AI Artwork Reimagines Marvel's X-Men - And It's Uncannily Real
Artificial intelligence has a pretty solid idea of what Marvel Studios' "X-Men" could look like. With Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, the rights to the "X-Men" characters returned to Marvel's film division, finally opening up the door to the beloved mutants joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the franchise spent 20 years under the supervision of Fox. While production on the first live-action "X-Men" film in the MCU won't start for quite some time, Instagram user @aiartvisuals took to the platform to show what AI-generated versions of the heroes could look like — and the results are absolutely uncanny.
What's notable about these AI-generated designs is how they lean heavily into the costumed designs of the comic book characters, while still updating them for modern-day viewers. The classic yellow and black suits are notably armored, and some even seem like they're made out of metal or other harsh material, making them perfect for encounters with bad guys. The first image is an absolute breath of fresh air, showing Wolverine with his signature mask, enjoying a cigar. The second AI image shows Cyclops using his energy beam abilities in a similar suit to Wolverine's.
Why the first X-Men film didn't have classic suits
It's clear that the AI-generated "X-Men" images are directly influenced by their comic and animated counterparts. While they still retain their classic visual identity, their suits also take cues from more contemporary superhero fare. For fans of the "X-Men" franchise, seeing these designs must be a treat, as a majority of the live-action "X-Men" films have shied away from costumes that are in line with tradition.
The first "X-Men" film from 2000 didn't feature the team's iconic yellow and black suits, trading them in for muted, relatively generic black leather costumes. Speaking with Syfy for the film's 20th anniversary, producer Ralph Winter said the minimalistic leather suits were a conscious decision to make the film more accessible — and cheaper. "We limited the amount of time in the wardrobe. Of course, there's a joke in the movie about yellow spandex, which was directed at the fans," Winter said. "It wasn't to iterate [sic] them but to say 'Hey, we hear you ... We understand you'd rather have everybody in the traditional garb. But we also have to make a movie that reaches a wide audience to justify the budget.'"
As the Fox films continued and superhero films began to boom, audiences eventually got to see the OG yellow, black, and blue suits on screen with "X-Men: First Class" and "Dark Phoenix." And for what it's worth, Wolverine is seen in his classic yellow digs in "Deadpool and Wolverine."