Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may have had mixed reviews, but the story had a lot going for it, with one of the biggest elements being the introduction of the Illuminati. On its council were the likes of Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Hayley Atwell's Captain Carter, Anson Mount's Black Bolt, and more.
According to Deadline's Justin Kroll, at one point and time, Daniel Craig was also set to play one of the members of Earth-838's Illuminati. The character in question would have been Balder the Brave, who is also known as the brother of Thor and Loki in the comics.
Balder would have been in the story instead of John Kasinski's Reed Richards and would have ended up being talked into suicide by Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch sure wasn't playing in any version of that movie, no matter who was in front of her.
Now, thanks to an artist on Instagram, fans might have their first look at what that looked like.
First Look at Deleted MCU Costume
Artist Darrell Warner posted some new photos on Instagram that potentially reveal a first look at Daniel Craig's deleted scene in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Warner posted four images, alongside a blurb noting how he didn't want to give away the character, but gave the very revealing hint of how he was the "brother to Thor [and] Loki:"
"Small series of a Work in Progress (without giving away the character!).....Clues include: Costume Design by Graham Churchyard | Brother to Thor & L0ki.......Costume watercolor of an actor who could not fulfill the role."
The first image showed off the entire frame of the character etched in pencil. When the image is compared to the given hints and previous rumors for the movie, it is very clearly depicting Balder the Brave, who was once rumored to be portrayed by Daniel Craig before things fell through.
With some color added to the outfit, fans can see the clear Asgardian influences alongside the beautiful gold and blue design scheme.
The raven included could possibly be one of Odin's ravens, a motif that has long since been forgotten. They do briefly appear in the first Avengers film when Thor is talking to his brother Loki shortly after crash landing from the Quinjet, and they return for a moment upon Odin's entrance in Thor: The Dark World.
For those wondering what the character looks like in the comics, here's a clear image of him.
Balder the Brave Could Have Been
In the comics, Balder is indeed the brother to both Thor and Loki. At one point, his death was prophesized to begin Ragnarok, so in response, Odin and Frigga gifted him immortality. The character also has a notable connection to the big Destroyer robot (the same one used in Thor), as Loki once pushed his spirit into the metal contraption.
So, will fans ever see him in Earth-616? Probably not—seeing as how Odinson having another brother has never once come up in the movies. Seeing as how Thor: Ragnarok already did the secret long-lost sibling gag with Hela, Marvel Studios isn't likely to pull that same trick twice.
Though, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has shown audiences time and time again, never say never. Many characters have been almost completely rebuilt from the ground up for their MCU debuts, and Balder could easily be one of the next to get that same treatment.
One place where it would be really fun to see Balder show up is during Loki's second season. Maybe one of the many timelines Tom Hiddleston's character will explore will feature a world where Thor never existed, with Balder being heir to the throne of Asgard instead. This could allow the show to explore an entirely new brother dynamic to contrast the one Loki had with Chris Hemsworth's Avenger.
Seeing as the character almost made it into the second Doctor Strange film, it shows that he is at least on Marvel Studios' mind. So, while seeing him on Earth-616 is unlikely, with the Multiverse in play, there are plenty of other ways to get Balder in on the action going forward.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+.
