Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Thanos armor in Avengers Infinity War

Kevin Feige Says Thanos’ Success Is Because Of Josh Brolin

Remember back when we used to say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a villain problem? Sure, there was Loki but the majority of villains in the first two phases of the franchise failed to leave much of an impression. Nowadays you never hear folks say this and there's one big reason for that: Thanos. After years of build-up, Marvel actually managed to stick the landing with the Mad Titan as he proved a compelling, layered antagonist in last year's Avengers: Infinity War, as well as returning in Avengers: Endgame. 
This article is over 5 years old and may contain outdated information

Remember back when we used to say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a villain problem? Sure, there was Loki, but the majority of miscreants in the first two phases of the franchise failed to leave much of an impression. Nowadays, you never hear folks say this and there’s one big reason for that: Thanos.

Recommended Videos

After years of build-up, Marvel actually managed to stick the landing with the Mad Titan as he proved a compelling, layered antagonist in last year’s Avengers: Infinity War, as well as returning in Avengers: Endgame. But what’s the secret of Thanos’ success?

Well, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige explained his thoughts on the question in an interview for Avengers: Endgame – The Official Movie Special. For him, it’s simple: it’s all because of Josh Brolin’s performance.

“The answer to why Thanos worked is Josh Brolin. The reason Thanos is now this iconic movie villain is because they understand where he was coming from is because of Josh Brolin. People put ‘villain’ in quotes when they’re talking about Thanos.”

Feige went on to reiterate how the villain was introduced in the final scene of The Avengers (played by Damion Poitier). At the time, there was only a vague plan to adapt The Infinity Gauntlet but they saw an opportunity to sow the seeds for this in Guardians of the Galaxy. Late in the process, they decided to insert Thanos into the narrative and a rushed search was on to find the perfect actor to play the part.

Feige reflected on how it all turned out for the best, saying:

“It was an idea that came about pretty late in development, and I decided we needed an actor. It was a very small scene, wouldn’t require much time for an actor, but we needed somebody quickly. I thought that face and that presence of Josh Brolin would be incredible, not just for the little bit we wanted in Guardians, but should we ever proceed into the future, you want an amazing actor. But there wasn’t much time, and we required a simple yes.

Often times there’s a lot of negotiating, a lot of convincing. Josh said yes right away. I don’t think he even understood quite what he was in for at that time, because he came to us soon afterwards saying, ‘You know, a lot of people know Thanos. I’ve done a lot of movies in my career, but never have people been so interested about something I haven’t done yet.'”

Brolin followed his Guardians debut as Thanos up with another brief appearance in the following year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. The character was then rested until IW, which finally allowed Brolin to sink his teeth into the villain, exploring him in a much more complex way than fans were expecting. If one thing’s for certain, it’s that whoever the next big bad of the MCU is has got their work cut out for them in topping Thanos.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Christian Bone
Christian Bone
Christian Bone is a Staff Writer/Editor at We Got This Covered and has been cluttering up the internet with his thoughts on movies and TV for over a decade, ever since graduating with a Creative Writing degree from the University of Winchester. As Marvel Beat Leader, he can usually be found writing about the MCU and yet, if you asked him, he'd probably say his favorite superhero film is 'The Incredibles.'