Fandango fans are all about ‘Avengers’
So, no hard feelings about that infamous gauntlet finger-snap that turned half of our favorite Avengers to dust.
Marvel’s superhero teamup “Avengers: Endgame” (in theaters April 26) – a sequel to “Avengers: Infinity War,” in which Black Panther, Spider-Man, Star-Lord and a slew of others were vaporized – is the most-anticipated movie of 2019, according to an exclusive survey by Fandango for USA TODAY. The movie ticketing site polled more than 3,500 visitors who describe themselves as frequent moviegoers.
“There’s 10 years of investment built into this series,” says Erik Davis, Fandango’s managing editor. “Fans are dying to see how it ends.
“They were definitely happy with the last ‘Avengers,’ but it was a bit of a hard pill to swallow, as entertaining as it was. … Do they bring these characters back? This film is going to set the stage for whatever the next iteration of these Marvel movies is.”
Those fans are also pretty pumped about Brie Larson in “Captain Marvel” (out March 8), the second-most popular film in the survey. Her fighter pilot/space warrior Carol Danvers will be seen in “Avengers 4” after the character’s introductory solo outing.
So what does it say that “Star Wars” finished third on the list, with the asyet untitled “Episode IX” (Dec. 20)?
“People are looking for a break,” says Davis, after getting “The Last Jedi” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in the span of five months. But mostly, the excitement level is low only “because we haven’t seen anything yet” from the movie. “The first time we see 30 seconds with a lightsaber battle, that changes.”
There’s also enthusiasm outside the Marvel realm for “Joker” (Oct. 4), the DC Comics origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix in the role of “probably the most popular villain in comicbook movies,” Davis says. It ranked No. 10 on moviegoers’ list.
“Fans are excited that interesting,
unique people are making this; led by *Hangover" director Todd Phillips, says Davis. "They are itching to see DC take risks and do things that are different." But the biggest winner by far will be tans of Disney, which has seven movies in the top 10, including "Toy Story 4' (No. S) and live-action remakes of The Lion King' Aladdin° and "Dumbo' (which finished seventh, eighth and ninth respectively on the list). "That's pretty staggering," Davis says. 'Disney on paper could have the biggest year of any studio in history." Maybe the most surprising super hero to pop in the poll: Toni Hanks was voted the No. 1 fan favorite actor, is anticipation of his role as children's television icon Fred Rogers in the biopic "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' (Oct. IS). He'll also again play Woody in the new "Toy Story.- That he topped this fist, over Robert Downey Jr., over Chris Evans, that's a fun fact.' Davis says. That lust goes to show the love people have for Mr. Rog-ers, fur Tom Hanks, their love for him playing that character. And maybe speaks to the fact that audiences are raking for that good-natured. good-warted movie in their lives right now.'