Whereas this film, in contrast, has over 3,000 visual effects shots. We were reflecting back on Titanic days, the late ‘90s, where a big effects film would be considered around 300 shots.

How does something this large get broken up logistically? Several different visual effects houses worked on various aspects of Infinity War at once.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. I jumped on the phone with visual effects supervisor Kelly Port to talk about the scope of Infinity War, the company’s complex motion-capture system, and how machine learning served a crucial role in turning Josh Brolin into a mad Titan. The visual effects company, founded by James Cameron and the late Stan Winston 25 years ago, was tasked with bringing Thanos to life, and on the biggest stage possible. While Brolin’s performance drives the character, none of those moments would have been possible without the special effects wizardry of Digital Domain. He’s legitimately hurt when she turns her back on him, and he feels true regret when he sacrifices her to achieve his goals. He’s capable of feeling compassion for a young Gamora, even after he murders her mother and half her planet. His maniacal plan to restore balance to the universe by arbitrarily killing half its inhabitants aside, Thanos is sometimes a strangely sympathetic character. Thanos is every bit as dominating and destructive as fans of the series could hope, but he isn’t the one-dimensional villain he so easily could have been. From beginning to end, Joe and Anthony Russo’s blockbuster is about the eight-foot intergalactic big bad Thanos, played by Josh Brolin. ĭespite the title of Avengers: Infinity War, the lead character isn’t Iron Man, Captain America, or any of the other Avengers who protect the world from evil. Warning: plot spoilers ahead for Avengers: Infinity War.

Avengers infinity war cast