Although Angelina Jolie needs no Marvel movie to maintain relevancy, the sheer joy among fans was undeniable when she made her entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as an Eternal warrior. Being a living, breathing ethereal being herself, Jolie requires no justification to portray a similar character on screen, especially when the character exudes a regal aura akin to if not more than, her own. Consequently, when the first look of the actress as the warrior Thena was unveiled, fans went crazy, and rightly so.
However, it appears that the splendid white armor suit was the outcome of a lengthy decision-making journey. The creators nearly opted for a version featuring green spandex. The Marvel Studios’ Eternals: The Art Of The Movie book revealed several rejected ideas and character drawings for this role, any of which could have potentially taken the stoplight.
Angelina Jolie’s Thena Almost Wore a Green Spandex Costume in Eternals
Even though Angelina Jolie’s character eventually radiated in a bright white regal costume, her superhero attire underwent a fascinating array of designs, incorporating a diverse range of color palettes and styles reminiscent of various ancient civilizations. Here are some of the rejected costumes that the creators initially envisioned the character donning.
Firstly, there was a sap-green-colored, spandex-like suit that fully cloaked her body, featuring extended sleeves that seamlessly aligned with her combat technique, affording her unrestricted mobility.
Following that was the shimmering gold ensemble, noticeably weightier than the attire she eventually donned. A glance at the sketches hints at the apparent inspiration drawn from historical warriors of our own world for most of these outfits.
The third iteration involves a variation of the previously showcased attire, featuring crimson robe-like extensions that gracefully adorn her form. These flowing additions add an extra dimension of elegance and movement to her character’s aesthetic, encapsulating a fusion of regality and as well as power in her appearance.
Taking a significant departure, the subsequent design transports the fans to the realm of ancient Rome, evoking thoughts of a Grecian goddess. Her shoulders are left bare, while she exudes an aura of fierceness, draped in a voluminous red robe that encapsulates her commanding presence.
Moving along, the following design boldly shifts the color palette from a mere touch of red to a lot of purple. The cause for its rejection is crystal clear here, while the flowing robes and flares undoubtedly lend her an impeccable appearance, engaging in combat while donning such an ensemble would prove an exceedingly challenging task.
While it may appear somewhat unfinished, the subsequent sketch introduces a notable detail absent in the previous designs, a short-haired portrayal of Thena. Despite the potential ease in combat, Jolie effortlessly carries her lustrous locks even during intense battles.
The subsequent design might strike a chord of familiarity for many viewers, perhaps a touch too familiar, as the attire appeared to draw inspiration from the essence of Wonder Woman’s iconic look. But perhaps this design was the closest of all to what she finally wore at the movie.
The choices presented were definitely intriguing. It is now observed that the color palette underwent a notable shift, which initially contained shades of gold, green, purple, and red to serene white. Amidst this array of options, several strong contenders emerged, making it fascinating to contemplate the alternate paths the character could have taken.
Thena’s Costume Was Entirely CGI
During an interview with Comicbook.com, Matt Aitken, the visual effects supervisor at Weta Digital for Eternals, revealed that the ensembles worn by Thena were entirely brought to life through CGI. He said,
“Thena, when she’s in her superhero suit, it’s always entirely CG. She’s a CG from the neck down, because the suit design changed in post-production. Getting her body performance so that it had that iconic aspect to it, they’ve cast Angelina Jolie for a reason. And part of that is that she has a way of moving that’s almost like a dancer.”
This occurrence was a result of substantial design alterations that transpired during the post-production phase. These changes were so significant that the only viable course of action was to resort to CGI for bringing the character’s attire to fruition. Hence, the masters of their field skillfully ensured that the audience remained entirely unaware of this detail. The execution was seamless, making a substantial contribution to the movie’s captivating visual effects.
Eternals is currently available on Disney+ to stream.
Source: Marvel Studios’ Eternals: The Art Of The Movie Book (via The Direct)
