The Flash has one of the most colorful costumes in the entirety of superheroes. The Flash has a costume that basks in vibrant reds, hence the name of the “Scarlet Speedster”. The addition of his golden wings at his headpiece, and the yellow boots, makes him truly stand out amongst other dark heroes.
There have been many attempts to bring The Flash into live-action. From as far back as a TV show in the ‘90s, to the most recent blockbuster DCEU film, The Flash (2023). Some versions of the Flash’s suit take some creative liberties, whereas some don’t seem to try at all.
11 Kyle Gallner’s Hoodie (Smallville)
The Flash made an appearance in some way or another thanks to the CW show, Smallville. Introduced in season 4, Kyle Gallner played Bart Allen, the superhero known as Impulse. This costume was far less of a costume than it was an outfit one would see on someone who’s a very big fan of the color red.
The Smallville Flash suit was a red hoodie, along with some red pants, and a red bracelet. It’s as if someone had dipped the character in a vat of red dye and called it a day. It’s not the best version of the Flash suit, as it is just a pair of red clothes.
10 Kenny Johnston’s Flash Suit (1997’s Justice League Of America)
Warner Bros. and DC have a bizarre track record when it comes to their superhero properties. The made-for-television movie, Justice League of America is an often forgotten relic in the strangeness of the live-action DC Universe. This tv-movie was made in 1997 and featured Kenny Johnston as the Flash.
This version of the Flash suit was noticeably low-budget and looked far more like a Halloween costume than that of an actual big-budget superhero. The Flash’s chest emblem seems made of paper and glued on, completely oversized, with a cheap spandex material used to cover the body. However, the worst part of the costume has to be the cowl, which just looks angry and uncomfortable.
9 Ezra Miller’s Knightmare Flash Suit (Zack Snyder's Justice League)
First appearing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and later in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the Flash was seen in the future dystopian “Knightmare” timeline sporting a different suit. This outfit had a helmet that would completely hide the Flash’s face, as well as a large bout of metal scrap to keep it armored and safe from gunfire.
This suit is from a future where Darkseid turned Superman evil, and the two reduced Earth to a desolate land. The Flash’s costume is notably duller than the others, as a bright red color scheme would not work in the harsh oranges of a desert. It’s a big-budget suit, but one that doesn’t exactly shout “Flash”.
8 Ezra Miller’s Batman Costume (The Flash)
To stop himself from running too fast and burning his clothes off, Barry Allen 2 uses an old Batman suit “borrowed” from Michael Keaton. Adorned with the red colors fans expect from the Flash, Barry 2 creates a fireproof suit that will allow him to run at intense speeds without being naked.
The suit is intentionally goofy, as it doesn’t even fit him, because it was made for Bruce Wayne. Yet, something is charming about seeing an old Batman costume spray-painted red with yellow graffiti and tape keeping it together.
7 Grant Gustin’s Season 1 Suit (CW's The Flash)
When the CW picked up The Flash, many were anticipating a grand reveal of the iconic speedster’s first suit. However, the reveal left a few fans disappointed, especially since it seemed that Barry Allen was going to rock with some leather over an actual comic suit. The suit was red, but more of a burgundy, leaving many to desire the colors they were used to.
Perhaps the most heinous crime for Grant Gustin’s first Flash suit is the symbol on the chest, which for some reason had a red background over a white one. The suit was too much leather, and too much red for it to work.
6 Grant Gustin’s Season 5 Suit (CW's The Flash)
After hearing the complaints about the muted and dull red colors, the team behind CW’s The Flash went above and beyond to make the colors stand out. Grant Gustin’s Flash received his brightest suit yet, truly bringing the “Scarlet Speedster” name to light. Yet, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Although the red colors were vibrant, the noticeable lack of golds and yellows was still making the suit miss that perfect mesh. The suit could have benefitted from yellow boots. The chin area also looked flimsy and strange, especially with the lack of a chinstrap, which made the cowl seem like an oversized helmet.
5 Grant Gustin’s Season 4 Suit (CW's The Flash)
The Season 4 suit for Grant Gustin’s Flash is arguably the most beloved suit from the CW Flash show. This suit is when some color started to break in, and fans received some yellow piping throughout the leather, as well as a brighter color for the gold accents over the suit.
The red finally was allowed to be less muted than in previous seasons, but the issues still stem from the leather material, which always makes Barry Allen look like he’s wearing a leather jacket. In some scenes, it looks like it doesn’t fit, and the wrinkles and creases of leather make it seem uncomfortable.
4 Ezra Miller’s The Flash Suit (The Flash)
The Flash film, the big-budget superhero movie, and the first solo cinematic movie for the titular character, didn’t exactly release the greatest costume the character has seen. The material for the suit is questionable, with some fans commenting that it looks inappropriate and rubbery. Yet, the costume’s material is not the biggest sin.
The helmet design is more like a cyclist, and the boots aren’t exactly boots, as they seem to just have gold metals attached to the lower sections. However, not all of the costume is bad. The symbol on the chest is great, and the glowing orange lines when the Flash runs are straight out of a comic book, but there is much to be improved.
3 John Wesley Shipp’s Flash Suit (1990’s The Flash)
It’s hard to beat the classics, and John Wesley Shipp has one of the best Flash suits in live-action. This suit from the 1990s The Flash show comes straight from the comic pages, with the eccentric lightning bolt on the chest, and the golden wings on the headpiece. The cowl, the fabric, and the muscle suit all just work to bring the character of the Flash to life.
There are some minor issues with the suit, like the notable lack of yellow boots to add a contrast to the strong reds. However, this Flash suit is a brilliant addition to the live-action costumes for the Flash, especially when it was made with a TV budget.
2 Ezra Miller’s Justice League Flash Suit (Justice League)
For the debut suit of Ezra Miller’s Flash, the team managed to create something special. The detail of this costume is brilliant, and the movability is incredible. The red metals and intricate woven metals and fibers make this suit stand out amongst other versions of the Flash costumes.
There’s a lot to love about Ezra Miller’s Flash suit from Justice League, although it’s still just a building block for the character, as it’s not the superhero costume from the comics, instead a decent start made from satellite metals to stop Barry Allen from burning up.
1 Grant Gustin’s Final Season Suit (CW's The Flash)
The final season of The Flash on the CW gave Barry Allen what he always deserved: yellow boots. Fans had been clamoring for years for these yellow boots, as the often muted design of the CW Flash suit had been lacking the colors and contrast of the yellow boots on the red suit.
The red colors are great for Barry’s suit in the last season, and the brightness of his red and yellow colors is almost perfect. There are still some issues with The Flash Season 9 suit, but it’s a good spot to finish out the show.