Whether you’re a fan of the MCU or not, it’s impossible to deny that Avengers: Endgame is a triumph of organization and project management. It’s quite possibly the most star-studded movie ever made and it’s mind-boggling to think about the logistics of getting all these actors in the same place at the same time.
In fact, one scene in particular stands out as being wildly impressive in this regard, as directors Anthony and Joe Russo managed to bring together the entire cast in the same place for one of the sequel’s final sequences. We’re referring to the incredibly moving lakeside funeral of Tony Stark, in which nearly the entire MCU showed up to pay their respects to the beloved hero.
As it turns out, though, no one had any idea they were filming a funeral scene. While speaking with Jimmy Fallon recently, Sebastian Stan revealed that they were told they’d be shooting a wedding.
“We did not [know much] for this one. Everything I filmed I found out on the day. You can kind of tell my my expression. I hide the confusion well under a Zoolander look.”
Speaking specifically about Tony’s funeral, the actor shared:
“I was told there was a wedding. There was a wedding we were filming. I was like, ‘who’s getting married?’ And I was looking around everyone was very formal.”
Given that we know only Robert Downey Jr. received a full script for Avengers: Endgame, it makes sense that the rest of the cast were kept in the dark like this, and Stan’s story makes us wonder what other tricks the Russos played on the actors to disguise what they were actually shooting.
We may never know, but it seems their intense security measures worked out in the end, as the film hit theaters with nearly all of its biggest surprises in tact, leaving audiences amazed, shocked, exhilarated and also a little bit heartbroken by the end, delivering a motion picture experience unlike any other.