Nick and Andrew recount the horror’s of ‘Daredevil’ before jumping into Ben Affleck’s new reality as the Dark Knight. They cover the DCCU (DC Cinematic Universe) including ‘Aquaman’ casting and the troubles of ‘The Suicide Squad.’
Category: MCU
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Podcast #11: Nick And Andrew: Corporate Shills
Nick and Andrew begin their discussion, dissecting the latest, 2nd ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ trailer (what a surprise!) before moving onto the “Oscars Game.” Basically, Nick tries to guess the Academy Award nominees with little help from Andrew. The best episode yet! For real. Would I lie to you?
My 7 Most Anticipated Films of 2015
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… 2015 is going to be fucking ridiculous… when it comes to the year’s movie slate.
There’s a lot to gush about; new movies in classic franchises like ‘Jurassic World,’ ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ ‘Mad Max: Fury Road, ‘ ‘007: SPECTRE’ and ‘Terminator Genisys.’ Following Marvel’s most successful year, when it came to quality of movies, we have a sequel to 2012’s ‘The Avengers’ as well as the origin story of a new Avenger in ‘Ant-Man.’ Even 20th Century Fox is shilling a non-X-Men Marvel property in the form of their ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot.
But what looks the best? What are the 7 movies I really can’t wait to see (couldn’t narrow it down to 5…)? Can I put them in order?
Yes I can, other Nick. Yes I can.
7. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
While several of the titles I used in my intro don’t make the list at all, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (formally ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’) gets the bottom spot.
Why?
We haven’t seen much footage at all, I work at the movie theater and have seen the trailer a dozen times in 3D and the final scene still makes me nauseous, and it’s so damn far away in comparison to most the titles on my list.
Plus… we’ve all played this ‘Star Wars’ anticipation game before and it backfired, horribly.
I’m actually a fan of the new lightsaber! And I know the trailer is supposed to showcase new characters in classic vehicles and uniforms (the stormtrooper armor), which were fun to see, but I want to see Han Solo, dammit!
6. ANT-MAN
Great trailer, but still a hard sell. The trailer jumps back and forth from a darker tone akin to that of ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ to the comedy stylings of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man (but still not ‘Guardians’ funny).
The trailer does look awesome; only those flying ant scenes seem questionable, even though it’s an image straight from the comics. I like the mostly serious tone of the trailer, anchored by a pretty great speech by Michael Douglas as Hank Pym.
What’s the most unique thing about ‘Ant-Man’ when compared to the other Avengers in the MCU? He’s the only every-man in the group of billionaire science genius, another scientist who turned himself green, an every-man who leaves that life behind when he gets a super-soldier serum, and a God.
Sure, Capt. did start an every-man, but even with the suit and powers of Ant-Man, Scott Lang seems grounded, even leaving his super-suit hanging in the shower.
Oh, and he has a daughter; a first for nearly any superhero franchise. The only exception I can think of is Sandman in ‘Spider-Man 3.’ A similar situation is going on here (and will hopefully go better) with criminal Lang stealing for his family and becoming the hero his daughter thinks he is. Ant-Man is not saving his world, he’s saving ours.
5. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5
We haven’t seen any footage yet, but Tom Cruise’s new stunt is ko-ko-bananas, even in comparison to his scaling the tallest building in the world in the last installment, ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.’
3 out of the 4 films in this franchise have been better than good; theeeeeey’re GREAT!
While the first is the best, ‘Ghost Protocol’ was a very strong entry that revitalized the franchise and introduced us to team members Benji (Simon Pegg) and Brandt (Jeremy Renner). Joining them this time is Luthor (Ving Rhames) who has been on Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) task force every film except ‘Ghost Protocol.’
Only reservation is the director: Christopher McQuarrie. Though he wrote ‘Usual Suspects’ and last year’s ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ he also directed ‘Jack Reacher’ which was a terrible Tom Cruise thriller.
4. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Tom Hardy is Mad Max! The trailer is glorious! There’s more stunt-work than you can shake a stick at, something very rare in Hollywood. Boom!
Sure, there’s plenty of CGI as well, but most that exploding carnage is done the old fashioned way with stuntmen and actual pyrotechnics!
3. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
You would think this would be at the top of my list (I thought so! Especially after the first trailer…), but my excitement has waned and worry has found a foothold in my brain.
Let’s be honest here, ‘The Avengers’ is in my top 3 MCU movies (with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Winter Soldier’) mainly because it was literally a game-changer. It was the first cross-pollination of superheroes, part of a shared universe, coming together after each carried their own franchises. Everyone else is still trying to pull this off, including DC Entertainment. The plot wasn’t that great, action scenes were few and far between, but the movie will always be remembered for bringing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together.
‘Age of Ultron’ will need to step up its game to reach the quality of movies Marvel Studios put out in 2014. Likewise, it better be bigger and better, which it appears to be, but I hope that a great storyteller like Joss Whedon can avoid the movie from becoming a jumbled mess; cause there is A LOT going on between the two official trailers.
I also hope it’s good enough to avoid the fate of ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ (which I personally love) where most people were disappointed by the film, mainly because it had to follow the incredibly beloved ‘Dark Knight.’
In James Spader I trust.
2. 007: SPECTRE
This may be blasphemy, but ‘Skyfall’ is my favorite Bond movie… ever. It was so fucking good, bringing in the best 007 baddie of all time (Javier Bardem), and shaking up the 007 universe a bit.
The writers and director, Sam Mendes, from ‘Skyfall’ return and the title promises the revival of the terrorist organization SPECTRE (formally ‘Quantum’ in the D. Craig movies), as classic to the franchise as Vesper Martinis, shaken, not stirred.
Better yet? The villain cast is unbelievable with Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’) as a henchman, the incomparable Christoph Waltz (whose villainy can only be matched by Javier Bardem), and my personal favorite, Andrew Scott whose portrayal of Moriarty on BBC’s ‘Sherlock’ is perhaps the greatest TV villain of all time.
1. JURASSIC WORLD
It’s just too damn nostalgic. While I’ve watched the ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ trailer a million times and have had enough, I can still watch the ‘Jurassic World’ trailer anywhere, anytime.
We’re back on Isla Nublar! The movie is sticking close to the original and ignoring the sequels! Chris Pratt gets to hunt a new hybrid-dinosaur! There are child siblings in peril! Velociraptors!
And those notes from John Williams’ classic score… magic. Lightning in a bottle, at least as far as we can tell from the trailer!
The Park is Open, Mother Fuckers!
Goddamn is that trailer spin-tingly-great.
Enjoy 2015! I’ll be see you… at the movies.
Meet Yellowjacket, Ant-Man’s Nemesis
We all know the great nemeses of all the great comic-book-movies.
Batman has the Joker. Spider-Man has the Green Goblin. Even the Guardians of the Galaxy have Ronan the Accuser and/or Thanos.
But who does Ant-Man fight?
The main villain in Marvel’s upcoming ‘Ant-Man’ is Yellowjacket, played by Corey Stoll.
In the comics, Yellowjacket is another alias for Hank Pym’s Ant-Man/Giant-Man/anything-that-shrinks-or-grows-man (get your mind out of the gutter).
In the movie, Yellowjacket’s human alias is Darren Cross (played by Corey Stoll), a business man who has purchased Pym Industries to acquire the “Ant-Man technology.” Technology he uses to become Yellowjacket, basically Ant-Man fused with Doc Ock’s arms. See the photo below.
See? He can get all small and shit like Ant-Man, only he has four mechanical arms… which makes little sense, as a wasp has only six arms. He’s not a spider… or Doc Ock.
