Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary Gets Comic-Accurate Look In MCU Concept Art
Director James Gunn and the minds at Marvel Studios put together an emotional end to the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy in 2023. The third "Guardians" film sees the titular team of space-faring heroes in a race against time to save the life of their beloved companion, Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper). All the while, the presence of the twisted and menacing High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) looms large as he attempts to get Rocket back in his custody for his nefarious gain. To match his threatening aura, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's take on the character looks uncanny, to say the least, but he's far from comic-accurate.
For those seeking a design more in line with the Marvel Comics version of the High Evolutionary, you're in luck. Artist Andy Park on Instagram shared a concept of Iwuji's big screen villain that's more in line with his print counterpart. The dark blues and purples of the "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" design are replaced with comic-inspired hues of magenta and silver. The most noticeable change here is in the face, with Park's art depicting a more robotic take on the character's head compared to the flesh mask he wears over his disfigured face seen in the final film.
While this alternate design is undeniably impressive and visually striking, at the end of the day, the one that made it to the silver screen is the right one for the story at hand.
In a different story, this High Evolutionary design would be perfect
It's always special seeing hero and villain looks in the MCU that are near-perfect translations of their comic renditions. The likes of Captain America (Anthony Mackie), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), to name a few, sport incredibly comic-accurate costumes in recent projects, and fans seem to love it. The High Evolutionary would've joined this camp had this concept art made it into "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," but for the story the film tells, his final look is far more fitting. It all comes down to one of the film's central themes: humanity.
What does it mean to be human? Is it purely visual, or is it how one interacts with others and the world around them? Though he's a genetically engineered raccoon, Rocket is as human as anyone because of the bonds he's created and the impact he's had on others. Meanwhile, the High Evolutionary wears a human face, but he's cold, unfeeling, and unrelenting in his pursuit of perfection. He knows no love or meaningful relationships, only his desire to achieve his goals. Thus, a more robotic, comic-accurate design would've been a disservice to this idea. Without a human face, the contrast between the High Evolutionary's appearance and personality — as well as the contrast between him and Rocket — would've been less visually distinct.
With the High Evolutionary still alive at the end of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," perhaps the character will reemerge down the line with a look that resembles his Marvel Comics inspiration.