De-Mystifying Avengers: Infinity War

What do we know, how do we know it, and what can we infer from that regarding Marvel Studios’ upcoming blockbuster

Marvel Studio’s Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (…oh…did I just go there? Yes, I did. More on that in a bit.) is roughly a month and a half away from dropping onto screens worldwide. The biggest Marvel blockbuster of all time is right around the corner. Until the next biggest Marvel blockbuster of all time, that is.

Even though there’s supposed to be a lid on this project, with most of the cast not getting to see the entire script while shooting, there is a surprising amount of detail already out there…enough to piece together a rough idea of how this movie is going to unfold…probably a lot more detail than Marvel really wants out there.

What I’ll be doing in this article is focusing in on key factoids from the film that have already revealed themselves in some corner of the internet and then extrapolate from there.

Spoilers abound so if you read this abandon all hope of being ignorant of the film when you see it…

What do we know: Marvel Studios trailers can’t be trusted as gospel.

How do we know this: Just look at most of the trailers that have come out for the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). They are frequently riddled with alternate takes, crafty editing to apply misdirection, and deleted shots and dialogue that never make the film. Even the TV spots can suffer from this. I’ve highlighted some of these in the past, most recently with Civil War.

What can we infer from it: The point being, even though I will be using the two released (so far) trailers for Infinity War as references for my arguments, we need to be cognizant that we can’t take as a given that what’s in the trailer will be in the final film in the same form.

What do we know: Despite what Marvel says this is part one of two related movies.

How do we know this: There is evidence that buttresses this conclusion. First let’s start with the obvious one. Josh Brolin was seen shooting the currently untitled Avengers 4. So, Thanos is still around. If Avengers 4 was supposed to not be related to Infinty War, Thanos would not be around…especially since Guardians 3 doesn’t come out until after Avengers 4 and Adam Warlock, Thanos’ historical foil, will allegedly be introduced there.

What can we infer from it: Not much. We can assume that Marvel has a two parter with Thanos but we don’t know what the second film is about at all nor why the title of Avengers 4 is such a spoiler that Marvel had to keep it under wraps until after Infinity War was released.

What do we know: Marvel is considering doing a Scarlet Johansson Black Widow standalone film for Phase 4 of the MCU.

How do we know this: It’s been all over the web.

What can we infer from it: Black Widow probably survives both upcoming Avengers films. To do a “backstory” film at this point, a la Lucasfilm’s Rogue One and Solo, would seem counterproductive. Plus Marvel is (technically) already doing a backstory film with Brie Larson’s currently shooting Captain Marvel. So any upcoming Black Widow film will probably be post Avengers 4 in the MCU timeline.

What do we know: A half naked Bruce Banner is seen in a pile of rubble in the middle of Dr. Strange’s New York Sanctum. Tony Stark, Banner, Strange, and Wong are also seen together and Banner has is fully clothed with an ill-fitting jacket by that point.

How do we know this: The first Infinity War trailer shows both scenes.

What can we infer from it: The Hulk comes crashing down into Strange’s sanctum, possibly arriving on Earth after hitching some kind of ride with the space ring that presumably contains some contingent of Thanos’ Black Order (I’ll get to why it probably contains them and not Thanos in a bit). Banner (or Strange) calls Stark and Stark comes over. Banner tells Stark what’s been going on vis a vis the fight with the New Order aboard the ship containing the Asgardian refugees last seen in Thor: Ragnarok (where Loki hands over the Tesseract to the Black Order as also revealed in the trailer) all of which had to have transpired before this. Banner whips out the cell phone to call Cap (an open cell phone in Stark’s hands is seen in the trailer). Then the New York mayhem ensues and Spiderman gets involved.

What do we know: The Black Order attempts to grab Dr. Strange’s Eye of Agamotto which contains the Time Stone.

How do we know this: Telephoto lens images from the shooting of Infinity War showing Strange on his back on the ground while someone in a mocap suit tries to get the stone.

What can we infer from it: Not much. It’s been said that Marvel faked scenes in the shooting of Infinity War to throw off the telephoto lens crowd. But we know that Thanos needs all the stones and we know they came to New York specifically to get Strange’s stone since there aren’t any other Infinity Stones on that side of the planet (on the other side however…). We don’t know if they get the stone though. I think they might because of the Wakandan showdown later on in the film.

