Marvel fans have taken to social media to praise “Mantis’ best look to date,” but it’s not from the film you might expect. Despite being largely praised for somewhat reviving hope for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not home to Mantis’ greatest costume, at least according to a recent post on Reddit. “Thor: Love and Thunder had really cool costume design,” one user wrote alongside an image of Mantis — played by Pom Klementieff — in a green, fairy-like costume in the 2022 film. “It’s Mantis’ best look to date.”
Largely agreeing in the comments, Redditors likewise sung praise for Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi, saying the filmmaker “likes his vibrant colors.” Another user continued: “everything was more vibrant. I noticed her hair looked very faded in [Vol. 3].” Elsewhere in the thread Mantis’ outfits were described as “really nice,” and “cool,” with one user suggesting that the Love and Thunder outfits “looked the most like her comic counterpart.”
In a more direct compliment, one user commented that “Mantis is always hot, but she was ESPECIALLY hot in this.” Commenters also claimed that the vibrance of Love and Thunder extended to Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, whose costuming was praised for its “new armored coat that looked awesome.” Waititi was also suggested to direct Disney’s onslaught of live action remakes of late, since one user lamented how those films “have been desaturated and less vibrant lately.”
Not everyone was in agreement, however, with one user taking umbrage with Peter’s facial hair in Love and Thunder by describing it as “raggedy.” Another fan pointed out that the change in costuming was simply a matter of creative differences between Waititi and Vol. 3 director James Gunn. “I think Gunn simply wanted to stick to the look he established in his movies,” they wrote. “I mean different directors, different preferences.”
Elsewhere in the Guardian universe, it was recently revealed that Pete Davidson appeared in Vol. 3 in the cameo role of Phlektik, a guard for the film’s villain, High Evolutionary. Meanwhile, Gunn recently confessed to taking home a piece of memorabilia from the Guardians set, sharing an image of the pug painting that appeared on the walls of the bat family in the movie.