Marvel Concept Art Gives Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster A Comics-Accurate Look
In between a rock monster handing out leaflets for a rebellion and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) getting back in touch with a friend from work, one of the true scene stealers from "Thor: Ragnarok" was and always will be Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster. A flourishing hand here and a mild chuckle to himself there is all the icon needed to add his own spin to a character that could've easily been another one-note villain. However, there was a point in The Grandmaster's conception when the kooky levels could've been raised even higher if Jackson Sze's original designs had come to pass.
Posting the concept on Instagram, Sze said, "One of my first takes on The GrandMaster. My co-worker @constantinesekeris did the final design you see in the film. When doing the first designs for existing characters, we always look to the comic sources first." It certainly shows that Sze returned to where it all began with his design, thanks to the blue skin and slender frame of The Grandmaster, which was in line with the character who debuted in "Avengers" #69. Of course, when it came to the final product, the character certainly appeared as more Goldblum than Grandmaster, albeit for a few minute details that make up his brilliant addition to the MCU.
Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster still had some subtle details from the original
As mentioned by Jackson Sze, the final design from Constantine Sekeris that got the green light wasn't as alien as the original Grandmaster from the comics. Revealed in the latter's designs also on Instagram, the final version did have the prominent gold color that he was often seen wearing in the comics, but his blue skin was minimalized right down to the small goatee-like strip going down his chin. The adjustment was also from Taika Waititi doing his star a solid and avoiding him going through an experience he'd already had years before.
Speaking to IGN about the character in 2017, Waititi explained that the reason why the blue makeup wasn't broken out was "Because he [Goldblum] did another movie where he was blue," referring to the 1988 sci-fi flop that's still worth checking out, "Earth Girls Are Easy," and that switching to a more Smurf-like appearance might detract from the character. The decision paid off, and we thankfully got Goldblum in full form, throwing sass at the god of thunder and applying the Melt Stick on close relatives. We wouldn't have him any other way.