Josh Brolin Says He Would ‘Pretty Quickly’ Return as Thanos

Josh Brolin is open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thanos.

Josh Brolin, age 57, famously played the villain in the 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War and the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. He says he’d be open to reprising the role if director Joe Russo had a compelling concept.

He told Entertainment Tonight that if Joe Russo approached him with a good idea – which Russo may or may not have already done – he’d likely agree to it, and probably very quickly.

The actor, known for his role in Knives Out, has mentioned he’d consider returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but only if the project felt like a good fit – similar to how he decided to reprise his role in the 2018 film Day of the Soldado, a sequel to Sicario.

Josh Brolin told Collider that playing Thanos comes with a lot of pressure. He joked that people are always asking if the character will return, and he feels it has to be done perfectly, comparing it to the careful execution of the film Sicario.

Instead of focusing on what we should be discussing – Deadpool 4 – Ryan Reynolds and I keep getting sidetracked, like we’re chatting about Taylor Swift instead.

I have to say, Josh Brolin really sang the praises of the Russo brothers, the directors behind those Avengers blockbusters. He went as far as to say he’d jump at the chance to work with them again on any future Marvel project – basically, he’s all in whenever they call!

The actor, known for his role in Dune, explained that any return to the character of Thanos would depend on whether it felt right for both him and the filmmakers. He emphasized his willingness to follow the direction of the Russo brothers if they were involved.

The Russo brothers, who directed Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, will return to direct Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.

The upcoming movie Avengers: Doomsday will feature several familiar faces from the X-Men, including Sir Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Channing Tatum as Gambit, James Marsden as Cyclops, and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique.

The movie will also star Chris Hemsworth (as Thor), Tom Hiddleston (as Loki), Paul Rudd (as Ant-Man), Anthony Mackie (as Captain America), Florence Pugh (as Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (as Bucky Barnes), Wyatt Russell (as U.S. Agent), and Lewis Pullman (as Sentry).

The cast is completed by the Fantastic Four, played by Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing.

I’m so excited for Avengers: Doomsday! From what I’ve heard, it’s going to bring together all our favorite heroes – the Avengers, New Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four – to stop Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., from carrying out some seriously dangerous plans that could affect the entire Multiverse.

The Best Performances in Marvel Movies

15. Jeff Goldblum, Thor: Ragnarok

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has plenty of characters who aren’t human. While it’s debatable whether someone like Thor counts as an alien, Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster from Thor: Ragnarok really stands out to me as a truly convincing alien character. He’s just wonderfully strange – from his unusual weapons and space DJ setup to his quirky way of saying “Asgard” and then enjoying his own pronunciation. The way Goldblum delivers the line about time working differently on Sakaar – explaining he’d be millions of years old anywhere else – is brilliant.

14. Iman Vellani, The Marvels

The main reason The Marvels doesn’t rank lowest among Marvel Cinematic Universe films is Iman Vellani’s fantastic performance as Ms. Marvel. Her character becomes linked with Captain Marvel and then embarks on a space adventure alongside Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau. (Monica really needs a superhero name!) While the idea behind the story is promising, the movie felt overly frantic and relied too much on a confusing gimmick where the heroes kept switching places because of their powers. Vellani genuinely seems to be enjoying herself, and in a movie as chaotic as this one, that energy is a standout achievement.

13. Stanley Tucci, Captain America: The First Avenger

The cast of Captain America: The First Avenger is fantastic, featuring stars like Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, and Hayley Atwell. While many actors shine, Stanley Tucci stands out as Dr. Erskine, the scientist who creates the Super Soldier Serum and chooses Steve Rogers as the first recipient. Unlike most Marvel scientists who are eccentric or even villainous, Dr. Erskine serves as a moral compass for the film, and arguably the entire Marvel Universe. His explanation of the difference between goodness and power is a particularly memorable and powerful moment within the MCU.

12. Michael Peña, Ant-Man

The most memorable scenes in the first two Ant-Man films aren’t about Ant-Man’s shrinking abilities – they’re the lengthy, funny stories told by Michael Peña, who plays Scott Lang’s friend Luis. Peña’s rapid-fire speeches, perfectly matched with the lip movements of other characters, are consistently hilarious, and his overall performance is a delight. The latest film, Quantumania, definitely felt less vibrant without him.

11. Sam Rockwell, Iron Man 2

Okay, so I’m still bummed we haven’t seen Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer since that short film back in 2014. Seriously, he was always one of my favorite early Marvel villains! Rockwell just nailed the performance – the guy had the perfect villainous combo: a terrible spray tan and some seriously goofy dance moves. Marvel, please bring Justin Hammer back!

