What do all of the best Marvel movies have in common? Well, besides featuring some of the most intense comic book-inspired fights to ever grace the silver screen? Costumes. It’s the costumes, man. Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s nearly 20-year history (that’s wild to think about), these iconic superhero movies have given us everything from classic suits we used to see on the splash pages of our youth and more modern recreations of the famous costumes worn by Captain America, Iron Man, and the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Here are 32 excellent MCU superhero costumes we just can’t stop thinking about.
Spider-Man’s Iron-Spider Suit
Outside of maybe Batman, no superhero has had more iconic suits than Spider-Man. Just look back at all the great live-action costumes the Web-Head has used over the years, and you’ll have a good way to kill a few hours. One of the best is without a doubt the Iron Spider suit Peter Parker gets from Tony Stark in Avengers: Infinity War. It’s sleek and full of crazy features, and those retractable spider legs are just so awesome.
Scarlet Witch’s Outfit
Okay, Scarlet Witch technically didn’t wear this amazing outfit until she’d already started to become a villain in WandaVision, and then full-on baddie in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, but it was just too cool to leave off. The crown, the dark tones of the jacket, and the fierceness of Wanda’s personality, all make this a wild fit, as the kids would say.
Captain America’s Endgame Suit
Captain America going back to his classic MCU look for the final battle scene in Avengers: Endgame made the whole “Avengers…. Assemble” moment even better. The red, white, and blue costume, the helmet, the shield (before it was broken, anyway), and the vengeful motivation of the superhero all made this a cinematic moment like no other.
Black Panther’s First Suit
Nothing against King T’Challa’s costume from Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, but the old-school and more toned-down look of his suit from Captain America: Civil War was just so sleek and so cool.
Star-Lord’s Outfit
Like other members of his group of misfits and outcasts, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, had his fair share of costumes over the years, but we have to stick with the OG look from Guardians of the Galaxy. The red leather jacket from his days with Ravagers, the tape deck, the mask, the propulsion boots. All of it works together to create a killer look.
Dr. Strange’s Infinity War Outfit
Dr. Strange going from leisure wear to his iconic suit in the early goings of Avengers: Infinity War was such a cool moment, and one that has remained just as awesome over the past seven years. The cape (with a mind of its own), the Eye of Agamotto around his neck, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s ability to sell it made the look so unforgettable.
Iron Man’s Nano-Tech Suit
Iron Man has so many suits. Like a lot. And so, there’s a lot to choose from. This includes his wild nan-tech suit introduced in Avengers: Infinity War. It doesn’t matter how many times we see Tony Stark walking down a New York street as his suit slowly covers his body, that shot is so cool.
Vision’s Halloween Costume
WandaVision had a lot of great moments paying homage to the comic books that inspired both the series and the MCU as a whole. One of the best references is found in the episode where Wanda and Vision dress up for Halloween in costumes that look like they were taken directly from the pages of Marvel Comics. With bold colors replacing the muted tones of his traditional costume, Vision looked fantastic.
Loki’s ‘Glorious Purpose’ Outfit
Loki has been one of the most transformative characters in the MCU over the course of the past decade-and-a-half, during which time he’s worn some amazing outfits. Since we’re talking about heroes here, we have to put out his “glorious purpose” outfit from Loki Season 2. It’s so sleek, so eye-catching, and so green.
Thor’s Infinity War Outfit
Let’s get this out of the way – Thor looks so cool in Avengers: Infinity War, even after he gets a fake eye from Rocket. The God of Thunder landing in the middle of the Battle of Wakanda in the 2018 crossover film was as intense as it was awesome. Lightning coming off him, that short haircut, and suit that channels his energy looked great.
Deadpool’s Suit
Deadpool didn’t come over to the MCU until 2024, but the foul-mouthed anti-hero’s suit instantly became one of the best in the whole universe. Deadpool and Wolverine saw many different variations of the masked assassin, but Wade Wilson’s signature getup took the cake. Plus, it hides all that blood and half-developed appendages.
Wolverine’s Comic-Accurate Outfit
After spending the better part of a quarter-century watching Wolverine wear black leather and other dark outfits, fans finally got to see the yellow and blue suit from the X-Men comics. Hugh Jackman looked awesome in the comic-accurate costume, especially when he donned the iconic mask late in Deadpool and Wolverine.
Daredevil’s Suit
The Daredevil TV show gave comic book fans a great and practical suit when the show landed on Netflix a decade ago. The MCU made some changes when the characters were brought back for the various Disney+ shows, but this OG look is still supreme.
Black Widow’s White Suit
Though some would say that the War Machine suit is nothing more than some of Tony Stark’s old armor with all kinds of weapons attached, there’s no denying the fact that it looks sweet. This is especially true in battle, like the climactic fight in Avengers: Infinity War.
War Machine’s Infinity War Suit
Though some would say that the War Machine suit is nothing more than some of Tony Stark’s old armor with all kinds of weapons attached, there’s no denying the fact that it looks sweet. This is especially true in battle, like the climactic fight in Avengers: Infinity War.
Ant-Man’s First Costume
The suit worn by Scott Lang in the first Ant-Man movie is a work of art. Though his costume stayed relatively the same throughout his time in the MCU, the OG look from his first standalone film is a simple yet iconic look.
