GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Concept Art Shows Terrifying Alternate Takes On Ego's Monstrous Final Form
At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Ego's true nature was revealed but this amazing new concept art from the sequel shows some very different takes on how he could have looked in the final act...
Avengers: Infinity War may not mention Star-Lord's team in the title but the Guardians of the Galaxy will play a big role in the battle against Thanos. Seeing them assemble alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes promises to be extremely satisfying and we're now taking a look back at Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a movie which firmly established this group's place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy introduced us to James Gunn's brilliant take on the group of A-Holes, the follow-up fleshed them out to an even greater extent and gave them new looks to boot.
However, that wasn't the only change in the world of the Guardians. The team was also introduced to new threats, one of who was revealed to be Star-Lord's father. Ego the Living Planet gained the trust of his son and then let his true motives be known when he announced his plans to take over the entire universe...literally! What followed was an epic final battle where we got to see the villain reveal his true form and unleash amazing abilities but it turns out that he could have looked very different.
What you'll find here is concept art showcasing these alternate takes on Ego and some of them really are the stuff of nightmares. In fact, it looks like Marvel had some very unusual ideas in mind for The Living Planet, including actors who weren't Kurt Russell. So, to check out this artwork, all you guys have to do is click on either one of the buttons for the full list and then share your thoughts below.
A Living Planet
The Ego we got in the sequel was pretty grounded in terms of appearance and the colours he wore were very muted. However, this version is a little zanier and is very much part of the planet's surface.
King Of The World
While Ego initially appeared to be quite humble, it seems the original plan was for him to deck himself out in more regal attire when his true nature was revealed and he looks every bit the villain here.
The Man Who Can't Be Beaten
Livid by the revelation that Ego murdered his mother, Star-Lord blasted him with his guns and here we see some of the thought that went into imagining how he was going to reform his body.
Ego Rebuilds Himself
Ego looks almost zombielike here as his body slowly regrows itself while we simultaneously get a glimpse inside what makes the Celestial so powerful in the first place from the glowing blue light.
A Glimpse Inside Ego
At quite a few points in the sequel, Ego rebuilds his body from nothing and here we get another look at the thought process that went into how that process was imagined by Marvel's concept artists.
This step by step process shows Ego's transformation from pure energy into the man that takes Peter Quill under his wing in a bid to manipulate the hero and then take over the entire universe.
A Familiar Face
This piece of concept art was clearly created after Kurt Russell was cast as Ego and while his face may be familiar, the way the villain reforms himself isn't. It's a great visual, though, and very unique.
The Messiah
Ego is essentially a god in this movie and the similarities to Jesus are pretty apparent here. The way he's forming both himself and the planet around him is pretty mind-boggling and visually distinctive.
Ego's Not Happy
Having clearly just been the recipient of some blaster shots from his son, Ego looks absolutely furious here as he starts to reform his body just moments before deciding Star-Lord will serve as a battery.
Who Needs Legs?
Making it clear that he's far from human, this incredible piece of artwork shows Ego rising from the ground as part planet, part man. It's haunting to look at and would have been cool to see on screen.
Wait, Is That Bryan Cranston?
Fans are desperate to see Bryan Cranston in a superhero movie and it looks like Marvel's talented team of concept artists had him in mind for the role of Ego in this zany looking shot from the sequel.
That's Quite A Party Trick
Seeing Ego rebuild himself was one of the freakiest things about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and while this take on that process is cool, seeing him start off as a walking nervous system was cooler!
The Planet Opens Up
This shot looks like it's been lifted from The Thing as we see Ego use his immeasurable power to crack open the surface of the planet and unleash some horrifying looking tendrils which may be lava.
The Force Unleashed
With the Guardians waging war on Ego, the villain needed to unleash his full might and he can be seen here using his planet to create what look like hands which rise from the ground beneath him.
The Monster Rises
Well, this is pretty f***ed up. Did Marvel plan on having Ego reveal his true, monstrous form at some point in the movie? It certainly seems that way and it would have been downright terrifying, clearly.
The Living Planet Attacks
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 showed Ego unleashing the full might of his planet-sized powers in some interesting ways but this artwork shows that he could have done so in even more unique ways!
Another Familiar Face
Michael Fassbender is, of course, best known for playing Magneto but it looks like Marvel's concept artists considered bringing him to the MCU because the similarity to the actor here is striking.