The upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to represent the latest incarnation of the Fantastic Four’s live-action costumes, up against some tough competition. As Marvel’s leading superhero family, the Fantastic Four have been presented with a high degree of variation in their movie outfits over the years. With the excitement for the known details of The Fantastic Four: First Steps comes word that the latest batch of looks for the Fantastic Four will soon hit theater screens worldwide.
For the most part, the costumes of the Fantastic Four are typically more of a cohesive set of uniforms rather than a series of individualized outfits that showcase each hero’s unique identity. They went through many different looks in the original Marvel comics, with the standalone Fantastic Four movies being just as varied in their portrayal of the team’s official costumes. Further cameos in multiverse-hopping Marvel Cinematic Universe films have only widened the gulf in quality of the team’s overall wardrobe.
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Jamie Bell’s the thing
Fantastic Four (2015)
The most recent take on the Fantastic Four went in a completely different direction with its superhero costumes, individualizing each member’s outfit to a much higher degree than ever. Unfortunately, Jamie Bell’s The Thing was not given such a tailor, forced to lumber about without wearing any clothes. Apparently, unable to even find a pair of XXXL size pants to accent his massive, rock-hard body, The Thing’s appearance in the 2015s Fantastic practice It’s just unfortunate.
Beyond its lack of any clothes at all, what sends Jamie Bell’s The Thing to the bottom of the Fantastic Four’s barrel is its awkward design compared to the comic-accurate 2005 version. His solid protrusions are awkward and asymmetrical, giving him a wobbly quality that seems as if everything will fall down at any second. That’s not even to mention his unfortunate lack of any private areas worth covering, which raises some questions about Benjamin Grimm’s transformation.
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Kate Mara’s The Invisible Woman
Fantastic Four (2015)
In a strange decision, director Josh Trank went in an almost body horror movie direction with his fantastic four, emphasizing the grotesque nature of the team’s transformation. This emphasis was complemented by some very individualized costumes that were meant to function in tandem with their unique new skills. Unfortunately, in the case of Kate Mara’s Sue Storm, the invisibility doesn’t give much to work with in this regard.
The end result is a painfully basic dark bodysuit that has no particular connection to the powers of the Invisible Woman, the setting of 2015 Fantastic practice Far too grounded to allow any science fiction materials that might become translucent with her. The closest thing the Invisible Woman’s suit gets to any functionality is the ability to roll up her sleeves, which at least allows her to fool villains with a pair of invisible forearms. The fact that she also wears gloves in this outfit makes even that redundant.
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Miles Teller’s Mr. Fantastic
Fantastic Four (2015)
Finally, 2015s Fantastic practice Gets a character whose quirky, individualistic approach to dressing up the titular team members works for. Miles Teller’s suit as Mr. Fantastic is made of bundles of rubber cables, telescoping joints, and expansive sheets of fabric that might allow him to stretch his limbs without losing any coverage. This solution makes for a realistic way that Mr. Fantastic’s suit can form along with him without having to introduce any specialty materials that do not exist in the real world.
As great as a commitment to realism is, Mr. Fantastic’s aesthetic in Fantastic practice Wasn’t helped by that. For the most part, Miles Teller just ends up like he was the unfortunate victim of some kind of rock climbing or bungee jumping mishap, his movements hilariously traced by dangling cables and cords. At least the costume is memorable, which is more than can be said for The Invisible Woman.
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Michael B. Jordan’s Human Torch
Fantastic Four (2015)
By far the biggest winner wardrobe-wise of 2015s Fantastic practice is Michael B. Jordan’s The Human Torch. Before becoming one of the best MCU villains as Erik Killmonger, Michael B. Jordan was easily one of the best parts of the last Fantastic Four film. Here, his costume consists of a body suit covered with armor panels that also double as radiators, protecting the world around him from the intense heat he ends up as the Human Torch.
Even if it’s technically practical, Michael B. Jordan’s Human Torch fits in Fantastic practice is the only one that actually looks like something out of a comic book. The four small radiator pipes that align on his chest to cheekily form a nod to the classic “4” insignia that is usually on the group’s suits is also a nice touch. However, compared to other cinematic variations, the suit of the Human Torch only scratches the surface of the modern comic look.
