The MCU - Marvel Cinematic Universe

[Naïve Old Fart 9,542]

I'm not a 13 year-old girl, but give me a chance to see a bunch of women in Spandex, and I'll take it! 

[A24 4,338]

I don't see much difference between Wakanda Forever and The Eternals. I thought both weren't particularly good, but they were surprisingly watchable.

[GerateWohl 4,370]

I found both, Eternals and Wakanda Forever, empty, boring and pointless. 

[A24 4,338]

So, yes, there's very little difference between both of them. That makes sense to me. 

 

I would even say that, with its similarities to Watchmen, the plot of The Eternals is more interesting.

 

So in that respect, it's understandable that hardcore Marvelites don't like that movie.

[Tallguy 3,398]

The American stuff was terrible, agreed. But until you just reminded me, I forgot Namor was in the movie. The only thing that was even kind of memorable to me was Angela Bassett.

 

The story of grief was a good background for the movie but it couldn't BE the movie. And unfortunately it was. With a bunch of superhero stuff that kept coming up and interfering with the plot.

 

This might be an admission against interest, but I think they should have recast T'Challa.

 

But hey, I don't remember much about Ant-Man 3 either. And that makes me so sad.

[Nick1Ø66 4,718]

4 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

I found both, Eternals and Wakanda Forever, empty, boring and pointless. 

  

Like lite beer? Or more decaf coffee? Or fat-free cheese?

[GerateWohl 4,370]

32 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

  Like lite beer? Or more decaf coffee? Or fat-free cheese?

I couldn't have described it better.

[Groovygoth666 670]

On 07/11/2023 at 12:39 PM, Jay said:

Final trailer for The Marvels

 

 

At 1:40 it looks like the villains death, kinda weird choice to put in a trailer 😕

[Edmilson 7,466]

7 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said:

The only stuff that sullied Wakanda Forever for me was the American stuff.

 

I agree. That whole American subplot with Martin Freeman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus was completely uninteresting. It either should've been written better or completely dropped off the movie, which would make it more efficient and less overlong.

[Edmilson 7,466]

Next year's only MCU movie will be Deadpool 3, which will be released on July 26, 2024.

 

Captain America: Brave New World will be released on Feb 14, 2025. Additionally, Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” has moved from Dec. 20, 2024 to July 25, 2025 and its upcoming “Blade” reboot has shifted from Feb. 15, 2025 to Nov. 7, 2025.

 

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/deadpool-3-captain-america-4-lion-king-prequel-delayed-1235786760/

 

The decision for “Deadpool” to leave its May release date now leaves a sizable crater in next year’s summer blockbuster line-up. The first weekend of May is prime real estate for studios, usually representing a big kick-off for the season. Marvel has laid claim to the frame in recent years with titles like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”

 

Curiously, Disney still has another tentpole set for May, with 20th Century Studios’ “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” slated for the 24th of the month, opening against Warner Bros.’ “Mad Max” spin-off “Furiosa.” But with “Kingdom” still sticking to its original date as opposed to moving up three weeks, it seems likely that some studio other than Disney will swoop in to claim the first days of May — that is, if any film can be completed in time to make that date as productions begin again post-strike.

[GerateWohl 4,370]

I mean, I can forgive these movies a lot, but no bad action and bad humor. And in that regard... Eternals and Wakanda Forever were really bad.

[Jay 37,369]

Strange this is they still have to finish filming Deadpool 3, while Captain America 4 is already filmed.  Maybe they are going to do massive reshoots

[Nick1Ø66 4,718]

24 minutes ago, Jay said:

Strange this is they still have to finish filming Deadpool 3, while Captain America 4 is already filmed.  Maybe they are going to do massive reshoots

 

 

Captain America 4 gets reshoots after 'poor test screening'

 

It's just a rumour at this point, so take it with a grain of salt. But it makes sense given the delay.

[Jay 37,369]

Yea, sure does!

