The MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) is currently winding down on an arguably very underwhelming ‘Phase Four’ in its overall timeline, with major films like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) having left most fans disenchanted in its execution. Nonetheless, a new report from ScreenRant has revealed some incredible, previously unseen concept art from the film that went curiously unused.
Concept artist Thomas du Crest, who has done concept pieces for other Marvel films like Spiderman: Far From Home (2019) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), shared multiple artworks of different iterations of ‘Zombie Doctor Strange’ he created for the film on his ArtStation profile, some of them intensely grueling and, well, actually scary. In addition, he shared pieces depicting what’s known as the “Incursion Universe”, which was an early plot-related concept for the film that would have evidently been far more terrifying. Alongside the images Crest wrote:
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The setting would have been something of a dark, twisted desert landscape filled with not just one but countless dead Strange variants, essentially an otherworldly wasteland of utter destruction. In the end, the production reworked the concept around the ‘Mirror Universe’, with just one evil Doctor Strange variant at the center of it all who caused a destructive incursion across numerous alternate universes. The aesthetic of the film ultimately took a far more colorful and illusory tone, more in line with Doctor Strange’s usual vibe.
“Early explorations for the Incursion Universe. At that point, it was more of a desert filled with dead Strange variants.”
In lieu of the dramatic hellscape drawn in Crest’s work, Marvel opted once again for a safer route, with most of the film’s mediocre horror and gore elements being saved for the finale. And Zombie Strange, whom countless fans looked forward to seeing outside of the original comics, was decidedly “cool” in its execution, but definitely not anywhere near the chilling terror evoked in Crest’s artwork. Nonetheless, it’s certainly nice to see beautifully-crafted hints of what audiences could have potentially seen.
Marvel’s Perpetual Fear of Anything Not-Safe
Phase Four of the MCU was a relatively short-lived era that left an odd, discomforting aftertaste among audiences. Unlike like previous phases that saw rock-solid film lineups nearly the entire way through, with Avengers Endgame (2019) culminating everything into the ultimate, all-but-perfect performance of a lifetime, it seemed almost inevitable that there would be some degree of deflation after such an insane high.
However, with the pandemic pumping the brakes on the entire movie industry for two consecutive years, that deflation was even further and faster, and Marvel had to scramble to find its footing again after an unprecedented global catastrophe. Phase Four of its timeline was a near-constant limp, with films like Black Widow (2021), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) expected to be the anchors that would help carry the weight, and yet the very mixed reception from all three led to an underwhelming outcome.
Black Widow was considered oddly placed in the timeline (given the events of Endgame) and was riddled with controversy due to actress Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney. Thor: Love and Thunder was eagerly anticipated with Waititi once again at the helm and heavyweight actor Christian Bale as the film’s villain Gor. However, the overall execution of the story and comedic flair fell surprisingly short the second time around. Multiverse of Madness was also swimming in immense hype, and was expected to venture significantly outside the box that Marvel tends to remain safely in. In the end, such didn’t happen. The film was mostly a confusing rollercoaster of overwhelming Strange-style special effects, America Chavez’s introduction to the MCU was entertaining yet still subpar, and the finale with Strange and Scarlet Witch was, again, underwhelming.
All in all, Marvel continues to show its hesitancy in pushing the envelope anywhere outside its conventional, more family-friendly formula, which is likely what it needs more than anything in the aftermath of the pandemic. Crest’s artwork is crystal clear proof that the opportunity to do so is very much there, that Marvel could evolve into something even bigger and greater with more dimension to its creative abilities. The studio simply has to put the trust in these talented individuals who can make it happen. On the cusp of Phase Five beginning, time will tell if Marvel indeed has the gusto to go further.
