Beginning of the end

Mona

Will make it...whatever it takes...is the current sentiment for the beings inhabiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Come Friday and one sees the culmination of 11 years, 22 films and 25 super heroes — it’s the Avengers: Endgame countdown. 

Left at a cliff-hanger, post Infinity War, the Avengers fans have been bundle of nerves ever since. While they have their seats booked for Friday, it’s now a day’s wait that has them on the edge. “Being a huge Marvel fan, the anticipation is running high because I’ve been waiting for so long,” opens up Diveeja Sharma, a PR professional. 

Like millions of others, she remembers how she was dumbfounded towards the end of Infinity War. “The cliff-hanger really did leave us on the edge. I was angry with the Star-Lord, sad for the characters that withered away in dust and yet hopeful that the sequel would restore the Marvel Universe,” she wistfully shares.

House full

Just like all around the world, the film is touted to get an unprecedented opening. The film opens to 183 shows on Friday in and around Chandigarh. That includes 3D and 2D in English and Hindi. The advance booking opened on Monday, by Tuesday 70 per cent of the seats were already gone. 

“It’s a record booking for any English film and is by far the best,” reveals distributor representative Raj Juneja.  Last checked, all shows were sold in Elante for Friday, so was the scenario for entire Tricity. As for the Saturday, Sunday more than 70 per cent were already booked. 

“The biggest openings that I have seen have been Baahubali and Carry On Jatta 2, Endgame beats them all and by the huge margins,” shares Juneja, who is into the field for last decade-and-a-half. Another observation is that the bookings are not in twos or threes but in groups – four or more. “Seems like the entire family or groups of friends are taking this thrilling ride together.” The film is three hours, it would have fetched more shows had it been regular two hour plus few minutes.

Great expectations

The Avengers mania has take over the fans all over the world, running the 60 hour Marvel marathons, the frenzy is no less in tricity. For Bhaskar Pandey, post-production supervisor, the tickets for the first day first show have been booked, though he got lucky only the third time around. His younger sister Neha is a bigger Marvel fan, “There was this miscommunication and I booked the tickets thrice, cancelled twice but now we are good to catch it together.”  

Having invested 11 years, like a Marvel maniac anywhere, he feels part of  the story build up. “While the characters may continue but some of the actors may never be seen as these superheroes,” he rues. He’s got his fingers crossed that he gets to see Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) from the very first Avengers play vital roles among the new heroes in their new avatars. 

For Diveeja, it’s Captain Marvel and her role in Endgame the point of interest. “Typical of Marvel creators — they lay an Easter Egg at the end of each movie and when they did so in Infinity War, everyone knew at once that Captain Marvel would be coming into the picture. It will be interesting to see why she is important and how she becomes the saviour of the universe and defeats Thanos,” she says.

Reaching a conclusion 

While it sure is heartbreaking that Endgame might just conclude, the fans are speculating time travel. “That could make it all the more special because one way or the other, this is where we relive each Marvel film we’ve seen in the last decade,”says Diveeja.

All superheroes in one film is what makes filmmaker Jagmeet Singh Samundri look forward to this one. Amazed at the record shattering opening, he is looking forward to this one for it’s going to be a beauty with finesse. “Be it visual effects or background score or the one-liners – these films are technically supreme– better than one can dream,” gasps the awestruck Samundri. 

The mania spreads 

Endgame has generated a huge buzz. The film is said to have sold five times as many tickets as last year’s Avengers: Infinity War over its first seven days of advance sales across the world. Theatres are adding show times to meet the demand. The movie ended with an epic cliff-hanger that will lure fans back to theatres in droves for Endgame, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst. He predicts between $250 million and $275 million for Endgame, which will wrap up the story started by Iron Man, Thor and four other Avengers. “I don’t see how anticipation could be any higher,” Dergarabedian said. “Audiences have developed an ongoing relationship with these characters and these stories. It’s a must-see movie.” 

In India there have been one million advance tickets sold at the feverish pitch for the film due to release on Friday. One desperate fan from Silchar reached out to Twitter, requesting for a show in his city with two cinema halls. India that remains a fetching market had its director Joe Russo in Mumbai for the press tour.  AR Rahman’s theme song in Hindi is another bid to push the film.  

For unadulterated fun 

While #ENDGAMECOUNTDOWN trended big time this week so did  #DontSpoilTheEndgame with the makers formally requesting the fans not to spoil the thrill for others. Hearken, Thanos still demands your silence.

- Inputs from Reuters

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