Greg Berlanti on "Fly Me to the Moon," and saying goodbye to the Arrowverse

Greg Berlanti, the director of the new romantic comedy-drama "Fly Me to the Moon," reveals his unique approach to storytelling to the Hollywood Reporter.

Rather than identifying primarily as a director, Berlanti sees himself as a storyteller who adapts to the needs of each project, whether it's producing, writing, or directing.

In this case, the opportunity to work with Scarlett Johansson on a film set around the Apollo 11 Moon landing was too enticing to pass up. Berlanti describes the film as an ode to the classic star-led original movies that used to grace theaters every weekend, offering a diverse blend of romance, drama, comedy, and action.

"Fly Me to the Moon" tackles the age-old conspiracy theory of a faked Moon landing, using it as a springboard to celebrate the importance of truth and unity. Berlanti explains that NASA's involvement in the film stemmed from their shared ethos: "To look at the event of what was achieved, we have to embrace this conspiracy theory."

The filmmaker also shares how he overcame his cat allergy to direct the movie's scene-stealing feline character, Mischief. He admits to initially dreading working with cats but ended up loving them after the experience.

Reflecting on the end of the Arrowverse on The CW, Berlanti describes it as a "Camelot-esque kind of time," where he had the good fortune to work with incredible actors, writers, and directors on beloved stories. He expresses wistfulness for that period but remains optimistic about future projects and collaborations.

Berlanti also discusses Scarlett Johansson's nuanced performance, the casting of Dariusz Wolski and Colin Jost, and his approach to building a successful production company that nurtures other showrunners.