The well-oiled Marvel Studios marketing team is firing on all cylinders in the run-up to Avengers: Infinity War, which arrives in cinemas in just a couple of weeks.
In the past few days alone, we’ve seen multiple posters, billboards and now an awesome new TV spot that shows a tiny bit of fresh footage of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. It looks as if the shot comes in the same scene we’ve seen in the full trailers, showing the hero taking a massive whack from Thanos, as the suit is in one piece at this point.
It’s entirely possible that this scene could be RDJ’s swansong in the MCU, as well. Not only have Marvel Studios been open about their desire to introduce fresh faces to the franchise post-Infinity War, but Downey Jr. commands the most expensive pay packet of anyone in their films. In addition to that, his multi-picture contract is up and he’s already spoken openly of the notion of quitting while he’s on top, saying (in an interview with news.com.au last July):
“I just never want to blow it for the last six or seven [Marvel Cinematic Universe movies] I have done by dropping the ball because I decided to go do it one more time. I just want to hang up my jersey before it’s embarrassing.”
If this is his indeed his last hurrah, it’s a dead cert that Tony Stark’s influence will continue to be felt all around the MCU. After all, he’s responsible for inducting Spider-Man into the Avengers, created Vision, and has given the heroes their base, much of their technology and bankrolled their endeavors. He’s also released a number of killer robots that nearly took over the world, but hey, we’ve all screwed up on occasion.
We’ll find out for certain if this is it for Iron Man when Avengers: Infinity War hits cinemas on April 27th.
