Doctor Strange 2 fans left shocked after discovering Black Bolts costume was CGI

Publish date: 2024-09-01

Modern movie effects and CGI are amazing. They can bring the audience’s wildest dreams to the screen in a way that is indistinguishable from reality. Because of this, it is often hard to tell what is CGI and what is a physical prop. And today, fans of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness realized that a very clever piece of CGI went unnoticed. Despite it being right in front of them. 

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced Black Bolt to the MCU. Portrayed by Anson Mount, the character wears a distinctive suit with heavy armor plates and a detailed silver inlay. However, despite looking like a physical costume at first glance the outfit is actually entirely CGI. This was revealed to many people when Twitter user HailEternal posted a tweet showing behind-the-scenes footage of Black Bolt with the caption “THE SUIT WAS FULLY CGI?!”

THE SUIT WAS FULLY CGI?! pic.twitter.com/GXU7EHsdUE

— ︎ ً (@HailEternal) June 23, 2022

The tweet quickly went viral, acquiring over 3000 retweets, 75,000 likes, and over 1000 quote retweets. Some responses were slightly confused by the revelation, wondering why Marvel opted to use CGI for the character rather than an actual physical suit. 

One user said: “Still, why even go through the trouble of constantly rendering the suit and paying millions more than just getting a real practical suit? It just seems unnecessary.”

The CGI looks great and didn't even notice. Still, why even go through the trouble of constantly rendering the suit and paying millions more than just getting a real practical suit? It just seems unnecessary.

— FilmFan (@morenol_1990) June 24, 2022

Other replies to the thread were much less shocked, with some users noting that they always suspected the suit was CGI rather than physical. One user said that they could “really tell. It looks great in some scenes but his eyes and face look weird in others.”

I rewatched it on Disney plus and you can really tell. It looks great in some scenes but his eyes and face look weird in others.

— Cris 🇨🇦🇨🇱 (@CristianAlexPer) June 23, 2022

One user wracked up over 6000 likes for a meme poking fun at the sheer number of people who responded in this manner. 

"I knew it all along, it was so obvious" pic.twitter.com/KWvZY1YZ6K

— Star-Spider (@switcherspider) June 24, 2022

Some people jumped into the thread to argue why exactly Marvel made this choice. Many pointed out that the Illuminati scenes may have been filmed later on or during COVID, making it harder to get actors fitted for physical suits. One Twitter user argued that: “I think it’s because they filmed most of the Illuminati scenes during covid so they didn’t have time for fittings or it was unsafe at the time so they just decided to use CGI for the suit.”

I think it’s because they filmed most of the Illuminati scenes during covid so they didn’t have time for fittings or it was unsafe at the time so they just decided to use cgi for the suit

— kevo (@wiccanssock) June 23, 2022

Of course, with any viral thread, memes are sure to quickly follow. And one user decided to combine the widespread joke about the MCU not using practical effects with a fun riff on a Dr. Doofenshmirtz meme, proudly declaring it a “list of Marvel’s best recent practical effects.”

list of Marvel's best recent practical effects pic.twitter.com/iA6hTPyAHf

— they call me max (Hou Chronicle contributor) (@SteveNashPyt) June 24, 2022

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