We’ve had an adorable raft of concept art for little Baby Groot and chatter of a sixth, mysterious post-credits scene, but the latest Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 tidbit circles back to the sequel’s genesis to reveal an alternate design for Mantis, Pom Klementieff’s socially oblivious clairvoyant.
Raised under the looming shadow of Ego, the Living Planet – Kurt Russell plays the humanoid version of said deity – Mantis turns out to be a welcome addition to the fold, and her dynamic with Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) is arguably one of the film’s many highlights.
But now that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is playing in theaters across the globe (our review), Screen Rant has uncovered a new piece of concept that shifts the spotlight away from Baby Groot (for shame!) and directs it toward Pom Klementieff’s Mantis. Christian Cordella is the artist behind the fantastical design, which portrays Mantis in a more naturalistic, bug-like form. The lime-green costume is perhaps the biggest difference from the design that made the final cut, and you can thank Judianna Makovsky – a Marvel Studios mainstay after work across The Winter Soldier and Civil War – for the alternate look.
Per Screen Rant:
Between its strong domestic debut ($168 million) and overseas haul ($285 million), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has undoubtedly hit the ground running when it comes to box office numbers. Critically, it’s a similar story, with many reviews declaring James Gunn’s sequel to be a wildly entertaining thrill ride – warts and all. One thing’s for sure: it certainly tees up the third and potentially final chapter of Star-Lord and Co. overly well, and Marvelites can look forward to Gunn’s space-faring A-holes adopting a supporting role in Avengers: Infinity War next year.