The first synopsis for Avengers 4 was released today in a brand new issue of License Global.
The synopsis reads:
“A culmination of 22 interconnected films the fourth installment of the Avengers saga will draw audiences to witness the turning point of this epic journey. Our beloved heroes will truly understand how fragile this reality is and the sacrifices that must be made to uphold it.”
There’s quite a bit to unpack in these two short sentences. What’s very interesting is the film is being described as a turning point in the epic journey that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A turning point after the culmination of 22 films. This isn’t specifically new information, but it’s never really been labeled as a turning point before. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige previously referred to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 as a climax.
He spoke to Entertainment Weekly leading up to Avengers: Infinity War:
With Infinity War, it’s coming to a climax, coming to a conclusion of seeds with all the MacGuffins in various movies, and with Untitled Avengers a year later, bringing what will be that first 22 movie arc to a finality. That doesn’t mean there are no movies after that. Of course not. It means the movies after that will be changed. Again, it goes to the comics. Every great event in the 50 plus years of publishing history would have an impact on the individual books going forward after that.
The idea that Avengers 4 is a turning point lines up with what Feige was saying before Avengers: Infinity War even hit theaters. As to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe will look like following Avengers 4 is anyone’s guess. Although Kevin Feige has said he’d like to see more films in space and he’s also confirmed Marvel Studios is developing an Eternals movie.
But let’s dive into that second sentence from the synopsis. “Our beloved heroes will truly understand how fragile this reality is and the sacrifices that must be made to uphold it.” What immediately jumps out at me is Doctor Strange’s peek into multiple futures or multiple future realities. He only discovered that there was one future reality where the Avengers defeated Thanos. Only one out of 14 million. That would definitely make the reality fragile.
Looking at the word reality from a different perspective, it’s possible the Marvel Cinematic Universe might actually begin to explore alternate realities, which they introduced in Doctor Strange. They might travel to alternate realities through the Quantum Realm and discover a universe run by Hydra. They might also discover a universe where Erik Killmonger and Wakanda reign supreme. They could even see a reality where Loki rules Earth or Malekith has spread his darkness to all stretches of the Universe. There might even be one where Ronan rules the Kree and has come to conquer Earth. The possibilities are only limited by our imagination!
The second half of that last sentence might be the most concerning for many fans. It mentions the sacrifices that must be made. If you thought Avengers: Infinity War showed us sacrifice with Loki and Heimdall, my bet is Avengers 4 might double down on this and actually kill off a number of the main Avengers including Captain America and Hawkeye. We know Thanos doesn’t mess around and he’s going to want to maintain the reality he has created. He definitely won’t like the Avengers trying to change it.
What do you make of the synopsis? What do you expect to happen in Avengers 4?