Now that Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters, the obsessive waiting has finally come to an end. Hardcore fans and casual viewers alike no longer have to avoid spoilers like the plague or panic about how they'll possibly find tickets. The movie is out, the theaters are packed, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe can finally cool its heels for a little while before their next giant marketing campaign (jk because Ant-Man and the Wasp is heading into theaters this July).
So, now that audiences have seen the drama unravel on screen, it'd be nice to have some insight into the less fantastical elements behind the scenes of everyone's favorites Avengers. As convincing as they may all be on screen when the cameras are rolling, the actors playing these roles are, in fact, just human. (So, no, even though you'd love to believe they're all genuinely prepping for battle around the clock—and in costume, no less— there's a much likelier more chance that they're scarfing down burgers at Wendy's or something.) But in case you weren't convinced, some behind the scenes photos ought to help.
Even if your heart is still in recovery after seeing Infinity War, keep reading to check out 20 Avengers Pics Proving They're Really Just Human After All.
20 Guarding Spider-Man
In Avengers: Infinity War, the characters are split up into their own respective little adventures—and one such adventure has Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) kicking back with the Guardians of the Galaxy. (OK, so he's less "kicking back" and more "fighting extraterrestrial villains, while also possibly not surviving longer than audiences might have originally expected," but it's the same difference, right?).
In this particular corner of the movie, there is some great dynamic between the characters that are thrown together. Audiences have already seen Peter and Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming, but Peter also gets to hang with Peter Quill, Nebula, and Doctor Strange (omg so much personality in a single setting). They get to banter and battle on-screen, but when all is said and done, this gang has to hang out with each other. And thankfully—judging by this photo, at least—it seems as though they don't really mind each other's company.
So, for fans, especially, it's comforting to see these actors playing nice with each other. Audiences spend so much time between movies building up ideas in their heads that it'd be nice to know that the actors playing such beloved roles actually don't mind being around each other. There's a certain sense of relief that comes with that for some reason.
19 Fan-vengers
When you're a hardcore fan of something, you do your best to immerse yourself in that world in any way possible. Some people collect memorabilia associated with whatever they happen to love, some people dress up in handmade costumes and attend cosplay events (not only to show off their look, but to hopefully even meet whichever members of the cast happen to actually make an appearance), and some people apply for once in a lifetime opportunities and cross their fingers, hoping for the best. Incidentally, one particular family of four went with the latter—and it all worked out according to plan.
This family entered a sweepstakes to not just go on the set of Avengers: Infinity War or meet the cast of Avengers: Infinity War, but to do both. Now, does the youngest kid in the photo seem like he quite understands the significance of this moment, and how it'll end up becoming one of the highlights of his entire life? Not necessarily. But is it still amazing all the same? You bet your sweet ascot it is.
The kids are all decked out in official Avengers gear (OK, so you're probably never going to see any of the actual Avengers rocking these clothes, but it's all good), the parents looks happy AF, and even Doctor Strange—what with all that fake blood and all—looks happy to be there.
18 Avengers 4 Spoilers
If you've already seen Infinity War (and if you haven't—WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING HERE LOOKING AT THESE PICS?), then you are more than aware that the final act left some serious questions. Even though Earth's Mightiest Heroes gave it their all in the fight against Thanos, they ultimately failed. They came together, they put all their personal drama behind them, and they kicked some extraterrestrial booty. Unfortunately, all was for naught, as Thanos still ended up wiping out half of the entire freaking universe with a simple snap of his fingers (*cue everyone hating on Thor for stabbing Thanos and not cutting off his head or hand*).
Obviously, though, everything will work out.
Some more main characters will most certainly perish in the battle against the big purple guy, but in some way or another, the heroes will come out on top. It's inevitable. In fact, once you see how the plot is apparently going to unfold in Avengers 4, it's clear to see that time will ultimately play a role, helping the characters who "perished" live to see another day.
So, yes, not only is this a photo of the characters from Avengers doing their thing behind the scenes, it's also a glimpse at things to come in their next outing. Steve Rogers looks like Captain America circa the first Avengers movie, Ant-Man looks, well, the same, and Tony Stark looks like one of two versions of himself: older or circa Iron Man 2 (it's tough to tell if that hair is lighter or grayer).
