Controversial Character Designs Fans Seriously Hated
Fantastic character designs go a long way. They can make great characters like Darth Vader and Maleficent look even cooler or bolster up those who perhaps could have otherwise used a little more time in the oven of creativity. Either way, a good look for a character can make all the difference in how they're received by their audience.
That said, they can't all be winners. For every design that hit a home run with franchise fans, there's at least one that didn't hit the mark. That isn't to say those designs are bad, per se — they just didn't make their intended impact with the fandom — except, of course, in the rare case they were bad on purpose. So, without further ado, here's a look at a few designs that made fans wish their creators could go back to the drawing board. In some cases, as you'll soon discover, that's exactly what some of those designers did.
Captain America's 1979 movie look
Say what you will about the 1990 "Captain America" movie, but its Cap costume was comic book accurate from the get-go. The same can't be said for the first suit the star-spangled hero (Reb Brown) sports in 1979's TV movie of the same name. A red-and-white-striped vest and a motorcycle helmet definitely isn't typical Captain America attire. But it fits Steve Rogers' origin story — at least, this movie's version of his origin story. The Steve of 1979's "Captain America" is an accomplished motorcycle racer who's injected with FLAG — the film's version of the super-soldier serum. Plus, he's still got the discus shield, although its white stripes are transparent. The ostensibly plastic disc doesn't look like the kind of material that'd stop bullets, either, even though it totally does ... somehow.
The movie almost provides a rationale for the costume differences, implying Steve's unnamed father was the Captain America we're familiar with. And sure enough, '79 Steve changes suits at the end of the film to more closely match what his dad wore — which, go figure, largely resembles the classic Captain America costume. Although, instead of switching to the classic mask with the little side wings, Steve sticks with the motorcycle helmet. There is a mask, sure, but it only covers about the same area as Bucky's domino mask. IMDb user changingshades had some pretty harsh words regarding Cap's superhero attire, dryly remarking, "Looking at this costume, I would have preferred him naked."
Sonic the Hedgehog's original film design
"Sonic the Hedgehog" quickly drew criticism with its first trailer; Sonic (Ben Schwartz) initially had some notable differences from the video game hedgehog fans know and love. His normally tan cheeks and chin looked white, his peepers were far from their bulging, anime-style size ... even the nose wasn't quite right. And how about those definitely-not-oversized running shoes?
This version of Sonic didn't look like he had stepped right out of one of his video games ... at all. And while some adaptations have gotten away with changing the looks of their leads, Sonic's design might be too much of a pop culture staple to be altered without a reaction. X, formerly known as Twitter, user Fussypants summed up the overall consensus: "I know lots of people worked hard to make this movie a reality and I don't wanna dunk on their efforts, but also, I will see this blue hedgehog in my nightmares."
Often times, it's too late to make drastic changes by the time a movie trailer's out. Yet Jeff Fowler, the movie's director, proved pretty determined to make the Sonic faithful happy, and let them know it on X. Though it delayed the movie a few months, Fowler and company gave Sonic a visual makeover and left many fans relieved when a new trailer depicted the azure hedgehog almost exactly the way their favorite consoles do.
King Koopa, Toad, and the Goombas in 1993's Super Mario Bros.
Whatever changes 2023's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" made to the world of its titular characters, they don't compare to the liberties taken in 1993's "Super Mario Bros." That said, at least Mario (Bob Hoskins) and Luigi (John Leguizamo) eventually end up in versions of their classic red and green attire, even if it happens pretty late in the movie.
The same, however, can't be said of their enemies, nor of frequent Princess Peach ally Toad (Mojo Nixon). For one, King Koopa, aka President Koopa (Dennis Hopper), spends most of the movie as a normal-looking guy with a pretty unusual hairdo — even when he becomes a fanged dinosaur man, he still doesn't look all that much like the King Koopa-slash-Bowser fans recognize. IMDb user Horst_In_Translation concluded, "Regardless of what you think about Dennis Hopper as an actor, he never felt like Bowser one bit."
