BREAKING:‘Black Panther III’ Will Hit IMAX Screens, Including Rare Giant-Format Film Theaters as Release Date is Confirmed

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Ad Shows a Sentinel Head Scarred by Claw Marks

Avatar photoByRobert Milakovic Published on
0 Comments
Fox
Share:

A Sentinel head has become one of the most recognizable images in the marketing for ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘. That makes sense, since these skyscraper-sized mutant-killing robots have been the X-Men’s go-to enemies for decades. They are tied to the franchise’s themes of prejudice and fear, because they were built by humans who hate and fear mutants.

Live-action audiences have only had a limited look at them so far. The Sentinels properly debuted onscreen in ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’, while the original X-Men trilogy offered little more than a single decapitated head in a Danger Room simulation. Marvel has since given the machines a makeover. At San Diego Comic-Con, a decapitated Sentinel head with exposed wiring was displayed at the Marvel booth, showing a more armored, militaristic and comic-inspired design than the one fans saw before.

Now a new ad for the film puts the machine’s head front and center, and this time it looks like it has been through a fight. The head is scarred with claw marks and surrounded by flames and debris, while a green light glows in what appears to be its eye. The spot then cuts to the film’s logo on a black screen, with no further explanation.

The scratches have naturally sparked questions. Nothing official ties them to any particular character, but it is easy to see where fan minds go. In the cartoons, Wolverine is known for slicing up Sentinels with his adamantium claws, since there is no flesh-and-blood villain to worry about. Hugh Jackman’s return was conspicuously missing from the X-Men teaser, though he is widely expected to stick around in the franchise.

For now, that connection is speculation, and the film itself will have to confirm what left the marks.

RELATED:

Thor’s Lightning Helmet in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Gets Another Look, and the Lightning Is Yellow, Not Blue

Whatever the claw marks mean, the marketing makes clear that the Sentinels are central to the story. The D23 “special look” ended with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom raising a host of Sentinels from the ground to stand against the heroes. It was the first time the mutant-hunting robots appeared in an MCU film.

The Comic-Con trailer had already shown Doom raising an army of Sentinels to take on the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The third official trailer also featured a shot in which James Marsden’s Cyclops fires his optic blast at them. With so many teams involved, that is a lot of firepower aimed at a single set of machines.

The merchandise lines up neatly with the ad’s glowing eye. Hot Toys has revealed a Sentinel figure standing about 60 cm tall, with LED eyes that switch between green and orange lights to recreate the robot’s scanning and extermination modes. Hot Toys’ Ultimate Version of its Doctor Doom figure also stands on a light-up Sentinel hand display base.

Younger fans are covered as well. Hasbro’s ActionVerse Duo of Doom 2-Pack pairs Doctor Doom with a Sentinel figure and carries an approximate retail price of $21.99. It is set to arrive as an Amazon exclusive.

This is not the only recent ad to include a Sentinel head. A KFC commercial for the film, which the chain calls its first-ever global venture with Marvel Studios, appeared to show one in the background too. Fans also spotted what looked like the New Avengers Tower and a Fantastic Four ship in the same spot.

The film is set to reach theaters on December 18, and every new frame is getting dissected. Industry insiders have predicted that another full trailer could land before November 19, though nothing has been confirmed. If it does arrive, plenty of viewers will be hunting for any sign of what left those claw marks.

What is your theory?

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!

Don't miss:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted