WARNING: Major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame.
The final fight scene in Avengers: Endgame was almost even longer, as additional scenes were filmed that didn't make the final cut. One of the biggest questions that Marvel Studios and directors Anthony and Joe Russo had to answer in Avengers: Endgame was how all the characters who were dusted in Avengers: Infinity War would return. Theories wondered if the Quantum Realm, Soul World, or an alternate reality would solve the problem, but many also wanted to know when these characters would be back.
Unsurprisingly, these characters all return for the final fight in Avengers: Endgame, and give the film a scale that's greater than any other MCU film, or blockbuster for that matter. The result is a finale filled with jaw-dropping spectacle and moments fans have waited years to see. The battle takes up most of the final act of Avengers: Endgame, and it turns out that it could've been longer.
Avengers: Endgame writers Christopher Markus and Stepehen McFeely recently spoke to The New York Times about the movie and revealed new details on how they filmed a longer finale. Markus said, "We wrote and shot an even much longer battle, with its own three-act structure," and the writing duo proceeded to share the full details on a cut scene literally in the trenches of the fight against Thanos.
McFeely: It didn’t play well, but we had a scene in a trench where, for reasons, the battle got paused for about three minutes and now there’s 18 people all going, “What are we going to do?” “I’m going to do this.” “I’m going to do this.” Just bouncing around this completely fake, fraudulent scene. When you have that many people, it invariably is, one line, one line, one line. And that’s not a natural conversation.
Markus: It also required them to find enough shelter to have a conversation in the middle of the biggest battle. It wasn’t a polite World War I battle where you have a moment.
Based on the description of this scene, it's clear that this comes after the previously fallen heroes are brought back. When they do, the action is basically non-stop outside of a few character beats. So where would this scene possibly fit into the larger battle? All of the heroes are in one general location for this fight, but they're scattered across the battlefield that was Avengers HQ and are dealing with hordes of Thanos' minions. But, there's one momentary pause when Doctor Strange, Wong, and other sorcerers cast spells that provide cover for the heroes as Thanos rains the full firepower of his ship upon them. This moment is fit for the heroes to be able to group together under this protection and try to figure out how they each can help turn the tide, right before Captain Marvel returns and does just that.
This is just a guess at this point though, but since Markus confirmed that the extended fight was shot, it's possible that the scene could be included on the home release. It may not be completely finished due to the massive amounts of CGI that the finale includes, but many may want to see 18 different MCU heroes banter with one another. And if not, then at least Avengers: Endgame's finale that's presented in the film has plenty of similar moments.
Source: The New York Times
