The baby supervillain is definitely not as cute as Baby Yoda.
It's safe to say that Baby Yoda is something of an A-list celeb at the moment. The internet has gone wild over how cute the concept art is for the The Mandalorian, and we think he might be the most adorable creature in the galaxy.
But there's been a new birth to celebrate – Baby Thanos has entered the world of concept art. Will Baby Yoda have to share the red carpet? (See our tips to great character design if you want to get on there too). In case you haven't encountered Thanos before, he's a villain (or antihero, to some) who inhabits the Marvel universe.
(Image credit: Ian Joyner/Disney)
Ian Joyner (a regular Marvel concept artist) created this official, unused Baby Thanos concept art, and it might be one of the most confusing things we have ever seen. The artwork itself is stunning, it's not that, but we can't work what it's instilling in us. It's certainly not a straightforward cute-factor situation, like the one Baby Yoda elicited.
First, the chubby baby cheeks. Definitely melt-worthy and you do want to give them a little squeeze, for sure. And the shape of Baby Thanos' head makes you want to lean in and smell that baby smell. But then your eyes rest on his eyes and you realise: SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT HERE.
Aptly, for a being who wants to eliminate half the universe, there's a look shining out of those peepers that is not cuddly and warm. Now we wouldn't want to judge the intentions of a baby, but we can see the power in his expression, and we're not quite comfortable with it.
The eyes aren't quite as intense from this angle and it definitely changes how we feel about Baby Thanos (Image credit: Disney)
Baby Thanos is a stunning piece of concept art and it makes us kind of sad that he won't be used in the actual movie. According to the recent MCU book, which has an 'Unused Concepts' section, Marvel edited out a Thanos backstory from Infinity Wars. It would have shown Thanos' life journey right from the beginning. That would have meant a glimpse of, not just Baby Thanos, but Toddler Thanos and Teenage Thanos, too.
Unsurprisingly, it can't all be about the cuteness factor here. Thanos is a complex character and Baby Thanos throws up a lot of questions about his life. It does show that he was malformed from birth, and it makes us wonder if he was actually born with villain-like tendencies or if we are just imagining that look in his eyes.
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We hope this concept art inspires some fan renditions, like this creepy Joker, as we'd love to see more baby character art in the future.
Georgia has worked on Creative Bloq since 2018, and has been the site's Editor since 2023. With a specialism in branding and design, Georgia is also Programme Director of CB's award scheme – the Brand Impact Awards. As well as immersing herself with the industry through attending events like Adobe Max and the D&AD Awards and steering the site's content streams, Georgia has an eye on new commercial opportunities and ensuring they reflect the needs and interests of creatives.
