Thanos' cosmic henchmen, The Black Order, have been confirmed to appear in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War. The news broke at the Disney-run D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, where four statues were unveiled on the convention floor showing Black Order members Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, and Cull Obsidian (known as Black Dwarf in the comics).

Children of Thanos revealed. pic.twitter.com/RWT4HS8tnR— Louis D'Esposito (@louisde2) July 15, 2017

There was mounting evidence to suggest Thanos will be aided by The Black Order in the lead-up to D23. Leaked set photos revealed weapons that closely resemble those wielded by the comics’ Black Order, specifically, members Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight. Additionally, mo-cap actor Terry Notary indicated he’s playing one of four “henchmen” to Thanos, likely referring to the villainous cosmic supergroup. And last we heard, a rumor suggested the film’s Black Order will comprise of Thanos’ adopted children, which would no doubt have an emotional impact on the villain’s biological children, and Guardians of the Galaxy teammates, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillan).

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In the context of Marvel Comics history, the Black Order is a relatively new entity, having first appeared in volume three of the New Avengers. The group was created by Marvel mastermind Jonathan Hickman who developed the team's history in the pages of New Avengers, which focused on a super-group called the Illuminati (created a few years earlier by Brian Michael Bendis), then comprising of Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Namor, Black Bolt and Mr. Fantastic. The Illuminati's arc culminated with the Infinity crossover, and eventually, Secret Wars, which was a reboot of sorts for the Marvel Comics Universe.

Over the course of the Infinity crossover, celestial forces converge in a war with heroes across the universe. Among those forces is Thanos, who comes to Earth in search of the Infinity Stones and his long-lost son. He comes to Earth with a cabal -- The Black Order/Cull Obsidian -- that includes five deadly elite warriors. Wreaking havoc across the globe, each Black Order member faces off with a member of the Illuminati.

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Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infinity War boasts a sprawling ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Benedict Wong, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland and Anthony Mackie. The film arrives in theaters May 4, 2018, with the untitled sequel opening May 3, 2019.