This time last year, Thanos wiped out half the universe in the Marvel movie Infinity War, leaving the fans devastated. The cliffhanger, arguably one of the best closing sequences, set the stage for Avengers: Endgame — probably the biggest event film since Avatar.

There’s a lot of hope riding on the film, and a lot of Marvel Cinematic Universe history. Doctor Strange was instrumental in bringing the Avengers together. In Infinity War, he saw 14 million outcomes against their fight with Thanos — of which the Avengers defeated The Mad Titan only once. The original Avengers — Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye — have to sort out their own differences, to save the world yet again. Will Iron Man die in Endgame? Or will it be Captain America? Will the Avengers succeed? Will the Endgame be the greatest crossover film ever? As the world gears up to witness the final showdown, MetroPlus chats with Kollywood stars who are now part of MCU, about what the franchise means to them.

Vijay Sethupathi, Dubbed for Iron Man

Vijay Sethupathi   | Photo Credit: L SRINIVASAN

When I was approached to dub Iron Man’s voice in Tamil, I was sceptical at first. I was unsure whether my voice would be suitable for Iron Man. I first tried dubbing for the trailer and I have to say, I fumbled a bit. More than the franchise, I really like Iron Man’s characterisation — his casual demeanour and the way he handles various issues. However bad the situation might be, he has some back-up plan ready. My son loves ‘mass’ movies and is a big Iron Man fan. Lending my voice for Iron Man was nothing short of taking life lessons from the character. If they’re remaking Endgame in Tamil, I’d love to play both Iron Man and Thanos because… I like MGR and Nambiar.

AR Rahman, Composer of ‘Marvel Anthem’

Ar Rahman   | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K

‘Marvel Anthem’ was a fresh attempt, which was why I agreed to come on board. My son Ameen is a big Marvel fan, and of course, I was influenced by him. Through the song, I was introduced to Joe Russo, who expressed his wish to work with me in future. When I started composing this song, I wanted it to be larger-than-life, like the movie. Beneath the visual spectacle, there’s a strong emotional connect in the Avengers. And that’s why it’s so popular across age groups. Marvel has a solid fan base throughout the globe, but they wanted to reach out to a wider sect. The idea behind the ‘Anthem’ was to cater to people outside the MCU.

Andrea Jeremiah, Dubbed for Black Widow

CHENNAI : 16/08/2011 : Actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah in the film Mangatha. Photo : Special Arrangement   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Like most fans, I was shocked when half of the Avengers died in Infinity War. I’m really excited and stoked about Avengers: Endgame. Though I have dubbed for Black Widow in Tamil, I haven’t watched the film except for a few rushes. Dubbing for another person has always been tricky. It took some time to realise that I’m actually voicing for Black Widow. But as I got into it, I felt so cool and enjoyed the experience. Hulk is my all-time favourite character because of his story and his origin. He’s a flawed hero, and his strength is actually his weakness. I believe someone versatile like Vijay Sethupathi would be an ideal choice to play Hulk in Tamil.

Fans across Chennai are doing “whatever it takes” to catch the first- day first-show of Avengers: Endgame

When I first watched Avengers, I knew nothing about the origins of the characters except Iron Man. And yet, I started rooting for others, especially Captain America. With films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has shown how to infuse humour into the script without diluting its core — something that DC lacks. Tony Stark, for obvious reasons, is my favourite character. But at the same time, I also love Groot, because it’s a character that you don’t often see in a superhero movie. I can’t begin to describe how much I’m going to miss the Avengers series.

— Aravind Mahadevan (21), student

The USP of Avengers is how each movie shares a common thread with others. Nobody thought that such a crossover was possible. But Marvel pulled it off in style. The banter between the characters is fun to watch. With Endgame, I hope that they give a fitting conclusion. After all, we deserve it! I get goosebumps every time I listen to Avengers’ theme music.

— Arun Kumar (33),IT professional

I was in a state of shock when Thanos caused a genocide, killing half the universe in Infinity War. I’m looking forward to the epic clash between Thanos and the rest of the Avengers. That said, I’m a little emotional that Endgame is the final Avengers film from Marvel. After watching the series for so long, I feel like Avengers are a part of my family.

— Angela Jovita (19), student

With a runtime of 181 minutes, Avengers: End Game is said to be the longest Marvel movie.

Watchlist

Having trouble catching up on the 21 movies from MCU? Here’s the chronological order in which you should watch:

Phase one:

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Captain Marvel (2019)

Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

The Incredible Hulk (2011)

Thor (2011)

Avengers (2012)

Phase two:

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Guardians of Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of Galaxy Vol 2 ( 2017)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Ant-Man (2015)

Phase three:

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Doctor Strange (2016)

Black Panther (2018)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers: End Game (2019)