The Infinity Gauntlet is easily the most iconic item in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sure, there's Captain America's shield or Thor's hammer, but nothing beats the golden glove that wiped away half of the universe. Its infamy has long since been established in the source material, and with how well the last two Avengers films were received, the weapon has become one of the most iconic movie objects in pop culture.
It was technically first seen in live-action with 2011's Thor, but was eventually retconned in Thor: Ragnarok and re-labeled a fake. The true Infinity Gauntlet made its first real appearance in Avengers: Infinity War.
The powerful weapon was created at the request of Thanos on the planet Nidavellir and was the Mad Titan's way of harnessing the power of all six Infinity Stones. The metal hand became one of the villain's key fashion statements; it never left his person.
That choice by the character seems to have trickled down to the actor who portrayed him, as, apparently, Josh Brolin didn't even take off his replica Gauntlet for his bathroom breaks throughout his many days on set.
Josh Brolin Wore the Gaunlet to Pee
During an appearance on the Phase Zero podcast, Marvel Studios Prop Master Russell Bobbitt was on hand to discuss the life-sized Infinity Gaunlet replicas they made for the set, alongside a miniature one that Josh Brolin wore for his performance as Thanos for Avengers: Infinity War's production.
But how often did the production actually use those life-sized metal gauntlets? According to Bobbitt, they were used in "every single take that the gauntlet is involved [in]," with the "35-pound" behemoth being used as a lighting reference for post-production work:
"We used that every single take that the gauntlet is involved with, in that we do a lighting reference. We take out, we turn on the lights, we spin it around; all for the post-production folks who have to model it and rebuild it. So in every environment, we pulled out the 35-pound Thanos-sized [gaunlet], made of brass and copper, by a blacksmith. Tony Swatton... every single take of every single shot... we build two of those—don't know where they are in the world now, but they go out on tour all the time for people to see. We're very proud of them. They also house, as you know, all of the Infinity Stones."
As for Brolin himself, they had a miniature one for him to wear for his performance on set, which "he wore most of the day," including "when he went to the restroom:"
"And then yes, [Josh] Brolin really for his character wanted to be able to interact, and so we make a miniature version for him that he wore most of the day. He really didn't care to take it off. Once he had it on, even in between takes, when he went to the restroom, when he went to the craft service table, whatever it was, he would keep that on most of the day."
Brolin Takes Bathroom Breaks Seriously
This certainly shows that Brolin was committed to the bit. It makes one wonder if Thanos himself ever took off his all-powerful glove for his own bathroom breaks. Maybe he used the power of the Infinity Stones to nix the need to have them entirely; something Brolin didn't have the privilege of doing.
Here's to hoping Brolin enjoyed his time with the Gauntlet, as he may never hold it again. Though, with the MCU, it's best never to say never. After all, there is now a legitimate Spider-Man film with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland all onscreen at the same time.
If the Gauntlet ever shows up again, it would be a good bet to assume the powerful glove may make an appearance in the upcoming Secret Wars project. While the Avengers event isn't yet confirmed, it is heavily rumored to be the next massive MCU crossover event on the same scale as Endgame. For now, though, many fans are enjoying a break from the Infinity Stones, even if they'll inevitably be brought back into the picture at some point.
Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame are now streaming on Disney+.
