Kevin Feige Explains Why Avengers: Endgame’s Title Needed To Be Kept Secret

Black Widow in Endgame's trailer

It's an extremely exciting time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A decade of filmmaking will cumulate in The Russo Brothers' Avengers: Endgame, and the pressure is sky high to deliver with the follow-up to Infinity War. Marvel Studios has been keeping its cards close to the chest, with only a few brief moments of footage available. Endgame's title was only recently revealed, the studio previously wanting to let Infinity War stand on its own, while also trying to avoid potential spoilers.

Some moviegoers don't think Avengers: Endgame is specific enough to be a spoiler, but Marvel's Kevin Feige has another opinion on the matter. He was recently asked about the secrecy of Endgame's title, saying:

Well, I think I’d said that it all had gotten blown out of proportion to some extent. But it was a spoiler, because if you knew before Infinity War came out that the next movie was called Endgame, then you know that there wasn’t an ending to Infinity War. But that had been the title of the movie from the moment we conceived of doing the two films. In large part, because…it’s seeded right there. I mean, it’s seeded in Ultron.

Touche, Mr. Feige. While Endgame doesn't necessarily reveal any spoilers by the name alone, it had the potential to alter how audiences saw Infinity War. It implies a certain ending, and was even referenced all the way back to Avengers: Age Of Ultron. As such, Endgame remained under wraps until the title was announced alongside the first somber trailer.

Kevin Feige's comments to Collider make a great deal of sense. While the final installment in Phase Three isn't titled something obvious like Avengers: Half Of Life Is Dead or Avengers: What Now?, the title Endgame does have a certain connotation. Infinity War was expected to end the conflict with Thanos, but Josh Brolin's Mad Titan ended up winning the titular war and assembling the Infinity Stones for his cosmic extermination. Both the audience and surviving heroes were left to watch in horror as half the galaxy faded to dust, and the cinematic universe was changed forever.

Additionally, Tony Stark actually uttered the phrase "endgame" back in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Joss Whedon's final installment in the MCU might not have been the best blockbuster in the shared universe, but it set some important events into motion, including the new class of Avengers, and Hulk's journey into space. Iron Man says the endgame is their enemies from above, and he couldn't have been more right. Because once Thanos and his Black Order finally arrived, every major character took arms in an attempt to save the planet.

Answers will finally arrive when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.