How Marvel Designed New Worlds with 3D Printing

Posted by FIT THAI on August 21, 2026

Without props, Hollywood blockbuster films could not exist. Russell Bobbitt, the head of props for Marvel Studios, has over 30 years of experience in film design, showcasing his skills in popular movies such as “Iron Man,” “Avengers,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” As a prop master, he is responsible for a vast number of important items that appear on screen. “In the Marvel world, I’m responsible for things like Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, and Iron Man’s Arc Reactor (the light on his chest),” Bobbitt said. However, Bobbitt doesn’t just handle prominent items; anything an actor touches, even a doorknob, is considered a prop.

Creating props requires incredible creativity, imagination, and precision, and this is where 3D printing comes in. At the Formlabs User Summit, Bobbitt explained how Marvel uses 3D printing.

An Introduction to 3D Printing for Film

Bobbitt was introduced to 3D printers by J.J. Abrams during the 2009 reboot of “Star Trek.” Abrams wanted a police officer riding a hovering motorcycle to be able to pull the trigger on a prop light gun. When Bobbitt asked for advice, Abrams mentioned that he had a 3D printer in his office. So Bobbitt collaborated with a CAD expert and began building the light gun. “We sat down and sketched out the gun, then he hit print,” Bobbitt said. “That’s where my introduction to 3D printing began, and it was when I worked with J.J. Abrams on Star Trek. The next day, the gun was finished. We had a painter quickly spray-paint it, and then the light gun was ready for use. There was no mold-making, no casting, or anything like that. From an idea thrown out by the brilliant film director J.J. Abrams, we were able to complete it within 24 hours. I felt like he was testing us, like, ‘Hey, let’s get this done by tomorrow,’ and of course, it seemed he knew deep down that he was pushing me into the world of 3D printers.”

At that time, 3D printers were not as accessible as they are today. Bobbitt recalled that the first 3D printer he used cost as much as 20 million yen. He was convinced that 3D printers would become indispensable for set design, so he said, “I immediately started researching 3D printers and told my illustrator friends, who were still drawing with pencils, ‘You guys should go get your own computers.’”

3D Printing Workflow for Props

The 3D printing workflow varies by industry and application. Bobbitt has adapted his workflow to suit the fast-paced entertainment industry. “Nine out of ten times, I become involved in production in this industry. What will weapons in space look like 2,200 years from now? What will weapons in space look like 2,200 years from now?” He makes a list of important props and works with a team of illustrators to draw them. Then, these sketches are presented to the director. After that, Bobbitt and the director decide which sketches to turn into props. Once approved, “it goes into the CAD world,” he said. “To make a beautiful prototype, make a mold, cast it, and create rubber props for stunts or real props, you absolutely need good CAD designs.”

After that, he meets with the actors, and if adjustments are needed, they are discussed. “And once the actors are satisfied, we produce the scaled-down versions with our 3D printer. For example, Stormbreaker, Thor’s new hammer, consists of 34 parts and is designed to assemble like a trophy,” Bobbitt said. Bobbitt worked directly with Chris Hemsworth to ensure Stormbreaker was suitable for his use.

3D printers significantly reduce the time spent creating props, as dozens of prototypes can be made in-house, and they also stimulate creativity in the design process. The design process becomes more flexible and fluid, and props can be created efficiently.

“Then we do the final print, and that goes into the manufacturing process. So we’re not just making one prototype, then using expensive silicone to make a mold and cast it, only to find it’s wrong. We can make 8–10 prototypes and know exactly what we want,” Bobbitt said. “In the past, we’d have a sculptor carve the prop. He’d start with a big piece, then carve it down smaller, and so on.”

The Future of 3D Printing in Entertainment

Bobbitt has over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, and he says the changes during that time have been enormous. “In the past, we didn’t have cell phones. We had pagers, and now we have 3D printers,” he recalled.

3D printing has dramatically transformed prop creation. For Bobbitt, 3D printers are an everyday tool. “What we’ve found is that as we learn more about design, drafting, and 3D printing, we find that more and more 3D printing just becomes an everyday occurrence. It’s such a handy tool, so you can’t avoid great ideas, and us adding that Z (axis) to the X and Y axes, for many industries, it’s a life-changing moment,” he said.

Bobbitt uses 3D printing to print about 100 props per production. “I’m currently working on five Marvel streaming shows and a feature film. Right now, I’m 3D printing props constantly, about 200 of them. So it’s continuous work,” he said.

With so many props to print, Bobbitt experiments with a variety of materials. “We’ll make about 2–4 pieces with hard resin, and if there’s a stunt scene that requires that prop, we’ll make about 6–10 pieces with a rubbery type of resin, because if a stuntman falls, drops, or crashes into someone, we want to use softer rubber,” he said.

According to Bobbitt, the future of 3D printing in entertainment is bright. As a veteran in the industry, he is often asked how to get into the business. Bobbitt’s advice is: “If you have a passion for this film business, are an artist, and can draft 3D CAD like nobody’s business, then go knock on doors. Find someone like me. Get out there and figure it out in your area where you live and where the film industry is at the time. We travel from California to Atlanta, Louisiana, and South Carolina.”

There’s no doubt that 3D printing is in high demand. Bobbitt added, “If you want to make a career, just get out there and figure it out.”