Infinity War SHOULDN'T Have An End-Credits Scene

You can always expect an end-credits scene after a Marvel movie, but for their next film it may be worth skipping: perhaps Avengers: Infinity War shouldn't have a post-credits scene.It's true that Marvel Studios didn't invent the post-credits scene, but they've made it their own. Iron Man's stinger was really the launchpad for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe; it featured Samuel Jackson's Nick Fury introducing Tony Stark (and viewers) to "a bigger universe." That was really the moment the journey to Avengers: Infinity War began, and it's appropriate that the journey has continued on through the end-credits sequences: The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and even Thor: Ragnarok featured post-credits scenes establishing the importance of Thanos.

Over the course of the last decade, the MCU has become synonymous with both mid- and end-credits sequences. By 2016, when director Zack Snyder considered adding an end-credits scene to DC Film's Batman v Superman, he balked because he considered them too strongly associated with Marvel. Last year, Marvel set a record when they released Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, featuring no less than five post-credits scenes.

Right now, little is known about Avengers: Infinity War; in fact, Marvel's secrecy is unprecedented. But surely a post-credits scene is one of the few certainties? This is the 10-year anniversary of the MCU, and a cause for both recollective celebrations and looking into the future, something an end-credits scene is perfect for. However, for ultimate shock value, perhaps Marvel should break from formula.

This Page: Why Infinity War Shouldn't Have A Post-Credits Scene

Why Infinity War Shouldn't Have A Post-Credits Scene

Infinity War is a different kind of Marvel movie. This is the 10-year anniversary of the shared universe, the climax of everything Marvel has been building up to for the last decade. It's the beginning of some sort of "end" for the MCU. Where the post-credits scenes are all about establishing the connective tissues between the movies, Infinity War is already doing that by its existence. This, after all, is the film everything has been building up to. Should it be teasing the future?

Indeed, there's only one film Infinity War could directly lead into: Avengers 4. However, considering how secretive that next team-up is - the title won't be revealed until long after Infinity War has passed - it feels against Marvel's current tactic to have a scene teasing what's next. As strange as it sounds, if Marvel really wants to have a dramatic launchpad moment at the end of the film, perhaps the best they could do is close Infinity War with a simple statement "The Avengers Will Return...".

After all, that return could be a big enough tease. When Marvel first announced Infinity War, it was as a two-part event. Those plans changed, with the two Avengers movies given different titles, although they're still clearly closely-linked. So much so that many fans believe Infinity War will end with a cliffhanger setting up its second part; a popular fan-theory is that the movie will come to a close with Thanos, triumphant, wielding the power of the Infinity Gauntlet - and snapping his fingers. In reality, it's unclear whether or not Infinity War will end like this. The snapping of Thanos's fingers has been teased a lot in the trailers and TV spots, and it's worth stating that the moment from Jim Starlin's Infinity Gauntlet that inspires it happens midway through #1 - hardly a cliffhanger (Infinity War seems to borrow heavily from Jonathan Hickman's Infinity event rather than Starlin's anyway).

But the idea can't be ruled out - with the Infinity Gauntlet in play, pretty much anything is possible - and if Infinity War does end on a cliffhanger that leaves the fate of the Avengers or the entire MCU up in the air (remember that the next two films are set before Avengers 3), the case for no post-credits scene is obvious; it maintains the shock. If the movie's plot is so surprising the directors are asking fans not to spoil it, a tease risks unraveling whatever's in store immediately.

Bucky talks to Steve in Avengers Infinity War

No Infinity War End-Credits Scene Could Be A Problem

But here's the catch; over the last decade, audiences have come to expect post-credits scenes in the MCU. They're part of the Marvel brand, an essential component that marks an MCU movie out from the crowd. Marvel has already come close to spurning fans with the Captain America PSA in Spider-Man: Homecoming lightly mocking their use of end-credits scenes; while some audience members laughed, others were frustrated that they'd sat through a lengthy list of credits in order to be trolled.

How would the same viewers react to sitting through the credits and not getting an end-credits scene at all? It's true that news would spread online pretty quickly, but that is no insurance against people listening (see: Avengers: Age of Ultron only having a mid-credits scene) nor will it stop a backlash. A change to the Marvel "formula" would risk having a knock-on effect; viewers could begin assuming Marvel is done with the post-credits scenes, and walk out before they're played in Ant-Man & the Wasp.

The number audience members who typically stick around is unclear - memes mocking casual theatergoers leaving early are rife - but considering they tend to be the Marvel faithful, leaving them with nothing but a text scroll is a recipe for negative discussion - no matter how good the preceding film is.

What Post-Credits Scene Could Marvel Use in Infinity War?

Wasp in the Quantum Realm and Avengers Infinity War

So, while it's definitely a neat idea that could hammer home Infinity War as Marvel's biggest event yet, not including a post-credits could lead to unforeseen problems. With that in mind, let's take a look at what could counter the reasons they shouldn't.

Of course, any extra Marvel is always welcome, but the main problem we've identified is relevancy and suitability of scale. A gag bit would be fun, but unless Infinity War is considerably funnier and lighter in tone than the marketing suggests that may not quite fit. Instead, a classic "future-looking" stinger is needed, posing its own problems; The Avengers and Age of Ultron both teased Thanos, a sign of how they were looking upwards, while Infinity War has not such greater threat in the shadows - that's what the film's all about.

What can be worthy? Considering that Wasp and Captain Marvel are set to appear in Avengers 4, cliffhanger or no it could make some sense for them to appear in the credits ahead of their big screen debut in the months after Infinity War (the easier one would be Carol Danvers, considering that Ant-Man and the Wasp takes place before Avengers 3; Captain Marvel's 1990s setting feels like a more impactful jump). That said, an Avengers 4 tease is ultimately more fitting - and even though we hit similar issues discussed before, that is ultimately the best solution. While Marvel will want the focus to fall on its impending releases, Infinity War is going to inevitably have audiences looking to the next Avengers; why not play into that?

Whatever Feige's got in store, we won't have long to wait until we find out what's at the end of the film; Avengers: Infinity War premieres on Monday, 23 April and will be in theaters from next Friday.