Despite being released back in April, Marvel fans are still recovering from the twist ending of Avengers: Infinity War. The Russo Brothers did the impossible, crafting an emotional and action-packed blockbuster that exceeded expectations. Infinity War also brought an absolutely devastating finale, where Josh Brolin's Thanos succeeded in accruing the Infinity Stones and wiping out half the galaxy with the snap of his finger.
Fans didn't expect for Thanos to actually win the day, and were left watching in horror as fan favorite characters like Spider-Man faded to dust. Despite the fan surprise, it seems the studio didn't have a problem with this bold directing choice. Joe Russo was recently asked if they had to fight Disney over the ending, saying:
We did not. They were incredibly encouraging of the choices we made.
Despite being a family friendly company, it looks like the House of Mouse didn't mind The Russo Brothers killing off literally half the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And we're glad they didn't, as Thanos' snap of death was a devastating and surprising moment that most moviegoers didn't expect from the highly anticipated blockbuster.
Joe Russo's comments from Business Insider Ignition (via Deadline) show how much trust and freedom The Russo Brothers were given on Avengers: Infinity War. The Russos took over the mantle from Joss Whedon after Age of Ultron, helping to craft the overall narrative of the behemoth shared universe. Additionally, their work on the Captain America franchise showed they knew exactly what they were doing with the crossover-heavy movies.
Killing off half the MCU was certainly a bold choice, especially given the shared universe's future after Avengers 4. Characters like Spider-Man, Black Panther, and 4/6 of the Guardians of the Galaxy all faded to dust, despite their planned movies for Phase Four. In fact, Spider-Man: Far From Home is the first project set to arrive after Avengers 4 hits theaters to answer our myriad questions.
Of course, Thanos' finger snap wasn't the only time beloved Marvel characters were killed off during Infinity War. The movie started off with the aftermath of the villain's assault on the Asgardian escape ships from Thor: Ragnarok. The Mad Titan killed off Heimdell and Loki in the film's opening moments, while also putting the beat down on Hulk in the process. It was clear that there would be loss in Infinity War, although Thanos' snap was even more devastating that one could have predicted.
Considering The Russo Brothers' freedom for bold creative choices, one has to wonder what they have in store for Avengers 4. The fallen heroes have to return to the MCU somehow, and rumors indicate a wild story including time travel. Hopefully the highly anticipated first trailer will provide some answers.
Avengers 4 will arrive in theaters on May 3rd, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