The Goombas, meanwhile, have humanoid bodies with tiny dinosaur-like heads thanks to being subjected to Koopa's De-Evolution Chamber. Toad himself is turned into one of these Goombas, although he doesn't start out as his usual mushroom-headed self, either — he's just your standard human-looking musician. IMDb member ACollegeStudent likened their design to something you'd see out of a junior high theater production, and not in a good way.
Bison in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
Wardrobe fidelity doesn't seem to have been a major consideration in "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li." Though there are moments where Chun-Li (Kristin Kreuk) rocks the iconic hair buns and outfits similar to the character's signature blue qipao, she mostly wears clothes not associated with her video game counterpart. The same applies to most of the movie's "Street Fighter" characters, though Vega (Taboo) comes pretty close to mirroring the source material.
The biggest visual departures by far, however, are Gen (Robin Shou) and M. Bison (Neal McDonough). Of the two, Bison has proven by far to be the most controversial, likely due to his historically high profile in the "Street Fighter" franchise. Instead of the black hair, imposing frame and red armed-forces garb, this version is blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and a big suit-and-tie guy. His demeanor is also noticeably more subdued than his inspiration. Reviews near-universally focused on the drastic reworking of the character, with Brad Curran of Kung-Fu Kingdom saying, "The very idea of Bison donning a business suit rather than his military dictator attire is simply inexcusable" and "Any argument to convince the viewer that this character is M. Bison from the Street Fighter video games should not be taken seriously at all." David Hogan of Hogan Reviews was gentler in his criticisms, praising McDonough for being "great as a sneering evil boss character... even if his character bares [sic] ZERO resemblance to the one from the games."
Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse
You can't say Oscar Isaac doesn't give it his all in "X-Men: Apocalypse." A fan of "X-Men" comics since childhood, Isaac came onboard the project with great enthusiasm. However, as he expounded upon in interviews, Isaac's costume was hot, heavy, and extremely tough to see and to move around in, making his performance as the age-old mutant overlord all the more impressive.
That same costume, however, hadn't really been what fans expected. Though elements of Apocalypse's comic book look are definitely still in there, early production images made his blue war suit appear a little more pinkish purple. As a result, fans, and even the press, started comparing him to space goop king Ivan Ooze (Paul Freeman) from "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie." The comparison prompted plenty of humorous reactions, including a YouTube fan video that makes Ooze look like the actual "X-Men: Apocalypse" antagonist. Yet for the most part, the similarities were viewed unfavorably, with YouTube commenter Makoto03 stating that "sadly, I think that Ivan Ooze looks like a more terrifying villain than Apocalypse." Perhaps En Sabah Nur and Ooze should consider a cross-company team-up?
Dracula in Blade: Trinity
The "Blade" movies have a flair for making their vampires a bit more down-to-earth than other franchises. Even so, the way "Blade: Trinity" chooses to reinvent the famous Dracula, aka "Drake" (Dominic Purcell) came as a surprise. Rather than opt for classic Dracula elements like ties, black tuxedos, and capes, Drake instead goes for low-cut and half-buttoned dress shirts, leather pants, and an ever-present gold chain. Even his crimson and black battle uniform looks pretty far removed from the iconic vampire's attire. On top of that, Drake looks big enough to take just about every other Dracula's lunch money.
These changes, while perhaps not surprising, didn't sit so well with viewers. Youmonsterikill on Reddit had some harsh words for the armor Drake wears on his arm during his sword fight with Blade (Wesley Snipes), noting it doesn't exactly protect Dracula from getting staked through the heart or decapitated by a silver sword. Less reviled, however, is Dracula's transformed look, which Deviantart member rainbowdashfanwhite2 called the "best dracula design ever." Meanwhile, Redditor InternalVitality381 remarks it's the singular aspect of Drake's design they approve of.
