Ray Fisher is opening up, in a new report from THR, about the issues he’s been having with Warner Bros. since his time working with Joss Whedon on the reshoots of “Justice League” in 2017. While the bulk of the problems he’s experienced stem from his time four years ago, the consequences are being felt today, as it was recently reported that Fisher won’t be reprising his role as Cyborg in “The Flash.” And according to the actor, he believes the loss of his role in “The Flash” is a direct result of him speaking out against the abuse he suffered on “Justice League.”
A few months ago, it was revealed WB was moving forward on “The Flash” without the inclusion of Fisher’s Cyborg character. The reports at the time said it was the result of a financial disagreement between the studio and the actor. But according to Fisher, he thinks there’s more to it than just that.
The actor explained that he and “The Flash” director Andy Muschietti had a good talk about a proposed role for Cyborg in the film. But things hit a snag when WB positioned the role as a “cameo,” even though he was going to shoot for two weeks. This meant the financial offer was well below what Fisher thinks he should have received to return as Cyborg in the film. Ultimately, after reports came that Fisher was demanding twice as much money, WB released a statement that put the blame on Fisher for his stated issues with executive Walter Hamada.
“Given his statement that [Mr. Fisher] will not participate in any film associated with Mr. Hamada, our production is now moving on,” said the statement.
Fisher thinks the whole situation is a direct result of his very public campaign for accountability from the executives at WB and filmmakers like Joss Whedon, Jon Berg, and Geoff Johns. But he understands that speaking up was probably going to affect his career.
“When I first spoke up, I assumed there was no way these guys would allow me to do my job in peace,” he said. “I’m not so indebted to Hollywood that I haven’t been willing to put myself out there.”
Fisher added, “I don’t believe some of these people are fit for positions of leadership. I don’t want them excommunicated from Hollywood, but I don’t think they should be in charge of the hiring and firing of other people. If I can’t get accountability, at least I can make people aware of who they’re dealing with.”
“The Flash” is set to arrive in theaters on November 4, 2022.