# Josh Brolin to play Thanos in GotG and Avengers sequel **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667 "2014-05-31T00:36:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/1 "2014-05-31T00:36:41Z")
From [Variety](http://variety.com/2014/film/news/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-marvels-guardians-of-the-galaxy-1201198891/) > [@Variety](#): > > Josh Brolin has been tapped to play the villainous Thanos in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” sources confirm to Variety. > > Thanos, who first appeared in the post-credits scene in “The Avengers,” is a major villain in the Marvel universe and is also expected to appear in one, if not both, of the upcoming “Avengers” sequels. > > “We’re definitely tied to ‘Avengers 3,’” director James Gunn recently said of the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which hits theaters Aug. 1. > > Co-starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper, “Guardians” is based on the Marvel comic series and tells the story of a superhero team fighting to save the world. Guess he’s gonna be in a post-credits scene in GotG. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/2 "2014-05-31T01:15:14Z")
Is he still going to be Gamora’s “father”? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/3 "2014-05-31T01:46:30Z")
So Brolin joins a small club of actors who have played two comic-book characters, and an even smaller one of actors who have played comic-book characters from different publishers. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/4 "2014-05-31T02:56:09Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Is he still going to be Gamora’s “father”? Thanos is Gamora’s father? I knew that in the comic book continuity, Nebula claimed to be Thanos’ _grand_-daughter, but not about Gamora. Are Gamora and Nebula mother and daughter? Because Zoe Saldana and Karen Gillian look _nothing_ alike! At any rate, if Thanos is going to be a villain in Avengers 3, then I wonder if that means we’ll see his brother Eros - the Avenger known as Starfox, with the rather creepy psionic ability to [cause pleasure](http://comicsalliance.com/worst-avengers/)\* (most often to his female Avenger team-mates)? \*He’s #9 on the linked list. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/5 "2014-05-31T03:06:08Z")
This is actually the third comic book character Brolin has played. He’s been Jonah Hex and the younger Agent K in Men in Black 3. Arguably his fourth, though Oldboy is rather loosely adapted from either the manga or the Korean film version, and his character has a different name than either previous version. (Then again, Men in Black and Jonah Hex were very loosely adapted as well, to the point that, arguably, the names were all that was left, so…) He’s also Dwight in the upcoming Sin City sequel (Clive Owen played the character the first time). ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/6 "2014-05-31T18:20:17Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > This is actually the third comic book character Brolin has played. > … Brolin looks like he was drawn in a comic book, especially his jawline. Might as well cast him in the movies. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/7 "2014-05-31T19:59:26Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Thanos is Gamora’s father? By adoption. Gamora’s planet was exterminated by Adam Warlock’s nemesis, the Magus. Thanos rescued her from the destruction, and raised her, training her to be the universe’s deadliest assassin. Thanos then arranged for Warlock and Gamora to team up against the Magus. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/8 "2014-05-31T20:49:46Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > This is actually the third comic book character Brolin has played. > > He’s been Jonah Hex and the younger Agent K in Men in Black 3. Fair enough. I was not familiar with _MiB_ before the films, and tend to forget its comic-book origin. > [@](#): > > Arguably his fourth, though Oldboy is rather loosely adapted from either the manga or the Korean film version, and his character has a different name than either previous version. (Then again, Men in Black and Jonah Hex were very loosely adapted as well, to the point that, arguably, the names were all that was left, so…) > > He’s also Dwight in the upcoming Sin City sequel (Clive Owen played the character the first time). Huh. Now I wonder if Brolin holds some kind of record. Who’s his potential rival; Chris Evans for Johnny Storm, Captain America and Jake Jensen from _The Losers_ ? Afterthought: arguably, Evans also played Loki, but I think that can be disregarded. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/9 "2014-05-31T21:23:45Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Brolin looks like he was drawn in a comic book, especially his jawline. Might as well cast him in the movies. Kinda wasted in this case, though, considering it’d most likely be a mostly vocal role… ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/10 "2014-05-31T21:46:50Z")
Does it much matter who plays characters like this, given that they will be unrecognizable and/or just motion tracking objects? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/11 "2014-05-31T22:08:29Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Does it much matter who plays characters like this, given that they will be unrecognizable and/or just motion tracking objects? Sure it does. First of all, there’s the voice. But there’s also the physical acting skills - for instance, Mark Ruffalo brought a lot to the _Avengers_ with the Hulk’s body language and facial expressions. In many ways, CGI is just another form of makeup. Done right, it obscures the actor’s features, but not their acting. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/12 "2014-05-31T22:12:53Z")
A good example of that is Alan Tudyk as Sonny in _I, Robot_. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/13 "2014-06-01T00:02:17Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Fair enough. I was not familiar with _MiB_ before the films, and tend to forget its comic-book origin. > > Huh. Now I wonder if Brolin holds some kind of record. Who’s his potential rival; Chris Evans for Johnny Storm, Captain America and Jake Jensen from _The Losers_ ? > > Afterthought: arguably, Evans also played Loki, but I think that can be disregarded. Evens also played #2 Lucas Lee in [Scott Pilgrim vs. The World](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446029/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast) which was originally a graphic novel from Oni Press. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/14 "2014-06-01T23:44:56Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Huh. Now I wonder if Brolin holds some kind of record. Who’s his potential rival; Chris Evans for Johnny Storm, Captain America and Jake Jensen from _The Losers_ ? Ryan Reynolds has played Deadpool, Green Lantern, and Nick from R.I.P.D. He was also in one of the Blade movies. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/15 "2014-06-02T01:04:15Z")
We did [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=716626) a little while back. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/16 "2014-06-02T13:01:54Z")
I read that he’s only the voice in GotG. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/17 "2014-06-02T13:52:28Z")
This confuses me. How are they still casting a role in a movie thats due out in like 60 days? Are they really still putting together new content for this movie this close to release? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/18 "2014-06-02T14:41:47Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > This confuses me. How are they still casting a role in a movie thats due out in like 60 days? Are they really still putting together new content for this movie this close to release? Avengers 2 is coming out next year, not this summer. Guardians of the Galaxy won’t be having Thanos as a major character, apart from a post-credits scene. And if all he is is the voice of Thanos, why is this confusing? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-brolin-to-play-thanos-in-gotg-and-avengers-sequel/689667/19 "2014-06-02T15:49:12Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > This confuses me. How are they still casting a role in a movie thats due out in like 60 days? Are they really still putting together new content for this movie this close to release? They’re announcing it now. Brolin probably recorded his part for the movie months ago. It’s all part of the slow rollout of GOTG info that Marvel has been doing for a while now.