Marvel's Doctor Strange had a much scarier, grimmer concept art for the movie's villains. Doctor Strange was the 14th film in the MCU with the titular character being played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The story followed Dr. Stephen Strange going through a progressive transformation from a cocky surgeon to a master of the mystic arts. The lesser-known property of Marvel was seen as a welcomed branching out and introduced fans to a new realm of mystical beings.

While Strange goes up against Dormammu in the final act of the film, the main enemy Strange ends up at odds with are Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen). Kaecilius was another master of the mystic arts but turned against the Ancient One in the search for more power. He and his followers, called Zealots, were a huge part of the film, but they almost looked a lot different.

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The original artwork comes from Jerad Marantz, who made the original pieces while working for Marvel's visual development team on Doctor Strange. His art details a grim, scary iteration of the zealot enemy that never made the final cut of Doctor Strange. Marantz's creations certainly provide the horror aspect that he was aiming for, but the final results of the villains are toned down for a family-friendly audience that Marvel typically aims for. The design can be seen below:

Having original artwork scrapped for a Marvel feature is not a new concept. With plenty of designs not making the final cut but contributing to the overall vision of the film, Maranzt's work does not go unfulfilled. Trial and error is a fundamental part of concept art, especially for films such as Doctor Strange where artists are dealing with otherworldly figures. A familiar theme of toning down the horror elements from the original art is also seen from Marantz's early creations of Dormammu. Without initial creative depictions, complete products would likely result in uninventive character designs.

The nightmarish designs from Marantz's work are full of creativity and mystical possibility. Dedicated fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have yet to experience a film with strong horror elements but within the world of the mystic arts, frightening creatures fit the bill very well. Being that Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled to be released in 2022, creepier and more unnerving art similar to Marantz's would have a better chance of appearing than it did in Doctor Strange. With director Sam Raimi hopping on to direct, the upcoming sequel leaves many opportunities in the realms of creativity and horror to be explored. This will be a perfect adventure to witness the style of Marantz's designs thrive.

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Source: Jerad Marantz