Crash & Burn with ROBOT JOX Concept Art by Ron Cobb

Robot Jox (1990)

Check out Robot Jox concept art by Ron Cobb!

Every Friday I feature artwork from a classic of science fiction cinema or television. This week's "Flashback Friday" post is on Robot Jox (1990)

Guillermo del Toro has had massive success with his homage to the giant robot film called Pacific Rim. Back in the 90's, a less successful attempt to bring giant fighting robots to the screen was Robot Jox. The basic idea was that 50 years after a nuclear holocaust wars are fought using giant robots in gladitorial combat. While it bombed it has become a cult classic and is beloved by fans. The concept art for the film was lost until Fireball Tim shared some photos of artwork by legendary artist Ron Cobb.

Ron Cobb is a professional concept illustrator who's worked on classic films like  Alien(1979) and Back to the Future(1986) and The Last Starfighter (1984).

Click on the images to enlarge.



"This lost images of Ron Cobb’s work from the film ROBOJOX (Robot Jox) have been in my collection for over 25 years. My wife was the costume designer and managed to work with Ron and get these shots. Although not the originals, they are still some of Cobb’s best." - Fireball Tim

Director Stuart Gordon said, "While there have been animated cartoons based on these giant robots, no one has ever attempted a live-action feature about them. It struck me that it was a natural fantasy for the big screen–and a terrific opportunity to take advantage of the special effects that are available today." According to Gordon, Robot Jox was originally named RoboJox until Orion Studios, the producers of Robocop, threatened to sue them for the title. After changing the name and filming continued, Empire International Pictureswent bankrupt and the bank siezed the movie. It took over three years before the film was released.

Here's a clip from the film


See more of Ron Cobb's inspiring portfolio at http://roncobb.net

Click on the links if you want to see more of Ron Cobb's work or Robot Jox artwork on my blog.

Images via Fireball Tim

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Robot Jox what do you think of the robots?

Official Robot Jox Summary
"Directed by Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator), ROBOT JOX reveals a world where nations settle their territorial disputes by a single combat between two giant machines. Piloted by national heroes Achilles (Gary Graham, TV's Alien Nation) and Alexander (Paul Koslo, Shadowchaser), the robots meet in Death Valley to fight for the greatest prize of all: Alaska. But when Achilles' machine crushes 300 spectators, the match ends in a draw. Refusing to face Alexander in a rematch, Achilles is replaced by Athena (Anne-Marie Johnson, TV's Melrose Place), a genetically-engineered combat fighter. So when the GenJox is nearly killed and the game is forfeited, Achilles avenges their honor by challenging Alexander to a winner-take-all death match, in this heavy-metal, sci-fi adventure."
Directed by Stuart Gordon
Cinematography by Mac Ahlberg
Production Design by Giovanni Natalucci
Starring Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson, Paul Koslo
Release Date(s): November 21, 1990
© Copyright 1990 Empire Pictures, Trans World Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment. All rights reserved


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High-Flying CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER Concept Art by Phil Saunders

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) concept art by Phil Saunders

Check out Captain America: The First Avenger concept art by Phil Saunders!

The superhero movie Captain America: The First Avenger is a huge hit and led to a whole slew of great movies including Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but there's some amazing artwork by Phil Saunders that would have made it just a little bit cooler. One set is from a deleted scene and another you could barely notice. Both were created by concept illustrator Phil Saunders.

Saunders is a professional concept artist who's worked on Hollywood films like Spider-Man 3 (2007), Iron Man (2008) and Tron: Legacy (2010).

Click on the images to enlarge.


The first artwork would have been used in a newsreel or flashback sequence of early HYDRA soldiers using "a squadron of these heavily modified Messerschmitt BF109's."

Phil described the second artwork to me saying, "The design was used near the end of the movie in an insert shot of a remote operated submersible Howard Stark uses to recover the Cosmic Cube. The basic design came from a pencil sketch by director Joe Johnston. I just fleshed it out into something that someone could model."

See more of Phil Saunders' incredible http://www.saunderscreative.com and blog at http://philsaunders.blogspot.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of Phil Saunders' work or Captain America: The First Avengerartwork on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Captain America: The First Avenger what do you think of the vehicles?

Official Captain America: The First Avenger Summary
Captain America leads the fight for freedom in the action-packed blockbuster starring Chris Evans as the ultimate weapon against evil! When a terrifying force threatens everyone across the globe, the world’s greatest soldier wages war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix).
Directed by Joe Johnston
Cinematography by Shelly Johnson
Production Designer Rick Heinrichs
Starring: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, Stanley Tucci
Release date: July 22, 2011 (USA)
Official Site: http://www.captainamerica.com/
© Copyright 2011 Marvel Studios, Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved

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Why 90% of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Concept Art is Fake

Check out leaked Star Wars: The Force Awakensconcept art! Or is it?

