The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps expanding with its Phase Three, which kicked-off with the right foot last year with Captain America: Civil War and later introduced us to the Sorcerer Supreme in Doctor Strange. Phase Three is also bringing Marvel’s web-slinger back home Spider-Man: Homecoming, it will delve deeper into the story of T’Challa in Black Panther, and will introduce Carol Danvers to a new generation in Captain Marvel.

But this Phase is not only about new characters – the Guardians of the galaxy are coming back for more, and Ant-Man and the Wasp will team up again for a new adventure. All this will lead to the ‘culmination’ of the MCU as we know it in Avengers: Infinity War, which has officially begun shooting.

Infinity War will be the meeting point for the Avengers (including Spider-Man) and the Guardians as they team up against the ultimate threat: Thanos. As explained by director Joe Russo in the video above, due to all the work Marvel has done with the previous movies, the last two Avengers movies will be “an event like no one has ever seen on film before”.

Marvel started building its connected universe in 2008 with the first Iron Man movie, and has consistently released movies every year since Iron Man 2 in 2010. The first Avengers movie, released in 2012, began the set up for Thanos as this universe’s main villain, and his presence has been felt in almost every movie since – mainly due to his quest for the Infinity Stones; six immensely powerful artifacts which, once mounted in the Infinity Gauntlet, can grant the power of a God to whoever wears it. 

After the events in Civil War, the Avengers roster is fractured, with its members going different ways, and with Thor and the Hulk's fate being decided in Thor: Ragnarok. As for the Guardians, it's yet to be seen where they will stand after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and before the big war begins. Thanos is definitely the biggest threat both teams have encountered, so it will be interesting to see how they will merge. 

Having the Mad Titan as the main connection between the Guardians (as he’s Gamora’s adoptive father) and the Avengers, and what with the Infinity Stones having served as a focal point for the stories of the MCU up to now, Infinity War will definitely be the biggest event that this cinematic universe has ever had.

NEXT: Infinity Stones in Marvel Movies Explained

Source: Marvel