The 2000sX-Menhelped kick off the modern era of superhero movies that audiences are still enjoying today. However, a significant point of contention for the film remains the decision to omit the team’s colorful costumes in favor of black leather, a choice that is lampshaded in the movie when Cyclops quips, “What were you expecting, yellow spandex?” For an entire generation, the X-Men were known for their unified black leather outfits, ones that stood in sharp contrast to the uniforms in the comics, whose various styles and color palettes showed the multiple members' self-expression.
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When asked by a fan on X about why theX-Menwore matching uniforms in the 2000 film, the movie’s screenwriter, David Hayter, revealed the behind-the-scenes reason. Director Bryan Singer, who is not a comic book fan, could not get behind the team’s more colorful costumes and their diverse styles. If not for the matching black leather uniforms, which Hayeder designed to be protective, Singer was going to ditch the costumes altogether and put the team in regular clothes. Hayer said:
“Because our director said, ‘Why is Wolverine the only one who wears a mask? Why would Storm wear a bikini into battle? Unless there’s some practical reason for them to wear uniforms, they’re going to be in street clothes.’ So the uniforms were designed to be protective.”
X-Men Costume Changes Over the Years
It is important to remember the context in whichX-Mencame out.1997 saw the failures ofBatman & Robin,Steel, andSpawnseemingly kill the notion of a traditional superhero movie with some of the creative and elaborate costumes seen on the page. 1998’sBladeandX-Mendecided to downplay some of the more bright, colorful costumes. This was the decade that almost put Superman in a black armored suit in Tim Burton’s canceledSuperman Lives.X-Menalso draws heavily fromThe Matrix, which came out a year prior and popularized the idea of black leather outfits.
2002’sSpider-Mandemonstrated that superhero movies could incorporate more colorful, comic-accurate costumes; however, the originalX-Mentrilogy retained the classic black leather, with the small change ofX-Men: The Last Standseemingly adding unique accents to each member’s uniform.X-Men: First Classwas thefirstX-Menmovie not to shy away from the bright blue and yellow of the comics, but when director Bryan Singer returned to the franchise, the team transitioned from black leather to tactile combat gear.X-Men: Days of Future Pastnotably features the 1970s-based X-Men in civilian clothes, like Singer originally intended.
Deadpool & Wolverinemarked the long-awaited debut ofHugh Jackman in Wolverine’s signature yellow and blue costume.Avengers: Doomsdayis rumored to feature the X-Men in classic comic-inspired suits, a design element that will likely carry over into the MCU’s introduction of the team. The days of the X-Men’s black leather are over, asX-Men ‘97had the perfect callback to the diss in X-Men by having Cyclops tell his son Cable, “What were you expecting, black leather?”
Source:David Hayter (X)
