Category Sci-Fi

Jul 20 2025

The Eve of MCU’s Phase Six

Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) starts this week with the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a film that will begin the finale of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. As Phase Six commences it is clear that the MCU has had some challenges recently and it remains to be seen if the latest phase will course correct the cinematic universe.

A major issue with the last two phases that will affect Phase Six was that they did not tell a cohesive or coherent storyline that progressed the overall story of the Multiverse Saga. This ran counter to the first three phases that told a progressive story that culminated with the last two Avengers films, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. One thing to note with the first three phases was that they concluded more or less with an epic Avengers film. This did not happen with Phase Four (*Thunderbolts the last film of Phase Five ended with the revelation that it was actually a film about a new team of Avengers), and the Multiverse Saga had to do a course correct for outside reasons.

Phase Five of the MCU was plagued with several misfires and undeniable box office disappointments as films and TV shows did not live up to expectations. This was unfortunate since Phase Four was disappointing, as well, and failed to live up to the glory days of the first three phases. Phase Five was supposed to correct this but could not.

Namely that Marvel Studios decided to eliminate the main villain of the Multiverse Saga, Kang the Conqueror, and instead abruptly chose to have Doctor Doom as the main villain. This change happened because the actor who played Kang, Jonathan Majors, was fired by Marvel Studios for being convicted of domestic abuse and the character did not resonate with fans. This happened as Phase Five was well underway and did not allow the MCU to organically pivot to Doctor Doom, but the film studio could have tried. Films and TV shows in the latter half of Phase Five should have, at the bare minimum, dropped Easter eggs and references to Doctor Doom but that has not happened. In fact, many TV shows from Phase Six like Secret Invasion or Agatha All Along did nothing to advance the Mulitverse Saga. Meanwhile, only about half of the Phase Five films were relevant to the Multiverse Saga.

What makes this situation worse is that Doctor Doom, the main villain of the Fantastic Four, will not appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This is a mistake considering that Doom will be the villain of next year’s Avengers: Doomsday and it is unlikely that upcoming MCU projects before that film will include any appearances or references to Doctor Doom and the Multiverse Saga. It is head scratching that Doctor Doom will not at least have a cameo in The Fantastic Four: First Steps but we won’t know this for sure until the film is released. On the other hand, there are reports that one of the post-credits scene from The Fantastic Four: First Steps will directly tie into Avengers: Doomsday so there is that, at least.

Another thing that is evident with the slate of Phase Six is that unlike the last two phases there will be noticeably less films and TV shows released. One major complaint about the last two phases, especially with Phase Four, was that too many projects were released, and this stretched the resources of Marvel Studios. The result was that many subpar films and TV shows were released before they could be fine tuned to be better. With Phase Six, Marvel Studios has chosen to emphasize quality over quantity, though this means that many threads and characters introduced in the previous phases will be ignored. This will frustrate many fans, but it was inevitable given that Marvel Studios has to concentrate on popular characters instead of greenlighting TV shows or films about obscure superheroes that may or may not resonate with the larger public. So, expect many films and TV shows dealing with the core Avengers lineup, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four (if the first film is successful) and of course, the mutants.

At this time, we can only speculate on what films and TV shows Marvel Studios will release for Phase Six. Unlike the previous phases the studio is remaining tight lipped about its upcoming releases since they have been burned by prematurely announcing projects before they were ready like Blade. To date, the only known projects are The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, Wonder Man, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, second seasons for Daredevil: Born Again and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Vision Quest, a Punisher TV special, Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, and at least one other film that we have no information about. Who knows what it will be? A new Doctor Strange film? A third Black Panther film?

While it’s regrettable that Marvel Studios is pulling back on the quantity of projects it is for the best since the limited amount of films and TV shows will lead to improved products. We already are seeing this as the more recent offerings from Marvel Studios like Deadpool and Wolverine, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and *Thunderbolts have received a lot of acclaim. It is also interesting to see that certain projects that were not as well received as Ironheart, parts of Daredevil: Born Again and Captain America: Brave New World were produced before Marvel Studios began to course correct with its offerings. Daredevil: Born Again offers clear proof of this as the most acclaimed episodes were made after the film studio decided to emphasize its commitment to quality.

It will take some time for Marvel Studios’ course corrections to resonate with the general public. Not too long ago, the MCU brand was golden and a guarantee of quality and box office success. That’s not the situation anymore as many recent films have underperformed, even if they were acclaimed like *Thunderbolts. It is no longer a guarantee that an MCU film will be a box office hit. But it is important that they maintain a high level of quality because this will create positive buzz for MCU films and TV shows. Do not be surprised if properties like *Thunderbolts develop cult followings, which is good for Marvel Studios as this will demonstrate the studio’s commitment to quality products. Eventually the public will catch on and begin seeing them the films and TV shows in droves again. Then again with important tentpole films like Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it is practically certain that Phase Six of the MCU will be successful.

