Which Marvel characters died off-screen in Avengers: Infinity War?

Avengers: Infinity War left many Marvel fans in shock and denial after they saw beloved characters dissolve into ash right in front of them. With one snap of his fingers, Thanos simultaneously extinguished half the life in the universe and the hope from viewers’ hearts.

• What does the end of Avengers: Infinity War mean for the sequel?
• Avengers: Infinity War – what happens next?
• When is Avengers 4 released in cinemas?

But if there's one question that's on everyone's lips, it's what happened to the rest of the characters in the MCU? Are they alive? Are they ash? Is anyone safe?

Avengers: Infinity War directors Joe and Anthony Russo spoke with HuffPost to finally answer fans’ desperate cries for confirmation on the status of these off-screen stars. A few characters’ fates are still unconfirmed as the Russo brothers are sworn to secrecy, but some verification is better than nothing!

Let’s start with the good news: the survivors.

The Russo brothers have stated that Howard the Duck from Guardians of the Galaxy – voiced by Seth Green - is among the survivors. Peter Parker’s Aunt May, portrayed by Marisa Tomei, is also luckily confirmed to be very much alive. This list most likely also contains Lupita Nyong’o’s Black Panther spy, Nakia, whom director Joe Russo stated was “on missions” during the events of Infinity War.

Unfortunately, there were several of our favorites whose death-by-snapping was confirmed. Matt Damon’s Actor Loki in Thor Ragnarok, Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross from Incredible Hulk, and Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif from Thor were all confirmed to have died off-screen in Thanos' mass extinction.

The most concerning thing, though, is the number of characters whose status could neither be confirmed nor denied as it was deemed a “spoiler.” Sidekicks Korg and Miek from Thor Ragnarok, voiced by director Taika Waititi, and Jacob Batalon’s Ned are some of those whose fate is up in the air.

We aren't even sure whether Black Panther’s scene-stealer Shuri, portrayed by Letitia Wright, is alive.

But the most surprising person on this list has to be Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, who was Thor’s love interest in the first two films.

Most Marvel fans believed Foster would never return, but director Anthony Russo claimed that her status was a “potential spoiler.” Does this mean we are possibly in for a rekindling of Thor and Jane’s romance?

With some – but not all – of our fears quelled, the biggest question remains: What about Stan Lee’s character?