Tag Archives: MCU

Feb 11 2024

Deadpool & The Pending MCU Comeback

By now most Marvel fans have seen the eagerly awaited trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine, the sole offering from Marvel Studios this year. Just the fact that so many people were anticipating this trailer is alone to demonstrate that superhero fatigue is not necessarily upon us, especially when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Sure, the MCU and Marvel Studios had its struggles recently, as seen with failures of The Marvels and Secret Invasion and with behind-the-scenes dramas. However, the higher ups at Disney and Marvel Studios acknowledged that things were not working with the MCU and they took corrective actions. Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige took a long look at what was being filmed and realized that several projects were not working, at least up to MCU standards. As painful as it was, Feige delayed the release of projects like Daredevil: Born Again and Captain America: Brave New World to basically scrap what was filmed and start over. This is a costly gamble without any guarantee of success (see Solo: A Star Wars Story), but it had to be done. Disney also realized this and the fact that there was too much MCU product, which led to many projects been held back or cancelled. While many fans did not like this, it was what the MCU needed in order to 1) give the coming MCU projects the time to be improved and not rushed and 2) creating demand and anticipation for the projects.

During the past few months, the common theme among trades and the online was that the MCU and superhero films were in decline, given the fact that most superhero films in 2023 did not perform well. Another argument for the decline was the poor reception to the coming Sony films based on Spider-Man properties like Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter. But declaring the superhero films to be in decline may be premature. Of course, they are not as popular as they were around 2018-19, but at that period the Infinity Saga was reaching its climax and everyone wanted to know how the Avengers were going to defeat Thanos. In the years since, the MCU films have had to start all over again with a new storyline, the Multiverse Saga, which has had a rocky start due to many reasons. They range from the COVID-19 pandemic, the reign of Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who demanded too much MCU product and overstretched Marvel Studios, the writers and actors strike from last year, and the firing of actor Jonathan Majors, whose character Kang was supposed to be the next main MCU villain. Thankfully, many of them have been dealt with or are behind Disney and Marvel Studios.

As Marvel Studios reassessed what worked and what did not with its recent projects, the film studio had the time to tweak its upcoming projects to improve them. This has led to Kevin Feige taking more control of the MCU films and TV shows to ensure that the projects match the quality of the previous MCU films.

Now Disney and Marvel Studios have stated that they intend to focus on quality not quantity, which means they are scaling back on what they greenlight and not just any Marvel Comics property will make the transition to live-action. This is great because it allows the film studio to focus on its most popular characters and devote time and resources to more obscure characters to help them stand out (see Guardians of the Galaxy).

In the recent past, quality films and TV shows have found their audiences as seen with the success of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 and the second season of Loki. This will most likely occur with Deadpool & Wolverine given that it looks bonkers with its fourth-wall breaking and the zany and raunchy humor of Deadpool that does not seem watered down even though the film is from Disney. Deadpool & Wolverine could help change the direction that Marvel Studios is headed given its high anticipation. v

Also creating high anticipation for Marvel Studios is Daredevil: Born Again, which has excited many fans of the original Netflix production since it now features beloved characters from the Netflix shows. Then there is the over-the-top speculation on who will be cast in the Fantastic Four film coming out next year. Oh, and by the way, Marvel Studios: announce the cast already! Its not just the casting that has many excited about the Fantastic Four, but the fact that Kevin Feige is directly involved with the film and is a passion project for him given that past live-action efforts did not perform well.

Of course, another thing exciting fans is the coming of the X-Men in the MCU, which was teased in The Marvels and the mutants will be front and center in Deadpool & Wolverine. Frankly, it’s about time. Disney has had the rights to the X-Men characters for several years and although it was for the best that they took time for the memories of the Fox version of the X-Men films to dissipate, it’s time for them to appear in the MCU. Thankfully we’re getting that with Deadpool & Wolverine as the trailer clearly shows that not only do we see mutants but images of the MCU films and the Time Variance Authority from Loki.

Yes, it’s great to be excited about the MCU again and we have Deadpool & Wolverine to thank for that. Please, be great!

