Much like a different Disney-controlled IP said to kick off its own PR blitz: “Nobody is ever really gone.” This mantra may be true of a certain bald-headed balancer of the universe as well though, circa Avengers: Endgame. Yep, Thanos may be gone, but not forgotten. In fact, his eventual return, already possibly confirmed, is being teased even further by some Marvel producers now. He is inevitable, after all.
Producers Trinh Tran and Louis D’Esposito both made quoted appearances in The Art of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame the, uh, art book that accompanied the Marvel finale’s home release. We’ve already learned a lot from it, including alternate directions that the filmmakers were considering throughout production but at one point, D’Esposito talks more about the Mad Titan and the possibility of his return, saying that “when someone dies, you cannot bring them back. It’s not like when Thanos snapped his fingers. You can reverse that.”
Tran backs him up, too, specifically saying that Thanos didn’t “die,” stating that “[Tony chooses] to snap his finger and blip Thanos and his minions away to save the universe.” The use of the word “blip” there is the key takeaway. Thanos ain’t dead; he’s just…wherever you go when dusted. Someone grab some Swiffers, amirite?
While this may excite fans, if I’m being honest, I’m not exactly sure why this is a big deal. We already know people can be un-Blipped, as seen in both Endgame and Far From Home. Plus, Thanos’ return has already been theorized and maybe teased a bit by previous Marvel releases or fan theories or even the knowledge of what storylines are being adapted. The most logical first re-appearance of the Mad Titan is probably going to be when the Eternals make their debut and reportedly work with a younger, less mad titan.
Besides, with the cavalcade of as-of-yet un-adapted villains in the multitude of stories out there, why do we want to see more of the bald bad guy? He was fine, even if he was better in Infinity War, and I love Josh Brolin as much as any other person who shares my first name, but come on. Let’s get John Malkovich to be Galactus. Or Brian Cox as, I don’t know, Lex Luthor? Is he even a Marvel villain? Who knows anymore?
I kid, but honestly, it’s all too much. I really wish Avengers: Endgame was the end, at least for a while. I’m getting a bit tired of all this comic book movie craziness, but given how much money the film made at the box office, it looks like I’m probably in the minority there.