The evolution of the superhero genre can be attributed to the advancements in film technology. The digital age has opened doors to innovators who want to expand universes and fill them with characters that could never exist decades ago.
Creative teams behind both the DC Extended Universe work endlessly to immerse audiences into the world of the comic book. It comes as no surprise that the largest section in the credits of a superhero film is dedicated to the visual effects department, for it takes an incredible amount of time and artistry to bring these artificial beings to the screen. It also takes the right direction and performer to make these computer-generated characters believable amidst the ensemble of live-action co-stars.
Colossus
Featured in the Deadpool opening credit sequence as "A CGI Character," Colossus is a solid comedic foil to Wade Wilson. Even more colossal than his hefty build was the number of actors used to bring the metallic mutant to life which, according to Wired, was an impressive total of five.
As a member of the X-Men and the mentor of Negasonic Teenage Warhead, the shimmering do-gooder seeks to find the light in others. Ironically, the only character in the film who isn't composed of flesh and blood is persistent in bringing forth the humanity in Wade. Colossus is a father figure from the motherland.
Steppenwolf (Snyder Cut)
When Steppenwolf first appeared in the Whedon cut of Justice League, he was destined to be forgotten amongst a plethora of one-dimensional antagonists. Then Zack Synder released his completed vision featuring a superior characterization of the New God whose redesign and additional layers of complexity made him feel like a completely different villain altogether.
This more otherworldly version has motivations outside of just taking over the Earth for evil's sake. Desperate to seek the approval of Darkseid, the disgraced Apokoliptian general comes across as pitiful and real, unlike his original, rather generic portrayal. In a powerful moment, Steppenwolf succumbs to guilt-ridden dread once he realizes that he has no choice but to continue carrying out the lord's reign of destruction.
Korg
Filmmaker Taika Waititi not only lent his directorial talents to Thor: Ragnarok but also contributed in front of the camera as the Kronan warrior Korg. The rock-like humanoid, despite its hard exterior, embodies the wonderfully strange awkwardness apparent in Waititi's filmography.
The delightfully unfiltered boulder tries to make the best out of unfortunate situations such as ively striking a conversation with Thor before a gladiatorial death-match on Sakaar. For Avengers: Endgame, to make the interactions between him and other characters more realistic, a Korg head prop was attached to the top of Waititi's mo-cap suit to simulate a proper eye-line match. With his disproportionately soft voice, Korg is an offbeat minor character that should not be taken for "granite."
Starro
Giant monsters are no strangers to the genre but none have ever quite reached the heights of Starro the Conquerer. As the center of "Project Starfish" in The Suicide Squad, this big bad is bizarre, terrifying, and just absurd enough to be deemed a suitable adversary for Task Force X, even if the Justice League is arguably more fitting.
Notwithstanding its vibrant appearance, James Gunn wanted to ground Starro in a way that would tonally balance the goofiness with the grittiness. Its ability to eject parasitic spores that violently attach themselves to human hosts is an utterly creepy depiction of mind-control as well as body horror. Through humans, Starro can express itself, which leads to one of the most oddly poignant valedictions ever recited by a kaiju-sized extraterrestrial, as it reveals to be just as much a pawn as the expendables it faces off against.
Dr. Manhattan
While Zack Snyder's Watchmen is unquestionably divisive, it contains remarkable VFX, especially in favor of the omnipresent Dr. Manhattan. The tragic superbeing of Alan Moore's magnum opus is portrayed by actor Billy Crudup, who delivers a hypnotically monotonous performance that perfectly encapsulates his godlikeness.
The mo-cap suit worn by Crudup was not only embedded with tracking markers but also blue LED lights that practically emmit his "ethereal glow." The resulting circuitry is a great complimentary detail to the CGI as the light can be seen emanating off surfaces, other characters, and even his footprints. Speaking of detail, while the film has received notoriety for showing Dr. Manhattan's genitalia, it is undeniably the most hyper-realistically animated genitalia in cinema history.
Groot
One of the biggest preliminary challenges for the team behind James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy was to introduce a lesser-known group of heroes to the limelight with two of the five being completely animated. For Gunn, it was important to stress the functionality of the fictitious alien species, Flora colossus, and its plant-like biology before refining its beautifully rendered texture.
The anthropomorphic "Ent-like" organism, Groot, became a cultural sensation due to its heartwarming sense of curiosity and loyalty despite an extremely limited vocabulary. Hearkening back to his vocal performance in The Iron Giant, Vin Diesel uses his deep baritone voice to add to the creature's larger-than-life quality. Whether he be a dancing infant, a hormonal teenager, or a formidable companion, it won't take long for Groot to grow on the viewer.
Rocket Raccoon
The other half of the all-CG Guardians duo, Rocket Raccoon is one of the most emotionally resonant critters in the MCU. In his own words, there "ain't no thing like me, except me!" In addition to mo-cap, the classic animation technique known as "rotoscoping" was incorporated to capture the movements of a live raccoon model.
His furry mammalian appearance is juxtaposed with cybernetic enhancements and a wise-guy attitude that would give Joe Pesci a run for his money. Through his love for Groot and his inclusion on the team as a bonafide weapons engineer, Rocket is determined to be seen as more than just a science experiment gone wrong. Bradley Cooper imbues the character with comedy and tragedy as the film further explores his surprisingly vulnerable psyche.
Hulk
The monstrous alter ego of Bruce Banner has been through some changes since his initial MCU appearance. Yet it wasn't until the 2012 release of The Avengers that had audiences convinced that Hulk could smash on the silver screen. As opposed to the overly vascular iteration from The Incredible Hulk, the gamma-irradiated scene-stealer took on a more realistic aesthetic under the supervision of Industrial Light & Magic.
Using motion capture for accurate facial tracking, the artists modeled Hulk to look like actor Mark Ruffalo which resulted in a smooth transformation between the two entities. His desaturated, muted green tones allowed him to seamlessly blend into the environment. Throughout the series, the visual effects used to enrage Dr. Banner have received adjustments to more closely resemble Ruffalo, until eventually fusing Dr. Banner and his counterpart into Professor Hulk for Avengers: Endgame.
Nanaue
This demigod aka "King Shark" is a further testament to James Gunn's ability to direct computer-generated creatures that completely steal the show. However, the fan-favorite member of The Suicide Squad presented complications to Gunn and the crew who tirelessly perfected the design of his torso and the texture of his sharkskin to make him feel as organic as possible. Ergo, the ambitious digital creation emerges from the depths as the most loveable anti-hero in the DCEU aside from Harley Quinn.
Hybridizing the mo-capped physicality of comedian Steve Agee and the iconic voice of Sylvester Stallone, Nanaue is portrayed as a gentle giant in comparison to the more villainous comic-book variations. The humanoid shark sets out to prove his intelligence and worthiness of friendship with an endearing child-like innocence. Carnivorous as he is adorable, the shot of King Shark tearing an enemy in half is one of the most visually striking of the year.
Thanos
Bringing the Mad Titan to life was an achievement of titanic proportions. Weta Digital widened the horizons of motion capture technology with a state-of-the-art technique known as the "actor puppet." This approach involved creating a digital model of both Thanos and Josh Brolin's heads and calibrating their facial and neck muscle movements to that of the forenamed actor, thereby precisely capturing the subtleties in the performance.
Thanos is a complex character with such intricate features that it's easy to forget he's a visual effect. Although his presence was teased in early phases, his imposing depiction in Infinity War and Endgame has become a milestone in mo-cap animation. Together, the impeccable pore-stretching detail along with Brolin's nuanced performance makes for one of the most terrifying villains in superhero cinema.
