Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, like a lot of MCU movies, introduced a cute sidekick in the form of Morris, a cuddly creature from the mystical land of Ta Lo who befriended Trevor Slattery while he was being held captive by the real Mandarin.
Now, thanks to the new Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Art Of The Movie book (via The Direct), we have a first look at some of the alternate designs that were considered for Morris.
The filmmakers ultimately went with an adorable, if slightly bizarre-looking take on the furry little fella, but this artwork spotlights several far more muscular, intimidating versions.
“I wanted to create something that was on the cuter side," notes Concept illustrator John Staub. "Something that looks like it would be a good companion on their quest. I referenced a lot of small, real-life creatures, but expression on a faceless creature was one of the challenges."
Fellow artist Tully Summers had a different idea in mind, however.
"The script had all these fun moments where he fights alongside our heroes, so my initial Morris designs were intended to be imposing and formidable. [I] incorporated the dangerous claws and powerful musculature from predatory cats. As production eventually shifted Morris into a cuter, more cuddly character, I played with brighter colors and fur to try to soften him up.”
Check out some of the designs below, and let us know if you would have preferred any of these over the version we saw in the movie.
Will we see Morris in the MCU again? We know that a Shang-Chi sequel is in development, so we'd say it's a pretty safe bet.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.