Both "Avengers" installments are among the highest-grossing movies of all time, which might make it seem like the Marvel franchise will carry on into infinity. But despite the title of the forthcoming two-parter -- "Avengers: Infinity War - Part 1" and "Part 2" -- it seems the superhero team is preparing to hang up their suits.
Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham said in April, right before the "Age of Ultron" release, that he saw no end in sight for Iron Man and Co. But now he's reversed course, indicating "Infinity War" will conclude the "Avengers" series in its current form.
“I think it definitely is an end to some version of the team that we’ve come to know as The Avengers," Latcham said during a recent Q&A, according to Collider. "Who knows exactly what is going to happen yet in that film, but I think this version of that team -- and I think we start to hint at it at the end of 'Age of Ultron' -- will be evolving.”
The second part of "Infinity War" is set for May 2019. That coincides with the end of Marvel's Phase Three, which begins with "Captain America: Civil War" in 2016 and continues with "Doctor Strange," the "Guardians of the Galaxy" sequel and others. Speaking at the same Q&A on Tuesday evening, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said the idea of introducing new Avengers came "very, very early in development." In fact, it's a notion that hails from the comic-book series, in which the squad members frequently rotate. But it also corresponds to the actors' contracts, seeing as many are up for renegotiation after "Infinity War - Part 2."
“One of the things we love from the comics is that the roster is always changing and new people are coming onto the team, and you can pick up an Avengers book 10 years later and you don’t recognize the people on the cover," Latcham said. "But the ideas and ideals and things that make the Avengers the Avengers still exist, and I think that’s part of what this culmination will be. We’re seeing this version of the team doing this thing to save the universe, the galaxy, however you want to put it, and we’ll kind of see where that goes. It’s not the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I think that it is the end of part of it, for sure. We’re still trying to sort out that point.”
Also on HuffPost:
Fun With Marvel
For a constant stream of entertainment news and discussion, follow HuffPost Entertainment on Viber.