Movies - TV
The Most Impractical Superhero Costumes
In Movie History
By DOUGLAS LAMAN
Batman
For Michael Keaton, wearing Batman's costume in the “Batman” movies turned out to be so restraining that he thought he couldn’t play the role. The costume’s restrictive nature is quite visible in the films, as Keaton is unable to move his neck, which forces him to reorient his whole body when looking around.
The Thing
For Michael Chiklis, playing The Thing in “Fantastic Four” meant wearing an uncomfortable and trapping latex rubber outfit, and it gave him so much fear and anxiety that he had to seek therapy to deal with his claustrophobia on set. Thankfully, Chiklis was given a more breathable costume for the sequel.
TMNT
The original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies had the actors wear elaborate and cumbersome puppet suits. The actors even experienced impaired vision and had to coordinate with off-set technicians who controlled the motorized parts of the costume.
X-Men
In 2000’s “X-Men,” the actors wore costumes made of tight black leather that were a deviation from the comics and were also restrictive. James Marsden (Cyclops) recalled how the actors couldn’t even step over a seawall that was a few feet tall, adding that he “couldn’t feel less like a superhero wearing those things.”
Catwoman
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman costume in “Batman Returns” is easily one of the sexiest and most iconic costumes in a superhero film. As bold as the costume is, Pfeiffer recalled how restrictive and “unhealthy” it was to wear. She’d love to play Catwoman again — but in a more flexible costume this time.