Why Adam Warlock's MCU Costume Is So Divisive

Reception to Adam Warlock's costume for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has been surprisingly divisive thus far. Sometime after the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailer provided the first glimpse at Will Poulter's character, a new image showed off his full MCU costume.

Considering that the Golden Gladiator is one of the biggest Marvel characters who have yet to receive the live-action treatment, there's been a great deal of attention given to his upcoming MCU debut. Years after being set up in one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's post-credits scenes, Warlock will finally join the MCU in the final installment of the trilogy. The extent of Marvel's plans for him are unclear at the moment, but what happens in the movie could be the beginning of a long superhero journey for the MCU's Adam Warlock.

Adam Warlock's Divisive MCU Costume Is Different To The Comics

Ahead of the movie's release, at least one aspect of the character is already receiving a noticeable amount of criticism. Reactions to his costume online have been mixed at best. Much of the negativity seemingly stems from how different Warlock's MCU look is to his comic counterpart. Both versions boast a cape and red as the costume's primary color, but the design of the suit itself is where they differ. Poulter's character wears a full-body costume, complete with armor plating on his arms. The comic hero, on the other hand, dressed in spandex. He was also sleeveless and without pants in his classic comics.

Similar to what it's done with other superheroes, the MCU has abandoned the tights when adapting Adam Warlock's iconic design to the big screen. It also left out other elements of his traditional look as well, such as the large collar on his cape, his pupil-less eyes, and the patterns on his chest. Plus, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 removed the yellow from his outfit, which was originally an important part of his color scheme in the comic books. That being said, it did keep the gem in his forehead, his gold skin, and the skull-shaped emblem on his neckline. It remains to be seen if he'll be using his trademark staff.

Is Adam Warlock's MCU Costume Really That Bad?

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Adam Warlock Will Poulter Full Costume

While some have praised Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.'s interpretation of Adam Warlock's suit, others have been more disparaging toward the decision to make so many changes. Among the most common complaints is the claim that his outfit looks too similar to how Marvel has reimagined other superhero costumes, as most MCU installments do tend to lean away from tights. But while it's true that his costume is consistent with the approach taken by previous Marvel movies, it's worth noting that Marvel kept enough details of his comic costume for Will Poulter to still be easily recognized as Adam Warlock. And, as Gunn has pointed out, Warlock is just a "baby" at this point in his life cycle [via Empire]. His costume may evolve with his character as his MCU story progresses.

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