John Brolin has said he’d reprise his role as Thanos in a heartbeat (or the snap of a finger, if you will), and if the Russo brothers are game, there’s one upcoming Marvel movie that would make sense for his return.
The Mad Titan made his first appearance in The Avengers, before fully stepping into the spotlight in Infinity War and Endgame, where he went from shadowy puppet master to one the MCU’s most formidable villains.
Though the superhero franchise has moved on since then, the world hasn’t, with Thanos’ epic arc representing the MCU’s highest of highs. With two new Avengers movies coming up, the Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz took the opportunity to ask Brolin if he’d consider returning.
His answer? “If they [Anthony and Joe Russo] called me in London right now and said, ‘Let’s do this,’ I’d be like, ‘I’ll be there tomorrow.’” Some may call it wishful thinking, but there is a movie that would make perfect sense.
Thanos could return in Avengers: Secret Wars
Following on from Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, Avengers: Secret Wars – set to release on December 17, 2027 – is already shaping up to be the MCU’s next massive crossover. If we were to speculate about Thanos’ return, it would most likely be this film.
In the Marvel Comics, Secret Wars is all about Battleworld, a patchwork planet made up of chunks from different universes, where heroes and villains from across the multiverse are forced to fight for survival.
It’s a chaotic mash-up of alternate realities, making it exactly the kind of place that could justify another round with the Mad Titan.
One of the most famous versions of the story sees Doctor Doom wielding godlike power, leading to a brutal, ruthless showdown between him and Thanos, two of Marvel’s most calculating villains.
Now, with Robert Downey Jr. suiting up as Doom, the Russo brothers returning to direct, and the multiverse wide open, the stars are aligning for this face-off to unfold – or at least for us to see Thanos again.
As well as sharing his openness to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Brolin said he’s in contact with Downey and the Russos regularly.
“I talk to Downey probably four to six times a year; I talk to the Russos probably four to six times a week,” he said.
Thanos might be gone in the main MCU timeline, but death is never permanent in the multiverse. If Marvel wants a moment that rivals Endgame, pitting Brolin’s Titan against Downey’s Doom could be another snap heard around the world.
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