10. Andrew Garfield, Spider-Man: No Way Home

Even though Marvel tried to keep it a secret, most fans weren’t shocked to see Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The real surprise was how much they actually did in the movie. Garfield, especially, seemed eager to give his Peter Parker a proper ending, since he never got to make a third Amazing Spider-Man film to explore how Peter would cope with Gwen Stacy’s death. He brought all those unresolved feelings to No Way Home, and the emotional moment when he saves MJ—that’s what made the movie so great.

9. Hugh Jackman, Deadpool & Wolverine

Though Deadpool & Wolverine largely serves as a parody of superhero films – including itself – it features a standout performance from Hugh Jackman. Widely considered one of the best actors to ever appear in a comic book movie, Jackman delivers another compelling and emotionally resonant portrayal of Logan, the immortal mutant burdened by a troubled past he believes makes him irredeemable. While it might not be his definitive Wolverine performance – that title likely still belongs to Logan – the fact that his work in this film feels genuine and not just a commercial venture is remarkable.

8. Clark Gregg, The Avengers

While the superheroes grabbed headlines in the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson who truly stood out. He wasn’t a god or a super-soldier, but a grounded, relatable character who appeared in many of the initial films, bringing a human perspective to the world of Marvel. Coulson was so popular that Marvel built an entire TV series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., around him – even after his character died in The Avengers.

7. Tom Hiddleston, Thor

Tom Hiddleston consistently delivers excellent performances as Loki in the Marvel films. He first captured audiences with the character in 2011’s Thor, brilliantly portraying Loki’s mischievousness, envy, ambition, and deep need for his adoptive father’s approval. Since then, the character has become even more complex, and Hiddleston has continued to skillfully play Loki as a persistent rival to Thor.

6. John Brolin, Avengers: Infinity War

While Josh Brolin brought Thanos to life through his performance and voice, many others contributed to the character’s success. Visual effects artists were key to his appearance, and the writing – detailing a villain who gains immense power to eliminate half of all life, believing it will save the rest – was essential. The result was arguably Marvel’s greatest villain: terrifying, but also with surprisingly understandable reasons for his actions. I don’t agree with what he did, but his logic is compelling.

5. Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther

I’ll always believe Marvel made the right decision not to replace Chadwick Boseman. He was T’Challa, the incredible king of Wakanda and Black Panther, and honestly, no one could ever hope to capture what he brought to the role. Even surrounded by such a talented cast, he commanded every scene with such quiet power. While someone else might one day wear the Black Panther suit, for me, there will only ever be one T’Challa, and that will always be Chadwick Boseman.

4. Bradley Cooper, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Rocket Raccoon started as a minor character in Marvel comics, appearing in only ten issues over three decades. However, throughout the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, he transformed into a fan favorite and one of Marvel’s most emotionally complex heroes – his tragic past even overshadows Spider-Man’s struggles. A key to Rocket’s appeal, even when he’s being difficult, is Bradley Cooper’s voice acting, which gives the character a surprising amount of depth and vulnerability. This is especially true in Guardians Vol. 3, where Rocket’s heartbreaking origin story is revealed, making him central to the entire narrative.

3. Florence Pugh, Thunderbolts*

Marvel’s success depends on finding fresh talent to take over from its original actors. While losing Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow was difficult, Florence Pugh’s portrayal of Yelena has eased that transition, establishing her as the new Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Pugh brings depth and emotion to Yelena’s character arc—from a troubled mercenary to the leader of a group of unconventional heroes—and perfectly delivers the witty humor Marvel is known for.

2. Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther

Whenever Ryan Coogler directs and Michael B. Jordan acts in a film, the results are usually fantastic. In Black Panther, Jordan plays the villain, Erik Killmonger, and he’s so captivating and his motives are so understandable that you find yourself almost rooting for him, despite his attempts to overthrow the king of Wakanda and avenge his father. He even asks to be called Erik, saying, “Please, please: Mr. Killmonger was my father. Call me Erik!”

1. Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man

It’s understandable to wonder: would the first Iron Man movie have succeeded without Jon Favreau fighting to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark – especially since Marvel was initially hesitant? And if that movie had failed, could it have stopped the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe before it even began? Downey Jr. truly defined the MCU’s style, using humor to mask a complex and troubled character as he transformed from a cynical businessman into a hero. Even now, years after Tony Stark’s death, Downey Jr.’s performance remains the standard by which all other MCU actors are judged.

2025-11-11 19:29