Category Speculation & Analysis

Sep 25 2024

Increasing Optimism For The MCU

It’s been commonly accepted that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been on a downward spiral given the mediocre results of their recent offerings such as Secret Invasion and The Marvels. But the powers that be (Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios) have taken corrective steps to rectify the situation with the MCU and from what we are seeing, we fans have cause for optimism.

As most of us know, Feige has restructured the slate of films and TV shows to the point of redoing them as was done with the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again and next year’s Captain America: Brave New World. Feige took an honest and hard look and admitted what was working with the MCU projects and what wasn’t. Marvel Studios has also reassessed which film and TV projects, which were planned and announced previously, would actually go forward. This meant that some anticipated and announced projects will not see the light of day, at least for the near future.

However, while we can mope about the lost projects like Armor Wars and the endangered Blade, we can rejoice with recent concrete developments and the current and upcoming releases.

Of course, Deadpool & Wolverine was a smash success that delighted fans and critics alike as it reveled in Easter eggs, raunchy humor and unfiltered violence. The film is now the second biggest hit of the year and the most successful R-rated film ever released. Seriously, Deadpool & Wolverine could not have arrived at a better time. The film demonstrated that Marvel Studios was still capable of producing quality films that could engage audiences, which translated into box office success.

Then Marvel Studios just began streaming on Disney + the TV show Agatha All Along, the sequel/spinoff to Marvel Studios’ best TV show, WandaVision. Even though the spinoff TV show about the witch Agatha Harkness wasn’t highly demanded by fans, it so far has exceeded expectations with its witty, clever and imaginative early episodes. Sure the jury is still out and we have to see if it sticks the landing, but Agatha All Along is off to a great start.

Another reason to be optimistic is due to the success of the animated TV show X-Men ’97, which captured the essence of the classic X-Men animated TV shows of the 1990s and the best X-Men stories and characters. Even though X-Men ’97 and Deadpool & Wolverine are not actually part of the MCU, they were produced by Marvel Studios and both projects showcased the talent from the studio that could still deliver the goods.

While there has been leaked footage of upcoming TV shows like Daredevil: Born Again and of sizzle reels for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fans have not had much else to sink their teeth into. But what they have at the moment is more than enough. The trailers for Captain America: Brave New World look very promising, which is a bit of a relief given the behind-the-scenes reports of a troubled production that practically had to be reshot. Hopefully, the actual film, which comes out in February next year, will be half as good as the trailers promise.

Also promising with the release of just one trailer is Thunderbolts*, which can be best explained to non-fans as the MCU answer to the Suicide Squad. Essentially, a bunch of misfit anti-heroes and low-grade villains teaming up to fight a powerful foe and becoming actual heroes in their own right. The trailer that was just released a couple of days ago perfectly captured this theme and the film looks like it will be a lot of fun. Hell, even the first official poster for Thunderbolts* is great and captures the mood the trailer is selling of misfits who can’t get along with each other but are forced to cooperate. Take a look, below.

All we need now is a sneak peek of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but all in good time. Then there is the constant stream of news and speculation about the upcoming Avengers films featuring Robert Downey, Jr. as Doctor Doom. Surely, once confirmed plans for the X-Men come out the fans will go ballistic. The only news and speculation giving us a pause has to do with the troubled Blade film and whatever Sony Pictures plans to do with future Spider-Man films. But we’ll see how that situation works out.

Sure, the upcoming films and TV shows could wind up being huge disappointments but let’s stay optimistic, shall we? That is because for now it’s a thrill to be excited for the MCU again.

Sep 1 2024

The Bell Riots, September 1, 2024: A Critical Moment In Star Trek History

Once again reality has caught up and will pass science fiction at the time of this post, in this case with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Fans of the TV show know all too well that this date marks the time of the infamous Bell Riots.

In the two-part episode, “Past Tense” Commander Ben Sisko, Dr. Julian Bashir and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax accidentally time traveled to San Francisco on August 30, 2024, and were pivotal figures in the Bell Riots on September 1, one of the most violent periods in American history.