José Soto

Jul 13 2025

Superman Flies Off To A Promising Start For the DCU

The new DC Universe (DCU) is off to a very promising start with Superman, written and directed by James Gunn, and who is also the guru spearheading the DCU.

Unlike other introductory Superman films, this latest reboot does away with the origin story of Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswet) arriving to Earth as a child from the doomed planet Krypton and growing up to become the world’s greatest superhero. Instead, the film takes place three years into his debut. As the film starts, Superman has for the first time lost a battle against a foe called the Hammer of Baravia. In the film’s opening text, Superman stopped the country of Baravia from invading its neighbor and this action has proven to be controversial. While Superman sees this as simply preventing needless deaths and protecting a weak country against one ruled by a dictator, many people saw this as him acting recklessly without authority.

As this fallout happens, Superman’s arch nemesis, the evil tech bro Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) manages to break into Superman’s Antarctic lair, the Fortress of Solitude, abduct Superman’s dog, Krypto, and steal video files of Superman’s Kryptonian parents. Luthor uses this footage to smear Superman on social media by revealing that Superman was supposed to conquer the people of Earth. This revelation quickly turns the public against Superman, who is then forced to turn himself into the U.S. authorities for his actions against Baravia. After he is imprisoned in a pocket dimension, it is up to his lover and fellow reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and allies Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) to find a way to free him, discover Luthor’s true motives and expose him.

Superman works for so many reasons. The film immediately does away with the dour and gritty look of the recent Superman films that divided many fans. This version of Superman is bright, cheerful but not without conflict. However, unlike the last big-screen incarnation of Superman, this one is more human and is not brooding or trying to find his place in the world. In many ways, this version of Superman better reflects the more human and relatable version we last saw in the recent TV show Superman & Lois.

Yes, Superman has its flaws such as some colorful supporting characters did not get much screen time compared to others and the plot moves a bit too quickly, which tamped down some emotional points. But the breakneck pace of the film for the most part works in the film’s favor as it keeps everything moving at a lively pace that rarely lets up. It is refreshing that James Gunn was not afraid to embrace the characters’ goofy and sci-fi fantasy comic book roots and present them in an endearing and fun way that celebrates the DC Comics, especially during its late Silver and Bronze Ages.

It goes without saying that Superman is probably the most comic book-oriented film in recent history. It is not afraid of its comic book roots; it actually celebrates them. In our very cynical time that is full of strife and misery the bright, optimistic nature of Superman is a much-needed escape into a more hopeful world where good triumphs over evil in the end, and decency is commended as represented by Superman himself. This brightness also stands out in contrast to many recent superhero/comic book movies.

James Gunn must be applauded for having the vision and skill to pull off this exuberant debut for the DCU. He exhibits a lot of the quirky humor and pulse-pounding action beats that he demonstrated with his Guardians of the Galaxy films and The Suicide Squad. The camera work is simply breathtaking in many of the fight and flying scenes. The special effects are nearly perfect as is the production design. At the same time, the film is injected with so much emotion and character. This would not be possible with an inferior cast, but thankfully, Gunn recruited some of the best actors for this film.

Corenswet does a fine job as a more relatable Superman, although there was not enough time given to his dual identity of Clark Kent, but that can be remedied in the next film.  The other acting stand outs include Brosnahan, who probably portrays the best big-screen version of Lois Lane, Hoult as Luthor, who eerily evokes current D-Bag tech bros who are becoming the ruination of our society, and Gathegi, who steals many scenes with his dry one liners and goofily stoic nature. But the true star of the show, aside from Superman himself, was Krypto the Superdog. As he did with Rocket Raccoon, Gunn presents us with an endearing animal character that steals many scenes with great humor and genuine affection. And he’s a good dog!

Superman could not come at a better time, not just for DC Studios or even superhero films, but for everyone in general. Just as the original Superman in 1978 was a beacon of hope and light in a troubled time in our history, this 2025 version of Superman also serves as reminder that we can be better, and we will be. With such a great start to the DCU, it’s exciting to see what comes next for this new cinematic universe.

José Soto

Jul 1 2025

The Eve OF The DCU’s Chapter One: Gods & Monsters

After the downfall of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), the new DC Universe (DCU) cinematic universe has risen from the ashes and kicks off with Superman on July 11, 2025.

