Why did this unused concept art from the Fantastic Four films have so much cleavage?
The ’90s were an interesting time for costume design, and the skimpy look of unused character art from Fantastic Four embraces that trend.
There was a lot of wrong with the 1999 The Fantastic Four movie for many viewers, but it looks like it could have been a lot worse for the costumes. When fans first heard of a potential The Fantastic Four film, its buzz was intense. Who would play Sue Storm and Mr. Fantastic? What would the costumes look like? Upon the film’s release, audiences met the actors playing First Family and watched the iconic costumes on the big screen. But those costumes almost took an entirely different route depending on unused concept art – and the biggest change involved the outfit of Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman.
In the ’90s, Sue’s look was representative of the era: a sleek, tight-fitting outfit accompanied by a “Rachel” haircut, which, of course, was pure fan service for the male audience. The masculine look had a significant effect on his costumes during this comic book era. The design of the invisible woman followed a theme similar to other designs of the time; how much can we have her naked?
The open-stomach shirt with its very low cut and bikini bottom left nothing to the imagination. Tim Flattery’s unused concept art for The fantastic four seemed to adopt a similar style. Concept art even featured a short-haired Sue Storm, a ’90s trend.
While the love of skimpy costumes has cooled a bit since then, posters and marketing have always focused on making female characters look sexy. Male figures frequently appear in action, striking poses that evoke a sense of bravery and strength. At the same time, their female counterparts bow down to show off their buttocks. It can be so insidious that audiences don’t realize it until they switch genders on a Avengers attach.
Beyond sexism, The fantastic fourConceptual costumes reportedly changed the iconic look most viewers have come to expect. For the most part, audiences wanted to see the Fantastic Four in their original outfits. The final look of the film was much better suited than the unused art. These costumes captured the feel of those from their comic book debut. However, the zipper on Jessica Alba’s outfit undoubtedly could have been pulled up a bit.
Oddly enough, Flattery’s other costume concept would have been a perfect fit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The metallic sheen, segmented armor-shaped pieces, and classic blue and white are much more in line with what you’d expect from a Marvel movie today. As such, there is a lot of speculation about the costumes with a new The Fantastic Four film on the horizon. Fans wonder if the group will appear in a bold, colorful take on the original design, or if the MCU will feature the First Family in more functional tactical gear.
Female fans loved the updated costume Natasha sported in Black Widow and are hopeful that Marvel will aim in that direction for the next film. It doesn’t seem far away either. The MCU has featured cutaway and structured designs for all of its characters in recent films, even for Wanda Maximoff. Her updated look from the end of WandaVision was the perfect blend of her quirky red look and protective armor. Could the public see more of this style in the The Fantastic Four movie? It would be a refreshing change and provide a unique blend of the iconic blue and white costumes from the comics and modern style.
As such, MCU fans will definitely see an update to the Fantastic Four costumes in the upcoming film. Most likely leaving all the cutouts and crop tops behind.
About the Author
