The DC Extended Universe movies have thus far provoked a divisive reaction among fans and mainstream audiences alike, with one of the most frequent criticisms being that the films are too dark. But while most iterations of that appraisal refer to the tone of the storylines, for many it also applies to the visual aesthetic - which thus far has relied on grim cinematography and pared-down color schemes for the various superhero costumes.

Now, a fan-artist has offered up an alternate take on Ezra Miller's Flash costume, which is among the most often criticized of the new designs.

While not as radical a change as the near-complete overhaul given to Jason Momoa's Aquaman (who in the film trades his classic gold mail shirt and green leggings for a look more similar to the actor's previous Conan the Barbarian and Game of Thrones roles), many fans were surprised to see the first big screen incarnation of The Flash sporting a uniform with a heavily armored look rendered in dark brownish-red and black rather than the more traditional design familiar to fans of the comics and TV series. Take a look:

While reddit user The_Arrowverse doesn't necessarily take away the movie costume's armored look (which has puzzled some fans as to its usefulness to a hero whose main powers involve speed and dexterity), it does increase the brightness and coverage of the red and yellow sections. The recoloring offers a glimpse at what a more comics-accurate color scheme might have looked like while adhering the bulked-up suit that appears to be a recurring theme of the DCEU movie heroes.

While it's theoretically possible that Miller's Flash could indeed look slightly closer to the color scheme of this version when the costume is photographed in daylight (which hasn't been seen in any of his appearances thus far), it's worth noting that Justice League director Zack Snyder's overall palette for his DC contributions has involved muted hues for the costumed characters even as the sets and backgrounds often employ high-contrast color schemes.

With Justice League well into its production and development already underway on the myriad solo hero spinoff features, it seems unlikely that fans who've come to dislike the darker aesthetic of the DC Extended Universe will see a radical change like this applied any time soon. While similar criticisms (and accompanying fan-art "fixes") greeted the similarly darkened-down Superman suit from Man of Steel, the same basic look returned for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Source: The_Arrowverse [via ComicBook.com]