What do we know: The Black Order attempts to grab Vision and his Mind Stone

How do we know this: The trailer shows Vision on the ground while The Black Order’s Corvus Glaive touches the stone with his scepter and Vision screams. There’s also telephoto footage of the filming of that plot point showing two motion capture actors pivoting away from Vision’s body which then mysteriously gets pulled up into the air (towards that ring ship I presume) There’s also leaked footage from the film showing Black Widow, The Falcon, and Steve Rogers staring up in the air at something. Vision being hauled away? The Ring ship? Could be either.

What can we infer from it: Beyond the obvious that the Black Order tries to get the stone, nothing. A later trailer scene shows Steve Rogers, Black Widow, Vision, and Scarlet Witch walking in to what appears to be Avengers HQ and Vision looks injured. It’s unclear from that shot whether he still has the stone or not. There have been convincing arguments made on either side of that question. We’ll just have to wait and see.

What we can infer is that the Black Order’s attempt to grab Vision’s stone occurs after they hunt down Dr. Strange’s Eye in New York. It would not make narrative sense for it to go the other way around given what happens during the New York scene. This is also why I believe they do get Strange’s Time Stone. They probably wouldn’t break off and go after Vision if they failed to get the Time Stone.

Update (3/9/18): The just released Entertainment Weekly deep dive on the movie all but admits that Vision loses the stone and is breaking down and will die if they don’t get it back. I’m surprised EW revealed that as it’s a major plot point.

What do we know: The Guardians of the Galaxy find Thor but then probably split up.

How do we know this: The first trailer has Thor’s “Who the hell are you guys?” bumper scene with the Guardians at the end. Plus the D3 preview from last year, which leaked, showed the Guardians finding Thor (without his eye patch…Disney didn’t want to tip that plot point off before Thor: Ragnarok came out. Like I said at the top, we can’t completely trust Marvel trailers as gospel)

More leaked footage from the film itself shows Gamora, Quill, Drax, and Mantis entering the shambles of The Collector’s digs with Thanos trying to get The Collector to give up the Reality Stone. Thor, Groot, and Rocket are not present.

The second trailer shows Thor, Groot, and Rocket in a space ship, ostensibly by themselves.

What can we infer from it: Some point after finding Thor, possibly after a visit to Earth to sync up with The Avengers, the Guardians split up with some going with Thor to some location in space (I’ll get to that). Others go looking for the other Infinity Stones. With Xandar already having been destroyed by Thanos (a plot point telegraphed by Marvel Studios’ topper Kevin Feige saying that the first five minutes of Infinity War will show something really bad which likely means the destruction of Xandar so that Thanos gets the Power Stone which the trailer confirms he did get as it was already in his possession when he dropped the stone from the Tesseract in place. Presumably that just leaves The Collector and his Reality Stone that the Guardians need to try and get to before Thanos.

Update: (3/9/18): Split-up confirmed by the Entertainment Weekly story.

What do we know: Hawkeye and Ant-Man have not been seen yet.

How do we know this: No trailer appearances. No leaked footage. We know Jeremy Renner shot Infinity War because he tweeted his arrival to the production and Paul Rudd was caught on telephoto lens doing a scene for the film.

We’ve seen The Falcon. We have even seen War Machine in the trailer. Nothing on Hawkeye nor Ant-Man.

What can we infer from it: Unclear. In Ant-Man’s case the CGI may not have been ready yet to show him in action for any of the released trailers. In Hawkeye’s case it could be that to include him in some action scene would mean revealing something Marvel does not want revealed ahead of the film’s release. That may also be true for Ant-Man.

Further complicating Ant-Man’s situation in Infinity War is the Ant-Man trailer that is now out. The trailer strongly suggests Ant-Man is still on the run from the law. Yet one would think that whatever is going on with Thanos would cause the world’s powers to put aside the Sakovia Accords and grant a general amnesty to Cap’s “bad guys” so that they’d be free to defend the planet. But Ant-Man and the Wasp is supposed to come right after Infinity War, which we assume is in chronological order and not a flashback to pre-Infinity War times, is suggesting otherwise…that Ant-Man’s still a fugitive. Odd.

