It’s hard to feel sorry for a film that took more at the box office globally than any other release in 2018 and currently ranks as the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time, but many Marvel fans were still upset to see Avengers: Infinity War go home empty-handed from last night’s Oscar ceremony.
All in all, it proved to be a good evening for Marvel Studios, with Black Panther landing the studio its first ever Academy Awards, as well as becoming the first superhero movie in history to land as many as three Oscars. For Infinity War, however, such success was not meant to be, with the film losing out to Damien Chazelle’s First Man in its sole category of Best Visual Effects. And while some Marvel fans were gracefully acceptant of the loss, others were outraged at the verdict, and weren’t shy about saying so:
Avengers Infinity War.. which did not get anything is a fucking shame to Cinema!! #Oscars #Oscar2019 #Oscars2019
— Atlas Spectre (@spectreofatlas) February 25, 2019
When another historical space movie that has been done before wins an Oscar for best visual effects when it’s against Avengers Infinity War or Ready player one #TheOscars #What #WTFMoment pic.twitter.com/LpaDiOypnk
— Soundwaverulz (@Soundwaverules) February 25, 2019
To say that I'm shocked that Avengers: Infinity War didn't win the Award for Best Visual Effects is an understatement. I feel like they down right got robbed. 🤔🤔#Oscars
— Justin Parviz (@ARSHY89) February 25, 2019
The 'First Man' won Best Visual Effects over the 'Avenger: Infinity War'.
This is why Thanos wants to eliminate half the existence in the universe.#Oscars pic.twitter.com/zxZO6A0Ad2— 𝕷𝕰𝕹𝔪𝔢𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯⁶♕ (@LenBron_27) February 25, 2019
How could Infinity War not get the Best Visual from #Oscars ??
Have they not seen Avengers Infinity War???— Fangirl of everything (@ebb1998) February 25, 2019
Oh man, Paul Rudd looked so disappointed when he looked at that card and saw First Man instead of Avengers: Infinity War, won the #Oscars award for best visual affects.
— Yve La Rosa (@yviela88) February 25, 2019
I’m sorry but Avengers: Infinity War was better than Black Panther. The fact that it can’t win an Oscar is just silly. It’s got incredible acting performances, incredible effects and I’m sorry there isn’t one movie I would have rather watched last year. #oscars2019
— John Bartmon (@WhiteWolf819) February 25, 2019
While I think Avengers Infinity War should have won for best VFX, I can't muster any argument against First Man#Oscars
— Utsav Bansal (@realUtsavBansal) February 25, 2019
the pain I felt for Avengers: Infinity War being snubbed got taken away by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper #Oscars
— ryan (@ryanchessum) February 25, 2019
suicide squad = oscar winner
avengers = infinity war pic.twitter.com/8ZWDwLZJqf— artinho (@spicyeclipse) February 25, 2019
We lost the #Oscars ‘Visual Effects’ @Avengers : Infinity War but we won you.. YES YOU! pic.twitter.com/ibuEJsJub4
— MCU Fanatics (@MCU_Fanatics) February 25, 2019
As disappointed as many fans were by First Man’s victory, it wasn’t the most surprising of developments. Like most Marvel Studios films before it, Infinity War has hardly been a major awards magnet in these past few months, and unlike its fellow MCU release Black Panther, its critical reception hasn’t been quite on the level of its world-conquering box office success.
Speaking of which, there’s a case to be made that no other 2018 release is in less need of further exposure than Avengers: Infinity War, with its phenomenal run in theaters last year proving plenty enough already. Either way, directors Anthony and Joe Russo are facing high enough expectations as is with Avengers: Endgame, which currently seems destined to become 2019’s biggest film when it arrives in cinemas on April 26th.