Warning spoilers ahead! Every cinephile knows that although the Marvel Cinematic Universe shies away from showing blood, it isn’t afraid to dabble in some mind-bending (or, in this case, limb-bending) violence. In the latest action movie in the MCU, Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we see plenty of characters meet their demise. However, one death had a particular influence that may shock you – Play-doh.
In the Marvel movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, one of the most memorable scenes sees Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) face off against the members of Earth-838’s Illuminati: Black Bolt, Captain Carter, Captain Marvel, and Reed Richards (aka Mr Fantastic of the Fantastic Four). During the confrontation, Wanda turns Mister Fantastic, who has the superpower to stretch and bend his limbs to extraordinary heights, into a collection of shredded strings.
Speaking with the publication Before & Afters, visual effects supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic Julian Foddy, broke down how the impressive fight with the Illuminati was filmed. He also clarified that Reed’s death, as instructed by Kevin Feige along with visual effects artist Janek Sirrs, was made to resemble the childhood toy, Play-doh.
“The starting point there was some reference that was passed to us by Janek Sirrs directly from Kevin Feige,” Foddy explained, recalling the direction given for Mister Fantastic’s death. “It was someone passing a lump of modelling clay or Play-doh through a garlic press.”
“Janek also had some reference of the Play-doh ‘Barber Shop’ toy, which was a little figure with holes in the head, and you’d turn a handle, and the Play-doh would come out,” he continued. “That was the kind of look we were going for.”
While blood is a no-go for Marvel, we can’t help but feel that perhaps the Play-doh alternative is actually far more disturbing in itself. Still, at least it was memorable, right? Currently, Marvel is developing a Fantastic Four reboot in the MCU, so Reed Richards isn’t a complete goner.
No release date for the upcoming Fantastic Four movie has been revealed just yet; stay tuned for updates. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently streaming on Disney Plus.