Summary
I really want Jennifer Garner’sElektra Natchiosto get a comic-accurate superhero costume if she comes back to theMCUafter her recent appearance inDeadpool & Wolverine. I loved seeing the classic Marvel movie characters return inDeadpool & Wolverine. Getting Wesley Snipes, Dafne Keen, Jennifer Garner and others back in action was fantastic, especially since this paid tribute to their previous Marvel projects, even though some of these had been questionable. Even so, something still bugged me aboutJennifer Garner’s returning Elektra Natchios.
Jennifer Garner originally appeared as Elektra opposite Ben Affleck’s Matt Murdock in 2003’sDaredevil, and reprised the role in her solo 2005 spinoff. Neither of these movies were all-too-well received, butÈlodie Yung’s portrayal of Elektrain the Defenders Saga raised the character’s popularity before Garner delivered a much more impactful performance as the sai-wielding antihero inDeadpool & Wolverine.I was still a bit disappointed, however, as I would have loved to have seen Jennifer Garner sport a comic-accurate costume as Elektra Natchios.
How Each Marvel Legacy Hero From Deadpool & Wolverine Could Return In The MCU
Deadpool & Wolverine featured multiple legacy Marvel heroes, and all of the exciting surprise stars could return to the MCU in different ways.
Why Jennifer Garner’s Deadpool & Wolverine Costume Was Disappointing
Elektra’s Purple Costume Was Very Different To Her Previous Looks In Live-Action & Marvel Comics
Jennifer Garner might have delivered a fantastic performance asElektra inDeadpool & Wolverine, but I was disappointed at the state of her costume in the Phase 5 movie. For some inexplicable reason,Elektra was kitted out in a purple number, which bears no resemblance to her iconic red costumes from Marvel Comics, or, indeed, her black get-up fromDaredevilor red costume from 2005’sElektra. If this was supposed to be the same version of Elektra from this duology, Marvel Studios didn’t do a very good job of establishing continuity.
Movie color theory suggests that anyone wearing red stands out more than other characters in a scene. Changing the color of Elektra’s costume from red to purple consequently meant thatRyan Reynolds' Deadpoolstood out more than the other members of the resistance team in the Void, as he was the only hero sporting a red costume. Had Elektra been put in red, too, she would have drawn focus from Deadpool. While this makes sense,I still would preferred Elektra to have a much more comic-accurate costume than the suit picked out forDeadpool & Wolverine.
Deadpool & Wolverine Concept Art Reveals A Much More Comics-Accurate Elektra Costume
Jennifer Garner’s Elektra Costume Was Almost Perfect
Following the release ofDeadpool & Wolverine,concept art has come to light showing unused characters, including Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider, and unseen costume designs from the Phase 5 movie. One of these was shared byJohn Staub, a senior illustrator at Marvel Studios, who presented anearly design for Jennifer Garner’s Elektrathat was far more similar to her previous looks, and could have been taken straight out of Marvel Comics. I much prefer this look to what was seen inDeadpool & Wolverine.
John Staub’s original design forDeadpool & Wolverine’sElektra kitted her out in a red-and-black number, fit with her red gloves and cap.This design would have been much cooler to see inDeadpool & Wolverine, particularly with the worn, stripped hem of the costume giving it some movement. Staub describes this suit as showing that Elektra has"been in the void for a while and her costume has changed through wear and tear and fixes and adjustments,“which would have made me even more interested to learn about her adventures between 2005’sElektraandDeadpool & Wolverine.
The MCU Dropped The Ball On Giving Jennifer Garner A Comics-Accurate Elektra Costume
Many Recent MCU Heroes Have Been Given Comic-Accurate Costumes
I’ve been struggling to work out exactly why Marvel Studios opted not to go with Staub’s original design for Elektra inDeadpool & Wolverine, particularly since the studio has taken great steps in recent years to give itsheroes more comic-accurate designs. Heroes such as Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, Ms. Marvel and many more have been upgraded into comic-accurate costumes in recent projects, so I can’t help feeling that Elektra missed out. EvenHugh Jackman was finally gifted a yellow-and-blue Wolverine suit for his MCU debut.
It’s shocking to me that Jennifer Garner’s costume in 2005’sElektrawas more comic-accurate than the costume seen in the higher-budget and more-faithfulDeadpool & Wolverine.Marvel Studios has set itself apart from other superhero franchises by not shying away from the colorful, vibrant and often-outlandish nature of superhero costumes in the comic books. This makes me even more sad for Elektra inDeadpool & Wolverine, but I reckon there’s still a way that Marvel Studios can rectify this disappointing mistake.
Why Jennifer Garner’s Elektra Got Her Own Movie Despite Ben Affleck’s Daredevil Flopping
Though Daredevil is considered a failure, it still somehow produced a spin-off depicting Jennifer Garner’s Elektra - which failed even harder.
How The MCU Can Bring Back Jennifer Garner’s Elektra & Give Her A Better Costume
Jennifer Garner Could Reprise The Role Of Elektra Natchios Again In The MCU’s Future
While I’m finding it hard to forgive Marvel Studios for stripping Elektra of a comic-accurate costume in Phase 5, bringing Jennifer Garner back as the antihero in the MCU’s future could rectify this misstep. It was revealed at theend ofDeadpool & Wolverinethatthe variants in the Void had been sent back to their respective realities, which creates the opportunity for Jennifer Garner and others to return, especially if incursions cause the collision of many of these universes. This means that Garner could yet sport a comic-accurate Elektra costume.
If Jennifer Garner does reprise the role again, I reckon it would only be for a brief time, asPhase 6’sAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warsare already gearing up to be packed full of returning heroes and surprise cameos. However,afterDeadpool & Wolverinefailed to give Elektra her full comic-accurate look, I would love to see this included in Phase 6. Having returned home,Elektracould come back with her more-regular costume, or perhaps another variant could be introduced, but, either way, I want her in her red suit.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
