The Flash Show & Movie’s Identical Story Cut Created Two Different Problems

A DC Comics story element that was cut from The Flash, both the CW TV show and 2023’s feature film, caused two avoidable problems across both iterations. CW’s The Flash and the DCEU’s movie existing at the same time raised its fair share of criticisms. From the controversies surrounding Ezra Miller’s version of the Scarlet Speedster to the annoyance of Grant Gustin’s version not being paid homage to in the film, two versions of the Flash coexisting within the multiverse was an unprecedented situation for DC in TV and film.

As such, the two projects meant that The Flash movie’s differences from the Arrowverse’s version were often highlighted. While comparisons between Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller and the two live-action Flash actors were prevalent, little was raised concerning how similar both projects were. The inclusion of DC Comics’ Flashpoint storyline was one of the ways both the 2023 film and the CW’s show were alike. That said, one aspect of the Flashpoint storyline that was cut from both stories actually created two respective problems.

How The Flash Show & Movie’s Story Cuts Gave Them Each Issues

The cut story point in question from both iterations of The Flash is the Cosmic Treadmill. In DC Comics, Barry Allen invented the Cosmic Treadmill as a way of offering a much more controlled approach to time travel. The Flashpoint storyline, and thus the element of Barry traveling through time, were central plot points of both The Flash (2023) and CW’s The Flash seasons 2 and 3 though neither featured the inclusion of the Cosmic Treadmill which created respective problems for each.

Concerning 2023’s The Flash, the Cosmic Treadmill was replaced by the Chronobowl, an element within the Speed Force that allowed Barry to interact with memories from his life. The overwhelming CGI elements present with the Chronobowl caused a lot of backlash involving the film’s most controversial elements, with the Cosmic Treadmill working as a much better visualization of time travel. With the CW’s The Flash, the removal of the Cosmic Treadmill opened up the possibilities of time travel to an almost limitless extent which including the comic concept would have avoided, dialing the show back to be much less complicated with its set of rules.

Why The Flash’s Powers Are So Hard To Adapt

If anything, the removal of the Cosmic Treadmill and the problems this caused in both Flash projects proves how hard the hero’s powers are to adapt. Both iterations of The Flash have been criticized for the most basic elements of Barry’s powers from the low-budget CGI of the CW show to the unconventional running style of the DCEU’s hero. The reason why these powers are so hard to adapt is the difficult translation of super speed and the abilities it provides, something that many would argue the superhero cinema industry is yet to perfect as it has with powers such as flying, super strength, or invisibility to name a few.

What’s more, the Flash’s powers come with added abilities. The concept of running fast enough to travel through time is in itself a difficult idea to grasp that needed something grounded in reality like the Cosmic Treadmill to make work in the comics. In removing this aspect, both iterations of The Flash made it even more difficult to adapt the already-challenging powers the Scarlet Speedster possesses.