In a recent interview with Variety, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige claimed the company has never begun shooting a movie "without a full script," but he was also candid that those scripts evolve during filming. "Avengers: Doomsday," due out next year, has been filming for months, but the script is apparently still being tinkered with.
A recent Marvel movie that clearly changed a lot during its making was "Captain America: Brave New World." That wasn't even the movie's original title; it was announced
as "Captain America: New World Order," but the title was discarded in June 2023. (The title had gotten backlash because "New World Order" is a phrase often used by antisemitic conspiracy theorists, something that Marvel would definitely not want to promote.)
"Brave New World" underwent reshoots between May to November 2024, mere months before it hit theaters in February 2025. The released cut of the movie does feel stitched together, with a villain plan that doesn't quite make sense. Some actors who were announced to be in "Brave New World" ultimately didn't make it in, while at least one other was added in the reshoots.
That added character was Sidewinder/Seth Voelker (Giancarlo Esposito), a mercenary whom Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) takes down in the opening moments of the movie. Sidewinder leads a snake-themed group called the Serpent Society. They're generic henchmen in the final film, but concept art (included in the "Captain America: Brave New World" artbook) and casting indicate that the members originally had more defined identities and powers.
Meanwhile, actress Rosa Salazar ("Alita: Battle Angel") was spotted in 2023 filming scenes in "Brave New World" as another Serpent: Rachel Leighton/Diamondback. But the scenes she shot were cut from the theatrical release. It's unclear what role Diamondback would've had beyond fighting Cap with her fellow snakes... but concept artist Michael Blackbear Uwandi has shared on Instagram what she may have looked like:
The concept art depicts a couple of iterations of Diamondback. (The "first take" at least was apparently drawn before Salazar's casting.) In the earliest iteration, the Serpent Society would have powers imbued in tattoos across their bodies. "I played with the idea of nanomachines forming a shedded snake skin texture over their faces that would then dissipate on command and add a level to their overall disguise," explained Uwandi. The other art ditches the serpentine-cyborg hook for a more traditional mercenary appearance.
What, though, makes Diamondback stand out in this pack of snakes?
Read more: Every Marvel Character Locked Up In The Raft
Captain America: Brave New World Would Have Originally Included Rosa Salazar As Diamondback
Diamondback, along with the Serpent Society as a whole, debuted in 1985's "Captain America" #310, created by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Paul Neary. Gruenwald had taken over "Captain America" at issue #307, and he stayed on the book for 10 years. One of his big accomplishments was building out the series' villain roster. Gruenwald introduced Crossbones, Flag-Smasher, John Walker, and again, the Serpents. But Diamondback didn't stay a bad guy. She fell for Cap, so she left crime behind to become his partner, in costume and romantically. (Steve Rogers' usual girlfriend, Sharon Carter, was assumed dead at this time.) Pure speculation, but could the movie have transferred the Cap/Diamondback love story over to Sam?
Comic Diamondback wears a pink-purple outfit, with hair dyed in the same color and blown out like an '80s glam rocker mane. She also has diamonds across her costume, from her earrings to her belt to her gloves.
Uwandi's full body Diamondback concept art for "Brave New World" is admittedly more militaristic, "sticking to the techwear theme." The suit is a greenish black (though one design has purple highlights), with belts strapped across the torso, and the sleeves have a snake-skin pattern. Her hair is still dyed pink, though, and she wields what appears to be a diamond-shaped claw weapon or throwing knives. She also has a gas mask (with a detachable muzzle, evoking her comic domino mask), with big green eyes that resemble a snake's piercing gaze. All-in-all, between the mask and the straps along her chest, this Diamondback looks like a feminine version of Bucky's (Sebastian Stan) Winter Soldier costume.
Now, it's still unclear to what extent Salazar's Diamondback costume resembled this concept art. But Salazar (who is fantastic in "Alita") proved she can act her heart out even through CGI facial modification. I'm sure whatever costume they gave her for Diamondback, she would've made it work. Too bad that work was left on the cutting room floor.
"Captain America: Brave New World" is available for physical purchase and is streaming on Disney+.
If you're looking for the easiest way to keep up with all the major movie and TV news, why not sign up to our free newsletter?
Read the original article on SlashFilm.
