10 Best Movies Where We Meet The Villain First
3. Avengers: Infinity War
How do you bring to life a villain that has been teased for the last six years? A villain that fans of the comic books will crucify if not done right; a villain that has to outshine every other villain in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
The answer is you put him front and centre from the very beginning and show exactly why he should be so feared. This is exactly what the Russo brothers did with Thanos, opening Infinity War with his assault on the Asgardian refugee ship.
The directors had teased in the build-up to the movie that fans would know within the first five minutes of the movie why Thanos was such a big deal, and they did not disappoint. A decimated ship, Thor on his knees, Loki and Heimdall dead, and the Hulk completely embarrassed. Yes, this was going to be Thanos’ movie alright, and what a way to start.
The Mad Titan was the main character of Avengers: Infinity War, and clearly the writers and the directors understood the importance of separating him from the rest of the MCU villain pack early. The Russos wanted to make Thanos this generation's Darth Vader, and it's difficult to say they weren't successful.