The countdown to next year's Marvel colossus Avengers: Infinity War is officially on with the release of these geek-tastic Vanity Fair covers.

Directed by Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War filmmakers the Russo brothers, this is poised to make the latter look like a playground scrap. That's because 32 – yes, 32 – of your favourite Marvel characters are poised to battle for screen time as Infinity War brings us the long-brewing conflict with the evil Thanos (Josh Brolin). 

It's also a watershed moment, bringing the curtain down on phase three of the MCU and paving the way for new stories and new characters. (Scroll down to read more from Marvel chief Kevin Feige.)

The below covers re-introduce us to several principal players: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Chris Evans (Captain America), Paul Bettany (Vision), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Evangeline Lilly (The Wasp), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts).

Kevin Feige on the future of the MCU

After 10 years and 22 movies Infinity War (and its as-yet-untitled follow-up) represents a culmination of everything the Marvel movies have been building towards. But what of the future? As the man who has spearheaded the growth of Marvel as a franchise, Feige has plenty to say about where the series can go from here.

"There will be two distinct periods," he tells Vanity Fair. "Everything before Avengers 4 and everything after. I know it will not be in ways people are expecting."

Take a deep breath before reading the next bit – because the MCU isn't going anywhere. Feige continues: "We're 22 movies in, and we’ve got another 20 movies on the docket that are completely different from anything that’s come before – intentionally."

With the 2018 release of Black Panther, the first MCU movie to focus on a black superhero, plus the arrival of Brie Larson's Captain Marvel in 2019, we already have an idea of what two of those stories will be.

The trailer countdown begins

We're less than five months out from Infinity War's release on 27th April 2018 and we're all champing at the bit for a trailer. Acknowledging fans' impatience (stoked earlier this summer at Comic Con when the trailer was leaked online then promptly removed), the Russos have taken it upon themselves to begin their own countdown.

On their Instagram feed the directors shared the following image: a happy-looking, cartoon number three that may potentially be hinting at the days that will elapse until the trailer's arrival. Or it could be something completely different – who knows? Maybe it means we'll get our first look on 3rd December?

Stay tuned to the blog for all the latest breaking Avengers: Infinity War news.

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