If you've followed my blog for a while you know I always feature the hottest concept art out there. So, you may have wondered why I haven't shared much concept art from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. There's a simple reason: I think they're fake. Not all of them, of course, a few have proven to be reliable like the Stormtrooper helmet and speeder but most are obviously not from the movie. The Internet is full of dozens of images that claim to be from the film. Whole websites have built their reputation on leaking a suspiciously large amount of concept art.

The main reason I think most are fake is because of the intense secrecy while filming. There's no way this many pictures are leaking from the film. Mark Hamill said "You know, the security on it is just crazy. I'm surprised I can even admit I'm in it! ...I like being surprised. It's a whole different era now. When we made the original films, you had the odd reporter hanging around the studio bribing people to give them stories. Now, I said to them, 'Do I really have to wear this robe and this hood that covers my entire head to go from the trailer to the soundstage?' They said, 'Yeah, there's drones.' Seriously! There's drones flying over the studio trying to get pictures of whatever they can get pictures of."

Everyone that visits the set has to put a security stickerover the lens of their devices that can't be removed and reapplied. Disney has pushed the boundaries of nondisclosure agreements and even tried to purchase anti-drone technologyafter a set picture of the Millennium Falcon went viral. They even got Britain to establish no-fly zones around their shooting locations. Besides all that, they have the power of high-priced lawyers at their disposal. "The nondisclosure agreements these people have to sign have created a culture of terror," says Chris Taylor, author of How Star Wars Conquered the Universe. That's right. Only a fool would leak anything from the production and professional concept artists aren't fools. They'd never intentionally let their Star Wars work go into the public domain. When I asked an artist, who is officially attached to the production, if the Stormtrooer helmet art is real only said they "can't confirm or deny anything to do with the new Star Wars films or they'll send the Stormtroopers after me."

I've debunked many pieces of "leaked" concept art before like Man of Steel. I even wrote a whole post on how to spot a fake. Which is why I'm holding judgement on sharing artwork until I can verify it. Until Lucasfilm releases the artwork or the artist identified themselves I'm holding back. The only exception is if the concept art shows something that someone could not have known about like the design of the Stormtrooper helmet or Rey's speeder. I do recognize the signatures in some of the artwork, but those could be faked pretty easily.

I recognize that a picture of artwork from the film is worth tens of thousands of dollars, but there's no way this many are getting out. Most are wonderful illustrations that fans create and are then mistakenly (or intentionally) associated with the movie.

Here are some examples of obvious fakes that are popular,

A perfect example is this concept art of X-Wing fighter which many blogs like Comic Book Movie, Blastr and other sites picked up and analyzed.

Until Yahoo tracked down the artist, Robert Bailey, and proved its nothing but wonderfully done fan art. While Bailey does work for Lucasfilm, and George Lucas himself enjoys his work, it has nothing to do with the movie. “These are definitely not concept drawings from the next ‘Star Wars’ movie,” Bailey told Yahoo. “They are based upon the ‘Star Wars’ trailer, which as you know is in the public arena. I can fully understand how these rumours start, and that fans are very excited about the upcoming film. But Lucasfilm would not allow the release of concept fames at this time.” He could be lying, but he'd be a moron for posting these on Facebook in the first place. He'd be sued within an inch of his life.

So, while all the artwork is wonderful, be careful the next time you come across hot, new "leaked" concept art. You might get burned.

Click on the links if you want to see more Star Wars: The Force Awakens artworkon my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? Do you think most of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens artwork is real or fake?

Official Star Wars VII Summary
Star Wars: Episode VII will be directed by J.J. Abrams (Super 8, Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek) and is being scripted by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi). Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, with Tommy Harper (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Jack Ryan, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Jason McGatlin (Tintin, War of the Worlds) serving as executive producers. John Williams is returning to score Star Wars: Episode VII..
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Cinematography by Daniel Mindel
Production Design by Rick Carter and Darren Gilford
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong'o, and Gwendoline Christie, with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker
Release Dates: December 18, 2015 (USA)
Official Site: http://www.starwars.com/theforceawakens
© Copyright 2015 Lucasfilm, Bad Robot. All rights reserved


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Stunning JUPITER ASCENDING Concept Art by Philippe Gaulier and Oliver Pron

Jupiter Ascending(2015) concept art by Oliver Pron

 Check out Jupiter Ascendingconcept art by Philippe Gaulier and Oliver Pron!

