Major spoilers for The Marvels lie ahead, be sure to read on at your own risk.
The Marvels – the latest installment in the gargantuan Marvel Cinematic Universe – focused squarely on the alliance forged by Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) and Monica Rambeau. However, like countless MCU films before it, the movie also featured a major tease for the future of the franchise. The mid-credits scene featured an appearance from a beloved member of the X-Men and, if you’re like me, you were probably shook by it. Now, one of the film’s artists has shared some alternate looks for the character, and they’re too perfect.
At the end of the film, a newly energized Monica Rambeau used her abilities to close a hole in space-time opened by the villainous Dar-Benn. Her act of heroism was successful, but it also resulted in her being stranded in a parallel universe. The Marvels’ end-credits scene later showed Monica waking up in a medical bay, where she met the X-Man Binary (a variant of her mother, Maria) as well as Dr. Hank McCoy – a.k.a. Beast. And if that weren’t exciting enough, Kelsey Grammer reprised the role of McCoy. Andy Park, Marvel Studios’ director of visual development, has since taken to Instagram to share some of the designs he played with for Hank. You can see a couple of the images below:
I absolutely love what Andy Park was going for, as his designs really pay homage to Beast’s appearance in the iconic animated X-Men TV show that aired in the ‘90s. The character’s glasses as well as the two protruding teeth are very nice touches. In the film, Dr. McCoy also appears in a medical jacket, and Park shared other pieces in which he imagined what the character would look like in his attire. Check them out:
Since Hank’s conception in 1963, comic book writers and artists have always played with the fact that while he’s one of the most primal mutants around, he’s also an intelligent and dignified character. As a result, there are many occasions on which he wears normal attire. That was also the case when it came to his appearances in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand as well as 2014’s Days of Future Past. In this fan’s humble opinion, the hero’s appearance in this latest MCU movie is one the most comic-accurate looks ever put to film.
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The hype for the character’s return to the big screen seems to be real, but there’s still the matter of whether he’ll actually pop up in upcoming Marvel movies. On that note, Kelsey Grammer addressed his MCU future just recently, and his sentiments should give fans reason to be optimistic. The 68-year-old actor declared that he could “say with a certain amount of confidence” that audiences will see him play this new variation of the beloved character again. Additionally, it sounds like Grammer is quite eager to embody the mutant again, calling him “an extraordinary character” and one that possesses “gravitas.”
This high-profile cameo seems to mark the beginning of the X-Men’s long-awaited arrival in Marvel Studios’ shared universe. By now, most probably know that Deadpool 3 is set to feature Wolverine (complete with his yellow costume), who will once again be played by Hugh Jackman. And let’s not forget that Patrick Stewart reprised his role as an alternate version of Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. These gradual appearances from high-profile characters paired with Kamala Khan’s own status as a mutant seem to indicate that the X-team could be major players moving forward.
Speculation on their exact roles and when they might show up in their entirety will probably continue until some official announcements are made. What I’m just going to do right now, though, is marvel (no pun intended) at the greatness that is Beast’s design as well as Andy Park’s alternative looks for him. Let’s hope we won’t have to wait too long before we check in with the character again.
The Marvels – one of the most talked-about titles on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases – is now playing in theaters. You can also stream past Marvel movies, including the ones in the X-Men franchise, using a Disney+ subscription.
