The Marvel Cinematic Universe Discussion

[Jake]

They just released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania which is supposed to be the start of phase five, which will explore more of the universe and see Kang the Conqueror as the major villain.

Figured it might be handy to have a general thread for an overall discussion of the cinematic universe they're building.

 

[Maul]

I can't wait to see what they will do with the Fantastic Four.

 

[Jake]

I can't wait to see what they will do with the Fantastic Four.

I just hope they avoid using Dr. Doom as the main villain or Galactus. There's countless other options and they could find a way to blend in elements of the Avengers and X-Men too.

 

[Nick]

I heard somebody compare Phase 4 to an in-beween season of anime (like when they're waiting for the Manga to add more episodes to adapt). Aside from certain highlights like No Way Home, that's what I've felt about the last five or so films I've seen. Hopefully they find their footing again soon.

 

[Nick]

I created a log for Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, if any of you are interested in logging your review of the film.

I will eventually create logs for all the Marvel flicks and so on. Maybe I will have a Marvel month someday to have 'em all added at once.

 

[Jake]

I heard somebody compare Phase 4 to an in-beween season of anime (like when they're waiting for the Manga to add more episodes to adapt). Aside from certain highlights like No Way Home, that's what I've felt about the last five or so films I've seen. Hopefully they find their footing again soon.

I can agree. A lot of the films during Phase Four were less than enjoyable and if it hadn't been for Far From Home and No Way Home, the MCU would have suffered massive losses.

 

[Maul]

Two MCU Sequels Reportedly Added To Offical Production Schedule

Marvel Studios may have pulled back production on some of their new movies and shows, but two sequels appear to have now been added to the slate.

movieweb.com

 

[Tramuson]

I don't root on Marvel to fail (why would I?), but I wonder if we may start to see a shift now that it is starting to show cracks in its armor. It blew its load with Avengers: Endgame, and now it has to build back up again. With James Gunn trying to recalibrate the DC universe, I wonder if we may start to see a more competitive matchup between them.

Either that, or maybe ... something new to take over, like Avatar clones?

 

[Nick]

I don't root on Marvel to fail (why would I?), but I wonder if we may start to see a shift now that it is starting to show cracks in its armor. It blew its load with Avengers: Endgame, and now it has to build back up again. With James Gunn trying to recalibrate the DC universe, I wonder if we may start to see a more competitive matchup between them.

Either that, or maybe ... something new to take over, like Avatar clones?

That's an interesting prospect - I know I had heard one theory applied to superheroes that they were the "modern-day westerns" and that, one day, they would fizzle out and leave from the mainstream spotlight. I don't know if I agree with that, exactly. I believe it's the formula of Marvel movies (and DC movies, etc.) that allows them to prosper. They are a never-ending franchise. Thus, what would replace them, has to be a new never-ending franchise (i.e. a Star Wars universe, a Avatar universe, etc.) that can branch off in dozens of ways and still repeatedly feel, at least artificially, "new".

I don't necessarily think superheroes are overexposed. Instead, I feel like other genres are underrepresented. I want more from every genre, not less from one genre to make it feel like we have more from the other - unfortunately, that'll only happen if they start receiving returns at the box office.

 

[Hattrick]

I don't necessarily think superheroes are overexposed. Instead, I feel like other genres are underrepresented. I want more from every genre, not less from one genre to make it feel like we have more from the other - unfortunately, that'll only happen if they start receiving returns at the box office.

That's the double-edged sword of it though, isn't it? You want your cake and to eat it too. I understand that, for sure. But, the issue is, there is only so much money to go around. It's either this or that. Superheroes or another franchise film. And, right now, superheroes are the grass being watered, and until that changes, we won't see fantasy films or westerns, or science-fictions or better yet, something new and innovative.

 

[Nick]

That's the double-edged sword of it though, isn't it? You want your cake and to eat it too. I understand that, for sure. But, the issue is, there is only so much money to go around. It's either this or that. Superheroes or another franchise film. And, right now, superheroes are the grass being watered, and until that changes, we won't see fantasy films or westerns, or science-fictions or better yet, something new and innovative.

Indeed, it is. Every now and again, you will see Hollywood (or a film industry) invest money and try to do a new intellectual property. For example, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Mortal Instruments, and Jupiter Ascending, and I always root for. It isn't because I necessarily expect them to be good, but because I understand the mentality that rising tides raise all ships. All I meant to suggest earlier is that I don't have this feeling of, "Ugh, too many superhero films," and not necessarily the idea that the entertainment industry is fairly diversifying their funds and what projects receive the right amount of attention.

We receive four, maybe five superhero movies every year, give or take, right? That isn't that much. No one is suffering because there is four or five comedies every year, and I believe there is certainly enough different about Guardians of the Galaxy and The Batman that they satisfy different interests for each moviegoer.

However, I know how it can seem that way when we don't receive as much love to other genres.

 

[Jake]

I don't root on Marvel to fail (why would I?), but I wonder if we may start to see a shift now that it is starting to show cracks in its armor. It blew its load with Avengers: Endgame, and now it has to build back up again. With James Gunn trying to recalibrate the DC universe, I wonder if we may start to see a more competitive matchup between them.

Either that, or maybe ... something new to take over, like Avatar clones?

I would love to see more competition from DC. We haven't really seen much out of their side of the fence since the Christopher Nolan Batman films. DC has its own large roster of heroes and villains and I would love to see a Crime Syndicate or even some of the other Flash, Batman and Superman villains.

