Marvel Studios has just released a new art book which is the source of many more reveals for Avengers: Endgame. Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame – The Art of the Movie is a large coffee table book filled with concept art and insights on why choices had to be made for the final film product.
This is the third of a trilogy of art books by Marvel Studios and Eleni Roussos that go into depth about the development of the look of both films. The previous books are The Road to Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame – The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, released in April of this year, and Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War – The Art of the Movie, released in November 2018.
This trio of books provides a wealth of information for MCU fans to absorb and discuss with their fellow True Believers.
A few of the reveals from the newest book include a scene originally intended to have Thor and Jane Foster, as played by Natalie Portman, share a conversation when Thor and Rocket retrieve her blood to recover the Reality Stone. Just how the Jane of Thor’s past would react to the Bro-Thor of the film’s present can only be imagined now, since this never happened in the final version of the movie. Perhaps we’ll at last be able to see an echo of this deleted story beat when Thor and Jane meet again in 2021’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
Another reveal shows Dr. Strange wearing the armor of Iron Man, and Iron Man wearing the levitating cloak of Dr. Strange. How it was possible that these two, the most ego-maniacal heroes of the MCU, could exchange costumes and perhaps even powers, must be left to our imagination since it didn’t occur in the films.
For my part, I’m glad this never came to pass, because I feel that Tony’s tech-magic should remain distinct from Stephen’s sorcery-magic. The sharp contrast between the powers of the two characters, as well as the quick intelligence and hair-trigger ego they share, was perfectly portrayed in the movies, especially in that loaded moment in Endgame as Dr. Strange raises a single finger while he holds disaster at bay with his magic shields. At that point, Tony looks over at him and finally realizes there was only one way left to save the universe from Thanos. The mutual respect that these two heroes share in that pivotal, tragic moment is a brilliant payoff of their previous character interaction.
Another reveal is that the family Thanos lost on Titan appears in the concept art, but of course never makes it to the screen. There is a scene in Infinity War when Thanos temporarily recreates his world on ruined Titan to show the Avengers who choose to stand against him there. Undoubtedly these art concepts helped create the look of this quick scene for the film, but again it was probably best that it was not included. Thanos does have a family in the films, his foster daughters Gamora and Nebula. To add more family might have taken away from the focus on these two: the daughter Thanos favors and sacrifices for power in Gamora and Nebula, the oft-neglected and even abused daughter who proves most loyal to Thanos. Nebula aids the counterplot of Thanos in Endgame and pays the ultimate price at the hands of her evolved future self. Nebula’s character evolution throughout the films she appears in remains one of the MCU’s great triumphs.
Without a doubt, the internet will continue to buzz with further revelations provided by this book. It will help keep interest high in these two Avenger films and all things MCU until we finally see the next installment in the franchise, Black Widow, in 2020.