audiences will shrug and move on.

The strength of the momentum showed itself early when Netflix abruptly dropped Kevin Spacey from House of Cards, amid allegations of predatory sexual behaviour. Then, Christopher Plummer was brought in to reshoot Spacey's scenes in All the Money in the World weeks before the film's late-fall release for awards consideration. (Spacey has denied the allegations, and publicly apologized to actor Anthony Rapp. He recently was ordered to pay House of Cards creators nearly US$31 million.)

Likewise, Warner Bros. had Mads Mikkelsen take over the role of Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Footage of Johnny Depp, shot for the third instalment, was scrubbed after a U.K. court ruled against the actor in a libel suit against The Sun, which called him a “wife beater.”

The pendulum took a hard swing back during the ensuing defamation trial between Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard. Heard was targeted by a ferocious social media campaign. Depp's popularity gained strength like a hurricane over water; he began touring with Jeff Beck even before the jury's verdict in his favour.

The #metoo movement appeared all but dead, until Armie Hammer gave it new life. The Call Me By Your Name star was dropped from multiple projects following sensational allegations of sexual violence, emotional abuse and cannibalism. (The actor has denied the allegations; an investigation is ongoing.)

Against this inconsistent backdrop, the behaviour of Ezra Miller stands as a bellwether. The troubled actor plays the Flash in the Justice League franchise. An upcoming standalone feature is due out next July, in the heart of blockbuster season.

Miller identifies as transgender non-binary. Fans and critics alike were thrilled with the casting choice outside the mould of the hypermasculine superhero.

Fans have proven exceptionally resistant to reports of increasingly alarming behaviour since 2020, including a viral video of Miller choke-slamming a woman to the ground, and a break-in resulting in felony charges. A new article in Vanity Fair describes two protection orders alleging grooming of non-binary minors. The allegations have not been proven in court.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. plans to give The Flash the full blockbuster treatment, riding out the crisis.

Representation matters, but it's hard to imagine that's what's driving decisions on the $200-million project. The studio recently shelved Batgirl in post-production to save costs. The film would have starred Leslie Grace, a young woman of colour.

In a Aug. 15 statement, Miller announced they are suffering complex mental health issues and have begun treatment. Their health deserves support, of course. But many believe the calculus is simpler: Flash fans will buy tickets, no matter who's been hurt.