Avengers: Infinity War Writers Reveal That They Cut Some Of Thanos’ Backstory

Josh Brolin’s Thanos, a character whose power and strength almost defies belief, has been described as many things by many people.

While some consider him to be death incarnate, there are those like Anthony Mackie who have deemed Thanos to be the “one true lead” of Avengers: Infinity War. And for good reason, given Marvel’s recent blockbuster was structured around his search for the Infinity Stones – six cosmic gems of untold power who grant their wielder the ability to control time and space with the snap of their fingers.

And though that may be true, Joe and Anthony Russo ultimately trimmed much of the Mad Titan’s backstory from Infinity War on the belief that it “wasn’t necessary” for the movie. That’s something which co-writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have now confirmed as well, telling Collider that though there was originally more of Thanos’ time on Titan in the script, it was ultimately cut.

“We did more with Thanos’ backstory [originally]. We showed a little bit more about the decision he made and what he was trying to do on Titan back in the day. We jettisoned it before we got to shooting though. Turns out we didn’t need it. People understood what his mission was.”

While it is unfortunate we didn’t get to see more of the Mad Titan’s history, it’s true what the scribes say. His mission came through loud and clear and in fact, it was that which really set him apart from other MCU villains. Previously, antagonists of the franchise have been the enemy seeking vengeance – and usually against the hero. But, the Mad Titan’s delusions flip that equation, putting him on the side often occupied by the protagonist.

Not only that, but it places him in the driving seat of the narrative, making Avengers: Infinity War essentially a Thanos movie, as opposed to an Avengers movie. His story and character are more heavily emphasized than that of any of the heroes – partly because there are so many of them to fit into the tale, but mostly because this is a whole new era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.