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The Great Costume Debate

Ever since we got our first taste of the X-Men on the big screen in 2000, we've all been debating: Costumes or no Costumes?

As the X-Men film series progressed, so did the look of the "uniforms" that the characters wore...sort of. Storm's cape got a bit shorter and she went from pleather to blue nylon with yellow trim. Beast's jacket also had a bit more personality. But that's about it. Everyone else donned the traditional black pleather get-up, sparking an on-going debate about whether or not our favorite mutants should be wearing the "costumes" we are all accustomed from the comics.

I can see both sides of the argument: on one hand, do we really want to see Hugh Jackman running around in bright blue and yellow spandex with giant pokey ears off the top? Or Iceman skiing around in tight pants, no shirt and a bandana? On the other hand, the current look for the characters has no personality at all with the exception of a different color of trim, everyone has the same look, including some of the "villains" (Multiple Man in "The Last Stand").

So, is there a happy medium for this situation? I think there is. For instance, take a look at this image of Wolverine from the video Game "X-Men Legends II." The get-up has some personality to it, but I don't think it'd look terrible if it were done on the big screen.


How about another character, like Storm. She has had many looks over the years, from African queen to 80's punk, but I think there is an in between that'd look good on screen.


However, I think one needs to be careful with certain characters, like Nightcrawler for example. Do we really want to see Alan Cumming dressed like this?

Although Mr. Cumming might enjoy the idea, it would not translate well to the big screen. I thought his uniform was done well in X2.

I don't think it'd be asking too much to allow the members of the X-Men to have a little personality in how they look. Not to mention it'd help bring back the look of the X-Men that we all want to see.
1 Yes
0 No
ecksmanfan
9/30/2009

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18 Comments

These movies are based on comics so why not make the movie costume more like the illustrated versions.
I think that video game costume for Wolverine will work for the big screen. Nice editorial.
MichEL - 9/30/2009, 5:46 PM
i would like to see the x men wear different suits
flames809 - 9/30/2009, 5:47 PM
variety doesn't hurt.
but in the words of cyclops:
"what would you prefer, yellow spandex?"
Wadey09 - 9/30/2009, 6:59 PM
Costumes can definetly be done well in movies, look at Spiderman, Batman or even Daredevil. The trick is to make them look like the suit from the books but use better materials. Update them, revise them for the screen, but there is no reason to lose them all together.

They need to give it thought, and avoid spandex. What are they going to do for Captain America? You cannot lose the costume, but spandex will not work. I hope they go with either Kevlar looking or Chain Mail like it is supposed to be in the comic book. The spandex suit and rubber shield were the worst parts of the 90's movie. In honesty the suit is probably more important than the actor.
STOOPUDR - 9/30/2009, 9:08 PM
It's all about realism. If you can put a costume on screen that the audience will believe exists in the universe of that movie, you can have it.
supermarioworldE - 9/30/2009, 9:35 PM
It just has to be believable. I still don't believe why Frank Castle's kid would give him a creepy looking skull black t-shirt right after he retired from putting his life on the line for years.
TheUnknown - 9/30/2009, 10:15 PM
uh...yeah!!

why wouldn't we want the costumes?
captain0vell - 10/1/2009, 6:27 AM
For Wolverine's costume-His new X-Force costume
For Cyclops-His Astonishing X-Men costume
The rest are the same.
NightAvenger4 - 10/1/2009, 10:17 AM
Spiderman kept the costume so i dont see why others cant :)
teabag - 10/1/2009, 11:44 AM
Nice article, and I totally see where you are coming from. I think there is a happy medium to be found but that "medium" differs depending on the character in question. Spiderman, Batman and Iron Man costumes translate easily into live action, even Hulks purple pants got a look in! So why do other people not seem to bother trying? X-Men 1 was a toe in the water for this genre of movie but at least they gave them suits of some sort. I would have liked to see a better effort in X2 and 3. I'm not talking spandex, I'm not stupid enough to think that would have worked.

The main character we think of when talking costumes seems to be Wolverine. Maybe we feel that if his costume can be done convincingly on screen then anyone's can. You have a good example up there and here are a couple more from Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2:



Here's one that includes the mask. The reason I think this one can work is that his mask is separate from his suit. Maybe the yellow could be toned down a little for the "real world" but other than that I think these would work.

Howlett04 - 10/1/2009, 1:29 PM
Individual Costumes!!!
Warpath27 - 10/1/2009, 9:48 PM
I'm 100% in agreement with Howlett.
spideysweb - 10/2/2009, 7:25 AM
Nice article ecksmanfan

I didnt actually mind the leather costumes but you have made a very good point that they could easily change it to look a little bit closer to the comics especially if they changed it to the X-Men legends costume of Wolverine you have shown. But no bloody masks! I understand other superheroes having masks but the X-Men dont need to hide their identities
dancingmonkey08 - 10/2/2009, 8:07 AM
@ dancingmonkey- Thanks! Yeah, I didn't mention masks, but I agree with you. The X-Men have no need to hide their idedntity and that's why I selected that get-up: it is reflective of the Wolverine we know, but is not yellow spandex.

There are some heroes that require the mask, like Batman, Spiderman, Daredevil, etc. and it worked in the movie because people expected to see them. I don't think any of the X-Men need to be wearing masks.
ecksmanfan - 10/2/2009, 10:37 AM
Howlett04-- That separated mask thing might work. Maybe in the movie continuity wolverine starts wearing a special helmet when on a mission to prevent having his brains scrambled again.

Wait, he doesn't remember being shot. And what would an Adamantium bullet proof helmet be made out of anyway? Still, I think the separate helmet would work.
Betty - 10/4/2009, 4:06 PM
Well in the next movie he wouldn't be wearing anything with an X on it. Unless the movie is post X men films. I do like the idea of him having a costume of his own besided the black leather, and just the jacket. The seperated mask is a great idea. It's really the colors that are the problem. SInce it's always the color of the suit determines the vibe of the film. Nothing too bright.
StrangemannX09 - 10/5/2009, 4:27 PM
Great article!!! They need proper costumes rather than those bland, characterless things from the last 3 movies!
joshw24 - 10/6/2009, 4:21 PM
@Betty - the helmet would have to be made of vibranium wouldn't it? Trouble is with cap's shield being made of it, there would doubtless be some insane legal copyright arguments.

@ Howlett - Toning the yellow down would work if it were changed to the same light brown leather as is used on Logan's bike jacket, the only piece of wardrobe in the entire series that's nearly identical to the comics version.
Growler - 10/16/2009, 2:24 PM

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