After 2012's Marvel's The Avengers became a major success, some fans were annoyed that characters like Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) didn't have bigger roles in the massive superhero adventure. Those concerns were addressed in Avengers: Age of Ultron, with both characters getting much bigger arcs. Now it seems the trend will continue in the two-part adventure Avengers: Infinity War Part I and Avengers: Infinity War - Part II. Director Joe Russo revealed in a Q&A session at Wizard World New Orleans last weekend that their two-part movie will change things for a number of supporting characters, who will be moved to the forefront in Phase Four.

"Everything is finite, right? Nothing can last forever. It's cyclical. Some New Avengers in Phase Four are going to become prominent and then maybe some Avengers might not be around anymore. So, we'll see how all this plays out but you have to treat every character with respect. I think it's interesting that if you've seen four or five movies with the lead character having an arc, I want to see some story telling from some of the secondary characters. We're focusing on that right now with Infinity War while we're breaking into those movies, is which characters can we pull to the forefront who potentially haven't had their own 'A' story arc to this point. I think you'll see that the supporting Avengers are going to become primary Avengers."

Of course, the director wouldn't clarify which characters would be showcased and which wouldn't in Avengers: Infinity War Part I and Avengers: Infinity War - Part II, but it shouldn't come as a surprise that some characters will fall by the wayside. The contracts for most of the original Avengers will be expiring soon, and with the new crop of Earth's Mightiest Heroes taking over in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it wouldn't be too surprising to see a few beloved and iconic characters get killed off in Avengers: Infinity War Part I or Avengers: Infinity War - Part II. However, when it comes to Phase 4, all we can do is speculate, for now.

Back in October, Marvel announced release dates for three unspecified projects, debuting on May 1, 2020, July 10, 2020 and November 6, 2020. These will undoubtedly be the first three movies in Phase Four, but it remains to be seen how long the studio will keep these projects a secret. Of course, Marvel Phase Three doesn't even start for a few more months, with Captain America: Civil War getting things started, so don't expect any of these projects to be revealed anytime soon.

Speaking of Captain America: Civil War, it's entirely possible that some beloved characters could be killed off in this movie, since it features one of the biggest casts that the studio has ever assembled. With all of these superheroes fighting against each other, surely some will be killed off, but who will die? We'll find out in just a few short months when this big screen adventure arrives on May 6. Which secondary characters do you think will be showcased more prominently in Avengers: Infinity War Part I or Avengers: Infinity War - Part II?