Hawkeye’s Ronin Suit
Hawkeye’s Ronin outfit from Avengers: Endgame is one of the darkest, scariest, and coolest costumes to ever be introduced to the MCU. Looking like a ninja assassin armed with a killer sword, the look was a breath of fresh air, even though the character had a tragic backstory. Really wish we would have seen more of this.
Spider-Man’s Civil War Costume
Remember the first time you saw Spider-Man show up in Captain America: Civil War? It’s all anyone could talk about in the summer of 2016, and for good reason. The suit, its tech, and Tom Holland’s performance as an actual teenage Web-Slinger were all great. There have been many costumes since, but Spidey’s first MCU outfit is the stuff of legend.
Captain Marvel’s Suit
Captain Marvel has had some great on-screen costumes in the years since Brie Larson first brought the character to the big screen. They’re all cool, but the most excellent variation is the one she wears in The Marvels. The bold and dark colors, the accents, and the fit looked really awesome on screen.
Heimdall’s Armor
Though it seemed like he got less and less time on screen, Heimdall was a major part of the Thor movies. This Asgardian, who was key to the Bifrost, looked so epic, especially when he was wearing his full set of armor. Gold attire never looked better.
Sylvie’s Outfit
Introduced in Loki Season 1, Sylvie quickly became one of the most popular and interesting characters in the MCU. Essentially the female variant of the God of Mischief, Sylvie also had a great costume that was impossible to look away from in each of the episodes.
Falcon’s Civil War Costume
Not that Sam Wilson’s Captain America gear isn’t excellent (it is, by the way), but his costume while still using the Falcon moniker was particularly awesome. Whether it was the very basic version from Captain America: The Winter Soldier or the more “Avengers” look from Civil War and beyond, Falcon looked sharp on land and in the sky.
Valkyrie’s Thor: Ragnarok Outfit
Valyrie showing off her Asgardian armor in the final act of Thor: Ragnarok was such an epic big-screen moment and capped off a remarkable introduction of what would become one of the MCU’s most trusted heroes. Not that her scavenger garb wasn’t cool, because it was, but this valkyrian armor was just rad.
Hulk’s Gladiator Gear
Though we could have included Smart Hulk’s more modest fashion sense, let’s be honest and admit that Hulk’s gladiator gear from Thor: Ragnarok is the apex mountain of the Avenger’s looks. The helmet, the wild armor, the massive weapons. All of this worked together to create a unique, and powerful presence for the big green guy.
Iron Man’s Mark I Armor
Let’s go back to where it all began for Iron Man when he built the Mark I armor in a cave with nothing more than spare parts from some Stark Industries missiles, his ingenuity, and the help of a friend (RIP, Yinsen). It was clunky, it was a little ugly, and it didn’t last that long, but it looked so righteous.
Bucky Barnes’ Wakanda Armor
Though Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier looked great, we have to highlight the armor Cap’s best friend had during Avengers: Infinity War. The all-black suit, the vibranium arm with some awesome Wakandan tech, and a mind finally free from the grasp of Hydra made this one to remember.
Moon Knight’s Suit
Who knows if we’ll ever see Moon Knight again, but at least we can rest easy knowing that the eponymous Disney+ series gave us some absolutely incredible costumes throughout the Oscar Isaac-led comic book miniseries. The Mr. Knight three-piece suit and Moon Knight armor both looked great throughout the six-episode run, and it’d be a shame if they’re never used again.
Captain America’s Nomad Suit
Steve Rogers went through a lot between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, and the once-patriotic supersoldier went into hiding after refusing to sign the Sokovia Accords. This is best represented by his “Nomad” outfit from the third Avengers film. Though the red, white, and blue of the suit is still there (just obscured with muted tones), the suit is worn, torn, and battered from life on the run.
The Ancient One’s Costumes
Though we didn’t get to see much of the Ancient One in Doctor Strange and Avengers: Endgame, the powerful, intelligent, and mystic character played a large role in the middle section of the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Her various costumes throughout those two movies were undeniably awesome and made Tilda Swinton’s character look like even more of a centuries-old sorcerer.
Black Widow’s Infinity War Suit
Black Widow, along with Captain America, Scarlet Witch, and Falcon, was on the run following the events of Captain America: Civil War, aka Avengers 2.5, meaning she had to change her look to evade capture while on the run from the world governments. The short blonde hair and the tactical armor made the Avenger look even cooler and more heroic, which came in handy in the third and fourth Avengers films.
Spider-Man’s Homemade Suit
Unlike other versions of Spider-Man, we didn’t really get an origin story for Tom Holland’s Web-Head. Sure, some details were filled in along the way and we saw some old home video footage of Peter Parker trying things out. But that all changed in Spider-Man: Homecoming when the friendly neighborhood crime-fighter had to go back to his old homemade suit after Tony Stark took back his tech. Primitive? Yes. Awesome? Yes, again.
Iron Man’s Hulkbuster Armor
Though it’s never fun watching friends pummel the crap out of one another, it was pretty cool watching Iron Man and Hulk duke it out in Avengers: Age of Ultron (maybe one of the few bright spots of the film). When Hulk is brainwashed by Scarlet Witch, Tony Stark brings out the big guns, or, big armor, when he puts on the Hulkbuster suit. Ironically, Bruce Banner would wear a similar set of armor in Avengers: Infinity War when he and the green guy weren’t getting along.