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John Krasinski Mr. Fantastic
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
For a long time, John Krasinski was one of the running fan casting choices for Reed Richards in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While he ultimately lost the role to Pedro Pascal, Krasinski was at least given his due as a brief cameo, serving as an alternate dimension version of Mr. Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Here, Richards serves as a core member of the Illuminati, a secret superhero group that extends its clutches far further into society than the Avengers ever did.
Krasinski’s Mr. Fantastic suit is a high production value piece, not shying away from the bright blue hues and classic “4” logo of the comics, unlike the previous main Fantastic Four movie. Where the costume fails is in its excessive addition of criss-cross lines, layers of similar colors and 135-degree angles, something the MCU has become notorious for with its costume design. Great-looking from a distance, upon closer inspection, Krasinski’s suit is indicative of a busy design philosophy that has arguably ruined too many MCU costumes already.
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The Standard 2005 Suits (Reid, Sue and Johnny)
Fantastic Four (2005)
Going into more iconic territory, the simple, clean suits of the 2005 original Fantastic practice are hard to top. Due to the team’s sense of a cohesive identity as a singular unit, the interchangeable costumes are hard to complain about. A version of the same exact suit was worn by Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm, Jessica Alba’s The Invisible Woman, and Ioan Gruffudd’s Reed Richards. The clean costumes incorporate a simple “4” emblem in a blue bodysuit with black accents, culminating in a sharp-looking black chevron centered on the wearer’s chest.
The only small issue the suits have is their awkward touch of sex appeal, with the clinging fabric leaving little to the imagination. This is especially noticeable in Jessica Alba’s case, with the neckline of her suit inching down in certain shots for no good reason. Considering the conditions of the course of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer That almost caused Jessica Alba to quit acting, in hindsight, the suits are a bit of a guilty pleasure.
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Chris Evans’ post-apocalyptic outfit
Deadpool and Wolverine (2024)
One of the most unexpected cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine Occurs when Chris Evans, at first thought to be Captain America, hollers “Flame on!“, revealing himself to be the same Johnny Storm he once played years before, now trapped in the MCU’s void. Upon re-examination, it becomes obvious that his costume is a variation of the classic uniform suits first appeared in 2005 s. Fantastic practice. It’s a shame he winds up losing the new threads, not to mention his skin, at the devious telekinetic hands of Cassandra Nova.
This version of the Human Torch’s outfit works well for what it is. A loosely-draped scarf on top of the basic blue uniform helps disguise Chris Evans enough for the fake-out gag to land, and the bundles of pouches, practical shoes and other utilitarian accoutrements make sense for the post-apocalyptic world of the post. While it may be far from a traditional look for the Fantastic Four’s resident headdress, it serves the purpose it was meant for excellently.
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps Suits
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
At the time of writing, only a few brief glimpses have been shown of the new suits for the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The suits were first shown in a piece of holiday art featuring the Fantastic Four in illustrated form, though the final product appears to have made a few key alterations from the teaser image. At D23, a live-action look at the Fantastic Four’s costumes was finally revealed, with Joseph Quinn’s Human Torch front-and-center in a gorgeous new costume.
Evoking the time piece nature of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, The costumes appear to be a throwback to the group’s poppy 80s sci-fi look from the comics. The uniforms appear to have more of a cable-knit sweater texture rather than the typical carbon-fiber superhero bodysuit look, and sport bold splashes of white that contrast with a paler, more sky blue base. Of course, the “4” insignia is not shy here, and the iconic elements of the Fantastic Four’s white-and-blue suits seem to be well represented in their next upcoming film.
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The Michael Chiklis Thing
Fantastic Four (2005)
It’s amazing to admit just how good Michael Chiklis’s makeup is as the thing in 2005s Fantastic practice Has held up, even by modern standards. Compared to most Marvel Comics characters, the Thing has always had a bit of a cartoonish design, with his distinctive rocky brow ridge and four fingers on each hand. After the incredible practical effects of the 2005 film managed to transform Chiklis into a version of ​​the character that looks like he stepped straight out of the pages of the source material without missing a beat.
The design behind Benjamin Grimm’s body in the original film is a work of art, sculpting cracks of solid orange rock that form recognizable human musculature without going too far in the number of individual rocks that make up his form. His real clothes are also a nice touch with sleek blue and black pants that match the clothes he wears to the suits of his teammates. It will be difficult for the MCU’s likely CGI thing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps To ever outdo this triumph of makeup and costume design.