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

I also feel they want Deadpool 3 released first because they are feeling best about that film

[Jay 37,369]

?  No, it's because it's the only other MCU film that had started filming

[Edmilson 7,466]

Still, I think Deadpool 3, which apparently will bring back heroes of the Fox Marvel era, is more of a priority as it can be another No Way Home-level event. 

 

The new Cap movie will probably need a ton of reshoots.

[Nick1Ø66 4,718]

I think it's somewhat interesting that the Marvel projects people seem to be most excited about, and what the MCU seems to be banking on, are Sony's Spider-Man and FOX's (well, formerly FOX's) X-Men. How times have changed.

 

 

 

[Tallguy 3,398]

I'm nervous about any new Spideys. First off it's such a weird thing they've done, second I'm still stinging from Ant-Man and Thor.

 

Seriously, they're going to have a series where the only thing staying the same is the lead (which is arguably better than the reverse) but HE remembers the other movies but nobody else does? I guess everyone remembers Spider-Man, just not Peter.

 

They're going to try to catch lightning in the bottle AGAIN at a time when they're not really firing on all cylinders.

 

When I think that the MCU introduced Spidey one year after Ultron, it almost makes me dizzy.

[Mephariel 451]

17 hours ago, Tallguy said:

It may have had stronger ideas in places and more emotional performances but it didn't have a center that held it together.

 

I don't get this. Black Panther was good, but it was so conventionally a comic story. Wakanda Forever explores grander themes such as tribal politics, grief, parenting, and finding oneself. It isn't just a noble guy wearing a suit fighting a bad guy fighting in a suit. I found WF to be the type of grand, serious storytelling that is missing in the whole MCU. There were genuine decision-based stakes and consequences. Characters suffer from gruesome fates and have to overcome inner obstacles. The only weakness in this film is the dumb Ironheart character. Cut that out and you have truly great film. 

[Nick1Ø66 4,718]

In retrospect, what they should have done after Endgame was given most of the legacy characters from the Infinity Saga a rest and just rebooted with X-Men and Fantastic 4. Keep it in the same universe, sure, but keep the references to the Avengers crew to a minimum.

 

Because IMO most of what's come post-Endgame, even the good stuff, has felt like a leftover. Anticlimactic. You really can't top Endgame, so why even try?  And I really don't think most people are interested in seeing new versions of iconic characters, at least this soon.

 

It's gotten too big, too sprawling, too many shows and too many characters. The multiverse just makes it worse, confuses audiences and lowers the stakes, knowing that there are an infinite number of your favourite heroes that can be brought back at any time. Now, if the rumours are true, they're just going to tease us with classic Avengers coming back in cameos in the new films just to get people to show up in the cinema. It's neither authentic nor sustainable. 

 

Eventually they're just going to have to blow it all up and start over. Hopefully, after a long pause.

[Damien F 1,742]

I totally agree. I'm a huge fan of the Infinity Saga and would happily defend the MCU during that era from its detractors. But most of the post-Endgame movies have felt like an unnecessary and often sub-standard coda, like a great TV show that has continued a few too many seasons past its prime.

 

I've enjoyed some of the MCU shows a little more, especially for some of their characters, but shows like Secret Invasion was crap and tarnished the brand even more.

 

If rumours are true and they are trying to bring back the OG avengers who have already left the story, that just stinks of desperation.

 

The MCU needs to take a break, maybe even something as dramatic as cutting their losses and realize they are not on the right path and cancel the remaining Kang movies. Then take some time to regroup and return with X-Men and Fantastic Four. That's what most people are waiting for anyway.

[Andy 4,138]

All fictional universes are best when they’re being built up and leading to something.  The same goes for the source material in this case.   There’s diminishing returns when the number of characters and battles become unmanageable. 

[Mr. Who 919]

The main mistake they did was green lighting so many side projects after Endgame. They should have stuck with 2 to 3 movies per year and not start making shows. The shows made the universe more complicated and didn’t lead anywhere and made it feel like homework for people. They should have let it be streamlined and slowly built towards a new phase without the multiverse gimmick.

