The latest piece of concept art for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 shows off a more organic and integrated Ego. Few could have guessed that Guardians of the Galaxy would turn out to be one of the biggest blockbuster franchises, but a unique approach to sci-fi and the Marvel brand have helped elevate the films and characters to household names. The second movie has already broken past the $800 million mark at the global box office, and James Gunn is beginning preliminary work on Vol. 3 as we speak. Like its predecessors, it's bound to be a hit and will further expand the cosmic side of the MCU.

Meanwhile, with the film comfortably released, the minds behind it are sharing all sorts of fun info and behind-the-scenes tidbits about the movie. Gunn has built a strong following not just thanks to his movies, but his willingness to engage with fans on social media and geek out alongside them. He recently took to Twitter to share how Yondu's yaka arrows work, proving he's every bit as nerdy as the fans of his films. We've also been getting a look at concept art for the various characters from the film, with one in particular highlighting an alternate look for Ego the Living Planet. Now, we've got a much different take on the villain.

Andy Park, one of Marvel's core concept artists, has posted another early design for Ego. Clearly made before Kurt Russell came aboard, it shows a much more immediately villainous take on the character. It also shows the humanoid form of Ego more integrated into the planet itself, something Park says he was shooting for with the design.

While the idea of a being that looks tied to the planet itself makes sense given how Ego works, it also creates a less human-looking character. This detail may not seem essential for a giant alien planet with sentience, but it's crucial for Ego's attempts to win Peter to his side. He needs to look the way Peter imagines his father to be and also be appealing to Quill's mother all those years ago. Even his choice to age his body to match how he might look was calculated, as there's no reason for the planet's auxiliary form to get wrinkles and gray hair.

Once those story details were worked out, a more human Ego emerged. This isn't the only early take on the character we've seen; at one point, a version of Matthew McConaughey as Ego was even drafted, before the actor passed on the project to do The Dark Tower. We've also seen early designs for Martinex, the crystal-skinned alien partner of Sylvester Stallone's Stakar.

It's not just concept art that's been revealed, either. Like with the first film, Gunn has shared the motion capture work he did for Groot's dance in the movie. Not only is it a fun look behind the scenes, but it shows just how dedicated Gunn is to his project. It's that level of involvement that's helped to push the franchise beyond other blockbuster films and is part of why Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has been so successful.

Next: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Almost Fixes Marvel’s Villain Problem

Source: Andy Park