More and more leaks have surfaced regarding the much-awaited "Avengers: Infinity War." After alleged screenshots and a trailer description were leaked last week, several clips made it to the internet unofficially again, confirming the involvement of a long-rumored actor.
The person in question is none other than Benicio del Toro who played the Collector in the "Guardians of the Galaxy." The character who keeps the largest collection of interstellar fauna, relics, and species in the galaxy emerged as a fan-favorite after debuting in the first installment. He may have skipped the sequel, but he has been widely speculated to have a role in Thanos' hunt for the Infinity Stones.
Talks of his return started earlier this year when Josh Brolin, aka Thanos in the film, let it slip that he would be working with the Puerto Rican actor alongside two Guardians, Chris Pratt (Star-Lord) and Zoe Saldana (Gamora). Around the same time, he was also spotted around Atlanta where "Avengers: Infinity War" two weeks after it started filming in the area. Now, there is another proof -- a more believable one this time -- that he is indeed returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
One of the now-deleted leaked clips that circulated on Reddit this weekend sees the Mad Titan invading the Collector's place, physically interrogating him to obtain the Reality Stone or the Aether. The Guardians were there, too, for an undisclosed reason. However, Comic Book notes they arrived too late. Thanos was reportedly about to crush him under his boot, although the footage was still unfinished with only motion-capture items representing the big bad's foot.
While the leak proves Del Toro's involvement, it is still unclear if the clip makes it to the final cut so there is still a chance he might not reappear in the MCU. For now, fans can only keep their fingers crossed and wait for the first trailer that will hopefully feature the Collector.
Marvel has yet to roll out the first official footage publicly, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo recently teased what is believed to be its release date. They posted a cheeky, animated photo of a giant number 3 on Instagram. Reports are now interpreting it as a countdown to something related to "Infinity War," likely its trailer debut, with Polygon specifically predicting it is due in three days.
Other possibilities include a Dec. 3 release, or 3 weeks after, putting it on Dec. 18 just after the "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" release.
At the same time, Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo cryptically tweeted that "Something big is coming." Whether it is really about the first trailer remains to be seen. Marvel is mum about the matter and will likely remain so until it officially drops the footage.
"Avengers: Infinity War" will open in cinemas on May 4, 2018.
