'Avengers' finds its 'Endgame': First trailer for 'Avengers 4' reveals old friends dealing with new tragedy

The Infinity War may be over, but the battle for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is just getting started. After weeks of rumors, Marvel Studios finally released the first look at what’s in store for its Snapture-surviving heroes in the upcoming sequel, which will be titled Avengers: Endgame. (Watch the trailer above.)

For months now, fans have been trying to deduce how the remaining Avengers — among them Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and a Hulk-less Banner — are going to secure a rematch with the victorious demigod Thanos and bring their vanished allies back. Possible solutions include time vortexes, a Marvel-ous new ally or maybe even the overdue return of Hawkeye. While no definite answers are offered by the Endgame trailer, it’s clear that every possible battle plan is on the table. (Oh, yeah … and Hawkeye is definitely back.)

The trailer begins in the ruins of Infinity War, as a severely wounded Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) remains trapped in the deeper recesses of space with zero food, limited oxygen and no obvious route home. He documents his dire circumstances for his soon-to-be bride, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), whose own status back on earth is unclear. “If you find this recording, don’t feel bad about this. Part of the journey is the end.”

But Endgame is just getting started: Across the galaxy Tony’s Avenger teammates are assembling at their still-standing upstate facility trying to decide on next steps in the wake of Thanos’s devastating victory. (For his part, Josh Brolin’s Infinity Gauntlet-wielding villain has retired from warfare, literally hanging up his battle armor.)

Understandably, the heroes are mourning all the comrades they’ve lost, including a few casualties we didn’t learn about in Infinity War — most notably our favorite Disney princess Shuri.

The trailer also makes a point of reminding audiences who is still in the fight. Unlike Bruce (Mark Ruffalo), for instance, we know that Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is alive, albeit trapped in the Quantum Realm. They’ve also got a possible galactic ally in the form of Gamora’s stepsister, Nebula (Karen Gillan). (However, another potential savior from the stars, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, who was showcased in a new trailer earlier this week, was MIA from the Endgame teaser.)

And then there are the allies they no longer recognize, a category that includes Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner). No longer a bow-and-arrow-wielding sharpshooter, Clint has shed his Hawkeye identity and become the lone masked warrior Ronin. Twitter took note that Clint’s extreme makeover suggests that he’s lost a lot more than just a super-team since we last saw him in Captain America: Civil War.

Lest you think Endgame will be all Dawn of Justice-style gloom and doom, the trailer ends with a moment of the MCU’s trademark humor just when the Avengers need it the most. As Black Widow and Captain America (Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans) plot their next moves, Scott turns up on the Avengers’ doorstep and begs to be admitted to the complex he previously infiltrated in 2015’s Ant-Man. “We met a few years ago at the airport in Germany — I got really big,” he says, eager to be of service and clearly delighted to be out of the Quantum Realm.

Delighted isn’t a strong enough word to describe the reaction to the Endgame trailer. Try delirious or ecstatic.

Hey, Scott — any chance you know of a time vortex that will transport us directly to next April?

Avengers: Endgame assembles in theaters on April 26, 2019.

Watch: Captain Marvel trailer introduces key new hero for Endgame:

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