Avengers Infinity War: You won’t BELIEVE Thanos’ real name – fans are shocked

The menacing Marvel antagonist, played on screen by Josh Brolin, has been revealed to have been given a different moniker at birth by his mother Sui-San.

CBR.com reports that new comic Thanos #14 gives away his initial name as Dione.

In Greek mythology, Dione is often depicted as the mother of the God of love, Aphrodite – so not quite the horrifying global threat we’re used to.

The news has been met with surprise on Twitter, with one person saying: “I refuse to accept that Thanos’ name is Dione.”

Someone else quipped: “I kind of want to read a comic now where Thanos meets people and is like, ‘Hi, I’m Thanos…but my friends call me Dione.’ *winks at camera*.”

One writer was keen to point out, however, that perhaps fans had got the wrong end of the stick.

“Thanos has always been Thanos,” he said. “Dione is the name his mom wanted to name him until seeing the newborn horrified her and Thanos just came to her.”

Earlier this week directors Joe and Anthony Russo highlighted Thanos as the character they are most excited for fans to see when Avengers: Infinity War arrives in the spring.

“I’m most excited for the audience to learn about him. I think he’s a very interesting and complex villain,” Joe said in a Sina Weibo chat, reported by ComicBook.com.

“That’s why I like him. That’s why I’m excited for the audience to learn about him. I think his motivations, albeit psychotic, are compelling.”

Avengers: Infinity War is out on April 27 in the UK.