Jan 7 2024

Top Ten Most Anticipated Films & TV Shows of 2024

Despite the fact that there will be a noticeable lack of superhero-related films and TV shows in 2024 there will be plenty of genre fare for us to get excited about. With that, here is the list of the top ten most anticipated films and TV shows (both new series and returning favorites) coming out this year in 2024. Keep in mind, of course, that there will be many schedule changes as well as unexpected films or TV shows that could pop up without any notice that turn out to be great. Be sure to comment below on these picks or any others you may have.

Films

10. Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The previous two Sonic the Hedgehog films were much more fun and engaging than expected, so we should get more of the same.

9. IF

Director/actor John Krasinski follows up to A Quiet Place with this creative foray involving imaginary friends and stars Ryan Reynolds.

8. A Quiet Place: Day One

Speaking of A Quiet Place, the third film in the franchise will be a prequel that will feature the initial stages of the invasion by the sound-hunting aliens that decimate civilization.

7. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

The latest Monsterverse film looks admittedly goofy but fun as the kings of the monsters, Godzilla and King Kong team up to face their deadliest enemy yet in an underground society of kaijus.

6. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a great return to form for the Ghostbusters franchise with endearing new characters. The newest sequel will more closely follow the franchise with its New York setting.

5. Civil War

Alex Garland, known for his provocative sci-fi films, directs this film that could be taken from tomorrow’s headlines. Its setting of a United States in the thralls of a second civil war will probably emphasize challenging themes over action thanks to Garland’s directorial skills.

4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Director George Miller’s latest entry in the Mad Max films focuses on Furiosa, the breakout character from Mad Max: Fury Road. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy as a young Furiosa, this film functions as a prequel that embellishes her character.

3. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The latest Apes film is set many years after the last film and Ceasar’s death. Naturally, this sequel will do more worldbuilding as it will feature new characters and situations as the ape society evolves further in contrast to a humanity ravaged by a plague.

2. Dune: Part Two

The second part of the sci-fi epic was delayed from last year due to the writers and actors strike which nearly crippled Hollywood. This development disappointed fans of the first film who craved to see the conclusion of the saga of Paul Atreides, the future messiah struggling to fight for his adopted people on the desert planet Dune.

1. Deadpool 3

The third Deadpool film (which could have a name change), has turned out to be a very important film for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Due to missteps the MCU faced last year, a lot is riding on the success of Deadpool 3.

The big draw for Deadpool 3 is not just Ryan Reynolds reprising his role of the Merc with the Mouth, but Hugh Jackman returning to his iconic role as Logan/Wolverine. The MCU and the multiverse will feature prominently in the film as the two traverse many universes, which should be more than enough to draw in fans.

Noteworthy Mentions:

Alien: Romulus, Beetlejuice 2, Joker Folie à Deux, Imaginary, Inside Out 2, Kung Fu Panda 4, Mickey 17, Nosferatu, Rebel Moon, Part Two: The Scargiver, Venom 3

TV Shows

10. 3 Body Problem

The adaptation of Liu Cixin’s novel about an impending alien invasion will hopefully be as complex and mind-bending as the novel.

9. Fallout

Amazon Prime’s live-action adaptation of the popular post-apocalyptic video game looks both faithful to the source material and intriguing.

8. The Umbrella Academy

The fourth and final season of the quirky superhero family team should be as goofy and endearing as the previous seasons as it concludes their unique storylines.

7. Star Wars: The Acolyte

It is unknown if this Disney+ Star Wars TV show, which is set in the era of the High Republic, will air this year. But it seems to be the most interesting of the announced Star Wars TV shows.

6. Star Trek: Prodigy

The second and final season of this better-than-expected animated Star Trek TV show will stream on Netflix and hopefully will conclude its storyline of diverse alien youths turned into Starfleet cadets.

5. What If…?

The animated series set in the MCU went all out with its stories of alternate realities. There hasn’t been any word on when it premieres, but Disney+ already gave us a teaser, so it may drop soon.

4. Agatha: Darkhold Diaries

Agatha Harkness was one of the most popular characters and villains to come out of WandaVision. It was only natural that she was rewarded with her own spinoff show, which will dwell more into her background.

3. The Boys

Season 4 of the dark look at superhero celebrities will amp up the conflict between the amoral Homelander with his Superman-like powers and those trying to oppose the popular tyrant in the making.

2 Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Netflix live-action version of the popular animated TV show will be much more accurate than the awful 2010 live-action film that rushed through the intricate fantasy world of the element benders with its whitewash casting.

