Dear Gossips,

Marvel sent out a tip sheet yesterday ahead of the Avengers: Endgame premiere letting media know who to expect on the red carpet. The list of celebrity names was divided into three categories: from the film, Special Guests from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Special Guests. 

The “special guests from the MCU” referred to past villains or, most notably, the characters who were snapped last year at the end of Infinity War. Because, of course, no spoilers. Nobody wants to know who comes back – if anyone comes back – until they’re in the theatre some time this weekend. 

You know who’s part of the MCU but who doesn’t fall into the villain or the snapped column and wasn’t on the tip sheet but showed up anyway and people freaked out? Natalie Portman, Jane Foster. Thor had three possible love interests on that carpet last night! And now some fans are now wondering if she’s going to be in Endgame. 

Natalie’s appearance may have been a surprise to the audience but obviously there’s no way she would have come without Marvel knowing. And it’s not like they needed her to be there, not with that kind of celebrity turnout. That carpet was more A List than the Oscars. And even without the carpet, even if they’d decided not to do a premiere, it’s not like people don’t know the movie is coming out, having waited a whole ass 12 months to find out what happens. Endgame is a beast. So Marvel, at this point, doesn’t “need” to do sh-t to promote it. My guess, then, is that they left her off the tip sheet because they knew it would be a bonus for nerds, a treat for the faithful, as a reward for their loyalty – and, well, it was a flex. Who else is assembling this kind of star power? With more star power in the pipeline?!

Because, remember, part of the work here –and the success – is that they’ve laid the groundwork for the next generation of Avengers. That was confirmed in a billion-dollar way with Captain Marvel eight weeks ago. And beyond that, they’re already setting up The Eternals, led by Angelina Jolie.

To be fair though, and yes, I do see the absurdity of “being fair” to what Sarah calls the “Disney overloads”, money isn’t the only ingredient. If that was the case, Justice League would have worked better. The stories matter. And the chemistry matters. Last night was a family reunion – or at least they made it FEEL like a family reunion, like it really is that clubhouse that Sarah hoped for all those years ago, and a graduation at the same time, all the seniors saying goodbye and all the juniors in awe of what the graduating class did. That’s why they have so much of my money. They have two tickets worth of my money alone over a 48 hour period this weekend because I’m going on Friday night and then again on Sunday, I already know I’ll need to see it again as soon as possible.  

But is it any good? If early reactions from last night’s screening are any indication, apparently we are going to cry. Like A LOT. So get your tears ready and then get them ready again on Sunday night for Game of Thrones and the Battle of Winterfell. Because that’s what the last episode was setting you up for – a f-cking bloodbath.

Yours in gossip,

Lainey