Fans have been seeing the High Evolutionary — the antagonist of the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — since last summer’s San Diego Comic-Con. Only now, though, has director James Gunn revealed that the villain’s stunning look is the result of practical makeup.
If you’ve never seen Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji’s High Evolutionary, Gunn recently tweeted an image of him that shows the character’s unsettling mixture of what seems to be cybernetics and skin.
A Twitter user asked Gunn if the look was done with practical makeup, which the director confirmed, saying, “Totally.”
A few fans thought that Gunn might be joking or sarcastic, so Gunn confirmed that he wasn’t kidding and that Iwuji’s appearance in the movie was indeed entirely practical.
“In Marvel Studios Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days,” reads the synopsis. “Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is once again written and directed by James Gunn. MCU vets Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Sean Gunn, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel are returning to reprise their respective roles as Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Kraglin, Nebula, Mantis, Rocket, and Groot. The sequel will also include the introduction of franchise newcomers Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Maria Bakalova, who have signed on for the roles of Adam Warlock, the High Evolutionary, and Cosmo the Spacedog.