All things considered, Avengers: Infinity War is a dark movie – one could even go so far as to suggest that it’s the darkest MCU installment we’ve ever seen, as the Russo Brothers set about unsettling Marvel’s impassioned fanbase with Thanos and his apocalyptic quest to reduce the universe’s population by 50 percent.
And worst of all? He succeeds, leaving Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in a crumpled heap as they prepare to mount one final counter-attack in time for Avengers 4.
Suffice it to say, Josh Brolin’s Mad Titan is a force to be reckoned with, and early on in the development of Infinity War, Marvel’s effects team almost dialed things up to 11 with a massive sea of blood to represent the blood of his victims. That’s according to VFX Supervisor Dan DeLeeuw, who told /Film that Avengers: Infinity War almost veered into full-blown horror territory when Thanos enters the Soul Stone.
At the end of the movie, when Thanos has triumphed and he encounters the young Gamora [inside the Soul Stone], one of the early ideas was to have him walking on a river of blood, intended to represent the blood of his victims.
That’s right; the dream-like world in which Josh Brolin’s tyrant encounters the young Gamora could’ve been much more disturbing, though the Russo Brothers ultimately decided to play things relatively safe to stay within the confines of a PG-13 rating.
Besides, by the time Thanos has snapped his fingers, and half of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are reduced to ash, viewers have a pretty clear understanding of the Mad Titan’s near-limitless power… without the need for a giant pool of blood.
Avengers: Infinity War is available across all the usual platforms right now, with Avengers 4 expected to tend to unfinished business next summer.
