The Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming up on an extremely exciting time. With Black Panther is still making tons of money at the box office, all eyes are on what The Russo Brothers will do with Avengers: Infinity War. The brothers have to balance a ton of characters in the epic battle against Thanos, which will be concluded with the mysterious and still untitled Avengers 4. While the current age of the MCU will end with these next two movies, it also appears that they'll conclude a narrative that began with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Joe Russo recently revealed this, teasing how the Brothers' first Marvel movie factors into the upcoming blockbusters.
For us, this was the challenge of telling the story but also completing the personal journey that we started as storytellers in Winter Soldier. So the story that began in Winter Soldier and that ends in Avengers 4 is a, there's a very personal arc there for us. I think you'll understand our point of view as filmmakers and who we are as people when you watch all four of those movies together.
While Marvel fans may be focused on how the next two Avengers movie will affect the overall shared universe, it seems the Russo Brothers are also deliberately planning their vision to begin with Winter Soldier and end with Avengers 4. Now the question is exactly what we should expect with their final movies.
Joe Russo's comments to Andy McCarroll Movies show how methodically the brothers have approached the Avengers movies, and the MCU as a whole. Rather than checking off moments and crossovers from a list, there is a specific story being told throughout all four of their films. It's for this reason that both Winter Soldier and Civil War have been so critically praised, as they've balanced story, heart, and action in perfect measures.
If Avengers 4's ending will somehow be connected to the events of Captain America: Winter Soldier, there are a few possibilities for how the stories may mirror each other. Winter Soldier was a game changer for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as S.H.I.E.L.D. fell and revealed that Hydra had secretly infiltrated the organization shortly after its formation. It also introduced Bucky's return as the mind controlled title character, a storyline that has dictated Captain America's decisions in his subsequent appearances.
Black Panther revealed that Bucky was now free from his mind control, which will allow he and Steve Rogers to properly reconnect. And with the MCU as we know it coming to an end with Avengers 4, it stands to reason that The Russo Brothers may want to throw another wrench into the franchise, similar to the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D.. We'll just have to wait and see.
Avengers: Infinity War will arrive in theaters April 27th. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
