How Avengers: Infinity War Deaths Were Chosen

SPOILERS for Avengers: Infinity War ahead.

After months of rumors about the amount of casualties in Avengers: Infinity War, it proved that it is the deadliest Marvel film to date by wiping out half the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including some superheroes set to return for sequels. Infinity War brought together most of the current roster of the MCU to stop Thanos from collecting the Infinity Stones and causing the ultimate chaos.

In the end, Thanos gathered the six infinity stones and with the snap of his fingers brought an end to half the population on Earth. As this is a connected universe and Infinity War has the biggest ensemble in the MCU, there are many elements that should be taken into account when deciding who goes and who stays, and the Russo brothers didn’t take those decisions lightly.

In an interview with ComicBook, the Russo brothers explained their decisions regarding which heroes were going to make it until the end and which weren’t, sharing it’s all about the narrative moving forward – though they can’t share much as to avoid spoilers for Avengers 4. Anthony Russo explained:

All of our choices are based on story. It’s based upon the road that these characters have traveled, in not only this movie, but throughout the entire entity up to this point because, again, these movies are the culmination. So all we can say is that they are very focused story choices. That’s our motivation for everything. And, again, that’s why we love Marvel so much is they never let the tail wag the dog. The creative choices always lead the process and then they figure out how to pull off the miracle of making it work on a business level.

Thanos Brings Down A Planet On Titan in Avengers Infinity War

Aside from Loki, Heimdall, and Gamora, whose deaths were by the hand of Thanos and before he got all the Infinity Stones, those who were erased are Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Bucky Barnes, Doctor Strange, Star-Lord, Groot, Drax, Mantis, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Spider-Man. The Russo brothers have previously shared they handed out fake scripts to the cast in order to avoid spoilers, and some actors such as Tom Holland didn’t know the fate of their characters before shooting the scene, and according to Joe Russo, bringing these scenes to life was not easy for anyone.

A lot of tears. They’re never easy conversations to have with people. But I think that people are understanding that the story comes first and a lot of these people have really amazing careers and lots of films that they want to make, so, ultimately, I think they go through a grieving process like anyone but you come out the other side at some point and understand what being part of the Marvel Universe did for you. And, like with us, when we move on from Marvel, it’s done amazing things for us and allows us a lot of other opportunities in our careers.

Characters like Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther have sequels planned, with the Guardians of the Galaxy coming back for a third film, which is said to take place after Avengers 4. Based on set photos, the still untitled follow up to Infinity War may include some time traveling as well as B.A.R.F, the Stark technology introduced in Captain America: Civil War used to recreate memories through holograms, so there are many creative ways in which these characters can come back.

Fans should expect the same level of secrecy for Avengers 4 or even more as to avoid leaks about the comeback of some characters and the possible sacrifices of others. For now, fans are eagerly waiting for Marvel to reveal the title for the film, which will undoubtedly bring new theories about the narrative and future of the characters.

Source: ComicBook