Major MCU Villain Could Return Sooner Than You Think, Teases Star
Thanos might be snapping back into the MCU sooner than you think, as Josh Brolin teases a swift return for the Mad Titan despite his Endgame demise.
If you have been wondering whether Thanos might snap his way back into the MCU, you are not alone. And based on Josh Brolin's latest comments, it might not be a long wait if the right call comes in.
Asked by Entertainment Tonight about returning as the purple problem himself, Brolin basically said he is game if one particular director comes knocking.
"If Joe Russo comes to me, which he may have. I don't know. And has an idea, then I might acquiesce. Probably pretty quickly."
Worth a quick refresher: Brolin played Thanos across multiple Marvel projects, culminating in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame, where the character definitively dies. That said, this is Marvel's multiverse, where 'definitive' is a flexible concept. Brolin has already popped back up to voice multiversal Thanos in a few episodes of What If...?, so the door is clearly still cracked.
Now, here is where things get spicy. There is no official confirmation that Brolin is back as Thanos in any upcoming movie. However, current chatter has Joe and Anthony Russo set to direct two new Avengers films: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. On top of that, multiple reports claim Robert Downey Jr. is playing Doctor Doom as the central villain across those movies. If that lineup holds, fans are already speculating Marvel could adapt a famous Secret Wars beat involving Doom and Thanos. Big ifs, but you can see why Brolin saying he would say yes 'pretty quickly' turns heads.
Meanwhile, Brolin is not exactly sitting around waiting for a gauntlet. He is leading Edgar Wright's new take on The Running Man and will suit back up as Gurney Halleck in Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three.
Release dates to keep on your radar
- Spider-Man 4 (also going by Spider-Man: Brand New Day): July 31, 2026
- Avengers: Doomsday: December 18, 2026
- Avengers: Secret Wars: December 17, 2027
- Edgar Wright's The Running Man (starring Brolin): in US theaters this weekend
- Dune: Part Three (Brolin returns as Gurney Halleck): expected December 2026
Bottom line: nothing official on Thanos yet, but if Joe Russo actually pitches Brolin, it sounds like the Mad Titan could materialize again sooner rather than later.