17 Chowin' Down
When heroes do battle, they use up a lot of energy. So, it's no wonder that they'd be hungry. It's no wonder that they'd want some downtime in between battles to munch on some grub and talk shop with their fellow castmates. (In fact, audiences already got a glimpse of this during an end credit scene after the first Avengers movie when the heroes all pigged out on Shawarma.)
In this scenario, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Benedict Wong (side note: does anyone else find it entertaining that Benedict Wong doesn't just share his real first name with his Doctor Strange co-star, but also shares his real last name with his character's first name?) are taking a break from shooting. Given the fact that they're all together, this shoot date clearly took place around the time when Infinity War is dealing with the initial Black Order attack on New York City. Some baddies have infiltrated Earth (which is basically a case of "same old, same old") and this entertaining quartet just so happened to be in each other's company.
Some might think that heroes of this nature might be too emotionally devastated to have a relaxing lunch together, but no... that's not the case at all. In fact, they couldn't seem happier getting away from all the craziness that is Infinity War's epic drama.
16 Get Swoll
When you find out that you're about to go up against one of the meanest villains in the entire universe, you need to prepare yourself. Yes, you need to get your bearings in order on an emotional and mental level, but physically speaking, you need to be ripped AF. You need to be able to take a punch, throw a punch, dodge a punch... but you'll never get to that point if you're training around the clock.
Just look at the cast of the Avengers. Well aware that there is no way they're going to stand a chance with a hangover and a diet of fast food, they suit up—not in their traditional superhero garb, but in ratty gym clothes. So, sure, being cast in one of these movies would certainly be fun and all, but it's not without some seriously serious hard work.
In this photo, Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan are prepping for all the butt-kicking they'll be assigned to in Infinity War
as Natasha Romanoff and Bucky Barnes, respectively, and they pretty much just look like anybody else who goes to the gym. Some yoga pants, an old t-shirt... what more would anyone need? (Answer: nothing. They'd need nothing more.)
15 Who Dat?
Movie magic is an interesting thing. When you're checking out a movie in theaters, it's easy to get lost in the drama unfolding on screen. With the combination of great writing, directing, and special effects, it's not so difficult believing (even though you know better) that everything you're seeing is totally legit. And this is especially true when you're watching a movie in the MCU. The characters aren't just lovable, the effects are convincing AF.
That said, let's bring things back to movie magic. Just because what you see on screen looks convincing, chances are things played out very differently behind the scenes when the cameras were rolling. Just take this picture, for example. If you thought Robert Downey Jr. was on set during days when he simply wasn't needed, you'd be dead wrong. If the Iron Man suit was on, RDJ was MIA.
OK, but if that's the case, then who the hell is in the suit? Well, it's not rocket science, actually: Iron Man was suited up with stuntmen. So, if Iron Man is one of your favorite characters in the MCU, just keep in mind that you don't just love the actor who played him, but the stuntmen who filled his shoes as well.
14 Snapping His Fingers
After the events of Avengers: Infinity War, one thing is absolutely certain: Josh Brolin is boss. He may not have been 100 percent recognizable as the purple Mad Titan Thanos, but that was most certainly him on camera—not in costume or makeup, but dressed in motion capture markers (you know, the dots that look like giant, plastic zits).
So, for the time being, until Avengers 4 hits theaters next year (ugh, the waaaaiiiit), we must all bow down to the universe's true ruler: Marvel's finger-snapping Thanos.
When Brolin showed up at Comic Con, showing off to audiences the fact that he would be the one taking on the coveted Infinity Gauntlet, he definitely seemed pretty pleased. He stood center stage on the Avengers panel, raised his hand in the air, and let everyone know who's boss. And can you blame him? With all the power that Thanos wields, it can't be easy ignoring the temptation of basking in all that glory (even if all that glory is mostly evil and insane).
But don't worry. Soon enough, the Avengers will come together, fix the whole mess that Thanos created, and all will be well. (Go practice your "sigh of relief" face in the mirror.)