Still, he looks serious as shit and Darren Cross/Yellowjacket will do all he can to stop Hank Pym and Scott Lang/Ant-Man from completing their heist that will save the world.
‘Ant-Man’ crawls into theaters on July 17th.
Brand New AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer #2!
Last week Marvel knocked us all back on our asses with the 1st trailer and poster for ‘Ant-Man’ and news of their Netflix show, ‘Daredevil.’
Now… we have a brand-spankin’-new trailer for Marvel’s other little 2015 movie, ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ with almost entirely new footage.
Here we go…
I won’t go too deep into it yet, but Ultron’s statement, “Everyone creates the thing they dread” ties right into Stark’s ‘Iron Man 3’ problem of creating his own demons.
The real theme of the trailer, which is most likely a much bigger part of the movie than initially realized, comes from Ultron’s ultimatum, “I’m going to tear you apart… from the inside.”
The trailer shows a lot of characters out-of-whack…
From Black Widow’s surgery/origin…
… to Thor torment and power removal?…
…To a raging Hulk that must be taken down by the Hulkbuster, which, like the 1st trailer, is here in true form!
It definitely seems like Ultron is using Scarlet Witch’s powers to get inside the Avenger members’ heads to bring out their most painful memories and cause them to squabble more hardcore than they did in the first film.
Lots of great money shots here too!
Great Iron Man in action at Baron Von Strucker’s castle…
An epic one-on-one fight between Captain America and a Ultron drone…
And amazing Hulk footage… including another great look at the epic battle between Hulk and Stark’s Hulkbuster (which contrary to my earlier theory, does look like Tony is piloting himself).
Very little footage of Quicksilver and only a sliver more for Scarlet Witch..
And finally… behold the power of Ultron! He can shoot lasers from his fingers!
Like all good trailers (especially the Marvel ones) there is a lot to find and analyze in the coming days and weeks… until we get another trailer!
Or a new ‘Ant-Man’ trailer…
Or a ‘Daredevil’ one.
I love you, Marvel Studios. I really do. Marry me?
Podcast #10: That Honeypotting Marvel!
Nick and Andrew honeypot/honeydick you into the world of Breaking Geek. They discuss the excellent film, ‘Blue Ruin,’ and come back around to ‘The Interview’ before launching into comic book movies and TV shows including Marvel’s teasers for Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Ant-Man.’ Also, an update on the DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU) and ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ franchises.
Come back every Friday @ 1pm Mountain Time for new episodes of ‘Breaking Geek: The Podcast!
Marvel Studios’ Netflix Show ‘Daredevil’ Has A Poster and Release Date!
Marvel’s marketing department has been in overdrive this week.
‘Daredevil’ is coming to Netflix April 10th, before even ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and the recently advertised ‘Ant-Man’ hit the silver screen.
No, I don’t mean the 2003 film ‘Daredevil’ starring Ben Batfleck as the title hero. 2015’s ‘Daredevil’ is a brand new show, officially part of the the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by Marvel Studios. Fox made the original film but let the rights slip back to Disney/Marvel, allowing the pros that brought us ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ to create and execute the first of five planned Netflix shows.
Let’s start by watching the ‘trailer’ for the Release Date announcement and poster unveil. (Not too unlike the logo trailer for 007: SPECTRE)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) hasn’t had much luck on TV, especially when you compare it to DC’s successful ‘Arrow,’ ‘Flash,’ and ‘Gotham;’ all shows that look like they will be around for a few seasons. My personal favorite, ‘Constantine’ is the most enjoyable, as though it can get dark as hell, the tone is closer to that of a Marvel movie than the aforementioned darker DC shows or the new DC Cinematic Universe (the DCCU) kicked off by Zack Synder’s overly dark ‘Man of Steel.’
Meanwhile, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ clings to life and is a complete disappointment when compared to the rest of the MCU, or even Fox and Sony Marvel films like ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘X-Men.’
‘Agent Carter’ may be great (the premise sure is), but I have yet to watch it (I think I’ll hop on Hulu+ following this post) and haven’t seen any TV ratings yet.
Though we have yet to see any real footage from Netflix’s’Daredevil,’ one would expect the gutsy “online network” that brought us ‘House of Cards’ to deliver a more cinematic product with a much higher budget than ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ The former should also feel less constrained by network television standards than the latter.
And ‘Daredevil’ is just the beginning of a run of MCU Netflix programming that could eclipse DC’s thus far successful television efforts.
Here’s the poster.
Following the 13 episode ‘Daredevil’ series starring Charlie Cox as Daredevil/Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpen, Marvel and Netflix will release ‘AKA Jessica Jones’ starring ‘Breaking Bad’s Krysten Ritter as the title character and Mike Colter as Luke Cage. Seeing as how the two are an item in the comics, Mike Colter will play Luke Cage in ‘Aka Jessica Jones’ before he gets his own show, ‘Luke Cage,’ next. Following that we get ‘Iron Fist’ which has yet to be cast, followed by an ‘Avengers’-esque series called ‘The Defenders’ that brings all four characters together for an ensemble superhero team.
Basically, Marvel has focused their TV efforts on an MCU of Netflix’s own; one that could lead to appearances of the characters on ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ which desperately needs more superheroes and even a possible team-up in ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ Part 1 or 2.
This does raise the question, where and if these shows exist within ‘Phase 2’ or ‘Phase 3.’ Being a part of the MCU means they have to fall somewhere. I would guess that somewhere is ‘Phase 3’ as we won’t see Daredevil on the big screen helping with the sadistic Ultron. But IT DOES come out before ‘Age of Ultron’ and ‘Ant-Man,’ the latter ending ‘Phase 2.’ Maybe some plot points do feed into either film and are a part of Phase 2?
We’ll know more on April 10th when Netflix drops all 13 episodes of Marvel Studios’ ‘Daredevil;’ the next frontier of superhero shows.
Oh My God, ANT-MAN Is Going To Be Amazing, Sayth This Trailer
Wow.
I knew Marvel could work miracles, but ‘Ant-Man’ looks pretty great. The cast was always solid, Marvel has a great track record, but initially I still doubted the material.
Ant-Man was a founding Avenger, but even in a world where Marvel made a character inspired by a Norse God part of a superhero team and a talking Raccoon/Tree combo superstars, it has taken until the tail end of Phase 2 for the character to get a film.
But here he is and he’s only a lil’ silly when he rides a flying ant.
Mostly it’s Marvel AWESOME!
See Paul Rudd as ANT-MAN! And the New Poster!
Our first look at Marvel Studios’ ‘Ant-Man’ came in the form of an ant-sized trailer. Literally.
Did you catch any of that? Well here is the “Human-Size” version.
Okay, so it’s a teaser for a teaser trailer. The full trailer comes out tonight during Marvel’s new show ‘Agent Carter’, with another ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ trailer following later this week on Disney owned ESPN.
While we wait, we have our first look at Paul Rudd in his Ant-Man getup, courtesy of ‘Entertainment Weekly.’ Though we saw his feet running in his fancy new boots in the teaser for a teaser, this is our first real look at the entire suit.
It looks MARVELous (I will not apologize for the pun). Another perfect translation from lesser-known comic suit to fully realized big-screen-ready costume. Can Marvel Studios turn ‘Ant-Man’ into the next ‘Guardians of the Galaxy?’
Probably not, but their Ant-sized marketing thus far has been clever and buzz worthy.
Speaking of which, check out the first poster below. Again, look for something very tiny.
