'The Avengers: Age of Ultron' Spoilers: Thanos May Not Play Major Role in Sequel

Thanos may not be a major part of "Avengers: Age of Ultron."

Director Joss Whedon recently addressed questions about the villain in the sequel to his upcoming film.

"We have to stay grounded," Whedon said. "It's part of what makes the Marvel universe click -- their relationship to the real world. It's science fiction, and Thanos is not out of the mix, but Thanos was never meant to be the next villain. He's always been the overlord of villainy and darkness."

During the end credits of the recent hit "Marvel's The Avengers," the baddie was revealed in a post-credits sequence as the master behind the battle of New York. Many expected him to be the villain in the follow-up, but Whedon's reveal of the title "Age of Ultron" made it clear that the robot would be the primary antagonist in the sequel.

Whedon has addressed the question of Thanos in prior interviews. The director previously stated that the villain would likely be a major part of the third installment of "Avengers" and has already been confirmed for "Guardians of the Galaxy."

"Well, Thanos is more powerful. He is so powerful he is not someone you can just try out and punch him. Like he did in the comics, you want him to threading through the universe and to save the big finale for 'the big finally'. He is definitely a part of what I have got going on," said Whedon. "The thing about the Avengers is that they are very powerful but not very stable. So, there will definitely be some people that will shake them up in the next installment."