Thanos & All the Digital Fanfare That Titan Brings With Him

            When this summer’s blockbuster hit The Avengers ended, Marvel fans definitely walked out more excited than they walk in to see the movie in the first place. It was not because of all the cool and amazing special effects the film had, or all the fantastic cars they came driving in, or even the fact that the team had shawarmas at the very end; it was absolutely because of none of that. The true reason was all because of a scene that lasted no more than a mere minute, that interrupted the ending credits nonetheless, that revealed to us the face of a Mad Titan. That titan goes by the name of Thanos, and if you do not know who he is, don’t worry because you will definitely see his ruthlessness between now and the next installment of the Avengers.

The Avengers/Marvel

            With the release of The Avengers on DVD, Blu-ray, and other digital formats this week, talk of Thanos’ role in future Marvel movies has once again become a hot topic. For some people, that minuscule glimpse Marvel gave us just wasn’t enough. A couple of days ago IGN.com informed us that in order to get a better picture of the monstrosity that is Thanos, owners of the home video, through the Marvel Second Screen app, fans can finally get that full and clear image of this character and all the details that went into making him a reality. Also, for those, who like me, thought Thanos was purely digitally rendered for the closing scene, Marvel has since confirmed that there was indeed a face behind the mask of Thanos. The man who, at least through motion-capture, brought Thanos’ demeanor and facial expressions to the big screen was a stuntman-turned-actor that goes by the name of Damion Poitier. If Mr. Poitier is eventually destined to play the role of Thanos beyond this brief cameo, the only ones who know it are the fates. And the fates are definitely not talking, and the same can be said for Mr. Poitier, the other directors, and the producers over at Marvel, for neither of them have given any indication that the role of Thanos is already set in stone and spoken for. But exactly what role will Thanos play in future Marvel movies?

Marvel Second Screen Experience/Marvel

            The list of movies that are involved in the “Phase 2” lineup leading up to the sequel to The Avengers were announced by Marvel at this year’s Comic-Con 2012. A couple of films from the lineup have already gone into production and some are filming even, like Iron Man 3. Will Thanos have an impacting role in any of these or will he just jump around the secret endings up until the next Avengers makes its way to theaters? Who knows but multiple sources, such as Collider.com and FirstShowing.net, have already seemed to confirm that Thanos will not only be a, if not the, villain for Avengers 2, but will also play a significant role in the upcoming intergalactic adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy. Of course, it would not be a surprise to any of us if we see Thanos pop up at the end of any of the other films that are slated for Marvel’s “Phase 2” of The Avengers. After all, fans cannot forget that Thanos the Mad Titan did make his first appearance in the 1973 Iron Man series. Could we get another glimpse sooner rather than later? Who knows, either way, judging by the wake a 50-something-second cameo has left throughout the Internet, fans that surf it can only imagine the ramifications Thanos can and is sure to cause across the Marvel Cinematic Universe.