The heptapods originally had a much more billowy, wraithlike design, evincing something closer to the alien of Alien than a massive black squid.
The heptapods, all silent and faceless and ash-colored, must be the most memorable aspect of this marvelous film, and yet they did not always look this way.
But the original iteration of the creatures came courtesy of fellow artist Peter Konig, and were worlds apart from the cephalopod-looking extraterrestrials.
A new item from CinemaBlend sheds a little light on the early visions for the aliens of Arrival and their interplanetary ships as well.