The Flash finally finds new director with Dope's Rick Famuyiwa

Famuyiwa will take over from Seth Grahame-Smith after his highly publicised departure from the project

Warner Bros. is working hard to rectify the stalling DC cinematic universe, put into peril after the poor reception of Batman v. Superman; efforts have largely concentrated on its highly anticipated alternative offering Suicide Squad, with the studio now steadying The Flash after the highly publicised departure of its original director Seth Grahame-Smith.

Chosen as his replacement is Rick Famuyiwa (via Deadline), whose last film Dope caused a splash at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival with its electric tale of a young geek trying to survive in Inglewood, California. He's also receiving strong Emmy Awards buzz for his direction on Confirmation, the HBO drama starring Kerry Washington as Anita Hill in a dramatisation of her accusations of sexual harassment and testimony against Clarence Thomas during his Supreme Court nomination.

Reports are that Warner Bros. was looking for a director who'd be able to resonate with younger viewers; specifically being compatible with the script already penned by Grahame-Smith, and based off a treatment by The LEGO Movie directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

Putting all those elements together, there's a hint here that The Flash will attempt to move away from the grim, sober tones of Zack Snyder's take on the DC universe and deliver something a little more offbeat; which, all in all, is likely good news for a franchise in desperate need of new voices.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's Ezra Miller will star as the titular hero, as The Flash hits US cinemas 16 March 2018. A UK release date yet to be announced.