Joe Russo Discusses The Complexities Of Thanos And The Narrative of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Joe Russo Discusses The Complexities Of Thanos And The Narrative of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Joe Russo has provided further insight into how the complexities of Thanos as a character help drive the narrative of Avengers: Infinity War and make the heroes more interesting. Read below for more!

By HeavyMetal4Life - Mar 17, 2018 09:03 PM EST
Filed Under: Avengers: Infinity War
Source: Fandango
With Avengers: Infinity War on the horizon, we've been getting a lot of insight into how the characters, especially Thanos, are going to being handled in the film. In a recent interview with Fandango, co-director Joe Russo stressed the importance of having a villain with a lot of depth and complexity to complement the heroes and drive the overall narrative. Infinity War has previously been described as a heist film with Thanos on a mission to collect all six Infinity stones. However, a character of his magnitude needs more than just an infatuation with the Infinity stones to make him a compelling villain. When asked about what people will find surprising in the film, Joe touched on their approach as well as the villains of their previous Marvel films:

We love villains with depth and it was really, you know, in 'Winter Soldier' what motivated us to work on that film is the fact that Captain America was unwittingly going up against his best friend. As a villain it’s an incredibly rich backstory and potential for real drama there, so we love complicated villains.  'Civil War', Zemo is a victim, he was victimized by the Avengers. His family was killed and he blames them for it, so we always try to find the human side of a villain because in every villain's story, they're the hero in their own story. Their point of view is that they're right. And I find that when I watch films where the villain is more complex I find that it makes the heroes more complex and ultimately in the story more interesting. I think people will find [Thanos] at turns horrifying and at turns empathetic.

That last part is the most exciting as it indicates that Thanos will at times terrify the audience while at other times, win their sympathy. This description may remind some of our last Marvel villain, Killmonger from Black Panther. Joe was actually asked if his description of Thanos was reminiscent of Killmonger and he said certainly. It is clear that the Russos have made sure that Thanos is a multilayered villain with a lot of depth and complexities. Additionally, when asked who the film belonged to and whether it had a hero telling the narrative, Joe had the following to say:

Its point of view is Thanos' point of view, so it's a villain driving the narrative. But there are, that being said, it is at times multi-perspective and there are very important roles for a couple of the heroes. I think you could argue, too, that a lot of the film is told from the point of view of Gamora, and I think she has a really fascinating arc in the movie.

Perhaps it is not too surprising that the Mad Titan's favorite daughter serves as the opposite of Thanos narratively in Infinity War, and it will be very exciting to see the Russos flesh out Thanos' relationship with Gamora. As we saw in the trailer, Gamora takes Thanos' hand at a young age when the Titan's come to her home planet. This aspect of Thanos, having a relationship with his adopted daughter Gamora is likely one aspect that would give the villain some empathy. Are you looking forward to the Russos' take on Thanos? Be sure to sound off in the comments below your thoughts on what Joe Russo has said here! Snap!

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HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 3/17/2018, 9:58 PM
Scarilian
Scarilian - 3/17/2018, 10:11 PM
"Zemo is a victim, he was victimized by the Avengers. His family was killed and he blames them for it"

Yes, to an extent, but he does not know this as nobody knows who made Ultron. So he's blaming the Avengers without the knowledge that it was entirely their fault that Ultron was in Sokovia. So he's basically as silly as the UN in the movie, blaming the Avengers for trying to stop collateral damage rather than supporting the Avengers so they can be more effective in future.

@HeavyMetal4Life -
Sorry about that, saw the Civil War remarks and sort of forgot that 'The Winter Soldier' was the movie title as well as the character xD
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 3/17/2018, 10:13 PM
@Scarilian - ahh was wondering what you were doing.

Regarding Ultron, it's common knowledge in the MCU that the Avengers were responsible for Ultron's creation. Whether the world knows that its specifically Stark or not or just the Avengers doesn't change the fact that they still blame that group. Even Hank Pym makes the joke that the Avengers are too busy dropping cities on people. So he is blaming the Avengers with direct knowledge that it was their fault.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 3/17/2018, 10:17 PM
*Zemo is blaming...
Scarilian
Scarilian - 3/17/2018, 10:25 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life -

Yeah, i see what you mean. Personally i never really got the vibe that the world knew that the Avengers or Tony were responsible for creating Ultron, instead i was just getting the vibe that the world blamed the Avengers due to their handling of the situation.

