The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation used to joke that their fans made better-quality Starfleet uniforms than what they themselves wore on the set. It’s not a joke anymore.
Cosplay — short for “costume play,” in which fans create and wear costumes based on fictional characters — still happily occupies its attention-getting, superfan niche. But the hobby has evolved in recent years from something you might throw together for Halloween into a full-on artistic endeavor. Some companies now even hire “amateur” cosplayers to represent their top-tier characters at professional trade shows.
In an age where a porn parody makes a better Wonder Woman outfit than a failed television pilot from powerhouse producer David E. Kelly (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal), this is no small thing. And it didn’t take much to find a bunch of cosplayers who could also teach Hollywood a thing or two about bringing our favorite video game characters to life.
Launch the gallery below to see 10 amazing examples.