On the subject of Marvel though, I debated on seeing Ant-Man today and couldn't bring myself to do it. Even with Movie Pass, where I'm not really paying for the ticket, just the $10/month fee for the service, it wasn't enough to tip the scales for me to see it.

Probably the first time that's happened in regards to a Marvel film in a long time.

 

[Nick]

I would love to see more competition from DC. We haven't really seen much out of their side of the fence since the Christopher Nolan Batman films. DC has its own large roster of heroes and villains and I would love to see a Crime Syndicate or even some of the other Flash, Batman and Superman villains.

On the subject of Marvel though, I debated on seeing Ant-Man today and couldn't bring myself to do it. Even with Movie Pass, where I'm not really paying for the ticket, just the $10/month fee for the service, it wasn't enough to tip the scales for me to see it.

Probably the first time that's happened in regards to a Marvel film in a long time.

That new Batman film they did, I absolutely loved it, personally. It is easily amongst my favorite interpretations of the Batman character, and the cinematography was off the charts for it.

 

[Jake]

That new Batman film they did, I absolutely loved it, personally. It is easily amongst my favorite interpretations of the Batman character, and the cinematography was off the charts for it.

Oh, The Batman was great. I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the Joaquin Phoenix Joker film and am looking forward to the sequel of that and the Lady Gaga interpretation of Harley, though I think I imagined her more as a Poison Ivy.

I guess I should make a DC Universe discussion since that seems to be what Gunn is aiming for rather than clutter the MCU thread with discussions.

I guess the next Marvel film I'm interested in is Deadpool 3 because they haven't disappointed and have stayed true to telling a story while highlighting what made Deadpool, the character, so popular in the first place.

 

[Nick]

Oh, The Batman was great. I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the Joaquin Phoenix Joker film and am looking forward to the sequel of that and the Lady Gaga interpretation of Harley, though I think I imagined her more as a Poison Ivy.

I guess I should make a DC Universe discussion since that seems to be what Gunn is aiming for rather than clutter the MCU thread with discussions.

I guess the next Marvel film I'm interested in is Deadpool 3 because they haven't disappointed and have stayed true to telling a story while highlighting what made Deadpool, the character, so popular in the first place.

I am definitely looking forward to the next Guardians of the Galaxy, as those have always been fun enough. The next Deadpool will be a ways off, but I am sure it will be also be a lot of fun.

 

[Jake]

Yeah, it's a shame that it's going to be the last one of the Guardians for a while. They brought a nice touch of humor to the otherwise serious Marvel films lately. Going to be interesting to see how Ant-Man does going forward as word of mouth and audience reviews come in. I've heard mixed bags and whilst not one prone to believing the reviews, this one I'm afraid not to with some of the clips I've seen.

 

[Nick]

Yeah, it's a shame that it's going to be the last one of the Guardians for a while. They brought a nice touch of humor to the otherwise serious Marvel films lately. Going to be interesting to see how Ant-Man does going forward as word of mouth and audience reviews come in. I've heard mixed bags and whilst not one prone to believing the reviews, this one I'm afraid not to with some of the clips I've seen.

The Guardians of the Galaxy series was the answer to superhero fatigue in some ways. It didn't exactly feel like a superhero film so much so as it did a goofy version of Star Wars. That's what I'd like to see more of, finding ways to take Marvel properties and make news thing out of them. It's also why Captain America: The Winter Soldier worked, because it felt more like an espionage spy thriller.

 

[Jake]

The Guardians of the Galaxy series was the answer to superhero fatigue in some ways. It didn't exactly feel like a superhero film so much so as it did a goofy version of Star Wars. That's what I'd like to see more of, finding ways to take Marvel properties and make news thing out of them. It's also why Captain America: The Winter Soldier worked, because it felt more like an espionage spy thriller.

Well that's what I'm hoping happens with the purchasing of the rights to X-Men and the Fantastic Four. It would be great to see more of a Noir type film with the X-Men, maybe a rehashing of the future wars where mutants are on the run from the Sentinels with Sentinel Mastermind as the chief villain.

 

[Bryan]

Like I said in the Ant-Man thread, I believe a lot of the goodwill that Marvel had has went away post-Endgame. I feel like they had a lot of forward momentum. That momentum made it easier to overlook things, like the formulaic humor, etc., and they'd get by by slowly tackling things we always criticized (like how it took them until like their fifteenth film to have a good villain with Thanos). Now that they have fired off all they had, they will have to rebuild. Now, 20-something films in, I think they will find audiences will be less likely to accept certain criticisms and shrug them off. It won't be overnight, but, million-by-million, I think we will start to see audiences go away and move on, unless they can find a way to grab their attention again.

 

[Jake]

Like I said in the Ant-Man thread, I believe a lot of the goodwill that Marvel had has went away post-Endgame. I feel like they had a lot of forward momentum. That momentum made it easier to overlook things, like the formulaic humor, etc., and they'd get by by slowly tackling things we always criticized (like how it took them until like their fifteenth film to have a good villain with Thanos). Now that they have fired off all they had, they will have to rebuild. Now, 20-something films in, I think they will find audiences will be less likely to accept certain criticisms and shrug them off. It won't be overnight, but, million-by-million, I think we will start to see audiences go away and move on, unless they can find a way to grab their attention again.

They're already seeing it with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Ant-Man was beat at the box office by Cocaine Bear of all films. If that doesn't say something about the current feelings in regards to Marvel films, I don't know what will.