The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
‘Ant-Man’ follows May’s release of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ with some Paul Rudd action on July 17th.
The most interesting fact about the movie thus far, is that it ends ‘Phase 2’ of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. ‘Phase 1’ was ended by the first ‘Avengers’ in 2012 and it was assumed ‘Age of Ultron’ would bring a conclusion to Marvel Studios’ ‘Phase 2.’ Apparently ‘Ant-Man’ has something to add before we enter ‘Phase 3’ in 2016, starting with ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and ending in 2019 with ‘Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2.’
Also fantastic… like the other great Marvel films before it, ‘Ant-Man’ has a unique genre not yet explored by the MCU. ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ was a thriller, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ was a space opera, and now ‘Ant-Man’ is a heist film. And 2016’s ‘Dr. Strange’ starring Benedict Cumberbatch promises something completely different.
Even with only a teaser for a teaser trailer and a nearly blank poster,’Ant-Man’ joins the list of most anticipated films in this year of our Lord, Stan Lee, 2015.
Excelsior!
Podcast #8: Catwoman’s Meow
Nick and Andrew watched 2004’s ‘Catwoman’ starring the right place, wrong time actress Halle Berry. They discuss. On a more accurate Batman related note, they also discuss TV’s ‘Gotham.’ Somehow the Avengers also come into play… somehow.
Marvel Announces Complete Slate of Titles Leading Into ‘Avengers: Infinity War Part I & 2’
Let me start by saying, “I was wrong.” I didn’t think Marvel could or would do it, but Avengers 3 has become ‘Avengers: Infinity War Part I’ in May 4th, 2018 with ‘Part II’ following on May 3, 2019.
I (we as the internet) was also right… Steve Rogers’ next adventure, shared with Tony Stark, will be titled ‘Captain America: Civil War.’
That’s just the tip of the iceberg as we now have titles for all those dates Marvel blocked off at Comic Con this year, including ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Dr. Strange,’ ‘Captain Marvel,’ and ‘The Inhumans,’ as well as ‘Thor 3’s telling subtitle. Official logos too!
Without further ado, here’s Marvel’s ‘Phase 3’ slate; all the titles we will see before ‘The Avengers: Infinity War Part II’ in 2019.
Avengers: Age of Ultron – May 1st, 2015
Not technically ‘Phase 3…’ at all. But we’ve seen the trailer and I’ve proposed different ways the film may play out based on said trailer and previous knowledge of the Avengers next adventure which has them facing off against the villainous Ultron.
Ant-Man – July 17th, 2015
Though slated after ‘Age of Ultron,’ Marvel Studios is calling ‘Ant-Man’ the last film in their ‘Phase 2.’
Perhaps this is because it all ties back to ‘Age of Ultron’ and the planned TV show ‘Agent Carter;’ the latter about the adventures of Steve Rogers’ 40’s fling, Agent Peggy Carter. You know, his lady to whom he promised that dance before nosediving into the arctic.
Ant-Man has John Slattery back as as older Howard Stark, reprising his role as Tony’s father from the archive footage in ‘Iron Man 2.’
So, ‘Ant-Man’ does seem to have ties to the past involving a still living Howard Stark with a younger Hank Pym, creator of Ant-Man (and Ultron in the comics…)
‘Age of Ultron’s teaser also gave us small glimpses of Captain America in the 1940s, either in flashback form or some sort of Scarlet Witch mind fuck.
‘Ant-Man’ stars Michael Douglas as inventor Hank Pym with Paul Rudd playing his protege Scott Lang. Evangeline Lilly plays eventual ‘Wasp’ Hop Van Dyne, while Corey Stoll plays the antagonist, Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket.
Official synopsis from IMDB:
Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
So ‘Phase 3’ really begins with:
‘Captain America: Civil War’ – May 6th, 2016
Captain America’s third solo adventure isn’t a solo-adventure at all (even less so than the incredible ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’), it’s ‘Captain America: Civil War!’ (As previously covered.)
With Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark joining Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers for ‘Civil War’ has the makings of the biggest non-‘Avengers’ titles, seeing as how it features Marvel’s two most popular characters this side of the galaxy.
We don’t know all the other players, but the film will be used to introduce…
The Black Panther!
To read more about my hopes for ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ check out my article ‘Captain America 3 with Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts’.
This title, along with the titles of other franchises and new solo-movies does lead me to believe ‘Civil War’ will play out in just ‘Captain America 3,’ not bleeding into other non-Capt. franchises.
Since I’ve covered ‘Civil War’ in length previously, let’s move onto Marvel’s next 2016 release…
‘Dr. Strange’ – November 4, 2016
What little we know about the ‘Dr. Strange’ movie was covered yesterday when the incredible actor Benedict Cumberbatch was cast as Stephen Strange.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’ – May 5th, 2017
Like ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’ is a given for Marvel Studios, not a newbie with risks like ‘Ant-Man,’ Dr. Strange,’ and ‘Black Panther.’ If Marvel has it’s way, they will somehow spin these lesser-known characters into the cinematic gold they mined out of the completely unheard of Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, Drax, and Gamora.
No way this film continues ‘Civil War.’ No way the Guardians defeat Thanos (though he may make his first major appearance in ‘Guardians 2’ or ‘Captain Marvel;’ the 2nd film we will discuss in a bit). The Guardians have other shit to deal with, like who is Peter Quill’s father? (Darth Vader?)
‘Infinity War’ will finally have Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet at the center of the Avengers 3rd adventure.
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ – July 28th, 2017
Loki returns! After all, eventually Thor needs to pull Loki off the throne of Asgard to set things right on his home-world.
Though there is a character in the Marvel Universe named ‘Ragnarok,’ the title likely refers to Norse Mythology
Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures including Odin, Thor, and Loki. ‘Thor 3’ will likely be a giant battle between the two brothers resulting in near-apocalypse at Asgard and perhaps around the nine-realms.
Black Panther – November 3rd 2017
Though he will be introduced in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ Marvel is giving the Prince of Wakanda his own solo feature. Chadwick Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson in ’42’ and James Brown in ‘Get On Up,’ stars as the title character, who rules a fictional African nation rich in Vibranium, the invincible metal that makes up Captain America’s shield.
There is evidence that suggests the Avengers and/or Ultron will head to Wakanda to meet up with Ulysses Klaw in ‘Age of Ultron,’ but again, at this point, it’s all speculation. I doubt we will see Black Panther or his alter-ego until ‘Civil War.’
‘Avengers Infinity War Part 1’ – May 4th 2018
The final battle begins! Thanos will have his Infinity Gauntlet, made up of the four Infinity Gems we’ve seen thus far (Loki’s mind gem, the aether, the tesseract, and “The Orb” from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’) and the two that Mavel Studios needs to introduce in Phase 3.
How it all plays out is a mystery, but once the Mad Titan Thanos gets his hands on all 6 Infinity Gems, it’s going to take more than the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy to defeat him.
Finally, that mid-credit sequence introducing Thanos at the end of ‘The Avengers’will be paid off! In full!
‘Captain Marvel’ – July 6th 2018
Carol Danvers is set to be our version of Captain Marvel (there have been male versions as well, but Danvers is the most recent Captain Marvel in the comics), the only female Marvel character to lead her own movie.
DC will beat Marvel to the punch by a year with their ‘Wonder Woman’ movie in 2017.
Captain Marvel is space-bound; a closer part of the larger Galaxy-spanning Marvel Universe to The Guardians and Thanos, than the Avengers. Between ‘Captain Marvel’ and ‘The Inhumans’ who are next up, it looks like Marvel Studios is building a bigger team than just the Guardians of the Galaxy from across the universe that will help the Avengers in their fight after their assumed failure in Part 1 of ‘Infinity Wars.’
