The Marvels

After working with Marvel Studios on 'Ms Marvel', Framestore returned to follow up with another meticulously crafted animated design sequence in feature film 'The Marvels'.

The animated hand-drawn adventures of Kamala was one of the most popular highlights of the Marvel Studios’ 'Ms. Marvel' TV series so it was fitting that Framestore reawakened this sequence in 'The Marvels' feature film. Led by Creative Director, Ian Spendloff, Framestore’s Design team set about creating a breakout 2D animation sequence, which sees protagonist Kamala Khan’s artwork come to life and animate out across the pages of her sketchbooks.

To communicate Kamala’s rich imagination, the artists limited their palette and art materials to bring authenticity to the doodles in her beloved sketchbook, with energetic pencil sketches, and bursts of colour from her handful of highlighter pens. To complete the authentic feel, the team incorporated real paper texture scans, Post-It notes, ring binders and hand cut-out cellophane elements.

At times, the artwork gets manipulated by live action footage, with Kamala’s hands shown sketching and moving around the artwork as it animates. Iman Vellani, who plays Ms Marvel, performed some hand actions, enabling Framestore’s team of artist and designers to comp them into the 2D animation, planning it out so it would look like she really was interacting with the artwork.

“The concept of the artist interacting with their art goes right back to the dawn of animation, with work like Gerti the Dinosaur and Koko the Clown,” said Framestore’s Creative Director Ian Spendloff. “With this undertaking we were determined to continue that fine tradition amongst artists of breaking the ‘fourth wall’.”

“We wanted that authenticity, and to feel the character's hands being involved in making this, which in some shots was quite literally the case!” added Framestore’s Lead Designer, David Lockhead.

With the sequence shown right at the beginning of the film, Framestore’s craftsmanship sets the tone, allowing viewers to get seamlessly reconnected with Kamala’s rich universe.

The Marvels was released in cinema on November 10th 2023