The Avengers have assembled—and maybe for the last time.
The Disney-owned Marvel Studios released a final trailer for Avengers: Endgame on Thursday morning, giving fans a final preview of what will no doubt be one of the biggest movie of 2019, if not of all time.
The sequel to last year’s Avengers: Infinity War brings together the heroes who survived “The Snap,” a devastating act by the mega-villain Thanos, resulting in the death of billions. Endgame finds such leftovers as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Captain America (Chris Evans) recovering from the loss of their friends, and struggling with the future of their supergroup.
The future of Endgame, which opens April 26, is notably more assured: Early box-office predictions put the movie’s opening-weekend tally at about $282 million. That would be higher than the record-setting $257 million earned by Infinity War last spring. That movie went on to make more than $2 billion worldwide. Together with 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, the three Avengers films have made nearly $5 billion worldwide.
Endgame also marks a rare moment in 21st-century franchise-filmmaking, as Marvel will effectively close out major parts of the Avengers story, rather than continue with new installment—despite the fact the series is still raking in millions. Many of the actors who’ve been a part of the Marvel films are expected to bow out with Endgame, including Evans, who ostensibly said adieu to his Captain America character with a tweet last fall. Downey’s contract reportedly expires with this latest film, as well. As of last May, Disney head Bob Iger noted he hadn’t ruled out a new Avengers entry.
But even if Endgame serves as the final appearance for such characters as Cap and Iron Man, Disney and Marvel don’t have to begin fretting just yet. The just-released Captain Marvel just enjoyed a massive opening weekend, and this summer sees the arrival of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Future installments starring Doctor Strange, Black Widow, and the Guardians of the Galaxy are in the works, as well.