Inhumans – November 2nd, 2018
Like the Guardians, Avengers, and The Defenders (who are getting their solo-series on Netflix followed by a ‘Defenders’ show, also on Netflix), the Inhumans are another fascinating group of heroes. They have ties to alien mythology and the part of the universe that is home to the Guardians and Captain Marvel.
It looks like Marvel is building a team of non-Earthlings between their ‘Infinity War’ movies to provide back-up to the Avengers who know little of Thanos compared to the Guardians, Captain Marvel, and the Inhumans.
These two films following ‘Infinity Wars, Part I’ set a new precedent for Marvel, three movies in one year (2018) as opposed to the usual two!
Finally…
‘Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2’ – May 3rd, 2019
Everything comes to a head. Technically, you can trace this storyline back to the discovery of the Tesseract, but really, we’ve all been waiting for the arrivial of Thanos since we saw his smirking face at the end of ‘Avengers.’
It’s the payoff of 2o movies and 10 years. A final, climatic film with all players fighting the most powerful enemy introduced in the MCU (the comics have greater threats than Thanos; threats he has had to step in and help stop himself).
Rest assured, Disney & Marvel won’t let the MCU die there, but this round of Avengers movies will be over, with newer characters like Dr. Strange and Black Panther carrying the weight once actors like RDJ, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Evans are done with the super-franchise.
What About Hulk, Black Widow, and Loki?
All three characters have become fan favorites as a result of ‘The Avengers,’ yet none will see their own film in Phase 3.
Though Hulk really shined in ‘Avengers,’ he’s had two flop solo-pictures between Ang Lee’s ‘Hulk’ and the MCU’s ‘Incredible Hulk.’ But we’ll still see him, not only in ‘Avengers’ movies but also some solo movies as well. ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ perhaps?
Said Marvel Movie Mastermind Paul Feige:
“I wouldn’t say Hulk is absent from the timeline. I would say that Hulk is going to appear in many of those movies – particularly all of those Avengersmovies leading up to 2019. And Infinity War, Mark Ruffalo is on board for all those films, and we’re excited to bring him to all those films.”
As for Loki, it sounds like he’ll have his biggest role yet in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ which should please fans to end.
And for Black Widow… apparently Marvel Studios is more concerned with introducing new characters played by new actors who will work for cheap. It’s a lot cheaper to hire an actor to play ‘Captain Marvel’ than to pay Scarlett Johansson to continue her popular established Avenger into a solo move.
So, that’s Marvel’s plan for the next five years. I will be in my thirties by the time I see the end of Phase 3.
Now that’s scary.
Benedict Cumberbatch is Marvel’s Dr. Strange!!!
Deadline reports that Marvel Studios has finally found their Dr. Strange! Worldwide superstar Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast as the Sorcerer Supreme, set to get his own MCU solo-picture in 2016.
Last week Marvel Studios was down to three candidates to play the good Doctor; Ewan McGregor, Keenu Reeves, and Cumberbatch.
Joaquin Phoenix was originally in talks around the time of San Diego Comic Con, but those quickly fell through, focusing Marvel on the three aforementioned actors.
I think Cumberbatch is a perfect choice; he has a certain darkness with a unique strangeness all his own.
Though Cumberbatch recently told the media that he wanted to play a dummy as not to be typecast after playing the world’s greatest detective Sherlock Holmes on ‘Sherlock,’ a villain with super intelligence Khan on ‘Star Trek Into Darkness,’ and the genius Alan Turing in November’s ‘The Imitation Game.’
Dr. Strange is no dummy. He’s a former neurosurgeon who serves as the protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats.
2016’s ‘Dr. Strange’ will not be an origin story, but will introduce the hero who is likely to share the screen with other Avengers in ‘Avengers 3.’
Cumberbatch has the acting chops to bring a hero to life that shares some similarities with Sherlock and Khan’s personalities/intellect. Along with his having the look of Dr. Strange, I think Cumberbatch as Strange will make for the most accurate superhero casting since Robert Downey Jr became Tony Stark (again, RDJ had the look and the attitude to nail the character).
I may be a bit biased. Cumberbatch has been a favorite of mine since ‘Sherlock,’ only becoming more endearing after playing one of the decades best villains in ‘Star Trek.’ He even nails smaller parts like his role in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ and more difficult motion-capture performances like Smaug the dragon in ‘The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug’ and ‘The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies.’
Dr. Strange fits Marvel’s MO; turning a lesser to not-at-all known character into box office gold. Marvel Studios started down this road in 2008, turning B-lister Iron Man into the biggest Marvel franchise at any movie studio without ‘Avengers’ in the title. After doing the same with ‘Thor’ and ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’, Marvel Studios turned the completely unheard of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ into a franchise bigger than Marvel’s classic A-list hero, Spider-Man.
Marvel hopes to continue the pattern with ‘Ant-Man’ in August 2015 and ‘Dr. Strange’ in 2016 (the year Marvel will also release ‘Captain America 3’ featuring RDJ).
While ‘Guardians’ pulled off the biggest domestic gross of the year without a star, the worldwide recognition of Benedict Cumberbatch gives ‘Dr. Strange’ a head-start.
F
or those unfamiliar with the character, Dr. Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme dealing the more magical realms of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I predict that a character who deals with the ‘magic’ of the MCU knows a thing or two about the Infinity Stones, making ‘Dr. Strange’ the perfect film to introduce another one of the gems Thanos needs for his Infinity Gauntlet.
I’ve been hoping for Cumberbatch to join the MCU since the original ‘Dr. Strange’ rumors at Comic Con. I always wanted him to play a 007 Baddie, but I can’t complain when he is in franchises like ‘Star Trek’ and the chapters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Plus, ‘Sherlock’ is still the best show on television. Let’s hope ‘Dr. Strange’ doesn’t prevent future seasons of that fantastic BBC show.
Cumberbitches rejoice! (Not a derogatory remark, as I consider myself one.)
If Benedict Cumberbatch wasn’t a household name before, he and the character Dr. Strange will be in 2016!
The game is afoot!
Breaking Down The ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ Trailer: What Does It All Mean?
This week we were blessed by the ‘Gods’ of Asgard’s gift to us mortals: the first trailer for ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron!’
Our first look at the movie fuels my speculation on the path the film’s storyline will take by providing new information and images not offered in Marvel Studios’ official synopsis, early photos, and leaked information.
First, Marvel Studios’ official synopsis:
Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.
In addition to the preceding summary, what did we see in the trailer and what will likely happen in ‘Age of Ultron?’
Act 1 – Assault on Baron Strucker’s Castle
During the mid-credit sequence on ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ we were introduced to Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and his Hydra operation, in possession of both Loki’s staff with the Mind Infinity Stone and “the twins;” Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen, who played husband and wife in 2014’s ‘Godzilla’).
Baron Strucker speaks of Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. being two sides of a coin “that is no longer currency” vowing to feed other Hydra bases to “Captain America and his colorful friends” in order to continue their own important research which has resulted in dead volunteers and the twins which, to Baron Strucker, ushers in the “Age of Miracles.”
I assume Loki’s staff from ‘The Avengers’ is the source of Baron Strucker’s experiments on humans that results in giving the Pietro and Wanda their powers, making them Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, respectively.
