With Captain America ready to lead the Avengers in battle against the greatest threat they’ve ever faced, will one of the mightiest fall in the final moments of the Infinity War?
<span class=“dropcap”>A</span>mong the many dangling participles fans can expect from the much anticipated Avengers: Infinity War which is coming to theaters earlier than anticipated, is which one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes may not survive the onslaught brought upon them by the arrival of the Titan known as Thanos (motion captured by John Brolin). A decade in the making the latest installment in the Marvel Studios franchise will be unprecedented in that it will unite on screen the core cast of all the Marvel films characters for the two-part epic.
10 years in the making, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took off with the introduction of Robert Downey, Jr. starring in Iron Man and continued with an unlikely cameo appearance in The Incredible Hulk (2008) which then starred Edward Norton in the titular role. The cinematic continuity continued with Thor but it wasn’t until the introduction of Chris Evans as the Star-Spangled Sentinel in Captain America: The First Avenger that everything started to take shape. Suddenly a “team movie” appeared very realistic and quickly came together.
Evans may be the first casualty of the Avengers: Infinity War.
The result was Marvel’s The Avengers which brought together all the established leading players (and recast Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk); a sequel followed-up and several more solo films, but can anyone imagine the franchise continuing without Chris Evans as Captain America? That’s what reports will have us speculate — the fates of several Avengers have already been hinted at hanging in the balance — but the actor who has portrayed not only the First Avenger, but previously entered into the Marvel Universe as a member of the Fantastic Four may be calling it quits.
The actor has reported that after the next Avengers film, that is the one after Infinity War he will be leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe for good. Evans has been quoted as suggesting he’d rather “get off the train,” rather than “before they push you off.” Evans won’t be the only star that has been hinted at not returning after the climatic arc ends. Robert Downey, Jr. apparently has also hinted that this may be his last turn as the Armored Avenger Iron Man. Downey, Jr. unlike Evans has previously talked about his exit, even teased after Captain America: Civil War he’d retire.
Though nothing has yet been set in stone, the stars that lead off the spin-offs features are becoming increasingly more expensive even for a blockbuster budget, and with the new kids on the block like Black Panther raising the stakes, perhaps the timing might be perfect to bring in some new blood and give the original roster of Avengers some time off to enjoy the riches of their reward, or enter into the afterlife as true heroes! Whatever fate befalls our favorite Avengers in Infinity War it will no doubt alter the fabric of the summer blockbuster season.
The countdown has begun! Avengers: Infinity War makes planetfall on April 27.