Downey Jr, Hemsworth, Pratt, Cumberbatch, Johansson – Marvel’s latest megamovie has them all and more. Get up to speed with Infinity War’s dazzling cast before it hits cinemas in the UK on Thursday 26 April
by Juno Dawson
You may have seen a recent Twitter meme in which, following Marvel’s claim that the forthcoming Avengers: Infinity War was the “most ambitious crossover event of all time”, users humorously presented various alternatives – from Footballer’s Wives meeting Bad Girls, to He-Man and She-Ra, to America’s Next Top Model featuring the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Joking aside, as the poster for Infinity War was unveiled, it sunk in how just how insane the cast of this film is. Avengers Assemble (2012), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2015) were big, but this is bigger. There has never been a cinematic event on this scale.
And so I present, in order of billing – oh to be a fly on that wall in that meeting – the stars of Avengers: Infinity War, with a handy reminder of what each core character is presently up to. Cut them out and fashion them into a sort of Hollywood Top Trumps set, if you feel the urge.
Robert Downey Jr – Tony Stark/Iron Man
- First appearance: Iron Man (2008)
- Major award nominations: 13, including 2 Oscar nominations, and one best actor Bafta win
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $4,282m/$9,635m
- How big (literally): 1.74m
The story so far: Billionaire inventor Stark has gone from spoiled man-baby to roguish anti-hero, and came to loggerheads with Captain America over government plans to control those with extraordinary powers. He was last seen taking on a mentor role to young Peter Parker (Tom Holland). Relationship status with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow)? Presently on.
Chris Hemsworth – Thor
- First appearance: Thor (2011)
- Major award nominations: two
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $2,383.6m/$6,167.5m
- How big (literally): 1.9m
The story so far: Thor ditched surly Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) for his last outing, Thor: Ragnarok, and this seemed to cheer him up no end. However, his tussle with Hela (Cate Blanchett) did cost him his right eye and bring about the destruction of his planet, Asgard.
Mark Ruffalo – Bruce Banner/The Hulk
- First appearance: Avengers Assemble (2012)
- Major award nominations: 14, including two Oscar nominations
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $2,227.5m/$5,833.1m
- How big (literally): 1.73m
The story so far: Scared of his own destructive alter-ego, Banner exiled himself at the end of Age of Ultron, only to find himself in the combat arena opposite his old chum, Thor, in Ragnarok. The last we saw, the ship on which he and Thor escaped Asgard was intercepted by a much larger vessel, belonging to the terrifying Thanos (Josh Brolin).
Chris Evans – Steve Rogers/Captain America
- First appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
- Major award nominations: none (so far)
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $2,482.6m/$6,349.6m
- How big (literally): 1.83m
The story so far: Rogers has a somewhat complicated relationship with his old pal Bucky Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). On one hand, he’s Steve’s only link to his past; on the other, he did kill Tony Stark’s family. It remains to be seen if the boys can all play nicely once more.
Scarlett Johansson – Natasha Romanova/Black Widow
- First appearance: Iron Man 2 (2010)
- Major award nominations: 11
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $3,677m/$9,413m
- How big (literally): 1.6m
The story so far: The spy’s allegiances seem to shift. From being Steve’s ride-or-die in Winter Soldier, she then sided with Stark in Civil War. But as the only person able to bring Bruce Banner back from Hulk mode, Romanova seemed keen to make a go of things with him – which may have contributed to his decision to flee our reality.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Dr Stephen Strange
- First appearance: Doctor Strange (2016)
- Major award nominations: 25, including an Oscar nomination
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $1,777m/$5,260.1m
- How big (literally): 1.83m
The story so far: Dimension-jumping Strange spent time developing his sorcery in Kamar-Taj before returning to New York. Most recently, he helped Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) track down their missing father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins).
Don Cheadle – James Rhodes
- First appearance: Iron Man 2 (2010 – previously played by Terrence Howard)
- Major award nominations: 24, including one Oscar nomination
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $2,885.5m/$6,976.8m
- How big (literally): 1.73m
The story so far: Poor old Rhodey was accidentally shot out of the sky and paralysed by Vision (Paul Bettany) in Civil War. Luckily for him, his best mate, Iron Man, has devised him an exoskeletal leg brace to help him walk.
Chadwick Boseman – T’Challa/Black Panther
- First appearance: Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Major award nominations: two
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $1,203.6m/$2,435.5m
- How big (literally): 1.9m
The story so far: T’Challa was fuming when it seemed Bucky Barnes had killed his father in Civil War, but when he learned Barnes was framed, he returned to his homeland of Wakanda. Once there, the new king fought off a challenge to his throne from outcast Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan).
Josh Brolin – Thanos
- First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Major award nominations: four, including an Oscar nomination
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $1,616.7m/$3,889.2m
- How big (literally): 1.78m
The story so far: Thanos is after a full set of infinity stones to give him universal power. Currently Loki has one; one is stuck to Vision’s head; one is in the possession of The Collector (Benicio Del Toro); one is under the watch of Glenn Close’s Nova Corps; one is with Dr Strange; and one, the soul stone, is unaccounted for.
Chris Pratt – Peter Quill/Star Lord
- First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Major award nominations: seven MTV Award nominations
- Total estimated box office (US/global): $2,083.2m/$4,688.7m
- How big (literally): 1.88m
The story so far: Earning the coveted “and” spot on the poster, we last saw intergalactic drifter Quill working out his daddy issues and mourning the loss of his true father figure, Yondu. His girlfriend’s sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan), did set out to kill their adoptive father, Thanos, however, so I don’t see him getting a chance to relax for long.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, that list doesn’t even feature actual Oscar winners Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) and Benicio Del Toro (The Collector); Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper; and megastars Peter Dinklage, Idris Elba, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Tom Hiddleston, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie. There’s also that new kid on the block – 2017’s Bafta Rising Star award winner Tom Holland (Spider-Man).
Five of the top twenty highest-grossing movies of all time are from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Avengers: Infinity War will be a sure-fire sixth.
Avengers: Infinity War hits cinemas in the UK Thursday 26 April