The Klingons in Star Trek: Discovery
The Klingons, a famed warrior race of the "Star Trek" franchise, are no strangers to visual reinvention. They received a notable redesign in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," gaining the uneven foreheads, sharp teeth, and receded hairlines that became staples of Klingon designs going forward. "Star Trek Into Darkness" would later alter their noses and ears, as well as add face piercings that may or may not be common to that version of the species.
Though initially appearing to just be aesthetic touch-ups to coincide with advances in makeup and prosthetics, all these changes eventually got some form of explanation. Yet neither cosmetic surgery, alien viruses, nor alternate timelines explain why the Klingons in 2017's "Star Trek: Discovery" have pronounced differences from most Klingons seen prior. The vast majority of Klingons in the pilot, for instance, are bald, and their skin is colored with hues not seen before in Klingons, like gray. Furthermore, their uniforms and golden, ridged armor bear little resemblance to any previously seen Klingon attire, which is surprising, given that "Star Trek: Discovery" begins a mere decade or so before the original show.
Though the redesigns did win some fans over, many others weren't having it. Notable fan sites like Ex Astris Scientia have written detailed articles about the perceived continuity complications the designs cause, as well as ways to address them. Lucky for them, the pros were listening, and the Klingons mostly went back to looking more like their post-"Motion Picture" selves.
Halle Berry's Catwoman costume
It's impossible to top Michelle Pfeiffer's iconic Catwoman costume from "Batman Returns." Perhaps that's one of the reasons why the suit from 2004's "Catwoman" went in such a different direction. According to interviews with the cast and crew, the suit is meant to be evocative of then-modern sensibilities, as well as how Catwoman actor Halle Berry portrays Patience Phillips' less-inhibited, feline-influenced side. Berry, who was actively involved in determining the costume's final appearance, said she found the costume "freeing" and catlike, and elaborated to Vogue that it remains "one of my favorite looks."
Berry isn't alone in her love of the costume — performing artist Saweetie, for instance, expressed her admiration for the look in an Instagram video Berry also appears in. However, there's also been plenty of hate from fans and critics, with redditor ReverendBroom opining, "There's a lot of awful things about the live action Catwoman movie from 2004, but the costume has to be one of the worst things here." Looper's own Brooke Mondor remarked that "the costume made absolutely no sense practically," but also noted that the most important factor of all is that the literal "catsuit" has Berry's seal of approval.
The Inhumans in their 2009 TV series
When "Inhumans" was still being developed as a movie, the project had a lot of buzz. Given how heavily the Inhumans factored into the 2013 "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." series, the series about the Inhuman Royal Family seemed poised to be an epic culmination of all that build-up.
That anticipation started turning into skepticism, however, when the inaugural image of the characters in costume appeared in Entertainment Weekly. Within less than a day, sites like Fandom and Mashable published articles sharing no small number of displeased and bemused reactions. Criticisms were particularly centered on how fans found the costumes and accessories low-budget and unconvincing. Fan skepticism about costumes is nothing new, the "Inhumans" series' downward spiral carried on after audiences and critics saw the premiere, leading to some infamously tense moments between an unimpressed press and Marvel executives, as reported in Variety. At least Black Bolt (Anson Mount) gets a design do-over in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" where he's finally depicted in a comics-accurate costume.
Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Can you really call Wade Wilson the Merc with a Mouth if you take his mouth away? That is one of many concerns Deadpool fans had with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which makes its Wade, aka Weapon XI, far removed from the widely recognized and beloved Deadpool. Even Wade's red and black costume from the comics doesn't appear, replaced by black pants, body tattoos, and long knuckle knives that feel like an attempt to give Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) claw envy.
Though likely intended as a form of tragic irony, the changes didn't sit well with a lot of Deadpool fans, including Ryan Reynolds himself. As he explained in an Entertainment Weekly interview (via YouTube), Reynolds warned the crew and executives, "It's the wrong version," adding that, "People are gonna go nuts over this ... not in a good way." Similarly, most fan criticisms also focus on how un-Deadpool-like the design is, although Reddit user CrashTestKing takes issue with the impracticality of Wade's arm blades. "It just seems like a terrible weapon anyway. Too long and ungainly to be properly maneuvered, when they're permanently attached like that," the redditor remarked, further observing that Weapon XI must have a pretty tough time bending his arms while the knives are still out. Fellow Reddit commenter cleantoe at least praised Weapon XI's big fight scene against Wolverine and Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), however, positing, "If they named him anything but Deadpool, I think we'd look back on this film somewhat fondly."