13 Captaining The Captain
Even though Steve Rogers may seem like he's in total control when it comes to donning Captain America's digs, he's not. Well, not completely, at least. Just like any other soldier, he needs leadership. He needs direction. So, thankfully, he managed to get some solid direction from brothers Joe and Anthony Russo. These two have been attached with the MCU since Captain America: The Winter Soldier. From there, they jumped over to Captain America: Civil War, and then finally to both Avengers: Infinity War and the currently untitled Avengers 4.
In this photo, Chris Evans, who plays everyone's favorite Cap, is lending an ear to the directing duo. He's known these two for a few years now, and it's obvious that he trusts the guys (seriously, though, Evans is so vital to the MCU that if he decided to tell Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige that he wanted them fired, it probably would have happened), so he seems happy to take their direction to heart.
Now, does their familiarity with each other mean that Captain America will survive the events of Avengers 4? Not necessarily. But it's fun (and a lot less heartbreaking) to pretend that that's the case, right?
12 Hanging Around
If you stumble across a doctor who isn't helping anyone, but floating in midair in front of a green screen, you're better off not trusting the guy. That is, unless that particular doctor happens to Doctor Strange. In that case, you can let it slide, because chances are he's just in the middle of being tortured by Ebony Maw of Thanos' Black Order due to the fact that he is totally unwilling to give up the Eye of Agamotto (aka the Time Stone).
Even though Doctor Strange only got a single standalone movie before showing up again in Avenger: Infinity War, he plays an incredibly significant role.
Not only does he carry one of the Infinity Stones, he looks into the future and actually gets to see the one instance where the good guys actually come out on top. So, yeah, you might say that he's pretty darn vital to the plot.
In this particular photo, however, things seem pretty tame. Yeah, the universe has just been decimated, but he's just enjoying the millions of dollars he'll be raking in, simply on account of chillin' against a green screen and—quite literally—hanging around. Tst tst, Doc. There are people out there who need saving!
11 Loki The Pest
The one character who everyone loves to hate in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is most definitely Loki. Literally dubbed the God of Mischief, Loki seems to find the most pleasure in pissing people off and starting trouble. That's just his annoying M.O. Hell, even in Infinity War, when there are so many odds against him, and when he would literally just be so much better off keeping his mouth shut, the dude still can't help but be a pest.
Just look at this behind-the-scenes photo of one of Infinity War's directors Anthony Russo. He's just trying to oblige fans and have a chat with them while trying to shoot a movie, and Loki still manages to show up and be annoying (by standing in front of the camera). Now, he's showing up as Loki_Lego, not the actor who plays him, Tom Hiddleston, but he still manages to prove his inherent mischievousness.
Didn't Infinity War already put this god in his place? Do we still have to deal with his constant assault on the senses? OK, so that might be a bit insensitive, given what goes down with this guy, but... the answer is very much clearly still "yes," apparently.
10 Meet Your Maker
Nebula has really come around since her on-screen debut in the first Guardians of the Galaxy. At first, audiences couldn't help but hate her, what with all the drama she was starting and shade she was throwing, but over time, everyone warmed up to her (because she gave people reason to). So, by the time she shows up in Infinity War, it's much easier to pity her than hate her. She's finally transformed from a villain to a victim, slowly edging her way over to the side of the heroes.
So, with all that being said, it's fair to say that she's definitely earned the opportunity to meet the Marvel master himself, Stan Lee.
It's also important to keep in mind that, underneath all that makeup, the actress playing the role is none other than Karen Gillan (aka Amy Pond from Doctor Who). And in fact, once you take into account that that steadfast and fiery companion of the Doctor is the person pulling the strings behind Nebula, she's that much easier to root for. Did Whovians have other ideas as to how her character might evolve? Sure. But are they happy to see her still traversing the stars? Undoubtedly.
9 Good Guys And Bad Guys
In between his debut performance in Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Tom Holland landed his own standalone movie as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Homecoming. While the stakes may not have been quite as heavy as they were in the other two movies (in terms of global scale, at least), things were still pretty heavy. He was dealing with high school, his relationship with his Aunt May, and the fact that his girlfriend's dad turned out to be the winged enemy known as the Vulture.
