Avengers: Endgame Things Marvel Has Already Gotten Right

There's no doubt that Avengers: Endgame is going to be one of the defining flicks of 2019. It will also likely be a seminal step in the future of Marvel's ever-expanding cinematic universe. While many of the most impressive facts and figures about Endgame will arrive via the box office, though, there's already an entire slew of things that the Marvel execs have managed to pull off with this epic two-part crossover that's noteworthy.

Endgame will be Marvel's 22nd film. It's also the last film of Phase 3, which means it heralds a massive changing of the guard. The film will close an epic decade-plus chapter of A-plus cinema, while simultaneously ushering in a bright and prolonged future of comic-to-screen adaptations to come. From marketing efforts (or lack thereof) to storytelling promises, from confirmed returning cast to the title of the thing, here are the things that Avengers: Endgame has already hit right out of the park.

Speaking of electrifying, another way that Avengers: Endgame has already been remarkably successful is thanks to the foundation laid by its predecessor. It's a testament to the strength of Infinity War that everyone and their mother is excited about Endgame. The two-part superhero story is a cultural phenomenon. Even if very little definitive knowledge is known about the story itself — by hardcore fans nearly as much as casual observers — it's clear from the cliffhanger ending of Infinity War that some pretty epic stuff is going to have to take place one way or another if Thanos is going to be stopped.

One way that fans, in particular, have managed to keep up their excitement with so little information to go on is by simply creating it their own. The near-silence has spawned an endless stream of theories from fans as they mull over each and every way that the powerfully gauntleted Thanos could be stopped and the finger snap could be undone. The rampant speculation has clearly had an effect — while some theories have proven more interesting than others, the sum of them has created an astronomical buzz. For a film with so little to go on, the intensity of the excitement factor is pretty impressive.

Speaking of sobering, one of the greatest criticisms of Marvel's past movies is the fact that they can't seem to really, truly create stakes that are worth giving a darn about. In Captain America: Civil War, the two superhero teams duked it out for over two hours with the worst damage being Rhodey's injuries (even though he clearly was going to survive). Infinity War finally brought home the pain of losing heroes through the death of Gamora and the devastating finger snap, but it didn't take long before the skepticism set in and everyone shrugged, "What if they just undo it and everything goes back to normal?"

It's a fair question. Wouldn't that make all of the drama ultimately for nothing? Fortunately, it's also a question that the Russo brothers answered directly. Anthony Russo declared that "Unless you have real stakes, you're sort of limited in terms of the emotional impact a story can have on you... What we're looking for in storytelling or art is emotional catharsis. And that's not simply getting what you want. It's getting an emotional experience that makes you feel and respond to it and energizes you on some level." Joe Russo added that "This is a fantasy world, and yes, remarkable things can happen in a fantasy world, [but] they come at an incredibly high cost." Hearing the directors' view regarding the stakes involved in a good story reaffirms that Endgame will deliver.

While larger concepts of space and time will certainly factor into Endgame, the movie will also bring the Quantum Realm into play. Up until now, the Quantum Realm has been a fairly Ant-Man-specific topic, with Scott Lang heading down into the unpredictable region on more than one occasion. However, multiple actors have confirmed at this point that the realm where "all concepts of time and space become irrelevant" is going to have a pretty important role in Endgame.

A while back none other than the king of spoilers, Tom Holland himself, lit up the airwaves when he said that Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch had the most difficult lines in Endgame since he had to "talk about so much Quantum Realm... stuff." The Quantum Realm confirmations only got more serious, though, when Hank Pym actor Michael Douglass confirmed that the Quantum Realm was "the key" to Endgame as well as "all the next chapters, I think, of the Marvel films." Knowing that the vast potential of the Quantum Realm will be impacting more than Scott Lang's corner of the universe is a positive that's sure to make a splash when Endgame reaches the big screen, especially when one considers the time traveling potential that it brings with it.

The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is one of the best things that ever happened to the MCU. The witty overtones, fast-paced action, and tongue-in-cheek quips — all in a dazzling cosmic setting — haven't been truly matched since, with the possible exception of Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok. While the third GotG installment may be held up for the moment, though, the bigger issue for the galaxy-saving band in the short term was the fact that all of the Guardians except Rocket crumbled to ashes at the end of Infinity War.

While the likely scenario that the finger snap is undone could help restore Quill, Drax, Mantis, and Groot, an even more complicated question was the fate of Gamora. She wasn't a victim of the snap, instead being killed by Thanos in exchange for the Soul Stone earlier in the film. Initially, it seemed like the daughter of Thanos may have been killed off for good, and that does still stand as a possibility.

However, Gamora actress Zoe Saldana put her fans' minds at rest, at least when it comes to Endgame, when she posted updates of herself engaged in reshoots for the film. While her involvement could simply come in the form of a flashback or even a scene from within the Soul Stone, it's pretty clear that she'll be coming back for the Phase 3 finale, and for that, we are eternally grateful.

A while back Mark Ruffalo explained that Hulk has been going through his own story arc in the background during Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War, and that it would continue into Endgame. In other words, the typical storyline that is the subject matter of a single movie had been spread out and woven throughout those three movies, in effect giving Hulk a beginning, middle, and end to his own personal journey without needing him to carry a film all on his own.

This is good news for Endgame, as we'll be watching the climax of Hulk and Banner's ongoing struggle to come to grips with each other. We saw them diametrically at odds on Sakaar and Asgard, followed by Hulk literally withdrawing and avoiding the entire conflict of Infinity War. As the directors made clear after the fact, he didn't do so out of fear so much as being tired of "playing hero to Bruce Banner." With the story arc wrapping up in Endgame, we're in for a treat one way or another. Will Hulk finally come out to play? Will we see Professor Hulk? Will Hulk wield the Infinity Gauntlet? Will he lose an arm? If, how, and when will the Jade Giant play into the entire Endgame scenario? Whatever the answers are, it's sure to be a trip.

Last but certainly not least, the enormous size and scope of Endgame guarantee that Kevin Feige and company plan to close out Phase 3 of the MCU not with a whimper, but with a bang. The MCU started over ten years ago, and it's had an absolutely epic run, gaining steam practically at every turn. As its momentum has grown, the films have risen to the occasion, culminating with this epic, two-part conclusion whose first half has already more than lived up to expectations.

The fact that Endgame rests in the capable hands of the Russo brothers is an encouraging fact, as well, as some of the MCU's best films have been helmed by the dynamic duo. However, while all of their previous forays into Marvel's universe have been immensely successful, it's hard not to peg Endgame as their magnum opus. Everything up until now has angled towards this giant culmination, which promises to be about as fitting an ending to Phase 3 as anyone could have ever hoped for.