Avengers: Endgame (2018) - Alternate War Machine Mk VI Concepts

Originally in Avengers: Endgame, Rhodey and Nebula were meant to share an intimate moment of closeness. The scene was shot, and late in post-production the production realized that as shot, the bulky design chosen for War Machine's Mk 6 suit (the one that eventually became Iron Patriot Mk 2) would not fit as the actors were too close together. So long after I'd wrapped on the show, I was called in to design an additional suit that Rhodey would be wearing for the bulk of the film. As I was already booked on another production, I only had a week to devote to the project, and quickly worked up four alternative concepts, of which one was chosen and finished up by my friend and colleague Rodney Fuentebella.

The design had to be much more close-fitting than previous designs to fit into the shot, so I went for a much more streamlined aesthetic.

At one point we were considering this as an "undersuit" to Adi Granov's original Mk5 design, and something that could transform or bulk up to its final form, so I tried to channel Adi's unique form language into something that would be a natural fit.

At one point we were considering this as an "undersuit" to Adi Granov's original Mk5 design, and something that could transform or bulk up to its final form, so I tried to channel Adi's unique form language into something that would be a natural fit.

Color block-in. I was trying to match Adi's bold, starkly shadowed silhouettes.

Color block-in. I was trying to match Adi's bold, starkly shadowed silhouettes.

Given the lack of time, I searched for earlier work I could quickly adapt. One of my alternate designs for Iron Man Mk 46 had very War Machine-like forms, so I reworked it into this proposal.

Given the lack of time, I searched for earlier work I could quickly adapt. One of my alternate designs for Iron Man Mk 46 had very War Machine-like forms, so I reworked it into this proposal.

The most streamlined of the bunch. It's always good to show the extreme, at least in order to eliminate it.

The most streamlined of the bunch. It's always good to show the extreme, at least in order to eliminate it.

First process step, in this case a quick line drawing. I usually start with a silhouette block-in, but in this case the break-ups were driving the idea.

First process step, in this case a quick line drawing. I usually start with a silhouette block-in, but in this case the break-ups were driving the idea.

Next step, roughing in values and color break-up, and blocking in a background.

Next step, roughing in values and color break-up, and blocking in a background.