AI Assembles A Retro Avengers Movie Trailer - But It Feels Like A Nightmare

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of modern cinema's most beloved creations. Best known for popularizing the idea of characters crossing over between different productions, the MCU's marquee projects continue to be the "Avengers" films. Some of the most financially successful films of all time, audiences always love seeing which characters from the franchise will pop up in their banner films. While we won't be seeing the next "Avengers" grace cinemas for a while, YouTube user Abandoned Films has a fascinating concept trailer to tide us over. 

With the use of artificial intelligence, they have imagined what the "Avengers" films would look like in the '50s. The concept is certainly daring as a number of the characters appearing in the trailer — like Iron Man, Star-Lord, and Thor – didn't even exist in the '50s. While this trailer misses out on accuracy, it somewhat succeeds in creating a retro version of the MCU, retooling each hero's suit to fit the era. Iron Man's suit is notably more low-key and grounded, evoking the iconography of "The Rocketeer."

This fan trailer gets the era right, but the vibe is all sorts of nightmare fuel. Some characters, like Black Panther and Spider-Man, look downright jarring with their warped masks. Black Panther looks especially odd, almost as if the character isn't a man in a suit, but rather a human in panther make-up. Also, because there was no CGI in the '50s, Rocket Raccoon is depicted as a grown individual in a large raccoon costume.

Yes, most of the Avengers don't really look like they should in the actual movies, but some of the designs in this trailer have us scratching our heads. While characters like Loki and Hawkeye look perfectly fine, it's the more fantastical characters such as Rocket Raccoon, Mantis, and Drax that look like nightmare fuel. Though they don't look as great as the others, the AI does a solid job of giving us a retro Thanos who looks like his contemporary MCU counterpart. 

What's more interesting about this concept art is how the user managed to cast '50s icons as some of our favorite heroes. Audrey Hepburn stars as Black Widow, while James Dean steals the show as the cocky Tony Stark. Overall, the concept is fun to think about, but it definitely won't be happening. It's simply not practical — although it could work for the Disney+ animated series "What If...?" 

Right now, Marvel is making major changes to "Avengers 5" and other projects to hopefully save the MCU after recent misfires. With a minimal 2024 footprint, Marvel is pumping the brakes and focusing on getting viewers excited for the upcoming "Avengers" film, which was formerly subtitled "The Kang Dynasty." While details are slim regarding "Avengers 5," Marvel still hasn't budged on the subtitle for "Avengers 6," which is titled "Secret Wars." Set to debut in 2027, "Avengers: Secret Wars" is rumored to feature an emotional Marvel reunion that will (hopefully) leave fans in tears.