Thunderbolts* was one in all three new Marvel films launched on the 2025 film launch calendar, and it was an enormous collaborative effort between hundreds of individuals made the film occur. And just like the MCU films earlier than it, blockbusters like this bear tons of modifications all through manufacturing. It’s at all times fascinating to see what shifts had been made alongside the way in which for these movies, and a few new early paintings for The Void reveals an much more chilling imaginative and prescient of the villain. SPOILERS forward.
One main spotlight of the film is Lewis Pullman’s Bob Reynolds, who the Thunderbolts* unexpectedly meet throughout their preliminary mission. When Valentina Allegra de Fontaine will get ahold of the superpowered man and tries to show him right into a superhero named Sentry, it doesn’t go as deliberate. He doesn’t comply and Valentina tries to make use of the “kill change” on Bob. As a substitute, it creates a brand new alter ego referred to as The Void, which is the embodiment of despair and traps everybody in his path of their traumas and insecurities. Try one model of The Void that was finally scrapped:
This paintings of The Void comes from Marvel’s newest The Artwork Of guide for Thunderbolts*, formally hitting bookshelves subsequent week. X’s @belovabolts posted a thread of pictures from the guide after they obtained their copy early, and was particularly excited to share this defunct iteration of The Void that’s extra fiery pink than a easy shadow of himself. Right here’s one other:
Isn’t it wild how the imaginative and prescient for a personality can change a lot over time? Personally, I just like the simplicity of Bob turning into a shadow within the remaining model greater than these idea pictures, but it surely’s a extremely terrifying rendition. These items of artwork from the film positively painting a extra menacing adaptation of the character that may have been fascinating to see on display screen as properly. However followers additionally make level that this model of The Void seems to be dangerously like Vecna from Stranger Issues. Maybe that’s why Marvel finally went a unique route.
These various variations of The Void reminds us how a lot thought and tough drafts are in Marvel films earlier than we see the ultimate product. Thunderbolts* has been praised for being the most effective Marvel film of 2025 (try our Thunderbolts* assessment), with Lewis Pullman’s Sentry distinctive and layered storyline being one of the vital in style excessive factors from audiences. Nonetheless, as a result of it made simply $382.4 million worldwide, becoming a member of the bottom grossing MCU films, it was not thought of to be successful.
Thunderbolts* simply grew to become accessible to stream with a Disney+ subscription this week after the ending made its crew of misfit vigilantes official members of the Avengers. The solid is formally set to reprise their roles with the launch of Avengers: Doomsday subsequent, which is popping out in December 2026.