Markus and McFeely Discuss Character Fates in Avengers: Endgame

[God of the Mors, Search for Eternity, the Withered Scarecrow]

Markus and McFeely Discuss Character Fates in Avengers: Endgame
JAKE ABBATEMONDAY, APRIL 29, 2019
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Markus and McFeely Discuss Character Fates in Avengers: Endgame
Warning: The following post contains spoilers for Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is an emotional rollercoaster with countless moments of levity and heartbreak pervading its three-hour runtime. A number of moviegoers are undoubtedly still processing the film’s tearjerker of an ending, which notably saw two core Avengers make their graceful exits from the MCU. It couldn’t have been easy for the filmmakers to bid farewell to what are arguably the franchise’s most iconic stars. But while speaking with The New York Times, co-writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely explained how they made these decisions.


At the end of the film, Steve Rogers took it upon himself to return the Infinity Stones to the past. But rather than come back to the present, he took a detour to the 1940s and lived out the next several decades with Peggy Carter by his side. Endgame’s last scene, a callback to Steve and Peggy’s final conversation in Captain America: The First Avenger, shows the couple dancing to old-timey music. The scene definitely gave Steve’s character arc a sense of beautiful symmetry. However, it was similarly poetic for Markus and McFeeley, who also penned every Captain America standalone feature.

RELATED: Avengers: Endgame Writers Originally Planned a Longer Final Battle
“From the very first outline, we knew he was going to get his dance,” said McFeely. “On a separate subject, I started to lose my barometer on what was just fan service and what was good for the character. Because I think it’s good for the characters. But we also just gave you what you wanted. Is that good? I don’t know. But I’ll tell you, it’s satisfying. He’s postponed a life in order to fulfill his duty. That’s why I didn’t think we were ever going to kill him. Because that’s not the arc. The arc is, I finally get to put my shield down because I’ve earned that.”

As for Tony Stark, the writers always intended for him to lay down his life to stop Thanos and his minions. But beyond this, giving him a taste of the simple life with a wife and daughter was equally as important.

“In a way, he has been the mirror of Steve Rogers the entire time,” said Markus. “Steve is moving toward some sort of enlightened self-interest, and Tony’s moving to selflessness. They both get to their endpoints.”

“That’s the life [Tony]’s been striving for,” McFeely said. “Are he and Pepper going to get together? Yes. They got married, they had a kid, it was great. It’s a good death. It doesn’t feel like a tragedy. It feels like a heroic, finished life.”


Read more at https://www.superherohype.com/movies/446331-markus-and-mcfeely-discuss-character-fates-in-avengers-endgame#5B9esjMzfLd19qsy.99

[God of the Mors, Search for Eternity, the Withered Scarecrow]

Jim Starlin Shares His Thoughts on the MCU’s Handling of Thanos
JAKE ABBATEMONDAY, APRIL 29, 2019
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Thanos most problematic villain
Jim Starlin Shares His Thoughts on the MCU’s Handling of Thanos
Warning: The following post contains spoilers for Avengers: Endgame

The MCU as we’ve come to know it wouldn’t exist without Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and many more artistic talents. However, the epic conclusion of Avengers: Endgame wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of writer and artist Jim Starlin. As the creator of Thanos, Starlin’s comics have garnered renewed interest ever since the Mad Titan appeared in the first Avengers film in 2012. Now, while speaking with Polygon, Starlin reflected on Thanos’ live-action translation along with Marvel Studios’ intentions for his other characters.


In the original Infinity Gauntlet storyline, Thanos’ snuffed out half of all life in the universe in an effort to romance the physical embodiment of Death. But since what looks good on a comic book page doesn’t always fly onscreen, changes were bound to be made. Thankfully, Starlin isn’t averse to these alterations.

“I’ve worked with movie scripts before and I’ve come to the conclusion that anyone who thinks they’re going to get a carbon copy of what they put down on paper is just being foolish,” said Starlin. “These movie production companies are spending millions and millions of dollars and they’re going to work it around to their universe, which is different than the comic book universe. So overall, no, I was very happy with what they’d done with Thanos.”

Starlin also commended the filmmakers for having Thanos remove parts of his armor after obtaining a few Infinity Stones. After all, who needs armor when you’re holding some of the most powerful weapons in existence? But despite Starlin’s praise, there was one thing he missed from the character’s comic book appearances.

RELATED: Google Thanos to Keep Your Search Results Perfectly Balanced
“I miss his yellow eyes that turned red when he got angry, but I see why they did it,” Starlin said. “It gives [Thanos’ actor Josh] Brolin a better chance to emote with the pupils and all that. The blue I think probably works better on film than the yellow eyes and the red flair would have been too contrasty.”

Anyone who saw Endgame knows that Thanos met his demise at the end of the film. Regardless, Starlin’s MCU presence will live on thanks to Marvel Studios’ plans for Phase Four. Shang-Chi, the brainchild of Starlin and Steve Englehart, is getting his own standalone feature directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Additionally, Adam Warlock is rumored to show up in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But if Starlin gets his way, the MCU will introduce Pip the Troll at some point in the future.

“[He’s a] perfect foil,” Starlin explained. “If you’ve got a character like Warlock, you need a somebody for him to play a straight man to. And Pip would be perfect for it. He’s just one of my favorite characters out of all of the guys I have created. I think it’s Pip, Dreadstar, and Thanos who are my favorites.”

What other Jim Starlin creations are you excited to see make their MCU debut? Let us know in the comment section below!