I propose the movie will open with an Avengers assault on Baron Strucker’s castle (seen below), freeing the twins and acquiring Loki’s staff which was confiscated by S.H.I.E.L.D. after ‘The Avengers,’ only to fall into Hydra hands due to their secret doings within Nick Fury’s old organization.
The assault on Strucker’s castle would serve as the perfect action scene to kick off one hell of a movie with a blast while also serving the story. The twins have to be freed somehow. The Avengers need an opening action sequence to get them to their next scene; the party at Avengers Tower. It’s a win-win-win, if you include the audience.
The above photos offer a snowy Forrest, very simialar to what we saw in ‘Captain America: First Avenger,’ evidence we’re in Europe or Germany in these scenes, NOT Wakanda as suggested by other blogs.
ACT II – The Party and The Arrival of Ultron
The first footage revealed at Comic-Con showed the Avengers on their day off, throwing a shindig at Avengers Tower. The scene has a party-trick sort of contest between the members of the Avengers who each try to lift Thor’s hammer to the Asgardian’s amusement. When Captain America moves it an inch, Thor is a bit peeved… and shocked. Steve Rogers is worthy indeed…
The party is interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Presumably Stark already revealed his plan; the creation of Ultron taking world security off of the Avengers’ backs. But why is the Ultron in such bad shape? Did The Avengers already try to take him down after he overstepped his bounds? Is Stark still building him, C-3PO in ‘Star Wars: Episode I’ style?
Or were Ultron and this other drone and/or Iron Man suit made to fight to the death, Mandingo style?
Likely, Ultron overstepped his bounds, and the 2nd drone or Iron Man suit was dispatched to take him out, only to fail as seen below.
It’s safe to assume the party is over.
“The Twins” – Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch
How exactly do Joss Whedon’s favorite Avengers, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, play into the plot of ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron?’
Assuming they get their freedom from the Avengers assault on Strucker’s castle, they may face off against the Avengers early. Or, maybe they are gone by the time the Avengers steal back Loki’s staff and take care of the Baron.
Some footage suggests we will see them pre-experimentation. Above they appear to be pre-powers and in the screen-grabs below it looks like some sort of surgery is taking place… with tools shaped like the tentacles of the Hydra Seal.
However it goes down, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch end up as allies of Ultron before they join up with the Avengers.
What’s Up With The Hulk?
Something is going seriously wrong with Bruce Banner and “the other guy:” the incredible Hulk!
First he seems to be collapsing during the assault on the castle, as he is in the same snowy forrest as Hawkeye in the earlier screen-grabs.
And he looks to be in terrible shape on the Quinjet.
Finally, he’s fighting Iron Man? After causing destruction at what looks to be a European city. (We’re not in New York anymore).
Yet, he still has time for a gentle moment with Black Widow. Maybe he accidentally Hulks out against the Avengers, requiring Tony to don the Hulkbuster and Black Widow is able to calm him down.
Ultron isn’t known for mind games; in the comics it is Loki who manipulates the Hulk to be the first Avenger baddie. Perhaps Scarlet Witch uses her powers to turn him against the Avengers and cause mass destruction in this scene and strip him of the Hulk in the snowy forrest?
Or does Tony deserve a Hulk attack? After all, he’s not the only Avenger pissed at Tony Stark. So…
What’s Up With Tony Stark?
Tony Stark seems to be pissing everyone off, based on the trailer.
First, Thor attacks Stark…
I assume this is retribution for creating Ultron. Or maybe Tony’s done something worse?
Finally, he does fight the Hulk… maybe…
I predict that Ultron is using his drone controlling powers to control the Hulkbuster armor, just as Tony Stark controls his empty armor remotely in ‘Iron Man 3.’
Unless my predictions of Scarlet Witch manipulation or an Ultron controlled Hulkbuster suit are true… Hulk is on the Avengers side and has been seen fighting alongside them with very little confrontation (with Thor, of course) in the first Avengers film. Maybe it is Tony who is out of line.
How Did Ultron Break Captain America’s Invincible Shield?
Capt.’s shield is made from Vibranium, the most invincible metal on Earth (even Thor’s hammer couldn’t break it in ‘The Avengers’). In ‘First Avenger,’ Howard Stark says the S.H.I.E.L.D. is made from all the Vibranium on Earth.
But there is more in the comics… and it all comes from Wakanda, home of the Black Panther.
Some websites assume we will see Black Panther in ‘Age of Ultron,’ but I think that’s more than a long-shot; it’s not going to happen!
How do we even know Wakanda will be featured in the film?
Well, the official summary calls the film a “unique global adventure,” so locations like the snowy European forrest and Wakanda make a lot of sense.
After all, if Capt. hopes to fix his shield or if Ultron hopes to destroy it, then Wakanda and Vibranium are totally in the mix.
Plus there’s this photo of a mysterious character played by Andy Serkis.
As the photos show, Serkis looks a lot like Klaw.
Klaw is a Black Panther villain, but I don’t think his appearance means we will see Black Panther (he may be name-dropped, like Stephen Strange in ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’). I think Klaw may be doing a job for Ultron…
It is doubtful a villain like Klaw, who does specialize in Vibranium – the reason he lives in Wakanda – would help the Avengers fix Captain America’s shield. But it is totally feasible that Ultron hires (or forces) him to give the robot a fresh coat of the indestructible metal.
How does one break a shield made of the stuff then? Well, in ‘The Wolverine,’ Wolvie’s Adamantium claws are cut off by the Silver Samurai using heated Adamantium. Perhaps Ultron uses a similar tactic to break Capt.’s shield? Because if Thor’s hammer doesn’t destroy the thing, how can a punch from Ultron do it?
Ultron and the Places They Go
As originally described in Entertainment Weekly’s ‘Age of Ultron’ cover story months back, Ultron is not just a machine, he is a consciousness on the cloud that can control a number of drones, like the one below.
The trailer features dozens of these drones attacking another old-school, stone, European structure, that does look to be different than Baron Strucker’s castle. One that, on the inside, might look like this…
That has the Avengers in New York at Avengers Tower, a stop in what is likely Germany for Baron Strucker’s castle, some time in Europe/Eastern Europe where the Hulk fights the Hulkbuster, Wakanda, and this other European looking stone structure.
The Avengers are covering more ground than James Bond, which is especially exciting considering they spent the first film entirely in the United States.
As for Ultron, he may have many drones and start out as a freaky looking suit, but he finally reaches his full potential (with Vibranium?) and ends up looking like this…
Of course, some sort of finale happens with all the Avengers, including Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, against this final incarnation of Ultron and perhaps an entire army of drones.
Even though he was absent in the trailer, Vision will be in the film as seen in the upper left corner of the above Comic Con exclusive poster. He’s that dude hovering in the air. Ultron makes this robot companion using Tony’s J.A.R.V.I.S. artificial intelligence, only to have it eventually turn on him like Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.
Will We See Nick Fury?
Nick Fury had to fake his death in ‘Winter Soldier’ and ‘stayed dead’ after the film. But he does make some sort of appearance in the film, though it has been said that it will be a much smaller role than in ‘The Avengers’ or ‘Winter Soldier.’
Who knows what role his character will play in all this.
Finally…
What’s This About the 1940s?
There is one screen-grab that looks like Captain America back home in the 1940s.
Some suggest that Scarlet Witch’s powers could cause Rogers to have a false perception that he is back in the past, putting him out of commission. After all, like manipulating the Hulk, the Avengers are easier to fight when they are not “assembled.”
