Between the movies, the one shots, the limited-series and the television shows, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly growing bigger and bigger week to week - and it’s all headed in a rather epic direction. As confirmed by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, everything we’ve seen so far in the comic book movie world has been building towards an epic big screen battle against the alien warlord known as Thanos, and that huge event will unfold across two huge blockbusters: 2018’sThe Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and 2019’s The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2.
But who amongst the established heroes and villains in the MCU can we expect to see pop up in the movie? Who are the filmmakers responsible for making it? Well, to organize all of that key information we have organized this handy guide, which we’ll keep updating to let you know the latest info about the giant blockbuster. Read on! 
The Writers And The Directors
Marvel Studios seems to have a lot of trust in abilities of the directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo and writing pair Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus. The four men first worked together on Captain America: The Winter Soldier; were reteamed for Captain America: Civil War; and now have been locked in to orchestrate things behind the scenes for The Avengers: Infinity War. The 2018/2019 two-parter should definitely be a different kind of beast then the second and third Captain Americamovies, but given how great Winter Soldier was, it’s pretty damn hard to doubt their abilities. 
Iron Man
Iron Man’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is interesting, and not just because there is no Iron Man 4 currently on the books. What makes him a fascinating figure is that we can soon expect Tony Stark to become an antagonist, squaring off against his Avengers teammate in Captain America: Civil War. Robert Downey Jr. has gone on record saying that he doesn’t see himself as the villain of the movie - but that is really where the Civil War comics position him, fighting against Cap on the issue of superhero registration. As a result of this, it’s unknown exactly how we will feel about Iron Man once that story has concluded – but it does seem likely that the character will continue his run in The Avengers: Infinity War. Years ago we learned that Downey Jr. signed a deal to be in the third Avengers movie, and there’s no real reason to believe anything has changed. 
Captain America
Following the battle against A.I gone mad in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America’s next big screen adventure is set to unfold in the epic Captain America: Civil War - though it’s questionable how much time left the patriotic hero has in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After all, it was the events of the Civil War event in the comics that eventually led to the death of Captain America a few years ago (and also to Bucky Barnes picking up the legendary shield). If the next Captain Americamovie takes this route, it may mean that Steve Rogers may actually not have a role in The Avengers: Infinity War. That being said, Chris Evans has a six picture contract with Marvel Studios that will have one picture left on it after Civil War, and there is no real reason at this point to assume that the film will follow the direct path of the comics. 
Thor
Like Captain America, Thor is going to have a hell of a lot to deal with when Phase Three rolls around. This is apparent just by looking at the official title of Thor 3, which will be heading into theaters called Thor: Ragnarok. This name suggests that what essentially amounts to the Norse version of the apocalypse will be hitting Asgard in the next installment of the series, and it probably doesn’t help things that Loki has been sitting on the throne since the events at the end of Thor: The Dark World. Whether or not Thor will actually make it out of the sequel is actually an unknown at this point, but if he does survive, then he surely will once again reteam with Earth’s Mighetiest Heroes for The Avengers: Infinity War.
Hulk
Exactly where we can expect to see The Hulk show up in Phase Three is one of the bigger questions lingering in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unlike Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Black Widow, there is no set future for the big green monster, and the comic book studio has not yet announced when we can see him next. That being said, it has been said in the past that Marvel likes to save Hulk forAvengers movies, so that could be a form of confirmation that we will get to see Bruce Banner and his destructive alter ego play a role in The Avengers: Infinity War.
Black Widow
Since making her debut in Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow has grown to become a fan favorite, and that level of appreciation has led to an expanded role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to being a full-fledged Avenger, she has also become a key character in Captain America’s adventures (she’s been confirmed for a role in Captain America: Civil War). Unless some serious tragedy strikes between now and The Avengers: Infinity War, it feels like a safe bet that she will be involved in the epic adventure, though he part has not yet been confirmed.
Hawkeye
Beyond The Avengers: Age of Ultron, we have read stories that Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye could make an appearance in Captain America: Civil War, but that’s pretty much the extent of everything we’ve heard about him in Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (it definitely doesn’t sound like a solo film is coming any time soon). Given his status as an original Avenger, it makes all the sense in the world to bring him back for The Avengers: Infinity War - if not only because Earth will need as many superheroes as possible in the fight against Thanos.
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver
With their introduction in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver become the two newest superpowered individuals making their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe… but where the siblings will fit in to future developments currently has a question mark hanging over it. Olsen has hinted that she might be making an appearance inCaptain America: Civil War, but is The Avengers: Infinity War on the table for the Maximoff twins as well? Marvel hasn’t announced anything yet, but it doesn’t seem outside the realm of possibility.