For anyone who has not seen these episodes, the Bell Riots were an important event in American history that influenced the country to seriously tackle its social problems. During this time period of the 2020s, the homeless and jobless were forcibly housed in so-called Sanctuary Districts, which were essentially walled-off, overcrowded internment camps were the residents were poorly treated and lived under harsh conditions. Things came to a head on August 31, 2024, when Bashir was attacked by a gang of thugs. One man, Gabriel Bell, tried to help Bashir but was stabbed and killed for his action. Bell’s death created a ripple effect in history were the United States deteriorated and ultimately the United Federation of Planets was never formed.

It turned out that Gabriel Bell would have become a key figure in an uprising in the San Francisco Sanctuary District that took place on September 1, 2024. Bell became the face of the riots and his actions by protecting District employees who were taken hostage and giving a sympathetic face to the homeless residents. Unfortunately, Bell was killed by national guardsmen who took back the District, but his actions were publicized and turned public opinion against the Districts and swayed the United States to find long-term solutions to its social problems.

Bell was killed near the conclusion of the first episode and Sisko quickly realized the devastating effect Bell’s death would have on history. Thus, when “Past Tense, Part I” concluded, Sisko and Bashir took part in a takeover of the District’s processing center where the hostages were held and announced that he was Gabriel Bell. The dilemma was that in order to carry out Bell’s life to its conclusion, Sisko had to die. But how was this resolved in “Past Tense, Part II”? Well, this is Star Trek. 😀

“Past Tense, Part I and II” was one of the better time travel episodes in the Star Trek franchise because of its unique nature that it took place during a then-future period in our history (the episodes aired in January 1995, which was a risk. After all, it was very likely at the time of filming that the future portrayed in “Past Tense” would not come to be and fortunately the Districts do not exist in our reality. Obviously, the now-contemporary Earth depicted in those episodes are set in an alternate timeline. Yet, the social issues are still with us.

Homelessness is a major social issue affecting many communities in the United States and is getting worse partly because of the affordable housing crisis. San Francisco has been demonized by many who decry it as the epicenter for urban decay as it faces homelessness. Thankfully, no one has advocated for rounding up the homeless population and dumping them into so-called sanctuaries. Then again if things get worse, this can happen in our future.

At least unemployment is low and not a major issue as depicted in those Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes. It should also be pointed out that the episodes did not and could not have predicted that the world was recovering from a pandemic or that a woman was running for president of the United States. But the episodes did hint that democracy was at risk based on the authoritative actions of the California governor in the episodes (who was not Gavin Newsom). Sure it was inevitable that predictions would turn out to be incorrect, but at least it did get correct that housing and homelessness would still be issues and as a bonus the episodes did get correct that the internet would be prevalent in our culture.  

While these episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine may have been a bit heavy handed when it tackled the issue of homelessness and social and economic inequality, it carried out the noble Star Trek tradition of examining current issues facing our society in a sci-fi setting. The backdrop of the social messaging capably added to the tense drama of Sisko and his companions trying to survive a savage period of time. More importantly the issues it brings up were not easily solved and still provide food for thought to this day.

Aug 3 2024

The Return Of Robert Downey, Jr. To The MCU…As Doctor Doom!

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 27: Robert Downey Jr. speaks onstage at the Marvel Studios Panel during 2024 Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center on July 27, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Marvel Studios, as usual, figuratively exploded fans’ minds last weekend at the San Diego Comic-Con with their announcements of their upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. But the biggest jaw-dropping revelation at Hall H was that MCU mainstay Robert Downey, Jr. would return to the MCU in the next Avengers film as Marvel Comics’ most infamous villain Doctor Doom.

As wild and flabbergasted fans were when the announcement first came out, it was inevitable that questions and second guessing followed soon after the announcement. People wondered if this was the best casting decision and if it meant that Marvel Studios was desperate to rekindle the excitement and attention the MCU had just a few years ago during its heyday.

