“Avengers: Endgame” hits theaters this week, and it is expected to be one of, if not, the highest grossing films of all time. The hype leading up to the conclusion of phase three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been unparalleled. However, Marvel has already spoiled the movie for me.
At the end of “Avengers: Infinity War,” villain, Thanos, destroys Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and nearly all members of the Guardians of the Galaxy. It would normally be a thrill to find out what happens to these beloved heroes, but Marvel had other ideas.
They have already announced movies for all of the aforementioned characters, as well as a stand-alone “Black Widow” film. Trailers for “Spider-Man: Far From Home” have already begun playing and will likely show before screenings of “Endgame.”
Avengers: Endgame Spoilers Have Leaked Online, So Be Careful Out There https://t.co/Vf46b7T9dg pic.twitter.com/mHwdFlYcQx
— GameSpot (@GameSpot) April 21, 2019
The announcement of these movies feels premature to those familiar with what is currently happening in the MCU. Knowing that these characters survive and go back to their own smaller scale stories narrows down the events of “Endgame” far too much and waters down what should be a nail-biter for fans of the series.
It changes the questions many of us were asking about “Endgame” from “Will they defeat Thanos?” to “How will they defeat Thanos?”
For anyone thinking about dropping @Avengers #Endgame spoilers in my timeline this week… pic.twitter.com/edOIYgQWBr
— Trisha Hershberger (@thatgrltrish) April 21, 2019
A huge source of suspense regarding the ending of “Infinity War” was the fact that we don’t know what becomes of the characters that Thanos snapped away or if there will be a way to save them.
This suspense is destroyed when multiple victims of the snap are now due to appear on-screen at least once more, and likely until the wheels stop turning on the juggernaut that is the MCU.
WARNING: There are major leaks / videos going round from Avengers: Endgame, so we advise you to stay away from any content which isn’t official! We will NOT be posting any spoilers.
— Marvelous ⎊ (@MarvelousRDJ) April 16, 2019
I understand that advertising is an increasingly important device in the current era of film, but Marvel has become so large that they do not need to run long-term ad campaigns. At this point, the Marvel logo in and of itself is enough to attract viewers.
A staple of the MCU has been their long-term plans that showcase their world-building abilities on a universe that began in 2008 with the first “Iron Man” movie.
Every phase has been meticulously planned years in advance for maximum buildup between movies. While the announcements of phase four movies are not a shock, they do show an unwillingness to stray from the norm.
Without the announcements of phase four movies, the suspense would feel insurmountable. Had Marvel held off on announcing the next installments, they would have had fans pondering the outcome of “Endgame.” The question would still remain, “Will they defeat Thanos?”
I am mostly going to stay off Twitter the rest of the week until Friday when I go see Avengers: Endgame. Way too many spoilers out there. If some big Vikings news comes up I'll stop on by but after tonight there are gong to be so many damn spoilers.
— DonFromOhio (@DonFromOhio) April 22, 2019
Straying from their norm of announcing long-term plans would have fans on the edge of their seat during “Endgame,” wondering if this really is the end of the MCU.
Instead, many viewers will be sitting in the theater knowing that Thanos will be defeated, with the only variables being how and at what cost. By sticking to their formula and being afraid to try new things, Marvel has deprived the viewers of what should be an emotional roller coaster of a film. A film that very well may be the end of characters we have grown close to over the past 11 years.
Marvel has watered down the end result of “Endgame,” and the viewers will be the ones that pay for it.
