While Avengers: Infinity War was one of the most secretive big-budget movie productions ever, it’s remarkable how forthcoming its creators are now. The new Blu-ray and VOD streaming copy features a commentary track by directors Joe and Anthony Russo, together in the same room with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. It’s great that they’re all on the same page; even better that they manage to confirm a few theories along the way. If you haven’t had a chance to hear it yet, here are the best nuggets of info you might not have known (aside from ones we knew already, like that Kenneth Branagh cameo, or Hulk’s motivation). The X-Men Connection When Doctor Strange tries to bind Thanos with red energy beams, the Russo brothers confirm that he is indeed using the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, which he previously used against Kaecilius. Cyttorak is a cosmic deity best known in the Marvel Universe for imbuing a gemstone with a fraction of his power, granting those who possess it the power of the Juggernaut. In comics he has also battled Strange’s master the Ancient One, so he’s apparently one of those characters like Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver who could potentially be part of both Avengers and X-Men rights. That won’t be an issue much longer, but with Juggernaut also having grace our screens so recently in Deadpool 2, it’s a fun coincidence. Drax Is Sick of the Zune In a deleted scene, Drax finally has had it with Peter Quill playing music all the time. The song that breaks him? Ace Frehley’s “New York Groove.” Perhaps coincidentally, Drax actor Dave Bautista was famously a WWE superstar, while Frehley’s band KISS were briefly affiliated with rival promotion WCW. This Is How Gamora (Probably) Returns From the moment Gamora died, fans have speculated that she’ll be resurrected due to being inside the Soul Stone now. The commentary confirms that the final scene between Thanos and Young Gamora after the snap is indeed taking place inside said stone, and clearly indicates that at least a version of little-girl Gamora is there too. Thanos’ One Weakness Though it’s never explicitly called out in the movie, the Russos had to think of a way that Thanos could actually be fought when wielding the Infinity gauntlet. They came up with a technicality: he can only use the power of the stones individually when his fist is closed. Attack him while his hand is open and there’s a slim chance, though once he has all the stones all bets are off. If He Only Had… When Thanos is done, in his final scene, look towards the lower left of the screen. It’s out of focus, but the commentary confirms that there’s a scarecrow wearing Thanos’ gold armor. This is a reference to his last scene in the Infinity Gauntlet comic, although in that case he had been defeated and was now living a simple life as a farmer. Who’s the Main Hero? While Infinity War is told as Thanos’ story, the hero’s journey of the film is undertaken by Thor, who sacrifices everything to get the weapon that can save the day. He even gives his life and gets a resurrection moment — that blast from the star was going to kill him, but in a callback to previous Thor movies, Asgardian weapons have healing/regenerative powers, and holding Stormbreaker is what saves him. In the same scene, Groot also continues a long tradition in Marvel movies of characters losing an arm or hand, a trend which Kevin Feige has confirmed is a subtle Star Wars nod. In the next movie, however, you can expect Captain America to be the primary hero. As balance, the Russos initially weren’t even going to have him show up onscreen until he punches Thanos in Wakanda. They soon realized that was not a good idea. Did you notice anything else in Infinity War? Leave us a comment below and tell us what it is!<doc-sep>Disney | Marvel Avengers: Infinity War is finally coming home. We say "finally," but it only feels that way. For Marvel fans unwilling to shell out hundreds to see flick again and again in theaters, this is your day. You can own Infinity War now and watch it 24 hours a day if you want to. Packed with tons of special features including a number of deleted/extended scenes, a gag reel, and plenty of behind-the-scenes featurettes, Avengers: Infinity War is already on our list of the best Blu-rays to buy in 2018. Don't like special features? No interest? That's cool too. We've got something more fun you can do with your new disc. Marvel movies are always overflowing with easter eggs, and references to past films and comic books. So we found 10 great callbacks for you to find while watching the movie at home. Chances are, if you're a Marvel freak, you spotted these upon first watch but just in case you didn't... 1. Loki gets the line once used by Tony Stark against him in 2012's The Avengers when he tells Thanos at the beginning of Infinity War, "We have a Hulk." Unfortunately, the surprise doesn't work out quite so well this time... 2. Thanos and Hulk go toe to toe and Thanos pummels the big green guy into the ground. Surprising maybe, but the comics back up the scene. Thanos has never had much problem with Hulk. Marvel Comics 3. Near the beginning of the movie, The Cauldron of the Cosmos is seen and mistreated by Tony Stark. Doctor Strange chastises him because the relic is hugely important. It allows Strange to look into the past in the comic books. 4. The death of Ebony Maw features a callback to Captain America: Civil War when Spider-Man remembers "that really old movie" The Empire Strikes Back before tripping Ant-Man up like an AT-AT. The Wall Crawler asks Iron Man if he remembers another "really old movie" called Alien before using a trick from that movie, shooting a hole in the spaceship that sucks Maw into the vacuum of space. Disney | Marvel 5. The Stonekeeper on Vormir is none other than Red Skull, villain of Captain America: The First Avenger. Ross Marquand plays him in Infinity War, however, not Hugo Weaving. 