There's plenty to love about Thor: Ragnarok, but one of the things that went over big with fans was just how comic book-y the film was. From the set design to the costumes, everything looked like it stepped right off the pages of an action-packed issue. It's nuts, then, to see what production was only considering using in the film, such as this alternate take on Thor's gladiator costume. It's far from the relatively simple design used in the movie, and it makes Thor almost unrecognizable. Check it out below.
If I hadn't told you beforehand that was Thor, then you probably wouldn't have made instant recognition. This concept art design for Thor's gladiator costume comes from Aleksi Briclot, who shared his work on his Instagram account. The artist noted that the design was "early exploration" and that it was meant to invoke the work of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby, who drew some real bonkers stuff back in the day. The Kirby inspiration was a specific request from director Taika Waititi, who peppered his film with Kirby-esque designs.
The concept art is certainly a departure from the typical Thor look. The movie's finished gladiator costume was pretty much just Thor with a helmet and haircut, so it's wild to see what was on the drawing table. The only thing that invokes the essential Thor aesthetic are the six dots along the chest. I'm not saying that this makes for a bad design overall, but I can see why they ultimately skewed to something more recognizable.
For those who may not know, Jack Kirby was a comic book artist responsible for drawing and co-creating some of the most iconic superheroes, especially on the Marvel side. He had a hand in creating Thor, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and the X-Men, as well as Darkseid and the New Gods over at DC. Kirby had a tumultuous history with both publishers, never quite getting the credit he deserved (which is the case for many comic book writers and artists), but he's ultimately been recognized for his work. Cosmic fantasy was his specialty, and he was not simple or subtle in his approach, as he can see below.
The work of Jack Kirby aside, Thor: Ragnarok is an all-around entertaining movie no matter what Chris Hemsworth is wearing. You can next see Thor -- perhaps for the last time -- in Avengers 4, which is due to arrive in theaters on May 3, 2019. To learn more about the movie, here's everything we know so far.