1. House of the Dragon

The prequel series to Game of Thrones was unbelievably better than expected as we were instantly enthralled with the family dynamics of the Targaryen royal family.

Season two promises to push these envelopes further with the bitter rivalry with the family as they use their deadly dragons to duel over the rightful claim to the Targaryen throne.

Noteworthy Mentions:

Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief in Halo Season 1, Episode 1, streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Adrienn Szabo/Paramount+

Dark Matter, Echo, Halo, Invincible, Orphan Black: Echoes, The Penguin, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Sugar, Time Bandits, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

Dec 31 2023

Top Ten Films & TV Shows Of 2023

2023 boasted its fair share of exceptional genre films and TV shows. It is also noted for being the year when superhero films and TV shows started to lose steam. More on that some other time. Still, there plenty of quality fare for us fans and here are the best films and TV shows of 2023. Be sure to drop a comment with your own choices and rankings.

Films

10. 65

Adam Driver starred as a pilot of a crashed starship who struggled to survive in a hellish prehistoric landscape that turned out to be Earth 65 million years ago. This absorbing survival tale had intense moments and great dinosaur scenes.

9. The Creator

Garth Edwards’ film about a soldier protecting a young A.I.girl while pursued by hostile forces was derivative in terms of its plot. But its jaw-dropping visuals of a future Asian society where man and A.I. live harmoniously, action scenes and performances more than made up for its flaws.

8. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

The third Ant-Man film was unfairly put down by many who missed the usual capers of the previous Ant-Man films. Instead this film went in a different and wilder sci-fi direction as our heroes explored bizarre landscapes and confronted the next big bad in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Kang the Conqueror.

7. Leave the World Behind

This apocalyptic psychological thriller was both disturbing and intriguing as we see how the world begins to crumble from the viewpoint of vacationers. We were also swept up in their horrified plight as they struggled to understand their new situation and survive in a dangerous new normal with their limited skills and experience.

6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

This fun-filled fantasy romp based on the classic board game turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The film boasted spirited performances starting with Chris Pine as a lovable rogue and an imaginative script and direction that always kept the pace moving throughout the film.

5. Blue Beetle

It’s a shame that one of the last DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films did not perform better in theaters since it was of the best DCEU films. While the film followed the typical superhero origin formula, its strong performances, direction, and humorous family interactions elevated the film with its back-to-basics approach with superhero films.

4. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

The last hurrah for our favorite swashbuckling archeologist hit many emotional notes in its depiction of Indiana Jones in his twilight years. Yes, Steven Spielberg’s masterful direction was sorely missed in the final Indiana Jones film, but its solid direction, thrilling action and Harrison Ford’s solid performance as the title hero made this a memorable finale to the fantasy adventure franchise.

3. Godzilla Minus Zero

The latest Godzilla film proved that the decades-old franchise could still deliver captivating and exciting kaiju films. It stood above other Godzilla films thanks to its grounded approach, emphasis on relatable characters and a directorial decision to make the title creature a terrifying force of nature. It’s easy to see why this is one of the best Godzilla films.

2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

There were other notable animated films this year like Elemental or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem that rivaled Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with distinctive animation and scripts. However, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse stood out from the pack with stunning and unparalleled animation that was simply stunning.

More importantly, what made the film such a success was its engaging storyline of a relatable Miles Morales involved in a head-spinning story, which involved other universes and characters. Cannot wait for the conclusion to the storyline!

1. Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3

James Gunn’s final MCU film was one of the best in the Marvel film franchise. It perfectly closed the chapter of these lovable galactic misfits/heroes while exploring their emotional connections and giving us glimpses of how the team would continue without the OG heroes.

This film proved that the MCU could still deliver quality films that are widely acclaimed and perform well. What made audiences engage with Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3 was its emotional core as we witnessed the tragic backstory of Rocket Raccoon, the fragile nature of the other guardians, and one of the most evil MCU villains ever shown.

Noteworthy Mentions:

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Elemental, Evil Dead Rise, The Flash, Knock at the Cabin, M3GAN, The Marvels, Rebel Moon, Part One: A Child of Fire, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

TV Shows

10. Superman & Lois

The third season of the final Arrowverse TV show continued demonstrating that it is one of the best Arrowverse TV shows as Superman/Clark Kent continued balancing life as a superhero and a husband and father to his family in Smallville.

9. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

This TV show did so much to flesh out and expand the world of the Monsterverse by featuring interesting characters and fascinating plots involving time jumps and conspiracies. The result was a fascinating look at the impact that giant kaijus would have in the world.

8. For All Mankind

Ronald D. Moore’s alternate reality TV series where the Soviets landed on the moon first, relished in how that reality has begun to wildly diverge from ours as it featured life on a thriving Martian colony circa 2003, along with the intriguing geopolitics and personal drama that often intertwined.

7. What If…?

The second season of this animated MCU TV show featured more diverse variant MCU characters and situations. Unlike the live-action MCU, What If…? really let its imagination run wild with the concept of the Multiverse thanks to its inventive tales of alternate MCU realities.

6. Sweet Tooth

The second season of this live-action adaptation of the Vertigo comic book by Jeff Lemire was just as enjoyable as the first thanks to winning characters like young Gus and other animal/children hybrids and humans trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a plague and warlords.

5. Gen V

This spinoff of The Boys was much more than a satirical take on the X-Men or the New Mutants. It further fleshed out the world of The Boys and underlined the dark side of supeheroics with relatable characters who suffered with the burden of having super powers and their lives as angst-ridden teenagers.

4. The Last of Us

This was a faithful and tense adaptation of the classic video game about a ruthless man protecting a young girl in a world devastated by a plague that turned most of humanity into mindless monsters. The performances were simply brilliant and the scripts truly touched viewers during its explorations of the characters and their relationships in a savage world.

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

The second season continued the episodic back-to-basics approach to Star Trek with excellent one-off episodes. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was buoyed by solid scripts and spot-on acting, which made it one of the franchise’s best entries. Even though some of the episodes may have been too bizarre like the musical episode or the one that featured characters from the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, the season overall was a genuine success.

2. Loki

From the first frenetic moments of its premiere episode to the majestic triumph of its last scenes in the season finale, Loki singlehandedly demonstrated that there was still creative life in the MCU, which struggled in 2023.

Highlighted by brain-twisting time travel conundrums and a topnotch cast, the second season of Loki was arguably better than the first as we saw the title character complete his emotional transformation from a petty foe into a mature god burdened with maintaining all of time and reality.

1. Star Trek: Picard

Yes, the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard reveled in memberberries, call backs, Easter eggs and references. But it was much more than that, it was a genuine love letter and tribute to the Star Trek franchise, circa 1990s.

Star Trek: Picard had an engaging and exciting storyline with many twists and turns as it reunited the cast from Star Trek: The Next Generation for one last hurrah to save the United Federation of Planets from an old foe. At the same time, the TV show introduced intriguing new characters that tantalized viewers with potential future adventures. Come on, give us a Star Trek: Legacy show already!

Noteworthy Mentions:

Ahsoka, Black Mirror, the Doctor Who specials, Doom Patrol, Foundation, Harley Quinn, Invincible, La Brea, The Mandalorian, One Piece, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Primal, Scavengers Reign, Scott PIlgrim Takes Off, Silo, Upload

 

Dec 18 2023

MCU Kang Actor Jonathan Majors Found Guilty

Jonathan Majors, very recently one of the most promising rising actors and best known for his role as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has been found guilty today for assault and harassment in New York City.

Early this year, Majors had been on an upward trajectory with his acting career, winning a lot of acclaim for his many performances. His most prominent genre roles were as Kang/He Who Remains/Victor Timely in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as well as Atticus Freeman in Lovecraft Country, and Rafe Drummond in Captive State. In March of this year, Majors was arrested for assault after a major domestic dispute with his girlfriend that turned physically violent. This arrest at the time put his future as Kang in doubt, as well as with other acting projects.

Now that he as been found guilty for misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, Marvel Studios and its parent company Disney have already dropped him from his role as Kang and his acting career is over.

Ordinarily this turn of events would have been catastrophic for Marvel Studios and its MCU given that Kang was supposed to be the cinematic universe’s main villain for its upcoming slate of films including Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. However, being that the character is heavily involved with multiverses and variants as seen in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania it should be fairly simple for Marvel Studios to recast the role. To satisfy fans who would question why the character looks different going forward, an in-universe explanation could be that a new variant of Kang came into prominence. There is already precedent for other types of Kangs. In a post-credits scene for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania we witness not just several thousand Kangs but some that were not even human. So, recasting Kang should not be an issue.