Everyone in ThunderCats Roar
"ThunderCats Roar" from 2020 wasn't the first time the beloved 1985 "Thundercats" series got a reboot. That honor goes to the 2011 "Thundercats" show, which boasts a comfortable 7.8 rating on IMDb. Unfortunately, as Lion-O actor Will Friedle details on the I Hear Voices podcast, fans didn't respond well to the toy line, leading to a swift cancellation.
"ThunderCats Roar," however, also is a one-season wonder, but its IMDb ranking ain't great — and its Rotten Tomatoes audience score isn't all that stunning, either. In this case, one could argue the writing was on the wall from the very first trailer, which drew immediate criticism for its design style and tone that are both drastically different from the original series. The two previous "Thundercats" cartoons had strived for detailed realism, but "Roar" opts for a more simplified, exaggerated approach that seems to aim for the "cute" factor. In the eyes of many, however, it doesn't succeed; one former Reddit user stated, "The 'ThunderCats Roar' art-style makes every character look ugly, no matter the show." Even the praise is often faint, as Redditor jockeyman commented, "What's wild is that 'Roar' has some of the ugliest art I've seen in modern toons, but the animation itself is incredibly smooth."
Captain America's 1990s Exoskeleton
Poor Cap gets a second entry on the list, but fans might argue it's well-deserved when they see this very short-lived look from "Captain America" #438 by artist Dave Hoover and legendary Cap writer Mark Gruenwald. Basically, Cap has no choice but to switch to high-tech ordinance after his super-soldier serum gives out and a beatdown from Mr. Hyde leaves him unable to move otherwise. As far as capabilities go, the exoskeleton's an improvement, offering moderate protection from bullets, Iron Man's repulsor beams, Giant Man's strength, jet boots for flying, missile launchers, disorienting beams, "mylex shrouds" he can wrap around enemies, and the ability to magnetically summon his shield. The only problem is that Cap has to wear it at all times.
That may all sound cool — but does it look cool? While #439 refines the look slightly and adds a visor, "Robocap," as one villain unflatteringly calls him, didn't exactly impress a lot of wingheads. As fan Harry Simon wrote in the letters' pages of #443, "Captain America is not Iron Man. He should not be flying around in a suit of armor." Redditors have expressed similar opinions; KeyCarpenter2378 joked, "I don't think he needed that facehole in his mask to move," while a deleted user deadpaned, "Stylish? No. Functional? Also no." Thankfully, Cap ended up back in his classic costume right after Gruenwald and Hoover's departure.
Jacen Syndulla in Star Wars Rebels
"Ahsoka" feels very much like a continuation of Dave Filoni's animated "Star Wars" work. As a result, many familiar characters from shows like "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels" have appeared on the Disney+ show, albeit some slightly altered from their original designs.
The changes for the most part aren't major, with one notable exception: Jacen Syndulla (Evan Whitten) looks dramatically different from how he appears in his debut at the end of "Star Wars Rebels." Rather than orange-ish skin and green hair, Jacen bears a closer resemblance to his father, Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.). The change is understandable, given that some "Star Wars Rebels" viewers struggled to find a rationale for Jacen's original hair color. As Reddit commenter Ok_Mastodon_3227 put it, "Like, his Mom's green, but how does that mean he'll have green hair?" Jacen's orange complexion is less confusing to the fandom, given that it's also the skin color of a close relative, Cham (Robin Atkin Downes). Still, its change is likely also purposeful, with SlashFilm positing it may have been done for Whitten's sake — heavy cosmetics can be a lot for any actor to handle, and likely even more so for a person of Whitten's young age.