Early ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Concept Art Reveals Much Different Look for Groot

Groot’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut came in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, with the character immediately capturing the hearts of audiences and becoming a fan-favorite character in the shared universe. Charlie Wen, a concept artist for Marvel Studios, recently shared a much more humanoid version of the character.

As evidenced by the art and by Wen’s comments, this was a much more human look for the character, leaning into a more humanoid anatomy.

The image of Rocket in the concept art looks quite similar to the final product, yet the design of Groot reflected a more blocky exterior in the film, with the above concept giving off a more intimidating presence that feels reminiscent of DC Comics’ Swamp Thing.

One of the more interesting elements of designing Groot is that, compared to many other heroes in the MCU, Groot has looked slightly different with each movie appearance. Groot appeared as an adult in the first film, as a toddler in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and as an adolescent in Avengers: Infinity War. Having been a victim of Thanos’ deadly snap in the last Avengers film, it’s unclear how Groot will appear in Avengers: Endgame.

Unfortunately, whatever appearance Groot might have in Endgame will have to hold fans over indefinitely, as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has been delayed for the time being.

Last summer, writer/director James Gunn was fired from Disney after alt-right bloggers brought offensive jokes from his past up to the surface, which included remarks about pedophilia and rape. Despite firing Gunn as director of the sequel, the plan was to still use his script, forcing the studio to find a new filmmaker to help bring the project to life.

Production on the film was to begin this February, though the quest for a replacement director proved challenging, with Disney delaying its 2020 release indefinitely.

Other than various reports and unverified rumors, there is no official word on who will helm the film or a timeline of when it could come to fruition. A prevailing theory is that a potential third film will utilize an all-new team of heroes, which could allow a new filmmaker to put their own stamp on the team of heroes.

Stay tuned for details on the future of the MCU.

What do you think about this concept art of Groot? Let us know in the comments below!