Part and parcel of Infinity War‘s draw is the interplay and 10-year history between many of the film’s leading cast members.
Case in point: Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Brought to life by Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, respectively, the fiercely intelligent duo first crossed paths in The Avengers, and later battled Ultron in the name of Sokovia. But as any Marvel enthusiast will tell you, Tony and Bruce went their separate ways just prior to Captain America: Civil War, so it comes as no surprise to learn that their friendship has evolved in the intervening years since.
Here’s what Ruffalo told Screen Rant:
Well coming out of Thor 3, Banner’s had a life-changing experience in Thor 3 that makes him much more expressive and not so internalized, you know? So it’s not combative but they’re not so in-sync as they were. Plus, Banner doesn’t understand Civil War. He just doesn’t get it.
That’s exciting in and of itself, as it opens up the possibility for some tangible character development among Marvel’s Phase One Avengers. On the other hand, thanks to Infinity War, they’ll also be joining forces with new allies – namely Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) – to form Marvel’s Science Bros.
Ruffalo continued:
Oh yeah, there’s great Science Bro stuff. There’s good Science Bro stuff. We’re paired up again.
If you’ve been keeping up with Infinity War‘s development cycle thus far, you’ll know Entertainment Weekly recently blew the lid off Joe and Anthony Russo’s tentpole with some truly exhaustive coverage. And it was here where both Ruffalo and Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman, drew attention to the ways in which Wakanda affects Marvel’s scientific foursome and their understanding of the world around them.
Boseman: You definitely see where some of the gap is…You see where the gap is and what some things we’re able to do that they’re not able to do and that one you will definitely find.
Ruffalo: There’s no way to overcome what they’re facing without in some way coming to terms with their differences and embracing their diversity. That’s essentially a core value of the film and that together, only together, can they triumph.
And we’ll see that dynamic take center stage once Avengers: Infinity War rolls off the production line on April 27th.