What do we know: Steve Rogers, Black Widow, The Falcon, War Machine, The Hulk, Bucky Barnes, and Black Panther (and his entourage) fight a battle in Wakanda.

Iron Man, Spider Man, Dr. Strange, and some members of the Guardians of the Galaxy (Quill for certain, probably Drax, Nebula, and Gamora too) fight Thanos on another world.

How do we know this: The Wakanda battle and the heroes involved are well known as they’re seen all over the two trailers.

The battle with Thanos is less self-evident. We see Thanos fight Spidey and Iron Man specifically in the trailers; Thanos knocking the front of Tony’s helmet right off with that punch. The other protagonists’ (Strange and the Guardians) involvement comes from the leaked D3 footage that showed Strange making mystical steps for Quill to climb up while on a planet.

What can we infer from it: The Avengers split up with some going off with the Guardians to hunt down Thanos while the others head to Wakanda. Why Wakanda? I’m glad you asked…

Update (3/9/16): The Entertainment Weekly story is ambiguous on this point. It doesn’t confirm it. But it doesn’t rule it out either.

What do we know: There’s one Infinity Stone that has yet to show itself.

How do we know this: Have you seen it? I haven’t.

What can we infer from it: It’s in Wakanda. Half of the Avengers heading to Wakanda to take on an army of Outriders sent by Thanos? They would do so to defend Wakanda from attack but why would the Outriders attack Wakanda? The only possible reason is Wakanda is the location for the last Infinity Stone; the Soul Stone. Which would, of course, mean that five out of the six Infinity Stones have spent time on Earth at one point or another the during past 10 years. Kinda convenient, eh Marvel?

Black Panther’s release last month may have confirmed the existence of the Soul Stone being in Wakanda. The working theory is that it’s in that big Vibranium meteorite that crashed and it could be the source of the power behind the heart shaped herbs the Black Panther would ingest to acquire his power. This would also explain the visions those who ingest the herb have…artifacts of the Soul Stone’s power.

What do we know: Bruce Banner really doesn’t want to change into the Hulk anymore.

How do we know this: He said as much in Thor: Ragnarok. He’s afraid that if he changes he won’t be able to change back. But change he did at the end of Ragnarok and he eventually got beat back to Banner’s form by the time he woke up in Dr. Strange’s just created instant basement in the Infinity War trailer.

What can we infer from it: Banner is the one in the Hulkbuster armor fighting in Wakanda. This got tipped by two things…the D3 leaked footage showing Iron Man out in space on another world…and the fact that once the New York City battle is over in Infinity War, we don’t see Stark on earth again for the rest of the trailer. But we do see Banner in Wakanda with a partially visible Hulkbuster arm lying in the background.

Ergo, the Hulkbuster is for Banner because he doesn’t want to change into the Hulk. We can also infer that this gambit fails because the same battle shows the Hulk sans Hulkbuster armor.

What do we know: Hawkeye is in Avengers 4 in his new post Civil War persona.

How do we know this: Telephoto lens shots outside the soundstage.

What can we infer from it: Hawkeye survives the first film. There is a lot of confusion around what happens in Avengers 4 because so many actors have been seen in older versions of their costumes. Theories have been bandied about covering everything from they were shooting flashback scenes to they got trapped in some alternate reality thanks to the Soul Stone or sent back in time thanks to the Time Stone.

Regardless of all that, the fact that Hawkeye was seen not in an older version of his costume (though how can you tell really since his costume has hardly changed over two Avengers films and Civil War) but in a new look with strange haircut and tats on his arm strongly points to the idea that he doesn’t die in Infinity War.

What do we know: Thor, Groot, and Rocket probably go off on their own. And they may be looking to get Thor a new weapon to replace Moljnir.

How do we know this: The trailers show them together and nobody else (apparently) with them. And toys started coming out that suggest that Thor is due for a replacement. Against Thanos, self-generating lightning is not enough apparently.

What can we infer from it: Thor, Groot, and Rocket go someplace to forge a new weapon, a battle axe. This would most likely tie into that shot of Thor from the trailers where he’s seen struggling in the center of a big contraption; possibly the device that will empower the weapon.