Marvel Studios couldn’t find an actor qualified enough to play Doctor Doom? Did it have to be Robert Downey, Jr.? Let’s be clear here, Downey is a gifted actor, he’s so great he even won an Oscar for his work in Oppenheimer, and he is the face of the MCU because of his portrayal as Tony Stark/Iron Man, which put the MCU on the map to greatness. But there are many other actors who could’ve easily portrayed the villain. Some have complained that the casting is lazy, unless if some reports are true about Doom’s identity in the upcoming MCU films.

Doctor Doom is traditionally, Victor Von Doom, the armored, despotic ruler of the fictional Eastern European country Latveria, who became a bitter rival to the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards. Now, Downey was introduced as Von Doom by Marvel Studios, but there are rumors that the actor will actually play an evil variant of Tony Stark from another reality, in fact it will be the same universe where the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place in. This makes a lot of sense and circumvents the complaints by fans about how the other characters in the films are ignoring the fact that Doom looks just like Stark. Otherwise, if he plays Von Doom, then that will raise questions from viewers, which will take them out of the film.

In the recent comic books, Stark has become Dr. Doom and vice versa because the two characters are very similar to one another. So, there is precedent for this to occur. Maybe, in the MCU timeline, Stark came into existence earlier in the Fantastic Four’s universe and did not have the same redeeming experiences that the MCU Stark had and became evil but shares the same goal as the MCU Stark had: to protect the Earth using armor. During his Comic-Con appearance, Downey did say “New mask, same task,” which implies that he will play a variant of Stark.

If this pans out, it will be an ingenious way to bring the actor back to the MCU and allow him and the screenwriters to do something different with the character. It can work and it probably will. But many will be disappointed that the traditional Victor Von Doom with the same backstory from the comic books won’t be in the MCU. However, people should not give up hope.

Marvel Studios probably decided to bring back Downey because of his star power and the twist that will guarantee that people will rush to theaters to see Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, while the actor will excel as Doctor Doom, it’s doubtful he will play the villain in the long term. He is being paid a hefty amount to appear in these films and it will be hard for the studio to afford his paycheck forever. What could happen is that Doctor Doom will get killed off in Avengers: Secret Wars and be replaced by another variant i.e. another actor. This variant could possibly appear in a post-credits scene and be introduced as the MCU version of Doom, who will be Victor Von Doom with the comics-accurate backstory. Going forward, this new version of Doom, portrayed by a different actor, will be the go-to MCU version of Doctor Doom that the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and the other MCU heroes will contend with.  

Whatever develops with Doctor Doom, Downey’s casting brought much-needed publicity and excitement for the MCU. Surely, once we see him in his green robes and armor, we can pass final judgment, which will most likely be very favorable.

Jul 7 2024

Beyond A Quiet Place

With the success of A Quiet Place: Day One, the future of the series seems promising. especially since there are plans for A Quiet Place, Part Three, though if that sequel actually happens expect the title to change to avoid confusion with A Quiet Place: Day One. Even though A Quiet Place: Day One is the third film in the series it’s actually a prequel to the first film and has little connection to the first two films.

Part of the reason for the success of A Quiet Place: Day One is because it expanded the horrifying world we were introduced to in the first film. We the audience got to see how the worldwide invasion of the blind savage aliens, who are called the death angels, began. While the film was an excellent study about the need for companionship and finding solace in the simple things in life, it still left audiences with many unanswered questions about the alien invaders. We do know they arrived in meteors and their arrival was too abrupt for the authorities to handle before most of humanity was wiped out. We also know from the previous films that ways to defeat the death angels were found and used, which could set up a final confrontation between humanity and the aliens in a future film that concludes the series.

Future films, aside from A Quiet Place, Part Three, should take place in other corners of the world. Having A Quiet Place: Day One take place in New York City was a smart move since the first two films were set in rural communities. Where can other films go? How about a different country? The suburbs? Given that the death angels are vulnerable to water, have a film set in a makeshift community made up of ships filled with survivors and present their plight as they try to get supplies in the ravaged world. How about the perspective of surviving scientists and military trying to devise a means to fight back? That could be the focus of a final film.

