Phil Saunders is a conceptual, industrial and automotive designer, production illustrator, director and storyboard artist that has most recently been Marvel's go-to-artist for
Iron Man,
The Avengers, and of course the upcoming blockbuster,
Iron Man 3. You can view his terrific artistic contributions for Joss Whedon's
The Avengers by clicking
here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here, or
here.
If you can remember, just last month I posted
Superman: Flyby artwork that was created by
Harald Belker, which you can view by
clicking here. Over the course of a major project, like a
Superman film, it isn't uncommon to have several production designer come in, and put together their own art department. So when Arthur Max's art department went down (with Harald Belker), Owen Patterson was brought in, and he added Phil Saunders to his art department. As you'll see, Phil worked on some of the same concepts that Harald did, but had different takes.
Superman: Flyby - Kal El Pod
"The first job was to design the pod that baby Kal-El crash lands at the Kent Farm with (and flies back to Krypton in at the end... you'd have to read the script.)" - Phil Saunders
"This one was my favorite version. I like the engine concept. Going to have to use that on something else. " - P.S.
"This was the design that Owen Patterson finally approved. He was looking for something as simple as possible, with no visible external signs of technology. Like a chrome teardrop. Of course, "Flight of the Navigator" was never mentioned. Ever." - Phil Saunders
"The challenge with this one of course was to come up with an interior concept that would accommodate both a baby and fully grown Kryptonian. So I came up with a baby seat. Krypton style." - Phil Saunders
Click Here To See More Images Of Kal El's Pod
Superman: Flyby - Kata-Zor Pod
Kata-Zor Pod - "In J.J. Abrams' script, Superman's Uncle Ty-Zor sent his soldiers to Earth from Krypton to hunt him down. This would have been one of the pods his soldiers arrived in." - P.S.
Early Concepts
Final Design
Interior
Superman: Flyby - The Rouser
"The highlight of the project was Superman's cousin Kata-Zor's giant battle mech. The film climaxed with an epic battle between Superman and this Kryptonian battle pod." - Phil Saunders
"These were some early concepts that were rightfully rejected as too "chicken-like," but I enjoyed envisioning some alternative weapon configurations." Phil Saunders
"This was the final design. The Rouser needed to start out as a flying battle pod before the legs folded down for walking mode." - Phil
"Two versions of the interior. Production designer Owen Patterson wanted to represent Kryptonian technology as a backlit glowing green energy. The Mech would be controlled by a motion control scanner that would translate the pilots motions into movement." - P.S.
"When it was considered that the vfx and wirework required for the zero-G gyroscope would be too expensive for every shot, I had to come up with an alternative design that could be achieved practically." - P.S.
And last, but not least, in the past Phil posted one image from the climactic battle between Superman and The Rouser. Phil's description of the epic confrontation, "The battle ends when Superman flies circumnavigates the globe before the Rouser can turn around, building up enough momentum to fly through the battle pod."
Click Here To See MORE Art Of The Rouser
STORY: Young PRINCE KAL-EL is rocketed to Earth in an effort for Jor-El to allow Kal-El to fufill the prophecy of being the chosen Kryptonian to end a century old Civil War.
On Earth Kal-El is found by the KENTS a kindly couple who's hopes were to be parents. After surviving the years Kal-El now Clark Kent's life is shown through a series of scenes showcasing his life before Superman which leads right up to the moment he meets Lois Lane at a Metropolis College. All the while the young TY-ZOR Cousin to Clark Kent goes from Planet to Planet in search of his Cousin in hopes of killing him and crushing the war. When he arrives to Earth he discovers his Cousin has become SUPERMAN Earth's greatest protector and the two engage in a battle for the Earth it self. - CBM's Robert Garlen
Ain't It Cool News Breakdown Of JJ Abrams' Script