The Fantastic Four Live-Action Design Gives The MCU Reboot A Retro Look - And It's Perfect
The Fantastic Four is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Earlier this year, Marvel Studios teased the return of its iconic First Family and announced the cast through a piece of stunning promo art. The film, starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, is rumored to be a 60s-inspired affair, with the Fantastic Four's costumes likely drawing inspiration from the era. In new fan art, the talented cast assemble in throwback uniforms perfect for the time.
On Instagram, Italian artist @jobhutz shared their take on the Fantastic Four. The fan art shows off the live-action team in retro-inspired costumes with a major vintage feel. The concept designs give each member a light blue costume with a four logo on their chest. The white stripes (usually black in most "FF" comics) across the team's waists and neckline are reminiscent of their classic outfits but with a brighter twist. Considering the many looks the Fantastic Four have worn in their more than 60 years in the pages of Marvel Comics, the artwork feels appropriate for the earliest era of the superteam.
Debuting in "Fantastic Four" #1 (by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, George Klein, Christopher Rule, Stan Goldberg, and Artie Simek), the titular team originally didn't wear costumes in their earliest missions. However, soon after, they'd suit up in heroic uniforms, with several small changes occurring to their team outfits in their first few issues. Eventually, they would sport blue, black, and white ensembles, which remain one of their most recognizable looks to this day.
What will the Fantastic Four costumes look like?
It seems like the Marvel Cinematic Universe will likely keep things light aesthetically in when they debut their First Family in the upcoming Matt Shakman-directed film. When revealing the "Fantastic Four" cast through stunning artwork, Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, Human Torch, and the Invisible Woman were given retro blue and white costumes. The looks were considerably brighter than past iterations of the team, including the blue and black outfits seen in Tim Story's "Fantastic Four" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," darker ensembles worn in Josh Trank's "Fantastic Four," and even the suit worn by John Krasinski's Reed Richards in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." However, original concept designs for the latter showed the MCU nearly went with an entirely different get-up for the Fantastic Four hero.
Ultimately, the fan art from @jobhutz hits a sweet spot of feeling retro but sleek. If audiences do meet the Fantastic Four in the '60s as expected, then the blue and white costumes would be fitting to see on the big screen during their beginnings as heroes. They are instantly recognizable and have a simplicity that feels right for Marvel's First Family. While it would be surprising to see Marvel use just body suits like in the artwork with no additional accessories for the Fantastic Four to show off, the color scheme and white and blue design choices are pitch-perfect. Hopefully, when fans finally see the Fantastic Four make their return to the silver screen, the team's outfits live up to their considerable potential and hype.
"Fantastic Four" is expected to arrive in theaters on July 25, 2025.