Avengers: Infinity War was a game-changing movie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and with a number of beloved heroes dead and gone after Thanos used the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of the universe, fans are understandably anxious to find out what's going to happen in Avengers 4. We've seen some promo art but what do the photos from the set of the sequel tell us about what's to come?
Surprisingly, many of these were mistaken for Infinity War set photos but we now know otherwise and that's why we're delving into what they reveal, all of which actually feature some huge spoilers!
Perhaps the biggest takeaway here is that the signs seem to be pointing to Paul Rudd's Ant-Man being a huge part of Avengers 4 and possibly even the sequel's lead. If you've seen Ant-Man and The Wasp, you'll know that he's currently stuck inside the Quantum Realm but the hero will escape...the question is, when? So, to check out this in-depth breakdown, simply hit the "View List" button down below.
Doctor Strange Meets Scott Lang
When these set photos first surfaced, it was widely assumed that we finally had confirmation Ant-Man would appear in Avengers: Infinity War. Well, that obviously didn't happen but after the Sorcerer Supreme's demise in the movie, these shots are now more interesting than ever before. As you can see, Strange has the Eye of Agamotto hanging around his neck despite the fact Thanos destroyed it.
Benedict Cumberbatch was also spotted holding what was described as a "hammer-like device" but many fans pointed out at the time that it was probably just a fan meant to keep him cool. Regardless, this lends further weight to the theory we'll see Ant-Man travel through time when Avengers 4 hits.
Ant-Man On The Run
Taken before those photos of Paul Rudd and Benedict Cumberbatch surfaced, photos from the set of Avengers 4 showed a panicked looking Scott Lang running down a sidewalk littered with rubbish. While he's not in his superhero suit, could this be the moment that he arrives in the future and races home to try and find his daughter Cassie? Perhaps it's here that he comes face to face with a much older version of her and sees what's happened to Earth in the years which have followed Thanos' shocking attack!
That's all speculation, of course, and just one of many theories which have been doing the rounds as of late. What we do know is that Scott ended Ant-Man and The Wasp trapped in the Quantum Realm moments after Janet mentioned avoiding Time Vortexes, so him travelling through time makes sense.
Thor And Loki Flashback
At the end of The Avengers, we saw Earth's Mightiest Heroes capture Loki after he received a beating from The Hulk and from there, he was gagged and taken back to Asgard (along with the Tesseract) by Thor. In these photos, those two were shown in their costumes from the 2012 movie and I guess we're going to learn more about the God of Mischief's deal with Thanos or the Space Stone's importance.
However, what if some time-displaced heroes have travelled back and are planning on stealing the Tesseract in order to stop the Mad Titan ever getting his hands on it? That would make sense but there are a number of different reasons we could be revisiting this moment in order to inform Avengers 4.
Tony Stark And The Hulk
In a sequence which takes place in the same building as those scenes with Thor and Loki, Tony Stark was also spotted in both a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and his clothes from The Avengers' final battle. Mark Ruffalo was also there in a mo-cap costume and a news report could be seen playing behind him saying that public transport in New York City had been put on hold after Loki and the Chitauri attack.
Are those two Tonys the same one or are we seeing the past and present versions? Does The Hulk accompany Ant-Man and Iron Man on this apparent trip back in time? It's hard to say for sure but it's clear that Marvel is planning on spending quite a bit of time exploring the events of The Avengers and we should now look at that movie for clues about where things could go in Avengers 4 next year.
Black Panther Is Alive
Much to the horror of moviegoers everywhere, Black Panther was among the casualties at the end of Avengers: Infinity War after Thanos snapped his fingers. We know there's no way that he's staying dead, of course, but photos from the set of Avengers 4 showed Chadwick Boseman in costume.
It doesn't appear to be a radically different costume but these shots alone are enough for us to safely assume that he'll be resurrected at some point in the movie in order to help bring down Thanos.
Hawkeye...Or Ronin?
We know from that Avengers 4 promo art that Clint Barton returns in the movie after being absent from Infinity War but that showed him suited up as Hawkeye, not Ronin. However, his boots resembled Ronin's, an identity it's believed he'll adopt in the movie during a scene set in a Japanese nightclub. The prevailing theory is that he's taken on that moniker after his family's shocking disappearance.
Either way, we know he'll look a lot different in Avengers 4 because he's been shown with a mohawk and earrings, something which points to a very different take on the archer when this movie hits.
The New Avengers
At one point, a number of actors were spotted on the set of Avengers 4 at the same time and that may give us an indication of what comes next for Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Among those shown at the time there were Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Chris Evans (Captain America), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), and Don Cheadle (War Machine).
These Avengers: Infinity War survivors coming together obviously makes perfect sense, especially after seeing that Avengers 4 promo art. Unfortunately, we have no idea what they were doing here.
The Avengers (Again)
In set photos which got everyone talking, Chris Evans was spotted in New York City wearing his suit from The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr. was also spotted in his civvies (but not the ones from The Avengers) alongside Paul Rudd suited up as Ant-Man. At the time, eagle-eyed fans noticed that a crew member was carrying around a box with "B.A.R.F." written on it, a clear reference to the technology introduced in Captain America: Civil War. Knowing what we know now, though, was that misdirection?
Probably, yes!
Chances are this is another time-travel sequence and that Ant-Man and Iron Man have travelled back to the Chitauri's attack on Manhattan for reasons which have yet to be revealed. Interestingly, all three actors were shown wearing dots on their costumes, something which points to special effects being used to enhance their appearances for reasons which are currently hard to figure out as of right now.
Hobo Hulk
At the same time those photos featuring moments from The Avengers were filmed, Mark Ruffalo was once again seen on set in his mo-cap costume. However, he was carrying a bindle (the bag on a stick you see stereotypical hobos carrying in films) and there's a lot of speculation about whether or not we're getting a scene revealing where he went after the events of the 2012 movie - which doesn't make a huge amount of sense as Bruce left with Tony - or his final scene in Avengers 4 in the present.
Regardless, with that promo art showing The Hulk wearing a costume and Bruce clearly no longer suffering from performance anxiety, big changes are clearly in store for the Jade Giant moving forward.
So, Is Ant-Man The Lead Or Not?
We can't say for sure but don't be surprised if the hero receives a fair bit of the spotlight in Avengers 4, especially if he facilitates the team travelling back in time via the Quantum Realm to set things right.
It's worth noting that around the time he shot those scenes with Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor had filmed those scenes with Ebony Maw attacking the Sorcerer Supreme. With that in mind, what if we end up revisiting the events of Infinity War too? It's possible but more likely that Marvel was just making good use of Cumberbatch while they had him due to his extremely busy schedule.
Either way, don't be shocked if Ant-Man is the one who helps turn the tide against Thanos next year...
What do you guys think is coming in Avengers 4 based on these set photos? Do you think Ant-Man will be pivotal in stopping the Mad Titan? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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