Still, there was some downtime. Not in the actual context of the movie (you don't really get downtime as a superhero, in case you hadn't already noticed), but during filming. In this behind-the-scenes picture, Holland is kicking back with his villainous co-star Michael Keaton and director Jon Watts. Technically, there is major drama going down in this scene, but without the cameras rolling, all is pretty much grade-A peaceful. (What a relief.)
So, yeah, at the end of the day, no matter how worried you may be about the precious gift from the heavens that is Tom Holland every time he's fighting off baddies, keep in mind that all is totally fine off-camera.
8 Hulk Smash
Warning: don't ever let the Hulk wrap his arms around you and squeeze. No matter how confident you might be in your own strength (and no matter how gifted you are in the physical art of CrossFit), that giant green dude will no doubt wreck you. It'd be like popping a pimple to him. Just one little squeeze and—SPLAT—you're gamma goo.
Thankfully, though, Mark Ruffalo, the actor who plays Bruce Banner (who is the Hulk), isn't actually imbued with all the powers and strength that the Hulk has.
It's all make-believe. So, with that being the case, someone like Robert Downey Jr. doesn't have to freak out anytime Ruffalo can't contain his love and can't help but throw down with a giant bear hug. It may be uncomfortable, but it won't be lethal.
Now, if only Banner would take some cues from Ruffalo when it comes to living a more peaceful life. Banner is always having so much trouble arguing with the friendly green giant living inside his head that it would probably work in his favor were he to practice the happy-go-lucky sensibility by which Ruffalo lives. It wouldn't just do favors to himself, but to everyone who risks having their homes destroyed just because someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
7 Spidey The Swinger
When Tom Holland got the part of Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) in the MCU, it wasn't because he had any special powers. He couldn't actually leap from building to building in New York City, and he didn't actually have web shooters attached to his wrists; the filmmakers just saw something in him that they didn't see in other actors who auditioned for the role. They saw a unique kind of charm and charisma—which was vital for the part. So, no matter how hard you might wish for this to be the case, he's not actually a superhero. Any powers you see on screen are made possible on account of some clever dudes and dudettes behind a computer screen.
During the Avengers: Infinity War photo shoot with Vanity Fair, Holland was caught hanging around behind the scenes. Instead of scientifically-engineered spiderwebs, he's hanging from secured safety wires, and he still looks just as happy to be rocking the tights. He won't be saving the day any time soon (unless you count melting people's hearts as a form of saving), but it's clear to see why this young man fits so well into the character. Tom Holland is Spider-Man. (Good luck to anyone trying to dispute that.)
6 No Hard Feelings
In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos has beef with pretty much everyone. He's deputized himself as the guy who decides who gets to live and die in the entire universe, so—yeah—that'll cause some major issues. That said, though, in the context of the movie, he's biggest beef easily has to do with Tony Stark (aka Iron Man). Even though every single of the Avengers is ready and willing to fight, it's Stark who takes the biggest beating, which ultimately leads to Thanos viewing Stark as a worthy opponent. He throws a planet at Stark, beats him senseless, and even stabs him (in what honestly seemed like Iron Man's final moment), but Stark still stands and fights.
So, yeah. Even though Infinity War wasn't strictly a Thanos vs. Iron Man movie, some of the most significantly epic moments stemmed from them.
Now, seeing how they interacted behind the scenes, it's that much tougher believing the hatred that their characters had for each other. While the cameras stopped rolling, these two veteran actors are clearly enjoying each other's company. It's a relief to the universe, surely, but in the context of the story, it may make some fans question Stark's allegiance.
He's about to kill half the universe, Stark. Stop smiling.
5 Not So Intimidating
Intimidating characters in a movie is easy. The screenwriters writes the motivation as so, and the director directs his or her actors to seem intimidated. It's that easy. Intimidating the audience, however, is a totally different demon. There needs to be epic amounts of believability for the collective audience to get on board with the fact that a character on screen is meant to be scary. Whether they're monsters or mobsters, this takes some serious work.
In Avengers: Infinity War, the villains definitely do their job in this department. Even the tamer-looking individuals showcase some epic skills proving their worth in the fight against the Avengers. However, it should be mentioned that this only applies to the character after post-production has wrapped. On set, without all the digitizing and effects, they not don't look intimidating, they look kind of stupid.
