This past weekend I've really been thinking a lot about real life heroes and villains, and as often when the real world gets too dark I like to retreat into the comfort of some escapist movies to rally my spirits. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always on my rewatch list, so I thought I'd choose some of my favourite MCU costumes I've seen in person at exhibitions and cinemas to share with you all.
Captain America costumes
worn by Chris Evans in Avengers: Endgame
It's not easy to take a comic book character that wraps himself in the Stars and Stripes and translate it convincingly to the big screen, but Steve Rogers final Captain America costume from 2019's Avengers: Endgame is one of my favourites.
Judianna Makovsky is Costume Designer on Avengers: Endgame (Alexandra Byrne is Costume Designer on 2012's The Avengers, the other uniform featured) and these costumes were photographed on display at Downtown L.A.'s FIDM Museum.
Captain Marvel costume worn by Brie Larson
In 2019 Brie Larson brought Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel to the big screen in her first solo MCU outing and her screen-worn costume was displayed at Hollywood's infamous El Capitan Theatre during the film's theatrical release.
Sanja Milkovic Hays is Costume Designer on Captain Marvel, with the look heavily inspired by artist Jamie McKelvie's costume redesign during Kelly Sue DeConnick's redefining comic book run.
Moon Knight costume worn by Oscar Isaac
In 2022 Marvel's Moon Knight was brought to the small screen on Disney+ in a six-episode series featuring Oscar Isaac as the vigilante empowered by the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu.
Meghan Kasperlik is Costume Designer on the MCU series and this comics-accurate Moon Knight costume was photographed on display at L.A.'s FIDM Museum.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness costume
worn by Benedict Cumberbatch
Another costume I feel was brought to life from comic book page to big screen successfully is that of Doctor Strange, from his Cloak of Levitation to the Eye of Agamotto.
Alexandra Byrne adapted the costume for 2016's Doctor Strange solo movie and Costume Designer Graham Churchyard refreshed the Master of the Mystic Arts look for 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Scarlet Witch costume worn by Elizabeth Olsen
in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
In Marvel Studios first foray into television, WandaVision, Elizabeth Olsen aka Wanda Maximoff, finally got her Scarlet Witch MCU costume.
Costume Designer Mayes C. Rubeo brought that look to the small screen, whilst Graham Churchyard is responsible for the evolved look in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where Wanda had been corrupted by The Darkhold spell book.
Both of these screen-worn costumes from the Doctor Strange sequel were exhibited at Disney's El Capitan Theatre.
Jane Foster Mighty Thor costume worn by Natalie Portman
in Thor: Love and Thunder
In 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder, Natalie Portman reprises her role as astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster and just like in the Marvel Comics also became the disguised female Mighty Thor.
On the film Mayes C. Rubeo is responsible for bringing the helmet and armoured look to the big screen inspired by writer Jason Aaron and artist Russell Dauterman's Thor comic book run and this costume was exhibited at the El Capitan Theatre.
Black Panther costume worn by Chadwick Boseman
After making his big screen debut in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, the Black Panther returned in his own solo $1.3 billion movie in 2018 with a sleek new Wakandan look designed by Oscar-winning Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter.
Okoye costume worn by Danai Gurira
in Black Panther
Ruth E. Carter was also responsible for bringing Wakanda's elite all-female fighting force, the Dora Milaje, to cinema screens in Black Panther, like this instantly iconic costume worn by Dania Gurrira as General Okoye.
Both of these Black Panther costumes were temporarily on display at the El Capitan Theatre.
Makkari costume worn by Lauren Ridloff
in Eternals
And keeping to strong women, I loved Lauren Ridloff's speedster Makkari in 2021's Eternals movie.
Sammy Sheldon Differ is Costume Designer on the film and I love all the Eternals super-suits (which were all present at the El Capitan Theatre's lobby in Hollywood), especially when CGI special effects light up all the seams and symbols when they are using their powers.
Falcon costume worn by Danny Ramirez
in Captain America: America
I also thought the Joaquin Torres Falcon flight suit got a great translation from comic book to movie screen in 2025's Captain America: Brave New World.
Gersha Phillips is Costume Designer on the new Captain America movie and this costume was on display alongside others at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre during the film's theatrical release.
Ghost costume worn by Hannah John-Kamen
in Ant-Man and the Wasp
Now it's time to bring on the villains and first up, having recently reprised her role in Thunderbolts*, is Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost costume from 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Louise Frogley is Costume Designer on the Ant-Man sequel and this costume was photographed on display at the now defunct ArcLight Hollywood cinema.
You can also take a closer look at her new Ghost costume from Thunderbolts designed by Sanja Hays on display.
Death Dealer costume worn by Andy Le
in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Andy Le's Death Dealer costume from 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings makes for a great visual on screen when he's fighting Marvel's martial arts hero.
Kym Barrett is Costume Designer on Shang-Chi's solo movie and this screen-used costume was on display at the El Capitan Theatre.
Namor costume worn by Tenoch Huerta
in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
In 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Tenoch Huerta brings Marvel's first mutant to the cinema screen as Namor, the king of the underwater civilization of Talokan.
Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter won her second Oscar for her designs in this movie sequel, following her first Academy Award win for the first solo Black Panther movie, and this costume was photographed at L.A.'s FIDM Museum.
Loki costume worn by Tom Hiddleston
in Avengers: Endgame
In the time-traveling Avengers: Endgame Tom Hiddleton reprises his role as the mischievous God of Lies, Loki, and wears this costume on display at the 2019 Disney D23 Expo.
Judianna Makovsky is Costume Designer on the epic movie, updating Alexandra Byrne's Asgardian costume design from The Avengers.
Hela costume worn by Cate Blanchett
in Thor: Ragnarok
In 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, Cate Blanchett plays Thor's villainous older half-sister and Asgardian Goddess of Death, Hela, and wears this dramatic comics-accurate headpiece and costume photographed on display at the FIDM Museum.
Mayes C. Rubeo is Costumer Designer on director Taika Waititi's debut MCU movie.
I hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory lane and through my costume archives.
I really enjoyed the recent Thunderbolts* movie (and seeing the screen-used costumes on display) and can't wait for the highly anticipated The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie and really look forward to seeing those retro costumes on display and hopefully sharing them all for you to see too!
