So much for that whole #DontSpoilTheEndgame campaign. We're roughly a day away from fans finally getting to see Avengers: Endgame here in the U.S. and excitement levels are nearing critical mass. But there is also additional nervousness running rampant as many people have already seen the movie and spoilers, inevitably, are starting to make their way online. Even beyond a few spoilers, we now have word that several versions of the full movie have made their way to piracy websites.
To be clear: we're not here to spoil anything. This post, itself, is completely spoiler free. According to a new report, a full copy of Avengers: Endgame hit piracy websites in China just hours after the movie premiered in the country. Chinese audiences were treated to the movie two days before its scheduled release domestically. Just hours later, the copy began circulating on English piracy sites as well. That initial copy was reportedly of very poor quality, with a bad angle image flickers throughout the running time. There were also watermarks placed throughout for a gambling website.
It's speculated that someone filmed this version with a hidden camera at a Chinese theater. While that copy was over very poor quality, another, reportedly much better version of the full movie, sponsored by a Russian betting company, also began circulating online. This comes after a video containing roughly 20 minutes of spoiler-heavy footage from Avengers: Endgame began circulating online last week, far in advance of the movie's world premiere. Not long after, directors Joe and Anthony Russo penned a letter asking fans not to spoil the movie for others online, while also reminding everyone that Thanos still demands our silence. Marvel has also been spreading awareness by using the hashtag #DontSpoilTheEndgame as the movie begins to roll out in theaters.
There have been plenty of big movies in the past that people don't want to have spoiled for them. But what Disney and Marvel have done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to this point is completely unprecedented. Avengers: Endgame is set to conclude a 22-movie arc that has taken 11 years to accomplish. Couple that with what happened at the end of Infinity War, which was easily one of the biggest cliffhangers in cinema history, and it's understandable that people are feeling particularly sensitive about spoilers. That's not to say it's difficult to avoid pirating a full movie. It's quite easy. Just don't do it.
But what these leaks mean is that every secret this movie has in store is floating around online. And if there are people who are willing to upload these pirated copies online, there are certainly people who won't have any compunction when it comes to spoiling certain elements for unsuspecting individuals. So fans should be extra careful whilst randomly perusing websites like Twitter and Reddit until they actually get the chance to see Avengers: Endgame, which begins holding preview screenings on Thursday, for themselves. This news was previously reported by TorrentFreak.