But before the series finishes, more explanations about the death angels are warranted. Were they part of an advanced wave meant to wipe out our defenses and soften our world for an actual invasion? Or were they sent to herd humanity for their masters in the same way humans use dogs during hunts? There is evidence for that in that the death angels are never seen eating their victims and as shown in the third film they only ate food that came with them in the meteors. There is so much that needs to be explored with these savage creatures that would captivate audiences and give us some kind of explanation as to their motives. Or maybe they are just uncontrolled animals like the Xenomorphs in the Alien films that have no purpose other than to survive and multiply.

Another appealing aspect with the A Quiet Place films has to do with the characters that we quickly sympathize with, which is vital to get us invested during their dangerous plight. While the focus on the characters must remain in place with the film series, going forward, more development and explorations about the death angels has to be covered. But we don’t have to know everything all at once. We could use a few more terrifying entries like A Quiet Place: Day One before we get our answers. 😀

Jun 14 2024

The Curse Of Blade

About five years ago at a Comic-Con appearance, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige eagerly announced that a new film about the vampire hunter Blade would be produced by Marvel Studios to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). What made the announcement even more exciting was that Mahershala Ali would portray Blade, a role made famous by Wesley Snipes. That was then. Now? Nothing. The film keeps getting delayed over and over again to the point that many are asking if the project is cursed.

At the same Comic-Con, several other film and TV projects were announced and they have been produced and released since then. Only Blade remains unrealized; the closest we got to having Blade appear in the MCU was hearing his voice during a post-credits scene in Eternals. There are several reasons why the reboot of the Wesley Snipes film has been delayed, some of it has to do with the pandemic and the recent Hollywood strikes. But the main reason for the delays has to do with the inability to come up with a script and holding onto a director.

Marvel Studios has not been impressed with the scripts. The first one was penned by Stacy Amma Osei-Kuffour in 2021, while Bassam Tariq was chosen to direct the film. Tariq left a year later due to the lack of progress with the film while Marvel Studios brought in other writers to revamp the script. Reports have it that the first script was very light on action, a staple of the Blade films, and supposedly took place in the 1920s. Other writers who took a shot at Blade included Beau DeMayo, who was responsible for the well-received X-Men ’97 animated series, but time and time again Marvel Studios brought more and more screenwriters to turn in a suitable script. Mahershala Ali himself has expressed dissatisfaction with the original script and the pace of the project and it would not be surprising if he winds up leaving the project, even though he approached Marvel Studios with the idea of portraying the vampire hunter.

Meanwhile, Yann Demange, the director who replaced Tariq, left the project a few weeks ago, and no replacement has been announced yet. This is going on as the film is supposedly slated to begin production later this year for a 2025 release. At this rate, it is doubtful the film will meet the deadline or even be made.

Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios recently announced their desire to focus on the quality of their films and TV shows, which is commendable. But the unfortunate result of focusing on quality has been the delay of Blade. This is very frustrating for fans of the character and the original films who wanted to see the MCU take of the Daywalker (as he is called by the vampires he hunts), as well as Ali’s interpretation of the superhero.

It is baffling why Marvel Studios is having a hard time with this project which should be a slum dunk and would have a ready audience for a character with huge name recognition. The Blade films were popular even before the MCU existed and most people were not even aware that the supernatural hero was actually based on a Marvel Comics character. The premise should be fairly simple to produce. Why not just do a remake of the original Blade film Deacon Frost as the villain? The story worked in the first Blade, just throw in some MCU references and call it a day.

The answer to that is that Marvel Studios wants a fresh new take on the character and probably as rumors have it, wants Blade to help launch the Midnight Sons superhero team for the future. This is a great idea, but Marvel Studios has a lot on their plate and it’s anyone’s guess as to when they will get around to it.

Until Marvel Studios decides on a script and hires a solid director (supposedly they are eyeing Jordan Peele or Chad Stahelski who have either shown interest or been approached for Blade), the least they can do is have the character appear in upcoming MCU projects. This would keep fans happy and maybe even Ali, too.

However, the constant delays has become an embarrassment for Marvel Studios. They must settle on a script and director very soon in order to meet the production schedule and release date. Otherwise, Blade is doomed.