From the minute ‘Daredevil‘ began streaming on Netflix in April 2015, fans have been wondering when and if the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and his fellow Netflix heroes might join the Avengers on the big screen. Based on comments made in a recent interview, that day may be closer than it seemed.
Speaking to the Toronto Sun, brothers Joe and Anthony Russo (directors of the last two Captain America films as well as the upcoming ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and its sequel) alluded to the possibility of incorporating characters from the Netflix shows into ‘Infinity War’, joking that they had narrowed the list of potential appearances down from 67 characters… to a mere 66.
More seriously, Anthony elaborated: “We do consider everyone. We don’t want to get too specific about what’s going to happen with these movies. We want these movies to be a surprise for audiences.”
While they all share the same world, in practical terms there has been very little interaction between the TV and movie sides of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and what little there is has so far largely come in the form of appearances by the likes of Nick Fury or Sif on ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’.
Even if none of the Defenders (a roster that currently includes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist) make it into ‘Infinity War’, the film is almost certain to be full to bursting with characters, as it is expected to include the majority of Marvel’s established Avengers, not to mention likely appearances by members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Phase Three characters like Doctor Strange and Black Panther, and the anticipated debut of Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel.
On the matter of Larson’s potential involvement, Joe remarked that “It’s an incredible piece of casting. You couldn’t ask for better. Not only is she an amazingly talented actor but she’s a wonderful human being. We’re really looking forward to the opportunity of re-teaming with her if we get the chance to work with that character.” While neither confirming nor denying Larson’s rumored appearance in the film, it is worth noting that the Russos were similarly coy when asked about the possibility of Spider-Man appearing in ‘Captain America: Civil War’.
Indeed, regardless of which characters ultimately appear in ‘Infinity War’, it’s likely that we can look to ‘Civil War’ for insight into how they may be handled, as Anthony himself noted in the interview: “What we did in ‘Civil War is exactly what we want to do in the ‘Avengers’ – no matter how much screen time a character has, you can still have a lot of ambition for what you do with that character while you have them.” As a specific example, Russo pointed to Ant-Man‘s role in ‘Civil War’.
Be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more news as it becomes available.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is due in theaters on May 4, 2018.