Read more at https://www.superherohype.com/movies/446337-jim-starlin-shares-his-thoughts-on-the-mcus-handling-of-thanos#OdvEMrcMZBUl3Q4h.99

[Final Dread, the Unquiet Earth, Ghostland, Armageddon]

The Russo Bros. Explain the Theory Behind Captain America’s Decision
JAKE ABBATETUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2019
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The Russo Bros. Explain the Theory Behind Captain America’s Decision
Warning: The following post contains major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame!

Avengers: Endgame left viewers with a lot of questions about how the super-team’s quantum adventures impacted the larger MCU. But now that the film has been released, the Russos are shuttling between interviews to try to provide some answers. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the brothers speculated on the ramifications of Captain America’s choice to stay in the past and teased how this could be revisited in upcoming Marvel Studios projects.


There’s no denying that Cap’s happily-ever-after was a touching send-off to the Star-Spangled Avenger. However, it prompted viewers to wonder if another Steve Rogers has been quietly living in the background of the MCU for the last eight decades. Joe Russo insists this isn’t the case. Instead, it’s more likely that Steve managed to settle down in an alternate reality.

“If Cap were to go back into the past and live there, he would create a branched reality,” said Joe Russo. “The question then becomes, how is he back in this reality to give the shield away?”

RELATED: Avengers: Endgame’s First Monday Brings in $37 Million
“Interesting question, right?” continued Russo. “Maybe there’s a story there. There’s a lot of layers built into this movie and we spent three years thinking through it, so it’s fun to talk about it and hopefully fill in holes for people so they understand what we’re thinking.”

And if you’re wondering why Bucky seemed relatively unfazed by Steve’s sudden reappearance as an old man, there might be a reason for that, too. Joe seemed to suggest that Bucky was well aware that this would be the outcome of the movie’s events. Unfortunately, the “how” remains a mystery.

“Especially when he says goodbye,” noted Russo. “He says, ‘I’ll miss you.’ Clearly he knows something.”


Read more at https://www.superherohype.com/movies/446509-the-russo-bros-explain-the-theory-behind-captain-americas-decision#CRAsTq4sdwmRtKwK.99

[Final Dread, the Unquiet Earth, Ghostland, Armageddon]

Avengers: Endgame Directors Pitched Tony Stark’s Story To Robert Downey Jr.
ROBERT WORKMANWEDNESDAY, MAY 01, 2019
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Avengers: Endgame Directors Pitched Tony Stark’s Story To Robert Downey Jr.
(Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame!)

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Avengers: Endgame is a huge film that concludes more than 11 years of story in just over three hours. But it’s a tough one for some fans to endure, mainly due to the departure of certain characters. This includes Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man. Co-director Anthony Russo recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how he and his brother, Joe Russo, broached the subject with Downey.

“We did pitch Robert his arc, because he kicked off the entire MCU,” said Russo. “The Tony Stark arc is the longest and perhaps fullest in the MCU. Once we decided we wanted this kind of ending for the character, we certainly wanted to make sure Robert was comfortable with it, just because of his enormous contribution to the MCU. We did pitch it out. We went over to meet with him and we pitched it out to him.”

Related: The Russo Bros. Explain the Theory Behind Captain America’s Decision
“A lot of the actors are not opinionated about what we do,” added Russo. “They like the fact that we are sort of in control of these stories and we are driving where they should go and we have a vision for where they should go and they trust in that. I think Downey may have had mixed emotions about thinking about [where Tony Stark ends up in Endgame], but I think at the end of the day, he totally accepted it.”

It’s a worthy end for a great character. But don’t feel too bad about Downey – he got a huge haul from Infinity War alone. He’ll take home a lot more after Endgame finishes up later this summer.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Ho


Read more at https://www.superherohype.com/movies/446661-avengers-endgame-directors-pitched-tony-starks-story-to-robert-downey-jr#3CG3TChswJUjV3Vt.99

[Final Dread, the Unquiet Earth, Ghostland, Armageddon]

Avengers: Endgame Directors: Post-Credits Scene ‘Was Never In the Cards’
ROBERT WORKMANWEDNESDAY, MAY 01, 2019
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Avengers: Endgame Directors: Post-Credits Scene ‘Was Never In the Cards’
Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame!

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Avengers: Endgame defied a Marvel Studios tradition by not including a post-credits scene. Ever since the original Iron Man film in 2008, Marvel has been conditioning fans to sit through the credits for one or two new scenes. When USA Today asked the Russo brothers why they didn’t have one, the directors had a good explanation.

“It was never in the cards,” said Joe Russo. “It was called Endgame for a reason. This is it. This is the ending. The book is closed on that chapter of the Marvel universe and a new book will get written.”

“This was the first Marvel movie we’ve done where we weren’t thinking about the future,” added co-director, Anthony Russo. “There’s no future. There will be a future, of course, but it’s not our responsibility.” He added that it was a “great thrill” for them not to have to set up that future.

Related: Robert Downey Jr. May Have Gotten $75 Million For Avengers: Infinity War
However, that is a small Easter Egg at the conclusion of Endgame‘s credits. There’s an unmistakable sound of a hammer pounding against metal. This is a nod to Tony Stark assembling his Mark 1 armor in the original Iron Man film.

“It’s really just an homage, sort of a little bookend,” said Joe Russo. “It started it and it ends it.”

Anthony Russo also added that it’s “an echo of the past.”

What do you think about its lack of a post-credits scene? Let us know in the comments below!


Read more at https://www.superherohype.com/movies/446653-avengers-endgame-director-post-credits-scene-was-never-in-the-cards#F2IZpDWmPCm0bYJh.99