In this case, when the Eye of Agamotto risks being taken by the Dark Order, the costuming necessary for visual effects artists to create intimidating villains looks ridiculous. The actor just looks like some random dude wearing pajamas with over-the-top print and some weird helmet/mic hybrid. And sneakers. Because you can't wear pajamas without sneakers. That's just a general rule of thumb.
4 The Quippy Trio
When Peter Parker leaves Earth behind, despite Tony Stark telling him to do the exact opposite, he runs into some serious life-or-death trouble. He ends up on another planet, facing off against Thanos, and ultimately realizing that he may never have the chance to say goodbye to any loved ones before dying. There's a lot going on. What's more is that he's not alone. Aside from Stark, he's also jamming out with Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) and the rest of his crew. So, basically, if you're familiar with the saying that "two's company, three's a crowd," this scenario is basically just throwing it out the window.
Still, though, as crazy as things may get in the movie during their encounter, their time behind the scenes at least got to be a bit more chill.
Which makes sense, considering the fact that Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, and Chris Pratt genuinely seem like the chillest three guys on the planet (on the planet Earth, not Titan, just to clarify). So, it's fair to say that their time spent together off-screen was probably enjoyable AF.
Here's to hoping they get some more screen time together in Avengers 4 (you know, assuming they're around for it).
3 An Interesting Combo
Who are two polar opposites in the MCU who also happen to be on the side of the good guys? Easy. Black Panther's Shuri and Guardians of the Galaxy's Nebula. On one hand, Shuri literally seems to want nothing more than to help in any way that she can. The more stressful a situation may be, the happier she is to offer her skills. However, on the other hand, the exact opposite is true about Nebula. Whenever things start going south in a situation, Nebula isn't just unwilling to help, she's more of then than not the reason said situation went down in the first place.
Still, they're both so anti-Thanos that they're willing to put other differences aside for the sake of the greater good. And, in a way, this combo of differences and similarities kind of make them a perfect pair. It'd be great to see the positive influence that someone like Shuri can have on someone as jaded as Nebula—especially if Avengers 4 ends up revealing some more backstory about Shuri that shows how's she more emotionally damaged than she lets on. It's not necessarily something that's being set up, but it'd definitely lend some welcome weight.
2 Love
Even though they're not in character, these two characters are very much members of the Avengers. That said, they're not both active members of the Avengers. Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch) ended up having to go into hiding, seeing as Johnny Law was on her trail. Vision, on the other hand, was fighting on the pro-Government side, meaning that he was welcome to enjoy his freedom.
When audiences revisit these characters, Vision is visiting Wanda in her hideaway, and both of them look very much like casual civilians. They're in casual getups, they're in love, and they're keeping the peace.
(Don't worry, in a few moments after their displays of lovey dovey-ness, things go sour fast.)
So, basically, had you not been aware that these were actors in the MCU, you might have just assumed that some annoying paparazzi were snapping photos of Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen while out for a stroll. As it so happens, that's not the case at all. They're both very much in character, and this behind-the-scenes photo may well prove that their attempts at going incognito actually work pretty well. With Vision especially getting credit for hiding the fact that he's basically a walking/talking computer.
1 The Wasp
Up until the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp, audiences will have never yet seen Hope Pym (Evangeline Lilly) in action as the titular Wasp. She played a supporting role in the original movie, but it's not until the sequel that she's finally given the chance to prove her super-heroic worth. That said, though, don't let the special effects fool you—Lilly is still very much a regular non-superhero just like the rest of us.
For proof, just look at her behind-the-scenes shots of her during the Vanity Fair Avengers: Infinity War photo shoot. Her character may be equipped with wings, allowing her to fly, but when pre-SFX, she's 100 percent flightless. (But don't worry, Lilly, we still love you/are still rooting for you.)
With the timelines in the MCU wonky enough as it is, it's unclear how exactly her character will end up in next year's Avengers 4, but it'll be exciting all the same. The MCU could certainly do with some more characters who aren't just muscly dudes, and given what the female characters in Avengers: Infinity War alone proved, both men and women can absolutely hold their own in the fight against Thanos.
So, just you wait.