Balder the Brave, Thor’s half-brother, was initially intended to be killed by Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), according to a behind-the-scenes image from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The image showing Balder’s death’s aftermath was posted by Olsen’s stunt double, CC Ice. It’s unknown who is portraying Balder in the picture, but it’s probably another stunt double because, according to Graham Churchyard, a costume designer for the Doctor Strange sequel, the part was never cast. Yes, Churchyard admitted, “We designed Balder the Brave pretty far, but we were waiting and waiting and waiting on casting and everything, so I carried it to a prototype level. “As we gathered textiles and ideas while awaiting an actor, we were sort of in that design phase. Balder the Brave is poor.”
Marvel attempted to cast James Bond and Knives Out actor Daniel Craig as the Asgardian warrior, who was also intended to be a member of the film’s interpretation of the Illuminati, despite the casting never progressing past the design team’s prototype. In fact, Marvel even went so far as to commission concept art depicting the actor in the role. John Krasinski’s Mister Fantastic took Craig’s place after the actor apparently pulled out of the movie because of COVID-19 issues.
Balder wasn’t the first person who was meant to be a member of the Illuminati but wound up being executed. In storyboards from the movie, Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger is seen standing next to Balder. Michael Waldron, the author, said that Wasp was meant to pass for one of the others. The Wasp was originally a member of the Illuminati in the initial draught of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he says. As the Wasp flew at the Scarlet Witch and shrank down, Wanda clapped her hands and squashed them.