Fans of DC have both eagerly anticipated this meant and dreaded it ever since filmmaker James Gunn announced DC Studios’ planned DCU line up in early 2023 with a slate of films and TV shows. The first TV show which actually started the DCU last year was the animated Creature Commandos which streamed on Max. The show received positive reactions although it seemed similar to James Gunn’s DCEU film The Suicide Squad, but with monsters as the main characters forced to work for the government instead of supervillains. One thing that Gunn made clear was that Creature Commandos was canon to the DCU and even one of the featured characters from that show, Rick Flagg, Sr., will appear in Superman.

Right now, fandom and the public at large are focused on Superman, which inaugurates the DCU in live action. The marketing push for the film is very intense and pervasive with the usual deluge of merchandise and trailers (but gotta admit any merch about Krypto the Super Dog is so damn cute; Gunn has a way with animals) and publicity. There is a good reason for the push by DC Studios’ parent company Warner Bros.

RIP DCEU

As everyone knows, the DCEU was supposed to be film studio’s answer to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which has been wildly successful ever since it debuted in 2008. The DCEU had everything going for it: popular superheroes that enjoyed success in the box office and TV with projects like Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, the Arrowverse on TV and Smallville. Even Nolan helped launch the DCEU by helping to create Man of Steel. But for many reasons the DCEU was plagued by many problems, mostly due to studio interference, impatience and greed. Warner Bros. was in a rush to compete with the MCU and didn’t allow the DCEU to grow organically and build up a fanbase like with the MCU. Instead of carefully introducing characters, they were clumsily mashed together just to premiere Justice League, the DCEU answer to The Avengers, just a few short years after Man of Steel. Many of the films were not well received and it seemed as if the DCEU was playing catch up with the MCU. But what really killed the DCEU was interference by studio executives who were chasing the almighty dollar and did not seem to care about the quality of the films.

Despite attempts to salvage the DCEU by the early 2020s it was clear that the cinematic universe was without direction and falling apart. To the studio’s credit, they recognized James Gunn’s talent and vision with The Suicide Squad and offered him the opportunity to revamp its cinematic universe. He essentially started over with the DC properties and has launched the DCU with its initial projects being labeled as Chapter One: Gods & Monsters. Of course, this entailed huge changes including the recasting of the DC characters. Actors, like Henry Cavill, were removed from playing iconic characters and in the case of Jason Momoa, he was recast to play a different role in the DCU. This development was controversial and incense some fans of the DCEU who automatically hated anything to do with the DCU and have taken to the Internet to troll Gunn and the DCU. Unfortunately, that is par for the course with social media these days.

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Jun 22 2025

The Probability Of 28 Days Later

28 Years Later is the latest entry into the 28 Days Later franchise that jumpstarted the zombie genre over 20 years ago. While technically, the “infected” savages that attack humans are still human and not zombies, they are still deadly savages that quickly overran a nation. The premise in the first film is that an artificial virus derived from the Ebola virus is let loose from a lab and soon wipes out the United Kingdom. This happens in the space of about 28 days as the virus was highly contagious and fast spreading. Once infected, the victims of the Rage Virus, turn into mindless, rage-fueled savages in mere seconds and lose all their humanity as they kill anyone within reach. As terrifying as it seems, is this possible? Not just the virus itself, but the entire premise of the films which culminate in 28 Years Later with the UK and Ireland under permanent quarantine from the outside world.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the Rage Virus is by how quickly it turns victims into murderous monsters in seconds. But this is hard to believe. Sure, this is just a film which requires a suspension of belief, but viruses are not capable of having an instant effect in host bodies. Yes, it can rapidly spread in a host body and symptoms can appear quickly, but viruses need some time to manifest. In reality, an infected person will have some time, as short as hours, to remain cognizant and quarantine or kill themselves to protect their loved ones. So while it’s possible that viruses can quickly spread, as we saw with COVID-19, they would not overrun a country the size of the UK within a month. Not with symptoms being so noticeable. Maybe if the virus mutates to be less noticeable and a viral mutation is something that is shown in 28 Years Later.

Then there is the quarantining of the UK. Again as we’ve seen with COVID-19, cutting off communities, even nations won’t stop the spread of a virus. It will slow it down, but in the end, given how interconnected we are, the Rage Virus would’ve been much more widespread by at least in the timeframe of the first sequel 28 Weeks Later. Actually, this was shown to be the case at the end of that film when it’s revealed that the infected reached Paris, France. On the other hand, given how deadly the Rage Virus is, you can bet the world would have gone to great lengths to keep it from spreading. Also, since the UK is largely a group of islands, in theory the spread of the virus could at least be slowed down with a quarantine, but it would not last. Do not be surprised if future sequels have the virus spreading throughout the world.

