Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
In the unforgettable finale ofAvengers: Endgame, we saw the iconic departures of Iron Man and Black Widow—two of the original Avengers who gave everything for the greater good. But what if their sacrifices were just the tip of the iceberg? What if Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, and Mark Ruffalo had also taken their final bows alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson?
What if the final battle had claimed all of the original Avengers? As it turns out, that was Kevin Feige’s original pitch. A suggestion so bold that even the Russo brothers had to pump the brakes.
How Kevin Feige’s Bold Plan forAvengers: EndgameCould’ve Changed Everything
Marvel fans are no strangers to the rollercoaster of emotions that come with theAvengersfilms. But what if theAvengers:Endgamewe all saw wasn’t as explosive as it could have been? According to the Russo brothers, this was the original plan pitched by none other than Marvel Studios PresidentKevin Feige.
Kevin Feige Can Bring Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson Back into MCU But Not For Another Avengers Movie With Sebastian Stan’s Idea
In a 2022 chat on theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo opened up about the bold direction Feige had in mind. The idea was to eliminate not just Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff, but all the original Avengers—Chris Evans (Captain America),Jeremy Renner(Hawkeye), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and Mark Ruffalo (Hulk)—in one fell swoop. Joe Russo shared:
Kevin did actually pitch, at one point, taking all the OGs off the board. We thought it was way too aggressive and that the audience wouldn’t be able to process it.
He further explained that these moments of sacrifice would allow the audience to catch their breath, process the emotional impact, and truly feel the weight of the loss:
And that, in fact, picking one or two characters to make sacrifices throughout the movie might give you moments throughout the film where the action could stop and you could have emotional catharsis and then continue with the narrative.
This idea of a total Avengers bloodbath might seem like a wild gamble, but Feige was always known for thinking big—maybe too big. The Russo brothers, who had a firm handle on the emotional pacing of the film, knew that a decision like that could shatter the delicate balance of storytelling.
However, even with their reservations, the Russo brothers didn’t entirely shy away from sacrifice. They ended up killing off two major characters, but even that was met with resistance.Anthony Russorevealed in an interview withVanity Fairthat Jon Favreau was one of the first to raise an alarm. He called the Russo brothers up after reading the script and questioned their decision to kill Tony Stark—an iconic moment that would forever change the MCU’s landscape. Anthony Russo recalled:
Part of the pressure [not to kill Tony Stark] came from Jon Favreau, who called us up after he read the script … and said to us, ‘Are you really going to kill Iron Man?’
Joe Russoadded:
And I remember pacing on the corner of a stage on the phone with Favreau trying to talk him off a ledge. Because he’s like, ‘You can’t do this. It’s gonna devastate people, and you don’t want them, you know, walking out of the theater and into traffic.’
However, ever since that move, the MCU and Marvel stories, in general, have been struggling to find ground.
MCU Feeling Crippled After The Deaths of its Major Flagbearers?
It has been a long time since Marvel films and shows were seen as a sure-shot hallmark of success. After the massive success ofAvengers: Endgame,rarely do we see an MCU flick cross the billion-dollar mark or gather critical acclaim, save for nostalgic collaborations likeSpider-Man: No Way Home orDeadpool & Wolverine. And there’s a good reason for that.
The chemistry between the 6 original Avengers was effortless and eye-soothing, which is why audiences loved it whenever they made an appearance together. Ever since Tony and Natasha were killed off, Steve retired, Hulk, Thor, and Clint off to their own adventures, the franchise is yet to see a successful team-up like theirs.
“Shortly after that, he can enter the MCU in live-action”: Kevin Feige Reveals MCU Debut Timeline for 1 Superhero All Racists Hate
So far, new team-ups and collaborations have only worked when an already established fan-favorite hero made a return, as in the case ofNo Way HomeandDeadpool 3.For a cinematic universe as vast and interwoven as the MCU, this is especially important, as without familiar faces, it is difficult to attract viewers to the theatres.
Hence, if the Russo brothers had gone ahead with Kevin Feige’s risky shock venture, it might’ve made the Marvel fans turn pale and adverse to any project post the deaths of all the founding Avengers. Something we can already observe, though partially, somewhat softening the blow.
Avengers: Endgameis streaming on Disney+.
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
