Hey sci-fi fans, I just watched “Avengers Endgame: Encore” and there are a few changes to the original 2019 version of the Marvel film.
For the most part, it’s the same movie. The very last scene and three post-credit scenes are the only noticeable changes. It also supposedly has “updated color grading.”
Director Joe Russo has called the re-release “critically important” and “required viewing,” but the additions only amount to a few extra minutes of footage, so I think its importance has been exaggerated. The update has been accused of being a cash grab, and I guess an argument can be made for that, but it was so much fun to see this on the big screen again, that I don’t really care.
This is one of my favorite Avengers movies, so it was worth it to me. I laughed and cried all over again, and I gasped when I saw the new ending.
The other new scenes were either super short or were reminiscent of what you see when you’re standing in line to go on a ride at a theme park. I’ll get to that in a minute.
If you love “Endgame,” go see it in the theater! Just don’t expect it to be hugely different, because it’s not. (Note: One of the new scenes is allegedly only in the IMAX and “Infinity Vision” versions of the film.)
I am going to tell you what these scenes are, so if you don’t want spoilers, don’t read any further!
I don’t know if it’s included in every showing, but there is a short message from Chris Evans (Captain America) and Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) before the film in which they tell us they love us 3000 and remind us to see “Avengers: Doomsday” in December. There’s also, of course, a trailer for “Doomsday.”
The biggest shock for me was the new ending of the movie. Having returned the Infinity Stones to their proper timelines, Steve Rogers goes back to the past to be with his true love, Peggy Carter. They’re dancing in the living room when the original film ends. In the new version, their dance is interrupted by a knock at the door. It’s Loki! In his TVA garb!
In case you forgot, Thor’s mischievous brother snatched the Space Stone and disappeared when the Avengers traveled back to 2012 during their “time heist.” That’s where the Disney+ series “Loki” begins. The 12-episode series is my favorite Marvel series, and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
Anyway. Back to the new ending: Loki knocks on the door and Peggy answers it, saying something like, “Can I help you?” And Loki responds that he can help her and Cap – who looks rightly stunned to see Loki again. I thought the only changes would be after the credits, so the new ending was surprising.
Some fans were less than pleased that Steve and Peggy’s happy ending has been altered, but I was happy to see TVA Loki again, and excited that he and Cap will be in “Doomsday”!
The other scenes are during and after the credits. In one, Bruce has locked himself in an underground bunker. This is the scene that feels like we’re standing in line for an Avengers roller coaster.
He’s recording himself and we’re watching the recording, which glitches when we hear a voice (Doom) saying, “I’m here to collect you.” Kind of silly. But I guess that means Hulk will be under Doom’s thumb at the start of the upcoming movie?
In another scene, Mobius (Owen Wilson) and OB (Ke Huy Quan) reprise their roles from the Loki series, as employees of the TVA – the Time Variance Authority.
This is the agency which controls all the different timelines, and the post-credit scene shows there’s an emergency with different universes beginning to collide. This is reportedly the clip that you can’t see if you don’t see it in IMAX or “Infinity Vision.” That’s what I’ve heard anyway. I’ve only seen the IMAX version, so I can’t vouch for other versions.
If you stay till every last credit rolls, there’s one final, very short scene in which Doom is loudly hammering his metal mask. This is a callback to Iron Man (2008), when Tony built his Mark 1 suit in the cave where he is imprisoned in Afghanistan. I assume because Robert Downey Jr. played Iron Man, and also has been cast as Doctor Doom, they’re leaning into this comparison of the two very different characters, but I’m not sure if there’s more to it than that.
In a recent podcast, RDJ explained his return to Marvel: “What brought me back was the opportunity to redefine the genre of superhero movies, so that’s a tall order.” Ohhhh. He’s redefining the genre! Whatever that means.
He’s a great actor. He was a perfect Tony Stark. I guess it doesn’t really matter if he’s playing a different character. It just seems like a strange choice.
I find most of the MCU supervillains (Ronan, Gorr, etc.) somewhat cheesy, so maybe that’s why I don’t love this casting.
I obviously haven’t seen “Doomsday” yet, so I don’t know if there’s some secret connection between Stark and Doom that justifies RDJ’s return. My theory is he just wanted to be involved in the MCU again, and who can blame him?
“Avengers: Doomsday” will be released Dec. 18. “Avengers Endgame: Encore” is in theaters now.
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