2005's Fantastic Four film was a disappointment, but a big enough success that 20th Century Fox moved forward with a sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, two years later.
Doctor Doom played a prominent role in both instalments, with Julian McMahon taking on the role of the team's greatest foe. However, concept art shared by Ryan Unicomb reveals that an early idea was to head down the body horror route with the character rather than using the classic armor.
"Back before Julian McMahon took over the role, Nicholas Cage had been cast as Doctor Doom for 2005's Fantastic Four," the artist explains. "The production team decided to approach Cage after a concept artist used the likeness of singer Marilyn Manson for some of their pieces. At the time, the project was considerably darker & Doom’s look was definitely walking a line between PG13 & R."
This design is a huge departure from the comics, and one that would have probably fit in well in the 2005 film. Director Tim Story would eventually decide to stick a little closer to the villain's classic look, but Doom's portrayal was one that disappointed fans for a whole host of different reasons.
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