The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a particularly fascinating place, as Phase Three approaches its conclusion with Avengers: Endgame. Last April, Avengers: Infinity War arrived in theaters, delivering an awesome blockbuster with a gut punch of an ending. Josh Brolin's Thanos beat the good guys, and was able to wipe out half the galaxy with the snap of his finger. Fans were left to watch in shock, with the events of Endgame still largely a mystery to the general public.
One of the questions surrounding the upcoming Avengers flick was its title, as Marvel Studios only recently revealed Endgame's official name and first trailers. And it turns out that even Marvel's finest weren't privy to the title, either. Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt recently revealed he learned about Endgame with the rest of us. When he was asked if he knew the title in advance, Pratt said:
No, no. In fact, someone was like, ‘What do you think of the title ‘Avengers: Endgame?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know that that’s really the title and I’m not gonna say anything about it, because what if it’s not? And then they’re gonna be like ‘Chris spoiled it.’ No, I didn’t know the title.
Talk about secrecy. While security on the set of Marvel flicks has been tight (especially for projects like Infinity War), it's surprising to see how little the starring cast even knows. While Chris Pratt likely knows most plot details, he wasn't told Endgame's title in advance, likely due to fear of spoilers. After all, the guy does a ton of press for his various film franchises.
Chris Pratt's comments to MTV News make a great deal of sense, and seems to echo what we've previously heard about security within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The studio takes special care of its secrets, and the pressure to do this for Avengers: Endgame is likely even more powerful. The upcoming blockbuster will end Phase Three, and no doubt change the MCU as we know it in the process.
This isn't the first time Marvel actors were left in the dark, in an attempt to avoid spoilers and keep the secrets of the franchise intact. For instance, The Russo Brothers didn't reveal which characters were going to be turned to dust until the day they filmed, excluding it from scripts and surprising even the actors in the process. One of those characters is Chris Pratt's Star-Lord, who faded to dust on Titan alongside Drax and Mantis.
It should be fascinating to see if/how the dusted characters are revived in Endgame. It seems impossible that the MCU could continue without characters like the Guardians, Black Panther, and Spider-Man, who are expected to carry Phase Four after the OG Avengers presumably depart their roles.
Avengers: Endgame will arrive in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
