2000's X-Men was definitely something of a game-changer for the superhero movie genre, but it took some major liberties with the source material, and even took a shot at the comic books when Cyclops made a joke about Wolverine expecting "yellow spandex" after they suited up in the black leather numbers which have proved to be a real sticking point for many fans.
A lot of people felt that was a jab at comic book readers, but during a recent interview with Syfy Wire, producer Ralph Winter was quick to assure them that it was never intended in that manner.
"At that time, we did feel like we did a good job," he said of those divisive costumes. "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. It wasn’t to [irritate] them but to say 'Hey, we hear you. We understand what you want."
"We understand you don’t like the idea of Wolverine being taller than 5'4"," he continued. "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.'" He added that he believes the trick is to "always to bullseye the hardcore Marvel/X-Men fan, but do it in a way that doesn’t alienate an average moviegoer that might enjoy, or start to enjoy, these types of stories."
It's a fair observation, but Marvel Studios has obviously found a way to pay homage to the comic books while also grabbing the attention of casual moviegoers. A lot has changed since X-Men was released, of course, but when these characters do debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the hope is that they'll be decked out in costumes more akin to what we see in the source material.
What do you guys think?
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