New Avengers: Endgame concept art shows off surprise death for one Marvel character

Related Articles

Barry Allen as Mad Max and Batman heats up The Flash #784

July 15, 2022

Get a look inside Augusts milestone Daredevil #650

July 15, 2022

A new Spider UK takes the spotlight in Edge of Spider-Verse #2

July 14, 2022

Marvel Phase 4 (opens in new tab)may be just around the corner, but some hidden secrets are re-surfacing from last year’s big MCU send-off. Previously-unseen Avengers: Endgame (opens in new tab) concept art has shown a different demise for a Marvel hero – in particularly brutal fashion.

Stephen Schirle, who worked at Marvel Studios as a concept artist from 2016-2018 according to his LinkedIn profile (opens in new tab), shared some Endgame artwork on his Instagram profile (opens in new tab) (H/T ComicBook.com (opens in new tab)).

In it, Corvus Glaive, one of the trusted members of Thanos’ Black Order, spears Nick Fury through the chest from behind. Ouch. It’s safe to assume the ex-director of S.H.I.E.L.D would’ve met his end there and then.

Concept art for Avengers End Game. stephen schirle (opens in new tab)

A photo posted by @szerrrikxs on Feb 14, 2020 at 9:04pm PST

It certainly hints at a fresh, unused direction that Marvel ultimately decided not to go in. Not only did Nick Fury not participate in the Battle of Earth outside Avengers HQ after being brought back from The Snap, he also didn’t die again having already been dusted during the Infinity War post-credits scene.

There’s a small chance the fight with Glaive was also the plan for Avengers: Infinity War, but Schirle’s caption says otherwise.

Aside from the shocking Endgame death, Schirle’s Instagram feed is a treasure trove of small glimpses at an MCU future that never was. There’s even an internal struggle between Bruce Banner and his monstrous green alter-ego, Hulk. Instead, we got Hulk dabbing in a diner.

Marvel alumni have certainly been forthcoming about the ideas that were kicked around pre-production. They now range from the impossibly weird – Thanos beheading Captain America (opens in new tab) – to the downright impossible (Samuel L. Jackson losing a fight). What other secrets are lying in Marvel’s vaults, just waiting to be discovered?

Relive the MCU’s greatest moments with our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order. (opens in new tab)