Marvel Studios Reportedly Considering Thanos' Return in Upcoming MCU Movie

By Richard Nebens Updated:
Thanos, Marvel Studios logo

Marvel Studios is putting together its finishing touches this summer as the team prepares to finally bring the debut of Phase 4 in late 2020. This all comes after over a decade of building the Infinity Saga, which brought praise and adulation worldwide from fans and critics alike. 

Starting at the very end of Phase 1 and continuing on for the next seven years, Marvel Studios told the thorough and detailed story of one of the biggest villains in Marvel Comics history: The Mad Titan Thanos. His story came to its peak during the events of Avengers: Infinity War when he was featured as the film's primary character before meeting his demise in Avengers: Endgame. While the world is currently convinced that this is the end of Thanos' arc, a new rumor has just arrived possibly pointing to the contrary.

NEWS

A new rumor from Jeremy Conrad of MCU Cosmic has indicated that Marvel Studios may not be done telling the story of Thanos. The rumor is that there are no definitive plans or specific storylines in which the studio is planning his return, but that it's currently something "in the cards."

WHAT THIS MEANS

After his first introduction in the mid-credits scene of 2012's The Avengers, Thanos has been one of the most prominent figures standing in the way of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He had a few minutes of screen time in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy and another mid-credits cameo getting his hands on an empty Infinity Gauntlet in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron before his starring appearances in director Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers epics in 2018 and 2019.

This isn't the first time that Thanos has been rumored to return to the MCU, as other rumors have pointed to a possible appearance in 2021's The Eternals. This would most likely give a look at a younger version of the Mad Titan long before any of his previous MCU appearances as a fully-formed big bad.

Thanos made one of the most substantial impacts on the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when he snapped his fingers and wiped out half of all life in the universe with all six Infinity Stones. Even besides the fact that this event will be remembered by the entire global population, it's seeming clear that Marvel wants to dig even deeper into the story of one of the most popular villains in cinematic history. Whether he will be reprised by Josh Brolin once again is still a mystery, but it should be an exciting reveal when fans see that giant bald purple alien on screen in all his glory again.

- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.