In November of 2022 I received an offer to begin development on the phase five finale of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts*.  It was to have a more scrappy feel than the previous marvel films that I had worked on which was a welcomed change.  I flew out to Burbank to begin pre-production and early design work with the Production Designer Grace Yun, and Supervising  Art Director Rory Bruen.  One of the first things I was tasked with was the scenic design and illustrations for the suite of paramilitary OXE vehicles that would be featured.  Several of the illustrations shown here are featured in the book Marvel Studios Art of: Thunderbolts*.

One of the biggest challenges for me on this film was the continual design and redesign of various civilian and military vehicles due to the many sponsorships and stakeholders that were involved in the process.  One day a potential sponsor may back out of the project and two more jump in to take their place with different brand considerations or design parameters around the chassis of their vehicle.  It certainly kept us on our toes.  One sponsor may be more than happy to give us a vehicle that we can disassemble or alter as we see fit while another may want the vehicle back in the same condition we received it after we are done shooting.

Marvel’s Thunderbolts marked a bold and refreshing shift in the MCU, praised for its darker tone, strong ensemble cast, and character-driven storytelling. In this regard, the film was a success.  It received an 88% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 93% audience approval, reflecting its strong reception among both fans and critics. It boasted a worldwide box office total of $382 million.  Thunderbolts nearly doubled its production budget and succeeded in generating buzz as a crucial narrative bridge into the future of the Marvel brand.