Twelve new rejected designs for Charlize Theron's debut as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were revealed thanks to a new art book.
Just when fans thought Benedict Cumberbatch's sorcerer had settled the Multiversal madness of his latest adventure, a new MCU player appeared out of nowhere, Clea.
According to her, Strange had triggered an Incursion (a universe-ending threat), and she needed his help to stop it.
In the comics, the character is a powerful sorceress who shares a long history with Strange—including having been Doctor Strange's significant other. Clea also happens to be Dormammu's niece, which is an interesting situation, to say the least.
Charlize Theron's Clea Could Have Looked Far Different
The Direct got its hands on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - The Art of the Movie book, and in it were 12 rejected designs for Charlize Theron's Clea.
This first alternate interpretation of the character gives her long, flowy purple clothing, with a beat-up-looking cape featuring a spherical visual design language.
The next features Clea with lots of cape action and her outfit gives her far broader shoulders.
This rejected design has a mystical vibe while transferring the spherical imagery into her accessories, such as Clea's belt.
Reigning in the flowy nature (not that it's gone entirely) of previous designs, this take on the character gave her a more compact outfit underneath her initial drapings—while also giving her no sleeves and some tattoos.
This rejected illustration got rid of the character's flow entirely, giving her a far less fleshy look overall.
Taking the design from above, another version of that particular look added on a fun poncho, making the outfit feel a tad more complete than it did before.
This rejected concept gives Clea a long, vibrant purple dress and a strange covering on half of her face.
The next illustration takes a very different approach, giving Clea the look of a mysterious religious zealot.
This design gives off a much older Renaissance vibe—perhaps some witchy touches as well.
One of the more mysterious designs of Clea, this concept features the character wearing a veil with a long purple dress.
While it's hard to make out the details on this design, it's undoubtedly a mind-blowing concept art of the character and looks to be an exploration of what Clea's powers look like in action.
Out of all the previous visualizations for Clea, this one is easily the most fantastical of the bunch. She could easily be the queen of a faraway, shadowy land.
At the end of the day, what fans got with Charlize Theron's Clea's design was a far more simple, classic superhero look.
When Will Fans See Theron's Clea Again?
Looking at these concepts, many will likely feel they were robbed compared to what fans actually got in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The alternate designs are infinitely more interesting than the simplistic, rather generic look that Clea sported in the final product.
However, by the time she returns to the screen, Doctor Strange's new ally will likely get a redesign. Perhaps Clea will look better the second time around.
But when exactly will she return to the MCU?
Clea joins characters like Brett Goldstein's Hercules or Harry Styles' Eros, whose fans wonder when they'll ever be seen again. In this regard, it seems that Theron's character might have the upper hand since she's directly involved with Doctor Strange, one of the biggest players in the MCU.
So, wherever he appears next, she's likely to follow, whether that be in Doctor Strange 3, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, or Secret Wars.
As of May this year, Theron herself admitted that she "[hasn't] gotten a call" for returning to the role. Given how there's also been a SAG-AFTRA strike since July, that probably hasn't changed—provided the actress is telling the truth in the first place.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+.