It is regrettable that this has happened given Majors’ talent, but he was found guilty and has to pay for his crimes. His acting career is over but after facing justice, Jonathan Majors will have a chance to get the help he needs.

As for Disney and Marvel Studios, this is just another headache they’ve had to contend with and the second time an actor was suddenly not available for a prominent role as we saw when Chadwick Boseman passed away. It is best for Marvel Studios to move on as they already have in order to prevent any more delays with their upcoming MCU projects. But, the best lesson for the studio is to properly vet the actors and other filmmakers to prevent any future controversies with its MCU projects.

Getting back to Kang’s future in the MCU, just because Jonathan Majors can no longer play Kang, this does not mean the character has to be discarded. Kang showed a lot of potential as a captivating villain and the storyline about a rampant multiverse is rather interesting and should be allowed to be concluded in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Hopefully, Marvel Studios will find the right person to replace Jonathan Majors and continue with the multiverse storyline.

Nov 27 2023

The MCU Woes, Part II: How To Correct Itself

The latest online trend has been to bash Marvel Studios and its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Toxic trolls have been pouring out with uncontrolled glee proclaiming Marvel Studios is too woke and deserves to fail. They point to the disappointing reception for many of the MCU’s latest offerings as proof that the brand is dead. Further adding fuel to the fire, Marvel Studios has delayed many of its productions to improve them.

It is undeniable that the MCU brand has taken some hits and is not regarded as highly as it was during its heyday, to call the brand dead or beyond repair is a gross exaggeration.

Thankfully, Marvel Studios and its parent company Disney have recognized the situation and are taking concrete steps to course correct and ensure the MCU regain its reputation for quality superhero films and TV shows. Sure, the MCU has taken its lumps, but what brand is not immune to this? Many times it is good to take a tumble, this gives one the chance to learn from mistakes and improve. This is what is going on with the MCU.

First of all, Marvel Studios has shown the willingness to scrap what they have worked on and start over. One example is the Daredevil: Born Again TV show which has been scrapped and been redone. Another example is that Captain America: Brave New World has been delayed in order to rework it due to a poor test screening. Then there are the rumors that Kang will be written out of the future films and TV shows in favor of Doctor Doom. This would take care of the situation with Jonathan Majors facing trial for domestic abuse, especially if he is found guilty. These examples demonstrate that Marvel Studios is willing to take the necessary steps to take the time to produce the best projects possible.

Better Scripts Needed

However, the first and most important step that needs to be taken is to devote more time to the scripts. Allow the writers to tell proper stories and DO NOT GO INTO PRODUCTION UNLESS THE SCRIPTS ARE COMPLETED TO EVERYONE’S SATISFACTION. This would largely take care of the problem of realizing a film is not working and having to do major retooling with it in post-production. This is why recent projects like Secret Invasion fared so poorly. It’s been reported that Secret Invasion had major overhauls and rewrites in the middle of its production, which is why the end product seemed so underdeveloped and rushed. On the other hand, look at two recent MCU successes: Loki Season 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 3. Both productions had well-crafted scripts that were full of heart and flowed well. More importantly the stories logically reached their conclusions while servicing the characters. This is a major reason why both projects received so much acclaim and performed well.

Even though it is important to follow a certain narrative as dictated by the higher ups and to meet deadlines, the screenwriters should be given more autonomy with their scripts. It is also important at this point with the MCU to hire great writers who have a record of turning in terrific and solid screenplays.

The same should go with directors. This is a difficult task given that Marvel Studios is more hands on with their productions than normal. Still, the past has shown us that great directors like James Gunn and Ryan Coogler, and the Russo Brothers can work within the confines of an MCU production and deliver great films. Oftentimes, Marvel Studios hires relatively unknown directors who wilt under the pressure and demands of the studio and turn in mediocre films or TV shows. Marvel Studios has to make sure that the best possible directors are hired for their projects. If they want to go with lesser known (and cheaper) directors, have them feel their oats with some of the TV shows. Michael Giacchino is a prime example of this. Known only for his film scores, Giacchino blew everyone away with his directing duties in Werewolf By Night.

Continue reading →