Guardians of the Galaxy villain Thanos to be played by Josh Brolin

By Adam Rosenberg May 30, 2014

guardians of the galaxy josh brolin cast thanos — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Josh Brolin is set for the role of Thanos in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy, according to sources speaking to both Latino Review and Variety. Guardians is Marvel’s summer blockbuster, releasing on August 1 and following the fantastically well-received spring release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

It’s not clear how large a role Thanos plays in Guardians, though he did appear in the post-credits scene for The Avengers and he’s a major character in Marvel’s comic book universe. Between the Thanos appearance in Avengers, a post-credits drop-in from The Collector (played by Benicio del Toro) in Thor: The Dark World, and now this, fan theories that Marvel is building up to a Cinematic Universe treatment of the Infinity Gauntlet saga is looking like a very real possibility.

Brolin is an accomplished actor with notable and sometimes award-winning roles in a diverse range of films, including Milk, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit, but he hasn’t had the best track record with comic book movies (see also: Men in Black III, Jonah Hex). The flipside to that is Brolin likely only lends his voice to Thanos, being that the character is a giant, hulking alien creature with purple skin.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Entertainment

Forget Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; the 2021 video game is better

The Guardians are captured in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

Like many others this past weekend, I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, After being burned by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, I was a bit hesitant to see the movie. With its Phase 5 movies and TV shows, Marvel has been dropping the ball in terms of delivering a satisfying time for its longtime fans. Even the good stuff, like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was depressing, acting more as a somber tribute above all else. So it was with a sigh of relief, and a bit of a surprise, that when Vol. 3 ended, I thought of two things: 1) the movie was good and 2) the 2021 video game was better.

This article isn't to trash Vol. 3, which, at least to me, is one of the most satisfying Marvel movies in the uneven post-Endgame era. Yet as good as the movie is, I couldn't help but be reminded about its video game cousin, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and just how better it is at combing pitch-perfect characterization, a compelling plot, enthralling action sequences, and a kickass soundtrack to create an experience that is uniquely Guardians of the Galaxy. Hell, I'd go far as to claim that it is more true to the spirit of the original Guardians film than any of its sequels were. Here are five reasons why the video game is better and more fun than the movie.

Entertainment

Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 the best James Gunn movie ever?

The cast of "Guardians of the Galaxy" walking toward the camera.

James Gunn's career in cinema began in 1997 when he wrote the low-budget Troma Studios film Tromeo and Juliet. His subsequent movie scripts included a lesser-known superhero flick, The Specials, two live-action Scooby-Doo movies, and a remake of Dawn of the Dead. In 2006, Gunn was finally given a chance to direct his first movie, Slither, before making his mark on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy eight years later.

Late last year, Gunn was named co-CEO of DC Studios, and he is slated to direct Superman: Legacy. That's why Gunn's newest film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, is his final Marvel Studios movie. It's also the perfect occasion to look back at Gunn's filmography to date and list them in descending order based on their Rotten Tomatoes rankings.
6. Super (2010)

Entertainment

Who dies at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

Nebula carries Star-Lord's limp body in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

It's the end of an era. Nearly a decade ago, Guardians of the Galaxy changed the MCU forever and introduced the world to a band of a-holes who, over the course of several movies, grew into a family. Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groot, Mantis, and Nebula have become sentimental favorites to MCU fans and helped usher in the cosmic side of Marvel that is the dominant playground for Phase 5.

When things come to an end, however, that usually means someone bites the big one. And certainly, in the press and trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there's a strong indication that death will visit one or more of our beloved Guardians. Zoe Saldana has openly spoken about being done with playing Gamora, one of the MCU's best female characters, after this movie; ditto Dave Bautista with Drax. And one of the key promo images for the movie has Nebula carrying Star-Lord's limp body. Did I also mention one of the key plot points involves Rocket being mortally wounded?