'Avengers: Endgame' Trailer Shot May Prove Time Travel Theory

There are so many theories about Avengers: Endgame floating around with no clear answer - and one of the longest-running ones has been that the film will use time travel as a major plot device. However, ever since some early Avengers: Endgame set photos first hinted at big time travel jumps, we haven't seen anything in the Endgame marketing or merchandise that would suggest a time travel twist.

...Or have we?

Proof that a certain trailer shot is from a suspected setting (spoilers) from r/marvelstudios

As you can see above, one Marvel fan who has extensive knowledge of the NYC landscape has put together a piece of visual proof that seems to indicate that the Avengers will indeed time travel during Endgame's story.

The scene in question can be seen in the Avengers: Endgame Special Look trailer (watch it above). Specifically, there's a rotating shot of Iron Man about halfway through the trailer (:21) where the armored hero is flying over New York City. As Reddit user Doubleu1117 points out, modern day landmarks that should be visible in this same scene are nowhere to be seen. One World Trade Center is the key missing element, as the monument was built (or rebuilt) after the loss of the World Trade Center twin towers during 9/11, 2001. One World Trade Center was under construction when The Avengers was in production in 2011, and can be seen in its unfinished state during the film's "Battle of New York" sequence. The main structure and spire were actually finished just before Avengers opened in May of 2012; it opened in fall 2014, and then opened its observation deck in summer 2015.

One World Trade Center is officially the tallest building in the United States now, so if Iron Man were indeed flying over NYC in present day, it would be one of the most visible landmarks on the skyline. However, in 2012, when it was still under construction, One WTC would not have been tall enough yet to be visible along the skyline from the height and angle Iron Man is flying - which is exactly why it wouldn't appear in a scene where Iron Man had traveled back to the Battle of New York, and was surveying the landscape.

This piece of photo evidence now feeds back into theories like the Endgame trailer shot of Iron Man and Captain America face-to-face on what looks to be a NYC street has been digitally altered to hide the fact that Tony could be meeting with Avengers Cap - a theory that merchandising has also supported. It's been asserted that the NYC skyline may not be spoiler, but rather Marvel recycling Avengers stock footage for an Endgame scene - but does anyone really believe The Russo Bros. and Kevin Feige would overlook such a crucial detail?

Captain Marvel is now in theaters. Avengers: Endgame arrives on April 26th, and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5th.

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