 

I was a MCU fan during the first phases but after endgame I just can’t be bothered.p, though spider man nwh was great!

[Mr. Hooper 1,793]

"Yes" to everything being said here. After the brilliant buildup to and payoff of 'Endgame', I thought: "How are they going to top this?"

 

At this point, I'm looking forward to a fresh take on X-Men and The Fantastic Four, and the continuation of Tom Holland's Spider-Man, which I thoroughly enjoyed. They better take their sweet time and make sure these are good, cuz Marvel's resurrection depends on them.

 

And as much as I enjoyed Tony Stark, please leave him in the ground and don't cheapen his sacrifice by bringing him back by way of some multiverse nonsense or anything else.

[Mephariel 451]

2 hours ago, Mr. Who said:

The main mistake they did was green lighting so many side projects after Endgame. They should have stuck with 2 to 3 movies per year and not start making shows. The shows made the universe more complicated and didn’t lead anywhere and made it feel like homework for people. They should have let it be streamlined and slowly built towards a new phase without the multiverse gimmick.

 

I was a MCU fan during the first phases but after endgame I just can’t be bothered.p, though spider man nwh was great!

 

To me this is the real answer. Take the time they need to introduce new characters and make each one special. 

[Groovygoth666 670]

1 hour ago, Mr. Hooper said:

At this point, I'm looking forward to a fresh take on X-Men and The Fantastic Four, and the continuation of Tom Holland's Spider-Man, which I thoroughly enjoyed. They better take their sweet time and make sure these are good, cuz Marvel's resurrection depends on them.

With X-Men it seems they're going to be bringing over the Fox ones. If it's true that Kelsey Grammers Beast is in the post credit scene of The Marvels and Deadpool 3 is set to be a part of the MCU and somehow still canon with the Fox continuity it appears that Marvel might just multiverse them into the MCU rather than starting from scratch, and like you I'd be much more interested in a fresh take. 

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

I believe they are planning to get some of the Fox X-Men back in Deadpool 3 and a film after that. And give them a real ending.

 

Then after that they're starting from scratch

[Giftheck 916]

5 hours ago, Groovygoth666 said:

If it's true that Kelsey Grammers Beast is in the post credit scene of The Marvels

 

Spoiler

It is

 

[Nick1Ø66 4,718]

23 hours ago, Jay said:

Yea, sure does!

 

They're saying six months of reshoots, which almost sounds like they're filming the entire movie again.

 

And the fact that Sabra is supposed to be featured in Cap 4 is probably freaking Disney out a bit at the moment, and I'm sure they're trying to figure out how to handle it in terms of the story.

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

6 months of reshoots doesn't necessarily mean shooting for every day for 6 months.

 

It's always spread out due to the cast having other commitments and such.

 

Even taking that into account, 6 months is quite expansive. But look to Rogue One, that was reshot almost to death and that turned out great!

[Edmilson 7,466]

[Tallguy 3,398]

On 11/11/2023 at 9:30 AM, Nick1Ø66 said:

And the fact that Sabra is supposed to be featured in Cap 4 is probably freaking Disney out a bit at the moment, and I'm sure they're trying to figure out how to handle it in terms of the story.

 

Sell tickets?

[Edmilson 7,466]

Marvel Taught Us That Movies Need to Be Events, but the MCU No Longer Qualifies

[Tallguy 3,398]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Marvel Taught Us That Movies Need to Be Events, but the MCU No Longer Qualifies

 

Haven't read the article but at least the last half of that sentence is true.

[Dr. Rick 1,157]

So I guess Star Wars movies weren't events back in the day?  The hype for TPM was 100 times crazier than End Game.

[Mr. Hooper 1,793]

The hype for Phantom Menace was indeed crazy. I remember shows like Access Hollywood counting down the last 100 days before the release! The excitement level was high because it had been 16 long years, and we were hungry for a new episode.

 

But since The Force Awakens—and the subsequent glut of Star Wars content—'Star Wars' doesn't feel like an event anymore.

