Avengers: Endgame’s strange post-credits tease explained
The Russo brothers went for a VERY bold choice for the final chapter of the Avengers saga
Ever since 2008’s Iron Man, post-credits scenes have become an integral part of superhero movies, adding a little hint of what’s to come or adding a joke to cap off an emotional ending.
But really, it’s the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have made the scenes their own.
“Marvel movies specifically have them because it's a long-form narrative, and it's serialised narrative,” Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo told RadioTimes.com.
“And I think that it's a way to tie in what you just saw into the larger mosaic and point an arrow towards where it's going from here. I think that's what's exciting about them.”
- Avengers: Endgame review – “Hugely ambitious, ridiculous, over-the-top superhero filmmaking”
- Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes /subscribe on Google Podcasts
- Stan Lee’s final movie cameo will be a “suitable endpoint” and “very fitting,” say Avengers: Endgame directors
“One of the joys of serialised storytelling is that when you get to the end of the movie, the story's not over,” added his brother and co-director Anthony.
More like this
“And those tag scenes point you in that direction.”
However, when it comes to the end of Avengers: Endgame, the story really IS over – because for the first time in Marvel history, the film has no post-credits scenes at all.
Avengers: Endgame news and reviews
Nope, there’s nothing in the middle OR at the end, so you really don’t have to wait around if you don’t want to. Damn those tricksy Russos!
While Avengers: Infinity War made a move in this direction by having no mid-credits scene (where the teasers are usually put), instead just adding a scene after the full credits that teased Captain Marvel, Endgame is fairly unique by ending, well, when it ends.
Still, within the context of the story it makes sense. Endgame has long been touted as the culmination of Marvel’s first phase of superhero storytelling that began 11 years ago. Hinting towards spin-offs and sequels could undermine what ends up being quite a sweet, considered ending (without giving too much away).
Instead, Endgame concludes with the Marvel Studios logo – though for particularly eagle-eared fans (if eagles even have particularly good hearing), there is something hidden there that could be worth sitting through the scrolling names of every last person who worked on the film (did you know the caterer was literally called “Starkman”? Amazing).
As the logo comes up, you can hear a strange clanking noise, and many fans have already deciphered what it may be: the sound of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark hammering together his original Iron Man armour way back in the very first Marvel movie, kicking off this age of superheroes and the MCU with a bit of DIY.
For the first time, then, a Marvel movie’s post-credits tease is a nod to the past, instead of the future. Pretty appropriate for a film that has “end” in its title.
Avengers: Endgame is in UK cinemas from Thursday 25th April
