Wolverine’s comic-accurate mask in Deadpool & Wolverine will mark an important change not only for the MCU, but possibly for the DCU as well. Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine marks the tenth time the actor portrays the iconic mutant on the big screen, yet it will be the first time he wears Wolverine’s yellow suit and mask in live-action. Although the mask hasn’t been featured in any trailer or spot, promotional material for Deadpool & Wolverine has confirmed that Jackman’s Wolverine will wear it at some point, and that it includes comic-accurate white lenses.
It took 24 years for Wolverine to wear the classic suit and mask for the first time on screen, not precisely because of each X-Men director’s refusal to feature the costume, but mostly because the superhero genre was unprepared for faithful recreations of comic book suits throughout most of Fox’s X-Men movie franchise. Whereas black leather suits were the boldest look the X-Men could sport back in the early 2000s, audiences can now easily accept colorful costumes and animated white eyes in 2024. However, one famous character’s mask still needs to pass the same test as Wolverine.
Wolverine’s Mask Will Decide Whether Batman’s White Eyes Truly Work In Live-Action
Wolverine’s MCU Mask Is The First Of Its Kind In Live-Action
Before Deadpool & Wolverine gave Wolverine his classic mask, other Marvel characters pioneered the comic-accurate white eyes in live-action. First, Deadpool himself spearheaded the trend in 2016′ Deadpool. Just a few months later, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man first wore his iconic mask with white mechanical lenses in Captain America: Civil War. Now, it’s a common occurrence for heroes like Moon Knight and Captain Marvel to wear masks with white eyes. All live-action versions of Batman, on the other hand, have generally avoided the white eyes. When Batman’s mask does have white eyes, it’s always because they’re a one-off special feature in his cowl.
Wolverine’s is the first live-action superhero mask with white eyes to show part of the actor’s actual face beneath.
Wolverine’s first time sporting his comic accurate mask with white lenses could influence The Brave and the Bold‘s Batman costume. While Deadpool, Spider-Man, Moon Knight, and Captain Marvel’s masks preceded it, Wolverine’s is the first live-action superhero mask with white eyes to show part of the actor’s actual face beneath. Wolverine is also a more grounded and less comical character than all of them. So, if Wolverine’s classic mask doesn’t distract from Deadpool & Wolverine‘s plot, the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold could take the risk and give its Batman a similar mask, which could find the right balance between realism and comic accuracy.
Comic-Accurate Superhero Masks Are Easier Now Than Ever
The Superhero Movie Genre Has Gained Enough Freedom To Translate Unrealistic Comic Book Details To Live-Action
The superhero movie genre has come a long way since the dark leather and heavy armor days. Costume details like Moon Knight’s magical suit and Deadpool’s animated white eyes aren’t explicitly explained on screen, but they don’t break the suspension of disbelief either. Nowadays, ambitious scripts and easy access to CGI allows a wide variety of comic book costumes to come to life. By this point, heroes like Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Wolverine and The Brave and the Bold‘s Batman can easily have animated or retractable white lenses in their masks, adding a fresh layer of comic accuracy to their respective movies.