The latest film by The Wachowskis was originally scheduled to open July 25, 2014, but was rescheduled for this Friday. The reason is that the film features over 2,000 special effects shots and they felt they couldn't do it justice in time. "With the July release date, they were just not going to make it on time,” domestic distribution chief Dan Fellman told Variety, “A lot of the issue for us was getting it ready for the international release, since the foreign territories need additional time.” From the look of the trailer and the concept art it's a very ambitious effort and looks gorgeous. Two of the talented artists working on the film,  Philippe Gaulier and Oliver Pron, have shared concept art in advance of the release.

Philippe Gaulier and Oliver Pron are professional concept artists who've worked on big budget movies like Iron Man 3(2013), Inception(2010), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Guardians of the Galaxy(2014).

Click on the images to enlarge.

 Oliver Pron

Philippe Gaulier

See more of Philippe Gaulier's brilliant artwork at http://www.philippegaulierart.com and Oliver Pron's wonderful portfolio at http://olivierpron.blogspot.co.uk/

Click on the links if you want to see more of Oliver Pron, Philippe Gaulier's work or Jupiter Ascendingartwork on my blog.

Via Concept Art World Concept Art World

What do you think of the concept art? Are you looking forward to Jupiter Ascending?

Official Jupiter Ascending Summary
"Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis star in 'Jupiter Ascending,' an original science fiction epic adventure from film-makers Lana and Andy Wachowski. Jupiter Jones (Kunis) was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people’s houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along—her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos. From the streets of Chicago to far flung galaxies whirling through space, 'Jupiter Ascending' is written and directed by the Wachowskis."
Directed by The Wachowskis
Cinematography by John Toll
Production Design by Hugh Bateup
Starring Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth, Tuppence Middleton, Doona Bae, James D’Arcy, Sean Bean
Release Date(s): February 6, 2015
Official Site: http://www.jupiterascending.com
© Copyright 2015 Village Roadshow Pictures, Anarchos Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures, Roadshow Entertainment. All rights reserved
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Here's What Reverse Flash Almost Looked Like in THE FLASH Concept Art by John Gallagher

The Flash (2014) - Reverse Flash

Check out The Flash concept art by John Gallagher!

After hints and speculation all season about the evil "Reverse Flash" (or "Professor Zoom") and we finally got a good look at him in the episode "Man in the Yellow Suit." "It’s fun when you finally see our team confronting the Reverse Flash and seeing everybody’s reactions, because he is the devil, in a way, to the show," executive producer Andrew Kreisberg told EW. "When you finally see everybody confront him, it's really scary. It’s certainly the scariest thing we’ve done on the show. Our tone note to Tom, Jesse and Grant was to pretend you were in the room with the alien from Alien. You should all be that scared."

He is terrifying. One of the artists that helped bring the terrifying image of Reverse Flash to life is John Gallagher and he shared some promo art recently. Gallagher is a professional concept artist who's worked on Hollywood projects like Mockingbird Lane (2012) and V (2009).

Click on the images to enlarge.

Here's what the costume looked like on the show

Here's another look at the costume in leaked set pics. Notice that the costume concept art has a solid yellow color instead of dark arms and legs.

Here's what he looked like in the comics

See more of John Gallagher's marvelous portfolio at http://uncannyknack.com

Click on the links if you want to see more of John Gallagher's work or The Flash artwork on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen The Flash what do you think of the Reverse Flash?

Official The Flash Summary
"After a particle accelerator causes a freak storm, CSI Investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning and falls into a coma. Months later he awakens with the power of super speed, granting him the ability to move through Central City like an unseen guardian angel. Though initially excited by his newfound powers, Barry is shocked to discover he is not the only "meta-human" who was created in the wake of the accelerator explosion -- and not everyone is using their new powers for good. Barry partners with S.T.A.R. Labs and dedicates his life to protect the innocent. For now, only a few close friends and associates know that Barry is literally the fastest man alive, but it won't be long before the world learns what Barry Allen has become...The Flash."
Created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino.
Cinematography by C. Kim Miles, Jeffrey C. Mygatt and Glen Winter
Production Design by Tyler Bishop Harron and Ian D. Thomas
Original airdate: October 7, 2014 (USA)
Official Site: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-flash
© Copyright 2014 Bonanza Productions, Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television Distribution. All rights reserved


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See ARROW's New Costume in Concept Art by Andy Poon

Arrow (2014) concept art by Andy Poon

Check out Arrow concept art by Andy Poon!

