Sixteen films into the MCU, and Marvel’s prized asset shows no sign of slowing down – if anything, this most ambitious of cinematic universes is only going in one direction.
With pedal firmly on metal, the studio is slowly beginning to prepare for the November launch of Thor: Ragnarok which, perhaps more so than any other Marvel film before it, serves as a galactic primer for Avengers: Infinity War. Headed up by directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Infinity War is a titanic blockbuster that looks set to dial things up to 11, and in the fallout of SDCC, Joe Russo has been keeping fans on a knife-edge by teasing all of the many “intense surprises” in store.
But part of the MCU’s continued success is its innate ability to punctuate those dark, somber scenes with a sense of humor, and that’s something that will continue into the release of Infinity War. With such a huge ensemble to play with, the Russo Brothers are a little spoilt for choice when it comes to bringing out the absolute best from each costumed crusader – for instance, the natural sarcasm of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark will surely tee up a rib-tickling juxtaposition with Drax’s literalism. Spidey and Strange is another duo that’s been name-dropped of late, but in a new interview with IGN, Joe Russo drew attention to the “surprising, very funny” combination of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt).
Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder will be on our screens very soon thanks to the release of Ragnarok (spoilers: it’s shaping up to be a visual feast), and it would seem that the tail-end of Taika Waititi’s spacefaring romp will dovetail with the opening of Infinity War. Perhaps Ragnarok‘s post-credits scene(s) sets the stage for the oncoming battle against Thanos and his henchmen (otherwise known as the Black Order).
That scene in question will see the Guardians happen across Thor as he’s floating aimlessly through space, presumably after a rather taxing clash with Hela, the Goddess of Death. Upon coming aboard the Milano, the God of Thunder will seemingly strike up a funny bond with Star-Prince Star-Lord.
Speaking at Comic-Con this past weekend, here’s what Joe Russo revealed:
You know what’s interesting is that because of the re-toning that Taika (Waititi) did with Thor 3 and the direction is set in as a character, he and Star-Lord were a very surprising combination and a very funny combination. So I’m excited for the audience to see the two of them together.
Avengers: Infinity War debuts on May 4th, 2018.