Steppenwolf and Darkseid were two of the biggest changes in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. “Big” as in, they are large beings, but also “big” in that Steppenwolf was completely redesigned for the new film and Darkseid is a crucial character that was almost a completely new addition.
Weta Digital did the visual effects for both characters and while we’ve written about it extensively, the company also provided some awesome looks at several of the steps that go into each design. Check them out in our…Darksleidshow.
[referenced id=”1682077″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2021/03/justice-leagues-most-heroic-moment-feels-like-a-classic-dc-throwback/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/24/ytmmyuetlajnbcgplg9g-300×169.jpg” title=”Justice League’s Most Heroic Moment Feels Like a Classic DC Throwback” excerpt=”Who would’ve known a callback to one of the best DC movies ever was sitting on the cutting room floor, just waiting to be resurrected in Zack Snyder’s Justice League?”]
Layout Camera Diagnostic
When you’re creating a shot where nothing is real, you have to think about many specific things. For instance: where is the camera in this world? What would it see? What would the light look like in that space? Where is it coming from? Here’s an image of the Weta team figuring some of that out.
Facial Animation
Grumble grumble. The focus in this image is for the Weta animators to use their tools and get Darkseid’s facial expressions just as mean as they want them to be.
Animation blocking
If you recall, there’s a lot going on in this scene. So here’s an early glimpse of the Weta team putting all the elements in rough form together to see how it’s all going to work.
The Whedon Cut
Here’s the shot in question in the 2017 theatrical film. You notice that it’s not Darkseid here, it’s Steppenwolf, because Darkseid’s story was 99% cut. So basically Weta had to put another character in the scene who it wasn’t originally designed for.
[referenced id=”1681758″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2021/03/justice-leagues-epilogue-is-its-messiest-most-dangerous-indulgence/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/23/uixcvhomransuuwcd7bo-300×169.png” title=”Justice League’s Epilogue Is Its Messiest, Most Dangerous Indulgence” excerpt=”Zack Snyder’s Justice League is, in ways good and bad, an exercise in indulgence. After all, it is Snyder’s unleashed vision for what his Justice League movie could have been, in some form, writ large: literally, given that the film is a four-hour undertaking. But for all its extensions and…”]
The Snyder Cut
The final vision comes to life. Plus, notice that Snyder’s 4:3 aspect ratio is put in place here, extending the image up and down.
Steppenwolf MoCap
With new scenes and animation, Weta had to do some additional motion capture on Steppenwolf in Zack Snyder’s Justice League to get the movements right.
Early Animation
This almost looks like a statue in the outdoors but it’s actually an early animation test. The aim is to make sure the pieces of Steppenwolf’s armour are moving and lit properly.
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Creature Simulation
Nope, Steppenwolf was never going to be blue in the film. But he looks blue when the Weta Digital team runs its simulations on his new, spikey armour.
The End
Put all of that (and a whole lot more) together, and here’s the result.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League is now streaming on Binge in Australia.