Thanos
While he’s not expected to be the only villain featured in The Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos will certainly be the main antagonist of the two films. We’ve officially known about the character’s presence in the universe since the mid-credits sequence ofThe Avengers, which revealed him as having a desire to conquer Earth, and we got to know him a bit better in Guardians of the Galaxy through his interactions with Ronan The Accuser. In the third Avengers adventure, we will see Thanos finally pursuing all of the Infinity Stones in the hopes of assembling them in the Infinity Gauntlet, which will see him effectively gain the powers of a god and gain control over all time and space. Naturally, it will be up to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s greatest heroes to stop him.
Ant-Man
Ant-Man will be making his big Marvel Cinematic Universe debut later this summer in his very own solo film, but his existence in the continuity beyond that point is a total mystery at this stage. Like all of the other lead actors in the MCU, we can assume that Paul Rudd signed a multipicture contract with Marvel, but right now it’s unclear exactly when and where he will be fulfilling that contract. There is no Ant-Man 2 on the books right now, and even if the first movie is successful enough to generate a sequel, then we won’t actually get to see it until at least late 2019. Presumably Marvel will be interested in keeping a character as historically important as Ant-Man and an actor as popular as Rudd in the mix with other players, so it would be little surprise to anyone if he were to officially be announced for The Avengers: Infinity War.
Wasp
This is a tricky section, because while both Hank Pym and Scott Lang versions of Ant-Man have been promised for this summer’s Ant-Man solo movie, we have not actually heard anything official regarding Wasp actually making her way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s additionally worth noting that the Peyton Reed-directed film won’t even have Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp from the comics) as a main character, but instead will feature Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, the daughter of Janet and Hank Pym. If anyone is going to turn into Wasp, it’s most likely going to be her – but what that possibly means for the future, including The Avengers: Infinity War is entirely unclear.
Spider-Man
Thanks to a landmark deal between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, Spider-Man will soon finally be swinging his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The adventure will begin with the wall-crawler popping up in Captain America: Civil War, and that movie will be followed by the new Spidey getting his own MCU solo film in 2017, but nobody expects Marvel will stop there. If The Avengers: Infinity War has plans to bring every corner of the big screen comic book world together, then that will require them to throw everyone’s favorite web-slinger into the mix. It has been rumored that the 2017 movie will see the character on the road to becoming an Avenger, and that would basically take him halfway to the goal line.
The Defenders
Marvel’s superhero work isn’t being limited to the big screen these days. They’ve also breached into the world of online streaming content, and they’re using that format – and a deal with Netflix - to bring together the likes of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist to form the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of The Defenders. Being that they are heroes of the MCU, that obviously makes them candidates to be a part of The Avengers: Infinity War - but whether or not that will actually happen is unclear right now. There have been rumors saying that the New York-based characters won’t show up in the movies until Infinity War Part 2 in 2019, but even the prospect of them showing up in cinemas at all is exciting at this point.
Doctor Strange
At this point in time, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange hasn’t been officially attached to appear in any Marvel Studios project outside of the Scott Derrickson-directed solo film that will be hitting theaters in late 2016, but there are many reasons to expect that the Master of the Mystic Arts will show up in The Avengers: Infinity War. Not only is the character expected to become an important and influential figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – as he is in the comics – but he also serves as the gatekeeper for a very important aspect of the big screen world. He will be the audience’s access point to the world of magic and alternate dimensions in the Marvel films, and that area should definitely be explored in the battle against Thanos.
Black Panther
Announced during the big Marvel Studios presentation in fall 2014, Chadwick Boseman is set to play the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther in future movies – and the truth is that the comic book company has already lined up some big titles for him. In addition to getting his own solo movie in 2018 (a project that is actually the first post-Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 title), the character will be making his big screen debut in Joe and Anthony Russo’s Captain America: Civil War. He is pretty obviously being set up for important things in the MCU, and given his significance in Phase 3, it’s hard to imagine that the Avengers won’t call on him in the battle against Thanos – even if the role hasn’t been 100 percent confirmed just yet.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Of all the established heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Guardians of the Galaxy definitely sit in the oddest position where The Avengers: Infinity War is concerned. While it would make sense for the likes of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot to join the battle against Thanos, given that the Mad Titan got his first chance to actually speak in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, that hasn’t been the story sold to us thus far. Director James Gunn has said multiple times thatGuardians of the Galaxy 2 isn’t a project being used to move towards The Avengers: Infinity War, but instead towards future films set in the cosmos. Of course, at the same time Dave Bautista has talked about how he wants to see Drax show up alongside the likes of Iron Man and The Hulk, so who is to say at this point how things will shake out.
Vision
After years of voicing Tony Stark’s digital butler Jarvis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Paul Bettany is finally joining the live-action ensemble of the gigantic comic book world by playing Vision in The Avengers: Age of Ultron. But while we know that movie’s titular villain is responsible for the creation of Vision in that film, exactly what he will be doing in the future is currently a mystery. Given the character’s incredible abilities – from flight to phasing to energy projection – he would certainly be an asset in the fight against Thanos in The Avengers: Infinity War, so it’s probably fair to assume that he will be showing up in the upcoming two-parter.
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