When it comes to curbing the virus’s spread, as most of us resorted to wearing face masks and did not deny the virus during the pandemic, people would have adapted to wearing full face masks to keep infectious fluids from entering the body. Of course, this would not protect them from the murderous wrath of an infected who would tear and bite them. Then again perhaps most people would have started wearing protective clothing or body armor. We actually saw one of the main characters doing this in the first film.

Another puzzling point in the franchise is that there seems to be little to no effort to fight the Rage Virus in the scientific field. Aside from a plot point in 28 Weeks Later where the U. S. Army doctor wants to study an asymptomatic victim, before everything went to hell, there is not any mention of attempts to combat the virus. As we saw with the recent real-life pandemic, our society threw massive resources to find a way to treat COVID-19 and were able to devise vaccines in months. Shouldn’t a vaccine have been developed to curb the Rage Virus, especially in the years that passed up to the latest film? We see in the sequels that it is possible to be asymptomatic of the virus and in 28 Years Later, an uninfected child is born from an infected mother. It would probably be difficult to find a cure as we see with AIDS and other viruses, but a vaccine would certainly have been created 28 years after the first film.

Is the Rage Virus and what happens after it spreads likely in the real world? Most likely, no. But the chances are not zero. The virus was artificially created in the film, so who knows if in the future some fool will create a similar virus and it gets loose in our world. It is a disturbing thought and part of the reason why the 28 Days Later films are so captivating while being horrifying.

Jun 1 2025

After Andor What’s Next For Star Wars?

The Disney + Star Wars TV series Andor concluded to much deserved acclaim, and it did something that seemed improbable given the state of the Star Wars franchise. Andor has helped create renewed enthusiasm for Star Wars as it showed how versatile and mature the franchise can be.

Ever since Disney acquired Star Wars from its creator George Lucas, the projects the company and Lucasfilm put out have received mixed reactions. At first, the franchise received a lot of renewed enthusiasm after the releases of Disney’s first two Star Wars films, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

But the reception to the following films, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, was a lot less muted as many fans soured against the Disney films. As a result, the box office returns were not quite as high as the early films and in fact, Solo did not perform well in theaters.

This Was the Way

The Star Wars franchise recovered significantly when the first Disney + Star Wars TV show, The Mandalorian, debuted on the streaming app in 2019. For a couple of years, Mandalorian fever gripped fans and the larger public as Grogu, the infant Yoda-like co-star of the show captured the public’s hearts and imagination. It seemed as if the TV show single-handedly rescued the franchise and injected new life into it. However, many of the other Star Wars TV shows were not as popular or had the level of quality as The Mandalorian, except for Andor. In fact, although Andor did not have the high viewership numbers that The Mandalorian enjoyed, it was a massive critical hit as it presented a fresh and adult take on Star Wars with its grounded look at how the Rebellion began in earnest against the Galactic Empire.

Still, despite Andor’s critical success, Star Wars on the whole was floundering as inferior TV shows like The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka disappointed fans and emboldened toxic trolls to attack Star Wars. Then there was the fact that the film franchise was essentially dead as many announced films never went into production, except for next year’s The Mandalorian and Grogu. Even recently, The Mandalorian fell out of favor with many fans because of its third season, which was not as well received as its first two seasons.

New Heights of Quality Star Wars Television

When the second season of Andor first streamed fans and critics applauded the show’s mature, sweeping and complex nature with its nuanced and well-developed characters that quickly generated memes and online discussion about the nature of defiance, sacrifice and societies.

What truly captured the hearts of fans were its story arcs devoted to the Ghorman Massacre and the final arc that wrapped up the story lines of many characters including Cassian Andor himself. The last time we see him, he was departing for what would be his final mission in Rogue One. A mission he never returned from. What made his final on screen moments so heartbreaking was the revelation in Andor’s final scene that he fathered a child that he would never know. And no, this child is not Poe Dameron from the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.

What made Andor so great and unique was that it had no connection to the Jedi, the Sith, or the larger Star Wars/Skywalker saga. It instead focused on random, everyday people living regular lives and how the Empire affected them to either join the cause or support the Empire through simple acts that cascaded into mass movements that affected the galaxy.

It should be noted that Andor was not the only TV show to break out of the traditional Star Wars mold. Others like Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte gave us different stories that took place at different time periods and had little to do with the Skywalker Saga. However, they were not as regarded as highly as Andor.

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