The Green Arrow costume has been pretty much the same since the show started except for an updated mask last season. But, during a Q&A, actor Stephen Amell said, "Suit upgrade is coming. There is going to be new stuff added to the suit at some point this season." That happened in the season 3 Arrow\The Flash crossover episode "The Brave and the Bold" when his suit gets improvements. Concept artist Andy Poon just updated his site with concept art of the new costume and it's awesome.

Poon is a professional concept artist who's worked on network television shows like Smallville, and Slugterra.

Click on the images to enlarge.

"The strap for the quiver is more like a bandolier now that holds special trick arrow tips. There are flechette holders added to his left arm, lower back and his thighs. Two seams were added at the lower front of jacket which makes it feel abit more like the lines of the abs which we all know Oliver Queen has, but also for the new jacket belt to loop through that holds two side pouches." - Andy Poon

"Now here is the fun one, below is a 'blooper version' which I added a green boxing glove on the bandolier with the other trick arrow tips as a homage to the classic boxing glove arrow. The awesome thing is that they actually figured a really smart way to create the classic boxing glove arrow in one of the episodes in season 3! I wonder if they saw the blooper illustration and got some ideas." - Andy Poon

Here's what the costume has looked like over the seasons

See more of Andy Poon's work at http://andypoondesign.blogspot.com.

Click on the links if you want to see more of Andy Poon's work or Arrow on my blog.

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Arrow what do you think of the new costume?

Official Arrow Synopsis
"After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow – a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel's father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver's own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine. The series stars Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Colin Donnell as Tommy, Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance, David Ramsey as John Diggle, Willa Holland as Thea Queen, with Susanna Thompson as Moira Queen and Paul Blackthorne as Detective Quentin Lance."
Developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, Colin Donnell, Willa Holland, David Ramsey, Paul Blackthorne, Susanna Thompson, Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes, Manu Bennett
Original run: October 10, 2012
Official Site: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/arrow
© Copyright DC Entertainment, Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television. All rights reserved

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You Will Believe a Man Can Ride a Fly in ANT-MAN Concept Art by Rodney Fuentebella, Andy Park and Jackson Sze

Ant-Man (2015) concept art by Rodney Fuentebella

Check out Ant-Man concept art by Rodney Fuentebella, Andy Park and Jackson Sze!

The trailer for Ant-Man debuted last week and is a huge success getting 29 million views worldwide in three days. To continue the promotion of the film Marvel has released a new batch of concept art for the film. While many were skeptical of the film's success, former director Edgar Wright explained, "The difference between Ant-Manand other shrinking movies is other shrinking movies are usually about somebody trapped small. This is different in that he can actually change size and he can do that at will, so it becomes more of a power than an impediment." To help create the incredible look of the film they tapped many successful concept artists including Rodney Fuentebella and Jackson Sze.

Jackson Sze is a senior illustrator at Marvel Studios who's helped contribute artwork for films like Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Thor: The Dark World (2013). Rodney Fuentebella is a professional concept artist who's worked on big-budget movies like The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013). Andy Park is a concept illustrator who's worked on blockbuster movies like Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Iron Man 3 (2013).

Click on the images to enlarge.

 Ant-Man

Concept Artwork by Rodney Fuentebella for Marvel's Ant-Man

Marvel's Ant-Man Concept Artwork by Rodney Fuentebella

Marvel's Ant-Man Concept Artwork by Andy Park

 Yellow Jacket

Concept Artwork by Jackson Sze for Marvel's Ant-Man

Actor Corey Stoll plays the villain Darren Cross who builds his own high-tech version of the Ant-Man suit. “[Darren Cross] was this child prodigy that Hank Pym nurtured. He started to become aware of this fabled technology that can shrink people to half an inch. Now he’s discovered his own version of that technology-which has a psychotic effect on people if they use it too much.”

Marvel's Ant-Man Concept Artwork by Rodney Fuentebella

Concept Artwork by Jackson Sze for Marvel's Ant-Man

See more of Rodney Fuentebella's amazing work at http://www.rodneyimages.com, Andy Park's work at http://www.andyparkart.comand Jackson Sze's inspiring portfolio at http://jacksonsze.com.

Click on the links if you want to see more of Rodney Fuentebella, Andy Park, Jackson Sze's work or Ant-Manartwork on my blog.

Via Marvel (via Collider)

What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen the Ant-Man trailer, what do you think of the look of the incredible shrinking superhero?

Official Ant-Man Summary
"The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man.' Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world."
Directed by Payton Reed
Cinematography by Russell Carpenter
Production Design by Marcus Rowland
Starring Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Pena, Corey Stoll, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian, John Slattery, Gregg Turkington
Release Dates: July 17th, 2015
Official Site: http://marvel.com/antman
© Copyright 2015 Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All rights reserved

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