Marvel Studios Officially Unveils Its Answer to Henry Cavill's Black Superman Suit (Photos)

Marvel Studios also debuted a superhero suit inspired by Henry Cavill's black Superman suit from Zack Snyder's Justice League. Between Hyperion, Ikaris, and Sentry, the Marvel universe has several superheroes that are often considered "clones" of Superman. The MCU introduced one of those in 2021's Eternals through Richard Madden's Ikaris, who was directly compared to DC's Man of Steel in the movie. Another arrived this summer when Thunderbolts* introduced its own caped superhero, Lewis Pullman's Sentry. While things weren't too heroic this time around for Bob Reynolds as he unleashed his darker side, The Void, upon New York, he will be back next year in Avengers: Doomsday.

The MCU's recent Superman substitutes have arrived at a time when DC has been struggling with what to do with the Man of Steel. After Henry Cavill played the Kryptonian hero across the three Snyderverse flicks from 2013 to 2017, the blue Boy Scout went absent until 2022's Black Adam. While the British actor's post-credit cameo was originally intended to tease a brighter future, it ended up being his final appearance before James Gunn ushered in his 2025 DCU reboot, which saw David Corenswet take over Superman duties going forward.

In the official artbook for Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts*, fans caught glimpses at alternate designs that for Lewis Pullman's Sentry, most notably when he unleashed his darker side, The Void. While the 2025 blockbuster mostly kept The Void in the shadows, he almost had other outfits, one of which closely resembles Henry Cavill's black Superman suit from Zack Snyder's Justice League.

While it was omitted from Joss Whedon's Justice League cut, Henry Cavill finally wore the iconic black and silver suit in Zack Snyder's Justice League. Superman donned the darker Kryptonian attire to battle against Steppenwolf, helping him recharge with more solar energy after his resurrection. 

Sentry is often considered Marvel's Superman, thanks to their mutual, near-godlike abilities and similar caped outfits branded with an "S" symbol.

In the Thunderbolts* art book, concept artist Andy Park pointed out how the Void in Marvel Comics becomes a "tentacle beast thing," which was swerved for the MCU over director Jake Schreier's practical effects plans.

"We did a lot of exploration on The Void. In the comics, he turns into this kind of tentacle beast thing, but there was a desire on the director's part to create this film as practically as possible."

The MCU design veteran noted one particular version of Sentry shrouded in shadows, which he argues is "more grounded but still really eerie:"

"Visual Development Concept Illustrator John Straub brilliantly illustrated the Sentry being engulfed with this shadow effect as the Void, which is more grounded but still really eerie."

Further concepts embraced more supernatural designs and colors depending on "how practical or effects-heavy we wanted to go," added Park. Given Schreier's practical-focussed vision for Thunderbolts*, the artist noted how they played with "different photography effects:"

"We explored versions that had a nod to the comic version. We tried different photography effects that could represent a negative effect on the character. We also explored how the costume could decay, from smoke effects to crumbling dust and particle effects."

Concept artist Aleksi Briclot considered many Void designs that were intended to look "extremely powerful and frightening at the same time:" 

"I was working on a glowing and irradiated silhouette surrounded by dark, evanescent growths - referring to the look of the Void in the comics. It's all about making him look extremely powerful and frightening at the same time. Quite like in a radiography image, I've left his inner structure and skeleton visible while fighting a warm red light devouring his envelope."

The demonlike appearance and crimson red lighting closely mirror The Void's appearance in Marvel Comics, but could have clashed with Thunderbolts*'s more practical focus and realistic(ish) tone. 

Ultimately, Thunderbolts* took a different route with the Void that instead just showed Sentry's shadow. This arguably better encapsulates the movie's deeper themes that portray the Void as an embodiment of Bob's mental health struggles.

Sentry's Darker Side Could Be Unleashed in Avengers: Doomsday

Ultimately, Thunderbolts* is not a cosmic or supernatural type of MCU blockbuster, and is instead a more grounded, underdog tale of mental health. While Sentry and the Void's superpowers are undeniably out of this world, they are depicted in a way that maintains a sense of realism that glowing red energy may have tarnished.

There's no telling what comes next for Lewis Pullman's MCU newcomer going forward, with some speculating Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom may look to unleash and control the Void in Avengers: Doomsday.

Read more about Sentry's potentially major role in Avengers: Doomsday.

As the Russo Brothers are expected to lean more into CGI and VFX with Avengers: Doomsday than Jake Schreier did on Thunderbolts*, these crazier, more comicbooky designs could be utilized after all.