Update (3/9/16): The Entertainment Weekly story confirms all of this. It also reveals something it probably shouldn’t have…that Thor (with battle axe), Groot and Rocket are back on Earth for the Wakanda battle. That is something previously unknown. The trailers carefully kept Thor out of Wakanda and no leaks about this factoid have seeped out until the EW story.

What do we know: Thanos gets at least two of the Infinity Stones.

How do we know this: The trailers show him dropping a stone into place on the gauntlet while one is already there. They are the stones from the Tesseract and the Orb on Xandar…unless Marvel changed their color in the trailer to fake us out…or digitally scrubbed other stones out of the gauntlet.

What can we infer from it: Nothing. Thanos needs all six to become omnipotent. Is he going to get all six? Probably not. If he did, he’d wipe out half the universe in an instant…thus removing the need for an Avengers 4 to begin with since they’d all be dead.

Of course clever writing, or unclever writing depending on how you look at it, could allow for something unexpected to happen…like have Thanos trap the Avengers back in time or in an alternate reality or something (thus explaining some of the uniform changes for at least part of Avengers 4). But why do that? Why give them a possible out? A way back to defeat Thanos? Just kill them and be done with it.

Then again, Marvel movie villains are not exactly known for their foolproof strategies.

What do we know: There are multiple battles occurring all over planet Earth and the galaxy.

How do we know this: The trailers show battles in New York with Iron Man, Spiderman, Dr. Strange, Banner, and Wong squaring off against elements of the Black Order, somewhere overseas (possibly England) where Falcoln, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Vision, and Steve Rogers do battle with elements of the Black Order, a battle in space between the Thanos, Black Order and Thor, Hulk, Loki, and Asgardian road kill (the D3 leak showed Thanos squeezing Thor’s skull), and a big showdown in Wakanda with Banner/Hulk, Rogers, Black Widow, Falcon, War Machine, Bucky Barnes, Black Panther (and his entourage), and the Wakanda army doing battle with Thanos’ army of Outriders.

Leaked film footage, the leaked D3 footage, and the trailers show a battle on a planet involving Spiderman, Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and elements of the Guardians of the Galaxy taking on Thanos.

What can we infer from this: I’m going to go out on a limb here and posit that Infinity War is the undercard. Avengers 4 is going to be the big final showdown. Too many battles are occurring in Infinity War for there to be enough time remaining in the film to have a big winner take all showdown here.

Indeed, the climactic battle is probably going to be a two-fer with the film going back and forth between Wakanda and the planet where Thanos fights, and apparently beats handily, the Avengers/Guardians squad Dr. Strange and Spiderman are with. I believe Thanos does beat them handily. We know he knocks Iron Man’s helmet off and puts Spidey in his place because both shots of that are in the trailer. And then there’s that forlorn looking Tony Stark shot from the trailer; you know the one where everyone is thinking he’s holding someone’s dead hand (I doubt it though), which has the same set background as the battle with Thanos.

Conclusion: Thanos kicks their butts.

So, my belief is the big battle that ultimately defeats Thanos is going to take place in Avengers 4. And that makes sense because Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel will be along to add her considerable firepower to our heroes’ armament. As will Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp.

No more pockets of fights between sub groups of people taking on sub groups of Thanos’ horde as appears to be the case in Infinity War. One big battle. For the universe. That’s the Marvel way and I see no reason why it won’t happen in Avengers 4.

We’ll find out for sure in about seven weeks…

Update (3/9/18): The Entertainment Weekly story reveals that the planet the battle takes place on is Thanos’ home world of Titan. Moreover the story seems to suggest that Thanos will be present for the Wakanda battle though it does not come out and specifically state such.

If that is the case then my theory that the climax will jump back and forth between the battle in Wakanda and the battle on Titan is null and void. I still believe that Thanos wipes the floor with our heroes on Titan though, based on what information is already out there. But, like keeping Thor off the trailers for the Wakanda battle (he’s not even in that slow-mo group shot), the evidence suggesting Thanos kicks Avenger ass on Titan could be more Marvel mis-direction.