Fans have been expecting the worst. Just as Game of Thrones looks set to wipe out major heroes and fan favourites at next week’s Battle of Winterfell, so a cold and final ending is looming for some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest characters. Ever since the foreshadowing in Infinity War, many have feared that Iron Man or Captain America (or both) would make the ultimate sacrifice. Despite the unbearable losses in Avengers 3, the filmmakers were careful to leave the biggest names alive and therefore in the greatest peril for Avengers 4. Now someone at the very heart of the film has confirmed the bad news.
Director duo Joe and Anthony Russo already revealed they “cried” watching Endgame.
Anthony also said: “This is it. The reason we called it Endgame. The story of the six original Avengers comes to a close in this movie.”
Does he really mean that Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk and Thor are finished in the MCU – and, even worse, possibly dead by the end of Avengers 4?
It is common knowledge that Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth are expected to leave the MCU after Endgame. Mark Ruffalo has expressed his belief that the Avengers movies and Thor Ragnarok complete an entire story arc for Hulk.
Many fans theorise Captain America will sacrifice himself – many think he will be willingly sacrificed by Tony Stark in order to win the Soul Stone.
Others point to Iron Man’s almost death in the first Avengers film foreshadowing a final death in Endgame.
Hemsworth has continued to tease fans with alternating declarations he is done in the MCU and then open to a return.
Two major Avengers, however, already have future Marvel projects in the works.
Hawkeye reports indicate he will move onto the small screen in a new Disney+ series.
Black Widow, meanwhile, is finally poised to make her big screen solo debut. This does not prevent her from dying in Endgame, however, since the film could be an origin story prequel.
This all links into one of the most popular theories which suggests that there will be some sort of split in timelines or Quantum Realm realities, with the original six remaining in one, but all those who died able to continue but in some form of new rebooted alternate timeline or dimension.
All is about to be revealed…
AVENGERS ENDGAME IS OUT ON APRIL 25