Maddy Time: Avengers Endgame Encore

Spoiler Warning: This post contains plot details from Avengers: Endgame Encore.

Midge and I went to see Avengers: Endgame Encore last week. It promised four minutes of new footage that would link Endgame to Avengers: Doomsday. We were curious. Maddy Time is our thing. We do other activities, but cinema trips are quietly mostly connect. This felt like something we had to see, even if it was only for those extra minutes.

I’ve felt unsettled about the multiverse saga, like many fans have. Some films have been brilliant. Some haven’t. Shang‑Chi was one of the best stand‑alone films in this era. It deserved a sequel. I expected the same universe building we had before. It’s a shame Marvel didn’t follow that strategy.

Spider‑Man: Far From Home was great. No Way Home was even better. We loved the multiverse connections and the idea that the other Spider‑Men returned home to healed villains. It would be cool to see. We love Tom Hollands version. It’s why our last Maddy Time was spent watching Spider‑Man: Brand New Day.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever handled Chadwick Boseman’s death with care. It continued the story well and set Namor up for future arcs, hopefully with Sue Storm, like the comics. Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness had strong universe links and cameos. We enjoyed it, although Wanda deserved a better conclusion. Deadpool and Wolverine did the multiverse well and continued his story arc nicely. The Marvels introduced Rambo’s crossover into the X‑Men universe, but it seems separate from the Fox universe we know. It needs explaining. I hope they don’t pretend it never happened.

We weren’t sure what to expect with Endgame Encore. We didn’t know if the extra footage would be inside the film or added at the end. Spoilers: it’s all in the credits. The film itself is unchanged. I know Endgame word for word. Nothing shifted. They didn’t fix any continuity errors. Ant‑Man is still giant, pushing a space whale through a wizard portal, when he’s also in the van with Wasp hot wiring it. Captain America’s shield is still whole when it should be shattered in a wide shot. You’d think a rerelease would correct details fans have pointed out for years. It didn’t. It annoyed both of us.

The new footage begins right after the ending, with Steve and Peggy. They’re dancing, peaceful and happy, when a knock interrupts them. Steve hides. Peggy answers and asks if she can help. A voice replies, “No, but I can help you. Both of you.” Loki walks in wearing his TVA uniform. Steve steps out looking confused. It cuts there.

The next scene shows Bruce Banner in a cement cell miles underground. It links to Spider‑Man: Brand New Day, where we last saw him being carried into an ambulance. He says it’s been more than ten years since the Hulk last came out fully. He moves to a workstation and explains he’s been working on a gamma‑suppressing serum. A green light fills the room. Bruce asks who the person is. A voice replies, “Mr Banner. I’ve come to collect you.” A burnt green rune spreads across the floor. Hulk’s voice rumbles. They escape.

The third scene takes place in the TVA. Mobius walks into the office as alarms sound. An incursion is happening between the X‑Men and Deadpool universe 1005 and another universe. Missiles fire between earths as both collapse. Another incursion follows. Then another. It reaches three. A voice shouts that it’s not three. It’s three hundred. Then three thousand. The announcement declares that the multiverse is collapsing. Midge and I wondered if the number linked to Tony Stark’s “I love you 3000.” It might, but could just show how fast everything is falling apart.

The final scene mirrors the ending of Endgame and the first Iron Man. You hear metal being hammered. The camera reveals Doctor Doom’s mask being made.

Reviews online are mixed. Some say the rerelease is unnecessary. I get why. It didn’t add anything new. Those clips could’ve been released separately. Some say it’s a welcome bridge between sagas. I’m not sure it bridges anything. The ideas in the clips are cool, but the film didn’t need to be the platform. Some say the new scenes add excitement for Doomsday, and Midge and I agree with that. It’s nostalgic and fun, but imperfect.

Sitting next to Midge made it better. I quietly said every line, but thankfully didn’t ruin it for her.

One last thing. We went to Nando’s before the movie. We didn’t get any photos. It was nice, except for one detail. Midge ordered the wrong spice level for my food and accidentally chose the hottest one. My brain and tongue nearly melted. My lips were throbbing. She laughed then. She still laughs now. I’ll pretend I’m over it.

It was another lovely Maddy Time together. That’s what matters.

[Image 2. Midge sits on the left as she leans into to me on the right wearking a blue shirt, a dark and a white cowboys hat. The photo is dark as we sit in the screen room waiting for the end credits to play]