The majority of fans went into Deadpool & Wolverine expecting Marvel Studios to put the final nail in the coffin of 20th Century Fox's Marvel Universe.
Instead, it was a celebration of that bygone era of superhero storytelling and we got to reunite with some fan-favourite characters from the past. Among them was Jennifer Garner's Elektra, a character we first met in 2003's Daredevil before she took centre stage in a spin-off two years later.
Concept artist Jonay Bacallado has now shared his final design for the assassin's costume and revealed a previously unnoticed nod to the Man Without Fear.
"I was super excited when I got assigned Elektra," Bacallado says in the Instagram post below. "It felt like a great opportunity to bring her back guns blazing and do a Void version of her that would incorporate design elements and aesthetics that match better the MCU style as we know it now, as her first movie came out nearly 20 years ago."
"Costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo wanted her to be powerful and sexy but without showing bare skin, so we kept away from exposing any mid drift and other feminine cliches from heroines from the past," the artist continued. "It felt like an act of justice and female empowerment. Her belt was a node to Daredevil."
That belt is indeed the same design as the one worn by Ben Affleck's Daredevil and, early on, the plan had been for the actor to reprise his role as Matt Murdock. Unfortunately, it didn't end up happening (Nic Cage's Ghost Rider also didn't make the cut).
It's unclear whether Marvel Studios has plans for Elektra on Earth-616; however, if she does appear, then we'd bet on it happening in Daredevil: Born Again. Failing that, it will likely be in the post-Avengers: Secret Wars MCU.
Iron Studios has also unveiled a new Wolverine statue which makes a fan-pleasing change to Logan's suit. Unlike the movie itself, it gives the clawed mutant his shoulder pads, combining them with the sleeveless look he had in the final act.
That means it isn't screen-accurate but, for many of you, this will no doubt be a superior look for Wolverine on screen...
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, and Dafne Keen. The movie is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.
Kevin Feige, Reynolds, Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, Simon Kinberg and Jonathon Komack Martin serving as executive producers.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters.