James Gunn’s The Flash not only used CGI to recreate Henry Cavill’s Superman but also digitally brought back Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of the iconic character. The late actor appears in a controversial CGI recreation of his likeness during the ‘Speed Force’ sequence in the film. However, Reeve’s children have revealed that they did not watch the film, and none of them were involved in the creation of this particular cameo.
Fans on X expressed their discontent with the poorly received film, venting their frustration at the decision to include Reeve’s likeness without consulting his family. The Flash, helmed by Andy Muschietti and starring Ezra Miller, failed to impress critics and audiences alike and bombed at the box office.
James Gunn’s The Flash Did Not Consult Christopher Reeve’s Family For His CGI Depiction
The Flash used AI and deep fake technologies to bring back previous incarnations of Superman, Batman, and Supergirl in the film. Besides Christopher Reeve, the film also featured CGI-rendered Superman versions of George Reeves and Nicolas Cage. The execution of these recreations fell short of expectations and the film was a big letdown in the CGI department.
Reeve’s three children, Will, Matthew, and Alexandra, appeared in an interview with Variety to promote the documentary on their father, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. They discussed their father, his roles, and the documentary which premieres at Sundance today. When asked about their thoughts on Reeve’s CGI appearance in The Flash, they revealed that they had not seen the movie. Variety also reported that none of them were consulted for that cameo.
Did Christopher Reeve's children watch #TheFlash? | Variety Studio presented by @audible_com https://t.co/VYrkQgilJk pic.twitter.com/mhvBXlBuG6
— Variety (@Variety) January 20, 2024
Fans were not impressed with this move from James Gunn‘s studio. While the film was legally within its rights to use the character without seeking family approval, fans found it ethically questionable that the family was not involved in the on-screen portrayal of Reeve. Some believed that the family should have at least been informed, while others felt they should have been compensated. Some also joked that the family didn’t miss much by skipping the film. Fan reactions read:
So messed up they had no involvement. This is a major issue in using likeness
— Truly Pete (72%)👽 🔜 Some Rave Eventually (@AStateofPete) January 21, 2024
Wow, means they didn’t even ask the family about it or give them a heads up
— ImJustMeAbel (@ImJustMeAbel) January 21, 2024
Anyone else think it’s gross his family didn’t recieve any money for the use of his likeness?
— Leo (@MrBuckSlate) January 21, 2024
They didn’t miss much.
— 𝑰𝑺𝑨𝑰𝑨𝑯 (@Zayuh1985) January 21, 2024
That’s actually kind of wild how they disrespected him
— Henry 🇺🇸 (@MrDarthhenry) January 21, 2024
It appears that James Gunn’s studio needs to improve its communication skills, as they were also subtly called out by Nicolas Cage on the matter. Cage reprised his role from the dropped Superman Lives project in a blink-and-miss scene in the film. Cage had actually filmed some footage for the movie, but was surprised at how his cameo turned out in the film. In an interview with Wired, he revealed that the portrayal was very different from what he had originally filmed.
Christopher Reeve’s Children Would Choose Another Role Over Superman As His Best
During the interview with Variety, Christopher Reeve’s children were asked about his most underrated role in a career dominated by his Superman role. Will Reeve shared that his father was proud of his small yet important role in the 1993 film, The Remains of the Day. In the Anthony Hopkins starrer, Reeve played the role of US Congressman Jack Lewis.
Will Reeve shared that his father was able to show a completely different side of him in the film. He revealed that when the local movie theater in their hometown in Bedford, New York, wanted to honor their father, they asked them to play The Remains of the Day instead of Superman. Will shared with Variety:
“He was so proud of his role in that movie. It’s not a big role. It’s an important role in the film. He got to show a completely different side of himself. I knew how proud he was of that. Not that he wasn’t proud of Superman…but if he were here he wouldn’t choose Superman, he’d choose Remains of the Day.”
Christopher Reeve’s Superman and James Gunn’s The Flash are now available for streaming on Max. The Remains of the Day is now available for streaming on Paramount+.
