The new "Avengers: Infinity War" trailer teases dark times for the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the entire universe. That means the possibility of casualties is high.
While it's difficult to imagine some of our favorite characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe reaching the end of the line, the arrival of Thanos to Earth doesn't promise a bright future for many characters — and the prospects of survival are much worse for some than for others.
The MCU doesn't like to kill off major characters, but that doesn't mean characters haven't met their end. And the stakes are much higher than ever before for the heroes in "Avengers: Infinity War."
Whether it's a veteran of the MCU who may be on his way out like Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, or a character whose very existence poses a problem for Thanos, such as Vision, there are plenty of reasons for some characters to die in "Infinity War."
Below are 9 characters who could die in "Avengers: Infinity War," ranked from least to most likely:
9. Tony Stark/Iron Man
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced some notable characters recently who could lead the franchise into the future, like Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Black Panther. That means the past may not be as significant anymore.
"Iron Man" kicked off the MCU in 2008, and Robert Downey Jr. has served the character well. We'd hate to see him go, but that's also 10 years' worth of suiting up and protecting the world from danger. Seven major roles as Iron Man later — three "Avengers" movies, three "Iron Man" movies, and a prominent part in "Spider-Man: Homecoming"— and maybe Downey wants to hang up the armor for good. What better way to go out than during the biggest superhero movie of all time?
8. Bruce Banner/The Hulk
Bruce Banner, played by Mark Ruffalo, already exiled himself to another planet at the end of "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Now that he's back on Earth (just in time for the fun!), it wouldn't be a stretch for Banner to want to sacrifice himself not only to save his friends from Thanos but to rid the world of the danger of the Hulk.
Plus, Marvel doesn't seem interested in making a Hulk standalone movie. The most recent one, "The Incredible Hulk" in 2008, is one of the worst-reviewed movies in the MCU, with 67% on the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The character was recast from Edward Norton to Ruffalo for "The Avengers," and since then, the Hulk has appeared only in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Thor: Ragnarok." It wouldn't be hard for Marvel to get rid of him.
7. Wong
Wong already died in "Doctor Strange" and was revived by Strange with the time stone. So it's not a stretch to say he may be expendable in an epic like "Avengers: Infinity War."
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