 

Disney forced its golden goose to lay too many eggs, and they really fouled their nest by flooding us with mediocre Disney+ series, both Star Wars and Marvel.

 

Pre-Endgame Marvel movies felt like events because they were building towards something exciting. The stories and characters were entwined in a way that engaged us, and the hints in the post-credits scenes got us talking and excited about what was to come. Post-Endgame Marvel is apparently having trouble recapturing that excitement and interest...

 

Is it bad plotting/writing? Too much Taika Waititi-flavoured humour negating the drama? Less engaging characters being chosen to lead the next charge? Or just "superhero fatigue"? Take your pick...

[Tallguy 3,398]

10 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

Pre-Endgame Marvel movies felt like events because they were building towards something exciting.

 

I think this is a little revisionist. For one thing, when Ultron started "building towards something" in earnest so many people complained.

 

The "plot" of the MCU tended to be big events like the dissolution of SHIELD or Civil War. Even in Doctor Strange when they name dropped "infinity stone" it still felt clunky.

 

Myself I was a little surprised when the trailer for Infinity War came out that "Wow, they're really doing another Avengers. And they're actually doing Thanos?" Obviously I was even more surprised when it was even better than anyone could have hoped for!

 

15 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

The stories and characters were entwined in a way that engaged us, and the hints in the post-credits scenes got us talking and excited about what was to come. Post-Endgame Marvel is apparently having trouble recapturing that excitement and interest...

 

This much is certain. But wow, looking back? Black Widow was... I can't even say. COVID didn't help. But it had no reason to exist and even then they weren't good at it. Thor was Ragnarok with even less good will. And Ant-Man... What the hell was Ant-Man?

 

Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America all dealt with the aftermath in the character's lives of The Avengers (1). And obviously the Blip was a much bigger event to deal with. But none of the post Endgame movies (with the possible exception of Far From Home) feel like they could deal with it AND move forward.

 

(This is getting kind of stream of consciousness now...) The reason the pre-Endgame movies felt like events was because you were always getting the next piece of the story (in addition to what were, by my lights, almost always a pretty good to great movie). Even Ant-Man kind of showed you briefly what was going on with the new Avengers Campus. After Endgame we absolutely wanted to know the next part of the story. (I mean, I did.) I never felt like Endgame was the end anymore than I felt Age of Ultron was the end.

 

Looking back on the last two years it's baffling.

 

It's also baffling how many people seem to be expressing something like "It's about time!"

[Edmilson 7,466]

2 hours ago, Dr. Rick said:

So I guess Star Wars movies weren't events back in the day?  The hype for TPM was 100 times crazier than End Game.

That's not what the title of the article meant. Of course event movies existed long before the MCU and from my point of view even before Jaws/Star Wars. Movies like The Sound of Music or Ben-Hur were massive events for their days.

 

However, during the last decade, Hollywood shifted focus to just blockbusters. Before the MCU, studios released smaller mid-budget movies like comedies, romance, dramas, etc., that still a lot of people paid to see in theaters. But ever since the mid-2010s the box office became concentrated around a handful of big budget billion-dollar-grossing megablockbusters, while this kind of mid-budget went to streaming. People only went to the theater to see the newest Star Wars or Fast & Furious episode or the next MCU superhero epic. In order to not completely disappear your movie must be an event - even if it's an indie event like Everything Everywhere All At Once.

 

Just compare with what came before: 1999 was the year of The Phantom Menace, but Notting Hill still found a spot among the top 10 movies at the box office. 1997 had Titanic as #1 and The Lost World at #2, but also As Good as it Gets at #6, Liar Liar at #7 and My Best Friend's Wedding at #8.

 

Heck, just look at the biggest movies of 1987: Three Men and a Baby, Fatal Attraction, Good Morning, Vietnam, Moonstruck, The Secret of My Success...

 

That's what the article was trying to say: after the MCU, the only way your movie can figure among the highest grossing of the year is by being a massive event based on a recognizable piece of media. But now the MCU itself doesn't even qualify as that anymore.

