Robert Downey Jr.

The Avengers unite for a one-night only event to take on hurricane relief, thanks to Black Widow herself.

Man, Infinity War sure could use a few more characters, right? There really aren’t enough superheroes in this movie yet. What a tiny, tiny cast list. Okay, yes, this is sarcasm — Infinity War will feature more superheroes battling to save the world than can fit in a single shot… aaand we just got the news that it’ll feature two more.

Here’s a quick question for you, who is the most important actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We all know who the highest-paid actor is  —  that would be Robert Downey Jr.  —  but is he still the most important actor in the franchise as well? Has Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth surpassed him? How about one of the characters from Guardians of the Galaxy or a newcomer like Tom Holland? Is anyone in the MCU so irreplaceable that Marvel couldn’t introduce another version of their character? It’s a very interesting question, and one that the studio and actors are no-doubt struggling with internally.

There are a few things you can always count on in a Marvel movie: Post-credits scenes, superheroes played by handsome men named Chris, and, if Tony Stark’s involved, you know he’s going to be sporting some new Iron Man armor. And thanks to a fresh batch of set photos, you don’t have to wait until Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters in 2018 to check out Stark’s sleek and shiny new upgrade.

Sometimes Avengers: Infinity War feels like it’s just an excuse for a bunch of actors to have a giant get-together, film it, and add in some special effects later to make them all look cool. Like the shawarma post-credits scene from the first Avengers, but for two-plus hours. Today on set, two scientists, a doctor, and a librarian walked into a La Croix commercial… and made sure to snap a pic.

Don't call it a comeback. Wait, on second thought, definitely call it a comeback.

No bubble can last forever — it must eventually pop, as is the nature of bubbles. Marvel has built a vast media empire on the strength of such stars as Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemsworth, but no actor would be content with playing and re-playing the same role forever. All good (and obscenely lucrative) things must come to an end, and Evans has begun the long and painful process of consciously uncoupling from Captain America’s star-spangled shield and cowl. But a new quote from the actor suggests that he may not be the first big name to make a departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Joss Whedon quit Twitter back in 2015 after he decided that the social media platform’s pervasive negativity, anger, and outright hatred was too toxic to endure. (Where could he possibly get that idea from?) But this morning, like a phoenix or vampire slayer rising from the ashes, Whedon returned to Twitter with a new handle, and a new project: A get-out-the-vote campaign called Save the Day.

Of the many bonus features included in each new Marvel Blu-ray / DVD release, the gag reels are always the most special of the bunch, especially when the whole MCU gang gets together. You won’t be able to purchase Captain America: Civil War for another couple of weeks, but thanks to Marvel, you can watch the hilarious outtakes featuring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and the rest of the Avengers crew right now.

It’s been a persistent question for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans: What will Marvel do when Robert Downey Jr. decides to retire as Iron Man, either because he gets too old to play a superhero or too bored with the character or too rich to be wooed from his Tony Stark-esque mansion with promises of tens of millions of dollars? A new storyline in the pages of Marvel Comics suggests one possible solution.

If you’ve ever wanted to watch Daniel Bruhl make Robert Downey Jr. eat a ping pong ball in a Berlin restaurant, congratulations, your wish just came true. In a new German promo video for Captain America: Civil War, Bruhl — who plays the film’s villain, Baron Zemo — takes the actor occasionally known as Iron Man on a little tour of Berlin, stopping in a restaurant to treat his co-star to some authentic German food…including ping pong balls, for some reason.

Superhero films are really into the whole “choose a side” thing this year. Batman and Superman, the X-Men and Apocalypse (okay, that’s easy — Oscar Isaac and Michael Fassbender’s side, obviously), and the most brutal super-battle of them all: Iron Man and Captain America. Civil War is coming, and while the trailers have given us plenty to consider in the fight between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, Marvel’s latest batch of images gives us more to contemplate.