I bet it’s a flash back. The summary from Marvel also reads ‘When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry.’ It is assumed Hank Pym, who we will not see until August 2015 in ‘Ant-Man’ may have created the program initially as he creates Ultron in the comics. But, if it was Steve Rogers’ old friend Howard Stark who attempted to start the program in the 40’s, then a flashback with the Capt. makes sense.
Do I have all the answers? Obviously not. But I think I’ve made a few good points based on the material Marvel Studios has provided in the form of that excellent new trailer.
All questions and assumptions will be answered on May 1st!
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!!
Podcast #7: The Reapening – Ultron Comes To ‘Gotham’
Nick and Andrew are back after a summer hiatus! Plans of discussing the brand new ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ trailer and the TV show ‘Gotham’ are often derailed by the excitement 2015 bring-ith.
Some more screen grabs from the epic trailer posted previously.
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer & Poster Have Arrived!!! “There are no strings on me.”
Watch now! Talk later!
Watch again! We talk later!
Oh… and new poster…
Look familiar?
Hulkbuster out!
CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts – PART III
When we hear about a movie we are excited for, we all have certain expectations for what we want to see and what don’t.
Tell me you didn’t have things you hoped for in ‘Star Wars: Episode I’ that were crushed. And maybe now, especially after the prequel debacle, you may have strong feelings for what you want to see in ‘Episode VII’ and what you hope never see again.
In this spirit, welcome to the 3rd and final installment of ‘Captain America 3 – The Dos and Don’ts!’
If you have made it this far, you are a true believer and I thank you. What started as one post spiraled into three. I am passionate about these topics; ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Capt. is my favorite Avenger, and I can’t wait to see Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man “share” the screen with Steve Rogers in a non-Avengers film.
So, let’s do this!
What About ‘Winter Soldier’s’ Loose Ends?
Like the common sequel, future Marvel films build off what came before. Plotlines from solo-franchises like ‘Captain America,’ ‘Thor,’ and ‘Iron Man’ continue in their own sequels, sometimes including bigger, MCU changing events like the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the reveal of all the Infinity Gems.
‘Winter Soldier’ left plenty of loose ends within the ‘Captain America’ franchise. Some may just be “Easter eggs,” but we will see which ‘Winter Soldier’ story elements payoff in ‘Captain America 3.’
First, both the last line of the ‘Winter Soldier’ from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson at Fury’s grave and the final post-credit scene set up Steve Rogers’ quest to save Bucky from his brainwashed, Hydra obeying, Winter Soldier self.
Many of these other loose ends will most likely be there to add more depth to the MCU and delight comic book readers, but this plotline seems too important and was obviously very much set-up to continue in ‘Capt. 3′
Perhaps movie kicks off with Falcon and Captain tracking down the Winter Soldier, confronting him, and finally saving Bucky. After all, Bucky eventually came to his senses in the comics. He even became Captain America after Steve Rogers’ death! (More on that later…)
Maybe their conflict and the ensuing destruction is what makes Iron Man support the superhuman registration act in our ‘Civil War’ storyline? (Read about Marvel’s ‘Civil War’ by CLICKING HERE)
Next up, remember Rogers’ right hand man on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s “Strike Team” at the beginning of the film on the Lemurian Star? When he wasn’t “helping” Captain America on missions, he was hunting Rogers down for Hydra. Said man is Agent Brock Rumlow… who in the comics often fights ‘Captain America’ under the identity of Crossbones.
Seeing as how we witnessed Rumlow’s charred body survived the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Triskelion HQ at the end of ‘Winter Soldier,’ the complete set-up for Crossbones is there; it’s just a question of whether or not it will pay off or simply be an ‘Easter egg.’
I’m wager there is no room for Crossbones in the already crowded ‘Civil War’ storyline. Especially if Winter Soldier / Bucky Barnes returns as I predict he will.
I believe the ground work is also there for the return of Zola, if need be.
The drive Black Widow plugged the USB drive into containing “Project Insight” had more than one USB port. And based on the dust patterns, someone used more than just one USB port. If it takes a warehouse full of old-school computers to contain Zola’s mind, then wouldn’t he fit on a modern day thumb-drive of sorts?
Zola can come back, but just like Crossbones I’m not sure he fits into ‘Civil War’
Red Skull. Red Skull, Red Skull, Red Skull. Will we ever see you again?
Red Skull’s appearance would make the third ‘Captain America’ film less grounded than the new standard tone set by ‘Winter Soldier,’ but no more wacky than ‘Captain America: First Avenger.’
The special effect that swallowed Red Skull when he gripped the Tesseract too tightly in ‘First Avenger’ is identical to the special effect when Thor and friends get launched across space by the Bifrost. That means Red Skull could come back, just like the two aforementioned characters, though his appearance is the least likely.
If all three characters and their loose ends were crammed into ‘Captain America 3,’ it would be a disaster. That being said, I would love to see all three eventually return, especially Red Skull.
If they return, Crossbones could be the 1st act combat scene instead of facing Winter Soldier; seeing Rumlow in ‘Capt. 3’ is the most likely of the Hydra group including Zola and Red Skull. Zola may play a role in the superhuman registration act, but that would be repetitive of “Project Insight” in ‘Winter Soldier.’ And there is NO chance we’ll see Red Skull in ‘Captain America 3’ if the film’s focus is ‘Civil War.’
No time for Red Skull, Dr. Jones!
Maybe next time. If there is a next time.
Which takes me to my final point…
Will Steve Rogers Die?
Like Superman, Captain America’s death was one of the biggest superhero deaths in the history of comics.
It’s nearly impossible to imagine a ‘Captain America’ franchise not including ‘The Winter Soldier’ storyline and ‘The Death of Captain America.’
Seeing as how the two rumored titles are the straightforward ‘Captain America: Civil War’ or ‘Fallen Son,’ the death of Captain America is likely in ‘Capt. 3.’
Perhaps he will die fighting Iron Man. Or more likely maybe he will be assassinated for his views.. or his past (Crossbones could be a likely candidate for Steve Rogers’ killer).
No matter the case, I would say there is a 99.99% chance Steve Rogers doesn’t make it past ‘Avengers 3,’ if he is alive to see even that.
Further support of this theory comes from the rumor that Sebastion Shaw is signed on for nine MCU films (which seems like an exaggeration) while Chris Evans wants out. Like RDJ, he doesn’t want to play his signature Marvel character forever and has expressed interest in leaving the Avengers sooner rather than later. Meaning he might not even make it to ‘Avengers 3…’ because he may die in ‘Capt. 3!’ Boom! Full circle.
And then the comic storyline can continue on the big screen, with Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier taking up Captain America’s cowl… Sam Wilson / Falcon taking over for Steve Rogers is less likely, though that is exactly what is happening currently in the ‘Marvel Now!’ run of comics.
There you have it. That’s the end! No more parts to read! Sorry I wrote a novel and I thank you reading it, because you are one of the few who made it this far. You deserve a reward! Super Geek-cred, yo!
To quickly sum it all up…
DO keep that ‘Winter Soldier’ tone/vibe.
DON’T make ‘Capt. 3’ the Tony Stark story. Keep it focused on Steve Rogers and his point-of-view.
DO keep ‘Civil War’ contained to ‘Captain America 3.’
DON’T load the movie with too many superhumans.
DO tie up as many loose ends as possible without making the movie feel crammed together.
DON’T kill Steve Rogers, even though they will, because he is my favorite Captain America.
‘Nuff Said.
CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts – PART II
Picking up where we left off in ‘Part 1,’ the following is what I hope to see, and not see, in ‘Captain America 3’ involving the ‘Civil War’ storyline.
