Ezra Miller and Grant Morrison's Flash script was more 'Back to the Future' than superhero movie

In the most ambitious superhero/Back to the Future crossover since Avengers actors Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland got deepfaked into the roles of Doc and Marty, two of the many, many writers who have tried their hand at scripting the upcoming standalone Flash movie from director Andy Muschietti have explained that their version was a lot more sci-fi than superhero. Oh, and one of the writers was Barry Allen himself, Ezra Miller. The other? Comic legend Grant Morrison.

Speaking to Collider, Morrison explained the idea behind the pair's draft, which the studio passed on in favor of a version by Birds of Prey's Christina Hodson. One more brick in the long and winding road of the film's production, the draft from the odd couple came about when Miller went over to Morrison's house and figured out a draft. "Ezra came over to the house and we just had a real blast and created the story. And maybe one day the script will leak out into the world," Morrison explained.

The movie had been cycling through creative talent at this point, so really what did they have to lose? “Yeah, I mean, Ezra Miller and I wrote that last year, but it kind of, you know what it’s like? It was just one of those things we all … Well, I thought we had a really good version of The Flash and we wrote it as fast as The Flash, because it was so demanding, and it was pretty good," Morrison said. "And I think after a few drafts, it would have been great. But the way some studios work, these things just come and go. I think about 15 people have already written versions of The Flash. But it does seem to be going ahead now, but not with the version that we did."

Not being able to rewrite the script didn't do the screenplay any favors, though Morrison also notes that "it was a very different kind of superhero thing." Instead, their take on Flashpoint sounds like it's taking from one of the all-time classic time-travel tales. "It was more like Back to the Future, I would say, than a superhero movie," the comic writer said. Time travel is a big Flash element, especially in the altered timeline event Flashpoint that the movie is said to draw from. But no, it wasn't the dark-and-gritty version of the comic material, either.

“No, it wasn’t [darker] really. I mean, elements of darkness were there and the material that they wanted us to use [was] the Flashpoint stuff," said Morrison. "So Ezra and I were actually trying to do something that was a bit more — like I say, it’s kind of like just a great science fiction story. And if you don’t know [the comics], it would have made sense."

What would it have looked like, exactly? Only a leak could tell fans, as The Flash film looks to head in a different direction ... one where The Flash probably doesn't have to avoid seducing his own mother. The Flash is scheduled to come out on July 1, 2022, while Miller and Muschietti will be making an appearance (and possibly divulging more info on The Flash) at DC's FanDome on Aug. 22.