Similar to how people may claim that they can do it better despite having no experience with the task - The UN being a personification of this viewpoint, that if they tell the Avengers what to do that collateral damage will be minimized, despite them never dealing with threats on the level as Loki or Ultron or failing to deal with threats in regards to the Weaponized Helicarriers in 'The Winter Soldier'
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 3/17/2018, 10:29 PM
@Scarilian - Well the world definitely knew, and definitely associated the Avengers with Ultron (look, its Iron Man flying outside the window!). And the world certainly blamed the Avengers for the handling of the situation, so I'd say its a bit of both.

Your last paragraph strongly relates to Cap's point about the dangers of signing the Accords.
L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 3/17/2018, 10:49 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life & @Nebula:

You guys have been killing it with articles lately. I have been a regular on this site for many years (even before I created this account) and I just want to say thank you for your contributions.

You two are seriously the Russo Brothers of CBM.com - Keep up the good work.

HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 3/17/2018, 10:53 PM
@L0RDbuckethead -


But seriously, that means a lot. Thanks!!

@Nebula- we are the Russo brothers of CBM.com!!!

L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 3/17/2018, 11:13 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life - You heard it here first.

BiggerLuke
BiggerLuke - 3/17/2018, 11:20 PM
@HeavyMetal4Life - It's refreshing to see users like you and @Nebula putting out quality articles instead of the news section being comprised mostly of a couple different authors. Keep up the good work.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 3/17/2018, 11:24 PM
@BiggerLuke -
Nebula
Nebula - 3/18/2018, 4:47 AM
@HeavyMetal4Life -
GhostSurfer
GhostSurfer - 3/18/2018, 12:27 AM


The details on Thanos' face are just out of this world. I cannot believe on good he looks. They even gave him stubble on his head and face..
ThatAlexDude
ThatAlexDude - 3/18/2018, 12:38 AM
@GhostSurfer - Thanos alone legit makes me terrified, and the last time I was ever legit terrified of a non-horror movie was Terminator 2: Judgement Day...

...also I saw that movie the first time when I was 8, so there's that, too.
CopperCrow
CopperCrow - 3/18/2018, 1:23 AM
I think this is the first time that I can't even try to assume which way they're going to go with this. The fact that Spider-Man, Ironman, Star-Lord, and Doctor Strange are all going to be on another planet completely blows my thought process away. So far, I've gathered that there are three different groups... But I also think there's another group that is going under the radar. Hawkeye, Ant-Man and the wasp are all going to have strong narratives in Avengers 4... But I also think they are going to have a little bit to say and do in the upcoming film.
GwenLantern
GwenLantern - 3/18/2018, 4:47 AM
I'm sure The Russos will deliver with Thanos, in Infinity War. I have complete faith that he will probably be the most interesting villain in the MCU. But I think they've missed a trick by changing his character and backstory so much.

Thanos is my favorite Marvel comics villain, hands down, and it's because of the dark, interesting and poetic aspects of his character as written by Jim Starlin. But I guess The Russos just couldn't get an handle on the cosmically suicidal and nihilistic Thanos who is romantically obsessed with death. Instead they have to give the audience a more practical reason for his need to kill half of the people in the universe. For the balance. And the death of his "planet" (?!) drives him, because he never wants that to happen again.

This is all great, but it's so much less grand and operatic. It's so much more pedestrian. Maybe more relatable, to the GA and to The Russos themselves, though, so I can understand the changes.
antmanftw
antmanftw - 3/18/2018, 11:53 AM
@GwenLantern - I agree with you its unfortunate we most likely won't get death but atleast his goal is the same that was the task that gave him to eliminate half of the life on the universe. Its pretty awesome that they are taking bits of infinity gauntlet thanks rising and infinity and putting together
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