Keep ‘Civil War’ Contained To ‘Capt. 3’
‘Civil War’ in the comics lasted for months and months, crossing the books of all the big Marvel heroes. Simply put, way too much story for one film (unless you keep it small…).
That being said as expressed in my other post about ‘Captain America 3,’ the Marvel films work best when they feel self-contained, not just another chapter leading to a bigger plotline.
‘Winter Soldier’ heavily involved S.H.I.E.L.D. in the overall plot, while also involving the more personal battle between Steve Rogers and his brainwashed former partner. The film still managed to move the MCU forward with the larger plotline involving Hydra (which is always tied tightly to Captain America), “Project Insight,” and the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.
While riding this universe altering event, the film never felt like a partial movie or just a chapter meant to get us to ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ also carried the universe forward with “the Orb” and mention of other Infinity Gems, as well as the inclusion of the MCU’s biggest baddie to date: Thanos, the Mad Titan. Yet it works completely on its own; proven by its huge domestic gross, bolstered by most movie-goers who don’t know a thing about Infinity Gems, Thanos, or any other way ‘Guardians’ ties into the rest of the MCU. ‘Guardians’ is a completely independent movie with those MCU strands that tie it into the rest of Marvel Studios’ world.
Certainly, don’t stretch the ‘Civil War’ plot across Phase 3, a mistake and almost impossibility I discuss in ‘Robert Downey Jr. Will Be In CAPTAIN AMERICA 3! What It Means for the Flick and the MCU‘
Better ‘Captain America: Fallen Son’ and then a stand-alone ‘Civil War’ than a storyline that consumes the MCU across multiple films and franchises.
Don’t Load The Film With Too Many Heroes
The comics version of ‘Civil War’ involves nearly the entire Marvel Universe, from the Avengers owned by Marvel Studios, to Fox’s X-Men and Fantastic Four, and most importantly, Sony’s Spider-Man (who plays a huuuuge role in the ‘Civil War’ comic event).
This isn’t an Avengers film; Marvel Studios could have made an ‘Avengers’ movie about ‘Civil War’ but they went for a ‘Captain America’ film featuring Iron Man.
With the current characters from the MCU not being loaded with that many Earth-bound superhumans – Captain America, Falcon, Winter Solider, Iron Man, War Machine, Thor, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, The Vision (these last three being introduced in 2015’s ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’), Ant-Man (also introduced in summer 2015), and Daredevil (whose Netflix show should precede ‘Captain America 3’) – the team would have to be much smaller in the film than the comic which features years and years worth of Marvel characters.
(I intentionally left Black Widow and Hawkeye off the superhuman list as they have no powers, nor suits that give them superhuman abilities like Iron Man, War Machine, and Falcon.)
So, who all is in the movie?
I’d wager Marvel keeps in small, especially since other characters have their own business right now.
I don’t expect we’ll see Thor as he has to deal with a Loki run Asgard in ‘Thor 3.’ The Guardians are across the Galaxy have no reason to get involved in what is really an Earth security issue that doesn’t deal with extraterrestrials the Guardians are involved with… like Thanos.
My best bet is two small camps, especially if they want to keep the movie contained.
On one side, you have Steve Rogers / Captain America and Sam Wilson / Falcon. That’s a given.
On the opposite side you have Tony Stark / Iron Man and surely James Rhodes / War Machine.
That’s a sweet finale right there. Falcon is the perfect character to take on one of Tony Stark’s suits and Captain can hold his own in a ground based fight.
Those four characters are really all you need. Captain America who doesn’t trust the government and his new partner Sam Wilson who follows Capt.’s lead and also must be mistrusting after the S.H.I.E.L.D./Hydra debacle with NSA undertones.
And Rhodes is in the US military who fund his whole War Machine / Iron Patriot plight, even if Stark provided the initial suit that Hammer Industries and then A.I.M. updated.
Maybe you’ll see another character or two. But not only is ‘Civil War’ already a Captain America film (again, I hope he is not pushed out of the picture by either too much Tony Stark or too many superhumans), it’s also paying RDJ’s tab. How many other established heroes can Marvel afford for a non-Avenger film? As big as ‘Winter Soldier’ was, the ‘Captain America’ franchise doesn’t gross nearly as much as an Avengers flick.So you can’t pay nearly as many Avengers.
Maybe we’ll see Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, The Vision, Black Widow, or Hawkeye. But looking at that list, most those heroes would oppose the measure. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver probably don’t want anything to do with the government, Black Widow made her stance clear in her senate meeting scene in ‘Winter Soldier,’ and I’d wager Hawkeye isn’t that keen either after working for an agency that turned out to be Hydra. Plus, if he and Black Widow are as close as they seem, then they would take the same side, would they not?
The Vision would likely take Stark’s lead, and if they are able to fit Bruce Banner / The Hulk in there he may be in favor of registration due to his want to control “the other guy.” Or, he might not like the government knowing his whereabouts or what-have-you.
Finally, I don’t think Ant-Man will make it, as I assume they will wait for an Avengers film to tie in new Phase 3 characters like Ant-Man and Dr. Strange. Same goes for Daredevil, I don’t think we’ll see him on the big screen until Marvel produces their four Netflix shows leading up to ‘The Defenders.’
So, I’m calling it as small teams. Possibly as small as Captain America, Falcon, and Winter Soldier (will Steve Rogers convert him in the 1st act?) vs. Iron Man, War Machine, and Vision.
I don’t see ‘Civil War’ blowing up too big, both to not flood ‘Capt. 3’ with too many characters and because Marvel’s movie roster is much smaller than their decades of comic characters.
Stay tuned for Part III of this article where we discuss the loose ends of ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ and whether or not Steve Rogers will even survive ‘Captain America 3’
CLICK HERE FOR PART III
CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts – PART I
As examined previously, Robert Downey Jr. is going to have a rather large role in ‘Captain America 3;’ the first time a major Marvel Cinematic Universe character has crossed over into another hero’s film in more than a cameo (sorry Black Widow & Nick Fury, but I’m talking the big guys with solo movies – Capt., Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and even the Guardians of the Galaxy).
This means ‘Capt. 3’ will follow Marvel’s ‘Civil War’ storyline, also discussed previously.
Brief ‘Civil War’ review: people die as the result of reckless superheroes, the security council wants all superhumans to register their powers and identity with the government, Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) supports the government, Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans) opposes the measure.
Inner Avengers conflict ensues with the two heroes duking it out with their superhuman allies on both sides, splitting the characters of the MCU. Again, conflict ensues.
Which brings me to the issue at hand: The Do’s and Don’ts of ‘Captain America 3.’ What I want to see and what I hope Marvel Studios avoids.
Keep That ‘Winter Soldier’ Vibe
‘Winter Soldier’ is my favorite Marvel film; Marvel Studios or otherwise (the Marvel projects at Sony and Fox).
Writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely worked incredibly close with directors Anthony and Joe Russo. What resulted was an incredibly taut thriller reminiscent of 70’s political thrillers with a couple of superhumans and talking computers thrown in.
But ‘Winter Soldier’ isn’t sci-fi crazy; it is the most grounded film in the MCU, without being so realistic that you lose colorful costumes, living computers from WWII, and an assassin with a metal arm.
More importantly, it balances the prevalent serious aspects with the occasional lightness/comedy that defines the tone of Mavel Studios’ films, separating them from DC’s “no joke policy;” creating films that are too dark and gritty, no matter the hero.
(‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy is perfectly fantastic the darker it gets, because that’s Batman. On the other hand, ‘Man of Steel’ seemed way too dark for the lighter Superman character. A lot of other DC characters will seem out-of-place in a DC cinematic universe that carries the same tone as ‘Dark Knight’ and ‘Man of Steel.’)
