‘Avengers: Infinity War’ already has one of the MCU’s most memorable team-ups, but the movie nearly included a bizarre visual that would have completely changed the Ebony Maw sequence. According to a leaked draft and reports about the unused footage, Marvel once considered having Tony Stark and Doctor Strange literally swap their iconic gear.
Tony Stark Would Give Strange The Iron Man Armor
After Ebony Maw captures Doctor Strange and takes him aboard his ship, Tony realizes that Strange needs protection. In the planned version, Tony would transfer his Iron Man armor to Strange, allowing the sorcerer to survive the situation more safely.
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That would leave Tony without his usual suit. Instead, he would supposedly wear Doctor Strange’s Cloak of Levitation. Tony Stark, one of the MCU’s most technologically advanced heroes, runs around in a magical red cape while Doctor Strange suddenly gets an Iron Man suit.
It is such a strange combination that it almost feels like an alternate-universe joke. Yet the concept reportedly went beyond the script and was actually filmed.
Why Marvel Ultimately Cut the Wild Idea
The problem wasn’t necessarily that the idea was impossible. ‘Infinity War’ was already juggling an enormous number of characters, locations, and storylines, and the Ebony Maw sequence had to keep moving. Adding the costume exchange apparently made the sequence longer and more complicated than Marvel wanted.
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More importantly, the visual gag didn’t fit naturally into the final version of the story. That makes sense when looking at the finished movie. The scene has a frantic rhythm, with Tony, Peter Parker, and Strange trying to escape Maw’s ship while figuring out how to defeat him.
Stopping to establish a magical Iron Man suit and a cape-wearing Tony could have distracted from the tension. Still, it’s one of those deleted ideas that makes you wish Marvel had released more behind-the-scenes footage.
Seeing Tony Stark dramatically wearing the Cloak of Levitation while Doctor Strange fights in an Iron Man suit would have been completely ridiculous, and honestly, that’s exactly why it would have been unforgettable.
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