Although Avengers: Infinity War is very much a major blockbuster with the kind of cast, budget and spectacle you'd expect from a film of this size, two of the major influences behind the film are far more low-key than you'd expect.
In our interview with Anthony and Joe Russo, we asked about what movies they felt had a similar bond with Infinity War. "When we talk about films we're inspired by, it's doesn't necessarily mean structurally, it just means a spirit about that movie. Two movies, because we perceived this as a smash-and-grab heist film, as Thanos collecting's the stones, so Out Of Sight and 2 Days In The Valley, early '90s genre heist ensemble movies."
Out Of Sight, for those that don't know it, featured George Clooney in what was arguably his star-making role as a film actor as a down-and-out robber who joins up with a crazed ex-boxer-turned-criminal played by Don Cheadle - yes, that Don Cheadle who's now War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2 Days In The Valley, meanwhile, starred Danny Aiello, Charlize Theron and James Spader - who eventually voiced and mo-capped Ultron - and was a sort-of crime anthology film that saw an ensemble cast and saga-like story intertwine over the course of about ten days.
As Russo points out himself, there's absolutely no way you could compare either film - at a surface level, anyway - to Infinity War, but it's interesting to see the kind of influences that play a part in the creative process. How it all ends up playing out screen remains to be seen.
Avengers: Infinity War hits Irish cinemas on April 26th.