Marvel Cinematic Universe: 5 Films That Should Appear In Phase 3

5. The Avengers 3: The Infinity Gauntlet

Unless something very bad happens to the financial performance of Marvel Studios, it's almost certain that we will see Avengers 3, and given all of the hints that have appeared in the MCU to date, it is very likely that it will be based on the Infinity Gauntlet comic book storyline. The Infinity Gauntlet is one of the great Marvel comic crossover events and the definitive story of the Marvel villain Thanos. In it Thanos gains control of the Infinity Gauntlet complete with all six of the Infinity Gems, each of which gives control over an aspect of the universe; power, time, space, reality, mind and soul. With all of the gems combined in the gauntlet, the wearer essentially has the power of God. Thanos sought out the Infinity Gauntlet and gems in order to woo a woman who is the physical embodiment of death. Using the power of the gauntlet, he honours Death's request to wipe out half of all living beings in the universe in an instant. Thanos' actions garner the attention of the cosmic messianic character Adam Warlock, who has a special connection with the Soul Gem. Warlock puts together a team of the remaining earth heroes to fight Thanos including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Doctor Strange and Drax the Destroyer. There are a number of hints already in the MCU that the third Avengers film will be based on the Infinity Gauntlet comic book storyline: - The Infinity Gauntlet was shown as one of the items in Odin's vault in the first Thor film. - Thanos was revealed as the mastermind behind the Chitauri invasion in the mid credits scene to first Avengers film. - It was revealed in the mid credits scene to Thor: The Dark World that the Tesseract from Captain America: The First Avenger and the first Avengers film is an Infinity Gem, possibly the blue Mind Gem. It was also revealed that the Aether from Thor: The Dark World is an Infinity Gem, possibly the red Power Gem. - There was an additional Easter egg in the mid credits scene showing the cocoon of Adam Warlock. - Guardians of the Galaxy to be released in 2014 will include many characters that have a direct relationship with Thanos. Zoe Saldana is playing Gamora, the adopted daughter of Thanos and ally of Adam Warlock. Dave Bautista is playing Drax the Destroyer, a being created for the sole purpose of destroying Thanos, using the spirit of a human who had his family killed by Thanos. Karen Gillan is playing Nebula, the granddaughter of Thanos.