I consider the film ‘The Dark Knight’ of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. ‘Winter Soldier’ may not be as good as Nolan’s trilogy, but it is the gold standard for Marvel Studios films as well as the darkest. Darkness is okay for some heroes, whereas others deserve a lighter tone (learn that, DC).
In Avengers: Phase 2, Marvel Studios finally got adept at separating all their solo films into different genres, making the Avengers we love more unique in both their stories and how they exemplify said genre/story.
‘Iron Man’ was a really well-done, but not highly original, superhero origin story. ‘Iron Man 2’ continued the almost generic superhero formula, but by Phase 2 ‘Iron Man 3’ had evolved into a film about Tony Stark, spending more time as “the mechanic” (as he tells the kid who saves his ass in that quiet mountain town) , using his own inventor/MacGyver skills, than in the suit. It’s an old-school action movie with superhero elements.
‘Incredible Hulk’ very much followed the superhero formula with the monster twist. ‘Thor’ & ‘Thor: The Dark World’ subverted the genre with elements of fantasy and magic (they are Norse Gods steeped in Norse mythology…). ‘The Avengers’ was pure superhero movie with the awesome gimmick of the first major team up.
Meanwhile, Captain America went from a superhero origin story / war movie with supernatural elements (the Tesseract) in ‘First Avenger,’ to full on political thriller with some real grit and relevant issues (NSA type issues) in ‘The Winter Soldier.’
Captain America makes the best movies and is my favorite character due to how he does combat compared to the other Avengers.
Iron suits, Hulks, and Gods result in a lot of action sequences with CGI versions of the characters zipping along. Capt. has less powers so his battles are on the ground involving hand-to-hand combat (with a Shield throw here or there), with lots of stunt work instead of CGI.
I love stunt work. That’s why 80’s movies are the best; it was the golden age of ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘Lethal Weapon,’ and ‘Road Warrior;’ extreme action movies done with practical effects before the advent of CGI.
They just don’t make them like that anymore… except for in movies like ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.’
The directing Russo brothers (who are rumored to also direct ‘Avengers 3’ and possibly ‘Avengers 4’ due to Marvel’s extreme satisfaction with the final version ‘Winter Soldier’) say they want to keep Steve Rogers grounded in the more realistic part of the MCU, with more down-to-Earth thriller action and realistic, stunt driven fight scenes. No Capt. fighting giant green monsters, Gods, or men in metal suits… unless said man in question is Tony Stark.
Adding Iron Man into the mix doesn’t change the tone / genre or make things too ridiculous (like I said, Zola isn’t exactly realistic, but he is Sci-fi working in the more realistic realm of the MCU than the expanded universe that features a talking raccoon and tree person), as besides ‘Winter Soldier,’ ‘Iron Man 1 & 2’ are the two most grounded films in the MCU (Iron Man 3 gets wacky – in a good way – with Extremis).
We (hopefully) should be good on Vibe/Tone of ‘Captain America 3,’ but what about that lil’ comment I made about Steve Rogers having to fight Tony Stark?
Steve Rogers Needs To Be The Star, Not Tony Stark
The movie is ‘Captain America 3’ (at this point). Maybe ‘Captain America: The Fallen Son’ or ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ but it’s not currently called ‘Captain America & Iron Man’ or simply ‘Civil War.’
If the 2016 film indeed remains ‘Captain America 3’ than Steve Rogers is our star and we must experience the film from his perspective. And Capt. definitely needs more screen time than RDJ’s Tony Stark. Even if RDJ is Marvel’s poster child.
Too much Iron Man would steal the movie from the title character, while a Black Widow in ‘Winter Soldier’ sized role might be the sweet spot. ‘Winter Soldier’ never felt like it was anyone’s movie but Captain America’s, even with the inclusion of Black Widow, Nick Fury (with his own badass action sequence and subplot that both kick off the events of the film), and Sam Wilson aka Falcon.
If we see the world from Capt.’s point-of-view, does that mean we are meant to be on his side of the ‘Civil War?’ Does that make Iron Man the villain? It seems like a hard task to either make fan-favorite and Marvel’s highest grosser a ‘villain’ to this plotline or to show us both sides of the argument equally without loading the film with too much RDJ.
I have several more ‘Captain America 3’ issues to tackle, but this post is getting long, so I’ll save my other points for ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA 3 With Robert Downey Jr. – The Do’s and Don’ts PART II.’
So, since there isn’t ‘Nuff Said, I’ll just leave you with this…
Excelsior!
Robert Downey Jr. Will Be In CAPTAIN AMERICA 3! What It Means for the Flick and the MCU
Robert Downey Jr. has been hinting for a while now that Marvel Studios has big plans involving his trademark character Tony Stark; he who kick-started the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2008’s ‘Iron Man.’
Speculation about ‘Iron Man 4’ has been thrown around for weeks, with RDJ accidentally(?) sending the impression that he would do a fourth film in the franchise that saved his career, even though he has been denying interest in said project for several years now.
Instead, the other day RDJ confirmed at least part of Marvel’s master plan for the ‘Avengers: Phase 3’ solo films, announcing he is in negotiations for a rather large role in ‘Captain America 3,’ set to be released May 6th, 2016.
We’re not talking a cameo, we’re talking a Black Widow in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ sized role.
Why ‘Avengers 3’ WON’T Be Split Into 2 Movies And Thanos Might Need His Own Film
There’s a rumor floating around the net that ‘Avengers 3’ may be split into two movies.
We have, of course, seen many films adapted from young-adult novels that split the final book into two movies. ‘Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 & 2,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 & 2’ and now ‘Hunger Games: Mocking Jay 1 & 2.’ Meanwhile Peter Jackson believes ‘The Hobbit’ is actually 3 super long movies; just as long as the non-extended versions of the entire ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.
Splitting a book in half is one thing, but splitting ‘Avengers 3’ in half actually creates ‘Avengers 3’ and ‘Avengers 4.’
The problem? If I am not mistaken, all the stars, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, and even Samuel L. Jackson are only under contract for 3 ‘Avengers’ films. And I know that Robert Downey Jr. only has 1 movie left on his contract; a single ‘Avengers’ movie, following ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’
I’m not sure how the contracts with franchises like ‘Harry Potter’ work when it comes to splitting the final book into two movies, creating eight films instead of seven. They may have had to renegotiate the actors’ contracts for ‘Deathly Hallows, Part 2,’ but I’m sure the original contracts for ‘Twilight’ and ‘Hunger Games’ included the extra fourth film (aka ‘Part 2’ of the finales), as was likely the plan from the beginning.
Which is where the problem for ‘Avengers 3, Part 1 & 2’ arises.
RDJ (Robert Downey Jr.) got the sweetest deal of all, as no one expected the first ‘Iron Man’ to spawn two sequels and three ‘Avengers’ films. He got to negotiate his pay for the sequels and three Avengers films AFTER Marvel made him a superstar in the first ‘Iron Man’ film.
On the other hand, actors like Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth where hired on the cheap, pre-stardom, allowing Marvel to throw two sequels and three ‘Avengers’ movies on their contracts for a lot less cash than RDJ’s salary.
But making ‘Avengers 3’ into two films – creating ‘Avengers 3’ and ‘Avengers 4’ – would mean new negotiations with the entire cast of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Continue reading “Why ‘Avengers 3’ WON’T Be Split Into 2 Movies And Thanos Might Need His Own Film”
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