[Dr. Rick 1,157]

The title then is misleading clickbait, glad I didn’t click on it 

[GerateWohl 4,370]

The cool and exciting thing in the MCU until Endgame was, that Endgame actually managed to fulfill the promise of a resolving climax and a cool resolution after 20 movies moving towards this finale. Imagine Endgame would have been a desaster like The Rise of Skywalker. Star Wars had this chance as well and completely fucked it up.

 

Two lessons from this.

• Such a film series needs a climatic finale that fulfills the promise of the series. If not, you not just deliver a bad movie but you damage the whole franchise.
• When you have done such a finale, then you should really stop and leave it and do something different.

 

[Nick1Ø66 4,718]

7 hours ago, Edmilson said:

That's not what the title of the article meant. Of course event movies existed long before the MCU and from my point of view even before Jaws/Star Wars. Movies like The Sound of Music or Ben-Hur were massive events for their days.

 

However, during the last decade, Hollywood shifted focus to just blockbusters. Before the MCU, studios released smaller mid-budget movies like comedies, romance, dramas, etc., that still a lot of people paid to see in theaters. But ever since the mid-2010s the box office became concentrated around a handful of big budget billion-dollar-grossing megablockbusters, while this kind of mid-budget went to streaming. People only went to the theater to see the newest Star Wars or Fast & Furious episode or the next MCU superhero epic. In order to not completely disappear your movie must be an event - even if it's an indie event like Everything Everywhere All At Once.

 

Just compare with what came before: 1999 was the year of The Phantom Menace, but Notting Hill still found a spot among the top 10 movies at the box office. 1997 had Titanic as #1 and The Lost World at #2, but also As Good as it Gets at #6, Liar Liar at #7 and My Best Friend's Wedding at #8.

 

Heck, just look at the biggest movies of 1987: Three Men and a Baby, Fatal Attraction, Good Morning, Vietnam, Moonstruck, The Secret of My Success...

 

That's what the article was trying to say: after the MCU, the only way your movie can figure among the highest grossing of the year is by being a massive event based on a recognizable piece of media. But now the MCU itself doesn't even qualify as that anymore.

Yep.
 

TLDR: If every movie is an event, none of them are.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,542]

EARTHQUAKE was an event. It even said so on the poster 

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

Maybe noy, but it's only an "event film" that is getting people to the cinemas. So the studios are gonna keep trying to make them

[Tallguy 3,398]

We really need a new Blair Witch Project or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Movies that cost nothing and make all the money in the world.

 

I imagine we'll always have blockbusters. They cost a lot. They sometimes make a lot.

 

But Marvel was cranking out 2-3 of these a year for the better part of 10 years and pretty much all of them were hits. Even the ones that people (wrongly) complained about like Thor 2.

[Andy 4,138]

On 13/11/2023 at 7:52 AM, Edmilson said:

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

I loved the first season and this looks great!!!

 

Premieres December 22nd. Then one episode every day for 9 days.

 

 

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

Some more news

 

 

"Destin Daniel Cretton Departs As Director On ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’; Remains Aboard ‘Wonder Man’, ‘Shang-Chi 2’ & More In MCU"

 

https://deadline.com/2023/11/marvel-destin-daniel-cretton-avengers-kang-dynasty-exits-1235612901/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwiO4N_I9MaCAxXCPOwKHQMsBKoQg-AKKAB6BAgcEAE&usg=AOvVaw18TkJhYyfhzwGRqeBmtTs4

 

 

And some rumours about Fantastic Four

Spoiler

Rumours are that Pedro Pascal has been offered the role of Reed Richards

 

[Gabriel Bezerra 302]

On 14/11/2023 at 11:40 AM, Tallguy said:

We really need a new Blair Witch Project or My Big Fat Greek Wedding,

I believe My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is happening.

[Groovygoth666 670]

5 hours ago, Gabriel Bezerra said:

I believe My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is happening.

 

It came out in September -