6. The scene where Thanos turns Drax in cubes and Mantis into ribbons is a callback to the Infinity Gauntlet comic storyline that some of Infinity War is based on. Thanos can affect perception with the Reality Stone. Marvel Comics 7. The Winter Soldier picks up Rocket Raccoon during the battle in Wakanda and the two spin and fire rounds just like Groot and Rocket do in Guardians of the Galaxy. 8. It seems Rocket has a thing for body parts. He's very interested in an inmate's prosthetic leg in Guardians of the Galaxy, and he takes a liking to the Winter Soldier's cybernetic arm in Infinity War, asking, "How much for the arm?" 9. The mega hammer Eitri forges for Thor from the heart of a star is called Storm Breaker, as comic fans know. It belongs to Beta Ray Bill, a superhero who rivals Thor and defeats him in one storyline. Also worth noting: Thor carries a similar weapon in Marvel's Ultimate Universe called Ultimate Mjolnir. Marvel Comics 10. Vision might be more well-known to comic book fans for his West Coast Avengers white costume than the red and blue look he sports in the movies. Infinity War gives us a look at Vision in white, although it's under tragic circumstances. Marvel Comics Here's a breakdown of all the special features (courtesy of Disney) included on the Avengers: Infinity War Blu-ray and digital copy. Get your copy today! Special Features: Deleted and Extended Scenes: -Happy Knows Best – Tony and Pepper spar over the details of their upcoming wedding—until a hassled Happy Hogan pulls up with an urgent request. -Hunt for the Mind Stone – On a darkened street, Wanda Maximoff and the wounded Vision attempt to hide from Thanos’ brutal allies. -The Guardians Get Their Groove Back – As Peter Quill and Drax quarrel over their failed mission to Knowhere, Mantis interrupts with news. -A Father’s Choice – Thanos confronts Gamora with a vision from her past—and with lying to him about the Soul Stone. Gag Reel – Watch your favorite superheroes make super gaffes in this lighthearted collection of on-set antics. Audio Commentary by directors Anthony and Joe Russo, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Featurettes: -Strange Alchemy – Share the thrill of characters from across the MCU meeting for the first time—and discover why some were teamed up together. -The Mad Titan – Explore the MCU’s biggest, baddest villain, his trail of influence through the stories, and the existential threat he represents. -Beyond the Battle: Titan – Dive into the climactic struggle on Thanos’ ruined world, including the epic stunts and VFX, to uncover the source of its power. -Beyond the Battle: Wakanda – Go behind the scenes to find out how the filmmakers pulled off the most massive and challenging battle Marvel had ever attempted. Related Articles:<doc-sep>Marvel Studios Avengers: Infinity War is ready for your living room, with the big Thanos-focused film coming out on Blu-ray Tuesday. Disclaimer: CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of products featured on this page. Infinity War, starring Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin and so many more Marvel heroes, has already been available on digital stores like like iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon and Fandango Now. The movie is now also available as a physical 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray or DVD, with a full assortment of extras, deleted scenes to parse through and a code for a digital copy. And, maybe, we can find a clue or two about what's going on in 2019's still-untitled Avengers 4. You can link any of the aforementioned digital stores to Disney's Movies Anywhere service, giving you the ability to watch your purchased copy on your iPhone, iPad, Android device, Roku, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV or any other device that supports at least one of those digital stores. Extras include featurettes on why certain Avengers characters were teamed up together, a history of Thanos, how the film's battles on Titan and Wakanda were created, and a collection of deleted and extended scenes. First published July 30, 2018. Update Aug. 13 at 9 p.m. PT: Adds Blu-ray availability.<doc-sep>
The most ambitious crossover in cinematic history is gearing up for a home video release. If Avengers: Infinity War left you wanting more from your favorite Marvel heroes, and if Reddit bans and Twitter memes aren’t quite filling the void of the Avengers, never fear. The in-home version of Infinity War comes with a Thanos-sized arsenal of special features. Avengers: Infinity War will be available on digital platforms such as iTunes and Vudu on July 31. Disney will release 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD packages two weeks later, on Aug. 14. The film will come with over two hours of bonus content, including a 30-minute roundtable with Marvel Cinematic Universe directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Captain America sequels, Infinity War), Jon Favreau (Iron Man), Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Peyton Reed (Ant-Man), and Taika Waititi as they discuss their individual movies in the grand scheme of the MCU. There’s also going to be a ton of extra footage, including a gag reel and the first meeting of the cast, deleted scenes highlighting the various heroes, and featurettes giving an inside look on some of the climactic battle scenes and a glimpse into Thanos’ past. It’s rumored that scenes of Thanos’ backstory and motivations will be integrated into the full film, in what fans are dubbing the “Thanos cut.” According to Comicbook.com, comics writer and Thanos creator Jim Starlin reportedly teased an extended cut at Las Vegas Comic Con, but Marvel has yet to officially confirm this much-clamored-about rumor. Marvel’s list of special features for Infinity War do not mention anything like this, although the original report suggested it would be released in a separate edition of the film. Fingers crossed, because Starlin reportedly mentioned “30 minutes of Thanos’ backstory — his origin.” Various bundled packages with The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron will also be available for Infinity War. The trailer for the home video release is below: