#waves of X-Men making their MCU debuts'

[honoka-marierose]

Black Widow's track record in the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't always been flawless. The highs ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier") were certainly high, but the lows ("Avengers: Age of Ultron") were just as low. Still, the operative otherwise known as Natasha Romanoff was always the MCU's secret weapon. She practically ran away with every film she appeared in, and for a large part of the franchise's initial run, she was one of the few female characters making a consistent impact. But as Johansson continued to turn in solid supporting performances, it was hard to ignore the fact that she'd yet to get a chance to stand on her own.

By the time Marvel finally delivered a solo Black Widow project, it felt like way too little, too late. "Black Widow" found itself somewhere in the middle of the franchise's 15-year output: it did its title character justice, in a way, but it wasn't exactly worth the wait either. It didn't help that the film came hot on the heels of Natasha's shocking sacrifice in "Avengers: Endgame," perhaps as a conciliation prize for over a decade of demand for more female-centered stories.

"Black Widow" was only the second MCU film to feature a female lead after 2019's "Captain Marvel." Why exactly did it take so long for Marvel to give the people what they want; to recognize that the future is, in fact, female? The answer is tangled in a whole lot of red tape, but the behind-the-scenes book "MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios" boils down years of conflict to one pervasive issue: the obstinance of former Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter.

A tentative start

A Black Widow movie had been a topic of discussion even before the formation of the MCU. Conversations were taking place as far back as 2004 when Lionsgate optioned the rights to adapt the character in a feature film. Back then, Black Widow was considered the easiest Marvel character to bring to the big screen: there was already a precedent for spy films with the rise of Jason Bourne and his gritty, jet-setting contemporaries.

"X-Men" screenwriter David Hayter had been tapped to write and direct for Lionsgate — but whatever progress he made was halted by a new wave of ill-received action vehicles. "Unfortunately, as I was coming up on the final draft, a number of female vigilante movies came out," Hayter told the "MCU" authors. Some — like "Tomb Raider," "Underworld" and "Kill Bill" — were bankable hits. Others, however, weren't so lucky. After the less-than-auspicious release of the Charlize Theron-led "Æon Flux," Lionsgate pulled the plug on its Black Widow movie.

"'Æon Flux' didn't open well," Hayter recalled. "And three days after it opened the studio said, 'We don't think it's time to do this movie.'"

Hayter went on to develop Zack Snyder's "Watchmen" and Netflix's "Warrior Nun," but still looks back with regret on Lionsgate's canceled plans. "I accepted their logic in terms of the saturation of the marketplace, but it was pretty painful," he continued. "I had not only invested a lot of time in that movie, but I had also named my daughter, who was born in that time period, Natasha."

Designing Natasha

When Black Widow made her MCU debut in "Iron Man 2," Hollywood was still acclimating to the idea of a female-fronted superhero film. Fans seemed to want a solo Black Widow film right off the bat, but Marvel and its notoriously meddlesome Creative Committee remained lukewarm to the idea.

Johannson, meanwhile, was working hard to prime Black Widow for an imminent solo film. With the help of Joss Whedon, Nastaha's appearance in "The Avengers" felt much more grounded and nuanced. "Joss Whedon and I talked about her past," Johansson said. "Who is she? How does she get to be a mercenary? What path do you follow in order to get to that place? We both wanted to see the darker side of her — why did she have to learn those skills?"

Johansson's conversations with Whedon would lay the groundwork for Natasha's long-gestating solo film. "The Avengers" established her strong relationship with fellow Avenger Clint Barton, spun a compelling tale of her time before S.H.I.E.L.D., and reintroduced her as an operative with her own agenda. Johansson seemed much more at home in the role, which only made her performance that much more captivating. Natasha was holding her own with a handful of superpowered men. But that, in turn, raised an "obvious question": if Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man got to continue their arcs in their own films, why couldn't Black Widow?

Trouble in the toy aisle

As years passed, Marvel continued to drag its feet on a solo Black Widow movie. "There's no definitive plans," Kevin Feige said in 2011. "But we have started talking, and talking with Scarlett, about what a Widow movie could be."

But despite Feige's claims of progress, Marvel seemed no closer to greenlighting a Black Widow film. At the end of the day, the argument kept circling back to merchandise sales. "Toymakers will tell you [female heroes] won't sell enough," Whedon said in 2013. And given that the head of Marvel at the time, Ike Perlmutter, had made his name in the toy business, he had no problem clinging to that philosophy. For years, Black Widow action figures were conspicuously missing from toy shelves. The same goes for the female characters that followed in her footsteps, like Zoe Saldaña's Gamora from "Guardians of the Galaxy."

Things seemed to come to a head in 2015 when IndieWire's "Women and Film" blog uncovered an email sent from Perlmutter to a Sony executive. The message was brief, containing a short list of female-led superhero movies and their respective box office takeaways. Perlmutter cited "Catwoman" and "Elektra" as financial disasters, likely to discourage Sony from investing in a female action hero. (In 2014, Sony had announced its plans to develop a female-centered story for the Spider-Man Universe — just days before Perlmutter sent his email to Sony's Michael Lynton.)

Kevin Feige's last straw

By the time Perlmutter's email was leaked to the public, the outcry had reached its zenith. Female fans seemed more visible than ever, but female heroes continued to be sidelined in the MCU. It wasn't just Black Widow; fans were also disappointed in Marvel's decision to exclude the Wasp from "The Avengers," despite her being a founding member of the supergroup in the comics. Though she'd later appear in "Ant-Man," the 2015 film didn't do quite enough with her character. "Guardians of the Galaxy," meanwhile, had pulled a large female audience in its theatrical run (more than 40% of the audience was female). Change was certainly in the air, but Marvel remained unmoved by it.

Even Marvel head Kevin Feige had seemingly had enough and all-but-directly addressed Perlmutter's emails in a 2014 interview with Comic Book Resources. "I very much believe that it's unfair to say, 'People don't want to see movies with female heroes,' then list five movies that were not very good," he said. "And they don't mention 'Hunger Games,' 'Frozen,' 'Divergent.' You can go back to 'Kill Bill' or 'Aliens.' These are all female-led movies. It can certainly be done."

Feige's "unusually blunt criticism" of Perlmutter and the Creative Committee was one sign of his efforts behind the scenes. In 2017, Vanity Fair reported that Perlmutter had been "quietly sidelined" in "a long-overdue" management restructuring at Disney. Sources close to Marvel cited Perlmutter's "outdated opinions about casting, budgeting, and merchandising" — as well as his financial support of then-President Donald Trump — for the studio's switch in leadership.

The next generation

Once Feige was promoted to Chief Creative Officer, the MCU immediately pivoted to make its projects more inclusive. With films like "Black Panther" and "Captain Marvel," the franchise was finally beginning to mirror its audience. Those efforts paved the way for "Black Widow" to finally bow in 2021 — but even with all that red tape finally cleared, the film would have its own set of problems.

Still, for all that frustration, at least we know why it took so long to get more women-centered films off the ground. Marvel has since introduced a handful of powerful female heroes, all of whom owe some measure of debt to Black Widow, and to Johannson. It is, of course, a shame that she never got to truly enjoy the fruits of her labor: with Natasha's death in "Endgame," the MCU lost one of its most nuanced characters. "Black Widow" proved that she still had plenty to give, all while offering a brief glimpse into the sort of blockbuster vehicles that fans (and actors) have been denied for years.

Alas, such is the nature of a trailblazer. Marvel is still grappling with a new set of issues in its latest phase, but with Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, it's safe to say that the Black Widow mantle is in good hands. Hopefully, we won't have to wait another 10 years to see her solo vehicle.

#marvel #marvel comics #marvel cinematic universe #marvel studios #mcu #black widow #black widow movie #black widow mcu #iron man 2 #scarlet johansson #kevin feige

[the-winter-spider]

Champagne Problems

Pairings: Sebastian Stan x Actress!Reader (costar)

Warnings: Mentions of possible sexual activity but no smut.

Word count: 1.7k

A/N: Idk what this is but it was in my drafts and i thought why not post it. This will a multiple part story, its inspired by quite a few songs but i just love the song Champagne Problems by taylor swift so it wont the title (this doesnt mean thats the way the story’s gonna go) Not proof read or edited

***

You could feel his stare beating into the back of your neck, chills ran through your body. You wouldnt turn around, you couldn't. You lifted your champagne glass to your mouth trying your best to listen to the group conversation you were in, you were thankful you were pulled away from your thoughts “What do you think y/n?”

“Hmmm? About what?” You tilted your head

Anthony's head went back as laughter erupted from his throat, his hand landed on Chris’s shoulder “Man you just had a whole ass one sided conversation”

Chris put on a playful pout on his, raising his hand to his heart, stumbling back “Y/n you wounded me, im wounded”

Your cheeks heated up from embarrassment “I'm so sorry, I-“

A hand grazed your back, you tensed up “Whaddya do now y/n/n?” He was looking down at you with those beautiful blue orbs, his eyes crinkled at the side with the uprising of the corner of his mouth.

“My man over here, poured his heart out to her for 5 full, long ass minutes about his theories of how how the movie was going to play out and” He laughed again “And she wasn’t even listening” He lifted his glass to his mouth “It's sad really”

“She broke my heart Seb”

Sebastian laughed your favourite laugh, his laughter was always genuine and lingered just the right amount of time in the air “You didn't” He looked back down at you.

You smiled back at him “I did” you moved your eyes towards Chris “Let me make it up to you”

He raised his eyebrow to your response, your mouth fell open “No, not like that, god I-“

All three of them broke out in laughter. Chris grabbed his chest, leaning into Anthony. Sebastian hand was on your shoulder, you looked between the three of them shaking your head, mumbling “children”

“Im sorry y/n” Chris pulled you into his arms, still laughing “We're even now” he placed a kiss on your head.

“Ya ya ya” You waved him off, a small smile making its way to your face, you lifted your glass pointing to “I'm going to find myself another drink, you boys behave” You warned them, you could feel Sebastian’s eyes lingering on your naked back as you turned your back walking away.

You let out the breath you didn't know you were holding. You’d been working with the boys since they introduced your character Lily into the MCU during CATWS, you were an original character or as the people called you ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ ‘A character's story where we finally dont know whats to happen next!’ When you got the call about the character you were so nervous, you originally auditioned for Sharon Carter but they had other ideas. They said they were going to test the waters and show a shot of your character during the final trailer and people were over the moon, theories were flying around everywhere and you spent a good portion reading them because you also had no idea what was going to happen, and during the premier people went wild.

So here you were, 4 movies in and it was a whole new world.

You hit it off with everyone almost immediately, but you were closest to Sebastian and Chris, due to the fact 90% of your scenes in your debut were with the two men, Mackies was in a secure third place with the two.

But Sebastian, he was something entirely different to you. He was the man who currently owned your heart and invaded all your thoughts. You two had an unspoken relationship, you both wanted more but you signed a contract, one your manager said would only benefit you greatly if things went well with your character and they did but at the cost of your soul.

Now that probably was an overreaction but god, have you seen that man? Your contract stated in the fine print that during your time with the MCU you were to not, under no circumstances, too have any sort of romantic relationship with your co-workers. Now, you weren’t exactly sure if this was in anyone else's contract and surely you weren't going to go around asking if they were allowed to date or have sex with for that matter with anyone on set, that would be obscured.

So for the time being, you would have to settle for flirting, lingering touches, stolen glances and tongue tied words.

You were leaning against the bar, casually and eagerly waiting for your drink so you could get back to Sebastian - your friends as fast as you could. You were tapping your fingers against the dark wood of the bar humming The Avengers theme song quietly.

“Really y/n?” A voice, not just any voice but his came from directly behind your right ear, you felt that same chill run down your spine as goosebumps took over your body. You felt his hand touch the small of your back as he guided you over so he could stand beside you. He smirked, he could not only feel the goosebumps but he could see them “Cold are we?” His eyes were dark but in the most innocent way they could be.

You nodded to the bartender finally occupying your hand with a bubbly substance, turning to face him completely “Well Seb, it is December”

His eyes trailed your body again, you knew he knew the effect he had on you but he was polite enough not to push his limits, he moved closer to you “Your look absolutely breathtaking tonight”

“Thank you Seb, you look handsome” You took a sip of your wine “As always of course”

“How many is this?” He gestured to your glass

Setting your drinking down, lifting your hand and pretending to count your fingers, your heard him let out a laugh “My fifth”

“Fifth? This is my sixth, your gonna need to catch up”

“Why's that?” You cocked your head to the left, you didn't even realize your hand was playing with a loose thread on his sleeve

“Because we need to be on the same level for when we blow this joint”

“Who said I am blowing anything with you?” Your eyes met his, you tried to keep your gaze as innocent as possible but you knew what you said and how it sounded but you didn't care, right about now you were starting to feel the effects of the wine or maybe it was the effect he had on you.

He licked his lips, lowering his mouth so he was by your ear “Our contracts are up at midnight, we don't resign till the new year” he lingered there for a moment before moving back to meet your glance.

You were suddenly nervous, he did want this as bad as you did maybe not as romantically as you did but he still wanted something from you and you knew that it would crush you later that this was all he wanted but the wine was blinding your sense and those blue eyes, god those blue eyes looked at you like you were a gift from god.

His hand was intertwined with yours, both of you stumbling out of the party, leaving your friends behind. The New York air hit you as he pushed the door open pulling you behind him, he turned around and flashed you your favourite smile. Leaning into him you said in a low tone “There going to be so mad at us Seb”

Sticking his arm out to wave down a taxi “Let em be”

The streets were filled with taxis so it didn't take long for one to stop for the two of you and you were so thankful it did so Chris and Mackie wouldn’t come look for the two of you since you knew they’d wonder where you went you were only supposed to get another drink. Sebastian opened the door for you and you slid in, he followed after, looking in the rearview mirror the taxi driver asked where to and Sebastian’s eyes met yours, almost asking if this was okay and if you wanted to this, you sobered up when his hand met your thigh "I rent a place on Cornelia Street'' you breathed out. The taxi driver nodded, turning his single light on and you were off to either the next best thing beginning or the worst possible ending.

You were still staring at each other, your breath was heavy and his eyes were filled with lust. He wanted this too, you thought but for how long? Did he think this was just two stupidly drunk friends celebrating the wrap of their movie? The end of the contract before another one starter? Did he want this to be something more like you did? He was so close to your face, if it wasn't for the taxi driver you were sure you’d finally feel his lips on yours.

The taxi came to a stop and he pulled you out, you were fumbling with your keys, were you really that drunk or was it the nerves, his hands wrapped around your waist, as the key clicked in the door, he kicked it shut with his boot, before spinning you around and pushing you onto that same door, crashing his lips to yours “finally” he spoke between breaths. Your heart was beating so loud you were almost sure he could feel it as his chest moved closer to yours, his hot breath was in your face, lips brushing against yours “I've wanted to do this for so long”

“You have no idea”

**

#sebastian stan #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian x reader #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky x reader #bucky x female reader #bucky x you

[thoughtprovider]

Film Review: The King’s Man (2021)

To Matthew Vaughn’s credit, one could get into a reasonable debate as to what the best film in his arsenal is, and not because it’s littered with absolute duds. It’s because he and chief collaborator Jane Goldman have struck gold more than once with their mixture of professionally-structured scripts with enjoyably by-the-book character development surrounded by, often, gonzo action bordering on slapstick. At its broadest, this style can play as juvenile and “not for” the serious movie-goer; at its most refined, it can come close to euphoric action-movie abandon.

His debut, Layer Cake, was nominated for a directing BAFTA, portending the next Guy Ritchie while the original Guy Ritchie was still very much still making “Guy Ritchie films” and not yet stylish, director-for-hire gigs. Vaughn’s debut starred the millenials’ future James Bond and made an instant fan out of most who were paying attention, which was not everyone. More were invited to his tent with Kick-Ass, the Aaron Taylor-Johnson fandom-making adaptation of the Mark Millar comic. But we’d argue Vaughn and Goldman struck gold most unilaterally with 2011’s X-Men: First Class, the crowd-pleasing origin story that gave a new generation its Charles Xavier and Magneto, giving the late-nineties-born franchise a very British makeover with well- cast actors committing fully to the superhero bit. By this point, Kevin Feige (a former X-Men producer himself) had already kicked off his masterclass in comic-book adaptations known as the MCU, and Vaughn/Goldman (doing a page-one rewrite of a script already in pre-production, and on an accelerated schedule) bring that refinement to Fox’s own superhero offering, for the

first time, some say, ever, others say since X2. Some of that is even present in the film’s sequel, which they effectively prepped for Bryan Singer, who did not let them down.

That home-run brought with it respect in the nerd space, some trust at 20th Century Studios, and it is with this reputation that the pair began work on what would be the only directorial playground we would see from Vaughn for years: the Kingsmen franchise. Part James Bond (popping up, as he does, as an influence in the work of many an English director) part Kick-Ass, Kingsman: the Secret Service and its first sequel made stars of many of its cast, and continued the trend of Goldman being too good to let Vaughn’s (and Millar’s, whose work was again being adapted) wildcard ambitions ever become too unmoored, its characters never too unrecognizably-motivated. To mixed results! But results enough to get a third outing greenlit, and released theatrically in the uncertain times that are life on Earth in the transition from 2021 to 2022, with Covid-19 still very much a thing. Released alongside a globe- conquering, Feige-produced, Sony superhero flick, the resurgence of a long-dormant, formerly- globe-conquering franchise, and singing cartoon characters. Which is to say, heaps of competition, both existential and filmic.

The King’s Man, that third film with all this competition sees Vaughn returning without his ace up his sleeve, as Goldman does not return with him. Maybe she was busy betting on the next wave of prestige fantasy at HBO. Whatever the case, much to this writer’s trepidation, the writing credits to this film features not her name, but that of Karl Gajdusek, who is best known for being the other guy whose name appears in the King’s Man writing credits.

The movie stars Ralph Fiennes as Duke Orlando of Oxford, a well-connected former man of war, who, after a tragedy, gets out of that business. Unfortunately for him, the world itself

has war up its sleeve, with this story taking place on the cusp of and during World War I, with our villains being a shadowy organization pulling strings and generally being up to no good. Our true hero, and apparent franchise torch-bearer, though, is Orlando’s son, Conrad, played by Harris Dickinson, perhaps best known for playing Prince Phillip in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil for Disney, and John Paul Getty III in the fantastic and underrated Simon Beaufoy/Danny Boyle FX series Trust. Dickinson does not get many notes to play here, but he plays them convincingly and is earnest. Fiennes as predictably great. Rhys Ifans (as Russia’s infamous Rasputin) more than earns his prime placement in the film’s posters and trailers. Somebody give that guy a raise.

The historical-fiction bits of this movie work remarkably well at adding a sense of urgency and peril…if you’re familiar with this history already, but may feel stock or inert to someone who doesn’t know their Franz Ferdinands from their Franz Josephs, or their Lenins from their Lennons. How much narrative heavy-lifting world history plays may have something to do with how split audiences seem to be in general regarding this entry in the franchise.

To this reviewers eyes, though, this is the best Kingsman movie since the first. The action is well- choreographed and coherent (more so, I’m loath to admit, than the recent Matrix film, Lana forgive me), with a trench warfare sequence being actually gripping and fun and interesting. The anti-war drum is beat by the film, while also showing respect to those who’ve served in conflict, and their families. Rhys Ifans's contributions cannot be under-mentioned, so here they are, mentioned again.

It’s unfortunate this film will likely get lost in the shuffle of our times and the absolutely stacked marketplace, because this is a genuinely fun movie with things to say about its own story (there is something inherently interesting about looking back to another generation’s global existential crisis, after all), with great costuming, and great locations. There’s maybe one too many one-note characters, and the shadowy villains have an air of Dr. Evil’s henchmen (only less memorable) but every actor brings it, as does their director. It’s a winner that need not exist, really, but a winner nonetheless, so I’ll take it.

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

Suggestions for where could the MCU go after phase 3?

With the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic 4 characters back at Marvel, I wanted to throw out some suggestions for films the MCU could now pull off, beyond just saying ‘a F4 movie’ or ‘an X-Men/X-Factor/X-Force/New Mutants movie’

 ·         Dark Avengers: Pretty much confirmed at this point and also a logical place to go after 4-5 movies with heroic Avengers

·         Secret Invasion: The MCU has a tendency to borrow more heavily from stories made during the late 1990s-now, especially during Quesada and Bendis’ reigns. This is possibly informed by the fact that both men were part of the MCU’s creative committee initially and were also in power when Marvel were seriously preparing the ground work to be their own studio in the 2000s. As such Secret Invasion, being a Bendis event story, would be a possible option at the best of times. But with the Skrulls established, no ifs or buts about owning the rights to characters like Super Skrull and Secret Invasion being the most famous Skrull story ever (which has already been adapted at least once in Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes) it’s all but inevitable that we’ll get this story. The temptation to bring back dead or otherwise retired characters, to play a game of mistrust between the heroes and to generate Super Skrulls who have zany combinations of different heroes powers is too irresistible

·         A Sam Alexander Nova movie: The Nova Corps have been a thing since 2014 in the MCU. There is speculation that Spider-Man: Homecoming may well have once been a proto-Sam Alexander Nova script. Sam Alexander himself has been in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon (which is produced by Marvel themselves) and he’d add yet more diversity to the MCU. There is speculation that Marvel’s insistence upon pushing him as Nova over the original Richard Rider Nova may well have been the result of their test piloting him for an inevitable film. Now he isn’t all that popular, but the MCU has not been shy (unfortunately) of combining the traits of characters and their legacy counterparts. See Spider-Man, Black Widow, Ant-Man, etc. So we may well get a Sam Alexander Nova movie in name but elements could be swiped from Richard Rider. Specifically his mid-2000s solo book by Abnett and Lanning. Not only was this a beloved book but it was also a sister title to their Guardians of the Galaxy title which of course later inspired Marvel Studios to make the GotG movies. In particular there is one story Nova (Richard Rider mind you) was heavily affiliated with and had a blockbuster quality to it. And that story was...

·         Annihilation: The OTHER massive 2006 Marvel crossover event book (that was actually good unlike Civil War), Annihilation reignited Marvel Cosmic and in doing do laid the groundwork for the rise of the modern Guardians of the Galaxy. The villain is of course Annihilus, whom Marvel Studios now definitively own the rights to. Annihilation could work as a Guardians movie, a Nova movie (Captain America: Civil War is an example of a crossover event comic turned into a solo film) or a MCU Phase finale ala Age of Ultron or Infinity War/Endgame. Possibly it could be a crossover between Guardians and/or Nova and/or the Fantastic Four. Like Civil War it may well be used to launch new films, like the F4 or, considering they were heavily involved in the event itself...

·         A Galactus movie: Not a solo film, but a movie where Galactus is the big bad. There are lots of options for this. As I said Annihilation could be used to set up Galactus or could make use of him after he’s already appeared to sell you on the threat Annihilus poses (which would work better in a Phase finale). Alternatively Marvel could risk essentially remaking F4: Rise of the Silver Surfer but better (it has been over 10 years since it flopped). Or they could simply use him  as the Big Bad of one their Phase Finales (Galactus served as the final villain of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, which involved the F4 so there is a precedent here). Or they could just use him as the main villain or a main player in...

·         Silver Surfer: A Silver Surfer movie has been discussed since the 1990s and almost happened in the 2000s after Rise of the Silver Surfer. With the rights back to one of, if not THE, most quintessential of Marvel’s cosmic heroes the MCU is likely going to want to finally make use of all those proposals and put something together. If nothing else it’s guaranteed he will show up sooner or later.

·         A movie featuring Super Skrull movie: Nothing really to add to this. Marvel own the Skrulls. They own the characters Super Skrull’s powers come from. He’s the most famous Skrull character out there. He’s one of the more memorable F4 villains. Just plain economics at that point.

·         House of M/Decimation: An Avengers/X-Men event crossover involving Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange and Magneto and straight from the pen of Bendis himself and originally published when we were waist deep in his and Quesada’s tenure at Marvel. It would somewhat depend upon the state of the Avengers post Phase 3 but you could easily tweak this story to make it purely an X-Men movie that involves Wanda somehow, especially when we consider Wolverine is arguably the lead character of it. The story itself might not be adapted exactly but the concept of Wanda essentially erasing most mutants from Earth would make for a compelling place for the new wave of X-Men movies to go, but probably not early on into their introduction into the MCU

·         War of Kings/Realm of Kings: Another Abnett/Lanning crossover event, this one crosses over the Starjammers (who’re the X-Men’s Guardians of the Galaxy though they predate the team by 3 decades), a few X-Men, the Guardians themselves, the classic Guardians (Yondu, etc), the Shi’ar  and the Inhumans. Now maybe the Inhumans are out of bounds given their terrible TV show but these are stories with a lot of scope that involve X-Men franchise characters and Guardians characters and is again from an era the MCU has proven it likes to swipe from

·         Trial of Jean Grey: I tentatively suggest this one because it’s more based upon the fact that it’s a Bendis story involving the Guardians and the X-Men rather than the actual events of the story itself. Along those same lines though:

·         Black Vortex: A much more recent crossover which is also courtesy of mostly Bendis and is also a Guardians/X-Men crossover. I’m suggesting a lot of cosmic X-stuff mostly because the MCU would likely seek to do something new with the X-Men and no matter what Dark Phoenix does, cosmic stuff is not the most explored territory for any X-Men movie so far

·         Secret Wars 1984: Secret Wars was arguably the first ever Marvel crossover event comic and Marvel Studios now have access to ALL the characters involved. The story itself might not be suitable to be a movie on it’s own but then again neither was Civil War and Feige et al turned that into one of the most beloved MCU entries ever. So you could do something with that, especially with a truly Godlike being like the Beyonder. Like Infinity War it could well be a crossover movie that centres upon a villain, specifically...

·         Doctor Doom: Of course we will see Dr. Doom eventually in the MCU. But given he’s been in 4/4 F4 movies thus far its likely he’ll be benched for awhile and built up. But my suggestion would be to not simply make him a villain but make him (possibly in his debut) a villain protagonist. This might sound nuts but Doom has headlined his own ongoing before, more than once in fact. He’s a villain yes, but a complex one, in fact Stan Lee and Jack Kirby themselves made him the lead of a story in one of their earliest F4 Annuals, revolutionary for the time. It seems fitting that Doom be granted the distinction of being a villain protagonist when DC are maybe doing a Joker movie and Doom is himself the quintessential villain of the Marvel Universe.

·         Secret Wars 2015: Alternatively down the line you could do something akin to Secret Wars 2015, wherein the universe is destroyed and reconstructed from the remnants, ruled over by Doctor Doom with Reed Richards and a handful of other heroes as the sole survivors against God Emperor Doom.

·         Annihilation Conquest: Mostly this story features the same players from Annihilation (minus Annihilus himself) and was also the formation of the modern Guardians under Peter Quill. So it’s a story Marvel are obviously aware of and could be very ambitious for them to do because it’d be the return of an old defeated villain, specifically Ultron but an Ultron now facing off against new foes and in a very different cosmic context. And it heavily involved the Technarchy/Phalanx whom Marvel studios now own the rights to. Whilst they could do a Phalanx Covenant movie for the X-Men Annihilation Conquest is another 2000s Abnett and Lanning affair whilst the former is a 1990s story that in concept wouldn’t be that different from Age of Ultron but with the X-Men

·         Inferno: This was a general Marvel Universe event but focussed upon the X-Men. I already mentioned how the MCU would likely wanna do new things with the X-Men franchise and an area the older movies never touched upon was the demonic stuff the X-Men got involved with, which Inferno was all about. Even as just an X-Men movie Inferno could be interesting but as a crossover it could be a chance to allow the New York based heroes to fight off demons and demonically possessed objects. The MCU, for better or worse, also like brainstorming their movies as ‘This classic movie/classic type of movie but with super heroes’. E.g. Ant-Man was a heist movie, Homecoming was a John Hughes coming of age movie, Captain Marvel was informed by True Lies among other things. Inferno, and this was part of it’s original concept in the 1980s, was essentially the Marvel universe riffing on Ghostbusters. If they promoted it that way they’d make a shed load of cash!

·         Avengers vs. X-Men: This is 100% inevitable. Not because it’s a 2012 very modern story. Not because it was written by Bendis. Not because it even happens to feature the Avengers and the X-Men. No it’s inevitable because any movie with that name alone would sell like hot cakes and it’s the next logical step in the escalation of the MCU. Avengers Assemble was crossing over solo heroes. Civil War was the Avengers fighting themselves. Infinity War was EVERYONE showing up. AvX is the Avengers fighting another superhero team. It could replicate the appeal of Civil War on a certain level but there is more bank off the decades long beloved X-men fighting the more recently beloved Avengers. And it could possibly lead to...

·         Uncanny Avengers: Basically a team movie where Avengers characters and X-Men characters are on a team together. Not really any particular story in mind but just in concept it could be a possibility. And that in turn might lead to...

·         AXIS: The unfortunately named 2014 crossover event starring the Avengers and the X-Men the concept of which was the heroes go bad, the villains go good. In particular if you’ve set up the Dark Avengers then this story could make for a fun pseudo Freaky Friday movie and is again a logical escalation of where we’ve been up until now

·         A Wolverine and Captain America period piece: Heavily dependant upon what Chris Evans future holds and whether Marvel will want to return to the cash cow that is Wolverine, but this has happened repeatedly in the comics, it’s happened repeatedly in the cartoons, it’s a movie that sells itself much as AvX did. Throw in the possible return of Peggy Carter and people will buy this. Yeah it’s a prequel but we’re already doing prequels now because of Captain Marvel and I’d be willing to be people would be even more hyped about this.

·         Infinity War: Not the movie, the comic. Just as a basic concept the heroes fight evil edge lord versions of themselves seems like a cool concept to go with in the future, its another logical escalation of what we’ve seen so far and could allow the actors to have a lot of fun

·         Infinity Crusade: I’m suggesting this more because I honestly have no idea what the benefit of introducing Adam Warlock is AFTER you’ve already adapted the Infinity Gauntlet into a movie. Even though strictly speaking Adam Warlock wasn’t the focal point of this crossover event you could tweak it so he was.

·         The Guardians stories involving the Magus: I tell a lie, there is ONE other thing you could do with Adam Warlock and tell a story about him possibly becoming his own evil future self the Magus. This happened in his solo book from the 1970s (which debuted Gamora btw) but it also got revisted in Abnett and Lanning’s tenure on Guardians of the Galaxy

·         An original Guardians movie: So far whenever a MCU hero concludes their own trilogy they might stick around into other films but their own film series is caput. With Guardians Vol. 3 on the horizon Marvel could switch things up by making a second trilogy based upon the ORIGINAL Guardians (Yondu, Starhawk, Aleeta, etc) who were introduced in Guardians Vol. 2. They had a loooooooooong history and their own solo book, which involved Mephisto (whom Marvel has had the rights to for awhile now) and many other characters so there is enough material to make into a trilogy.

·         Maximum Security: Even though a major player is Ronan, this story is definitely a crossover with movie scope as the assembled body of various alien races (the Shi’ar, the Kree, the Skrulls, etc) band together and decide that Earth should be turned into a prison planet for alien criminals, one of which is Ego the Living Plane himself. Obviously you’d have to change some things but this could be an ambitious Avengers/ X-Men crossover film

·         A movie where Rogue steals Carol Danvers powers: Rogue stealing Carol Danvers’ powers is a famous part of both heroes’ histories and it’d give a uniqueness to MCU Rogue over her XCU counterpart.

·         The Fall of the Shi’ar Empire: Suggested as the MCu looks to cosmic stuff to give their movies scale, the Shi’ar are cosmic, they now have the rights to them and as previously mentioned Marvel Studios looks a lot to more modern stories for inspiration and this arc stems from the 2000s

·         Holy War: It’s an X-Men story about vampires involving Dracula whom Marvel now has the rights to again since Dracula is a Blade character

·         Messiah Trilogy: Following on from House of M/Decimation, the Messiah Trilogy is a modern trilogy of X-Men stories that culminated in AvX and had Bendis input so it’s more likely than not that Marvel studios will look to it for inspiration eventually

·         Midnight Sons: In the 1990s Marvel’s consistently strongest out put was their horror/supernatural titles including Blade, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, etc. They formed a team, a supernatural Avengers if you will, at one point and so this seems like a nice money maker for Marvel to go for now they have Blade back and have already established Ghost Rider.

·         Siege: I duno how given how Asgard is GONE, but the Dark Avengers eventually led to Siege so if we’re getting the former we’re probably going to get the latter. Bonus points because Bendis was involved with it.

·         Operation Galactic Storm: This is fundamentally an Avengers story so maybe it’s less likely to happen post-Phase 3 but I suggest it because it’s a story that hinges upon the X-Men’s Shi’ar and the Kree who’ve been built up more in Captain Marvel, specifically the Supreme Intelligence who plays a major role in this story.

And my final suggestion, which I’d actually place money on panning out would be...

·         Onslaught: I’m dead serious. Even though it’s a much derided (unfairly imo) mid 1990s crossover that existed specifically to reboot the Avengers and F4, it is still a massive and ambitious storyline that is at it’s heart totally and utterly a crossover between the Avengers, the X-Men AND the Fantastic Four. Whereas other crossovers either split things between two groups or favours one over the others, Onslaught is just about the ONLY Marvel crossover event story I know of which makes a big deal out of all three of Marvel’s most famous superhero teams. To me it seems like the absolute most logical story to serve as the basis for not just a Phase finale but as a Grand Finale to all that came before much like Infinity War. Marvel have proved they can turn questionable comic book arcs into solid films and that they are not above looking to the 1990s for inspiration

#mcu #marvel cinematic universe #marvel studios #marvel #marvel comics #avengers #x-men #fantastic four #fantastic 4 #Guardians of the Galaxy #Kree #captain america #Captain Marvel #carol danvers #rogue #Steve Rogers #wolverine #James Howlett #james logan howlett #logan #dark avengers #midnight sons #shi'ar #skrulls #super skrull #Silver Surfer #galactus #nova #Sam Alexander #Richard Rider

[that-shamrock-vibe]

Superhero Spotlight: MCU Post Phase 3

With all this talk about ideas and hopes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers 4 wraps up the first 11 years of said universe, I am slightly concerned as to whether or not anyone has actually sat down with Kevin Feige and said “Seriously, what are we doing after 2019?” because so far the talk is about how Avengers 4 is going to be the last hurrah for our original Avengers from Phase 1, with a possible exception, and also the arrival of the X-Men and Fantastic 4 now Disney has bought Fox.

So I thought i would offer some realistic suggestions for where the MCU can go post Phase 3 and where I think it should go both to keep the universe fresh after it potentially rotates the Avengers team roster and also now Feige has double if not triple the toys.

What’s Coming:

So what we know as confirmed movies for the MCU going forward is that hotly anticipated Captain Marvel movie, Avengers 4 which will end Phase 3 and potentially an era of the MCU and the start of Phase 4 which will be Spider-Man: Far From Home all scheduled for release in 2019.

I have to say just that year of movies itself makes me excited both as a Marvel fan and movie goer because people are buzzing over finally seeing Carol Danvers join the MCU, obviously everyone wants to know the final fates of most of the MCU characters post-Infinity War which includes Peter Parker and also his sequel will introduce Jake Gyllenhall as Mysterio.

However, after 2019, due to problems that have faced Disney this summer with firing James Gunn, no confirmed dates are on the cards post-2019. Guardians 3 is still on the table but its release date has been pushed back. This means that, unless Feige pulls an ace out of his sleeve rather quickly with either a surprise announcement or a distraction, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will not have any slots in 2020 which will be a huge loss for Disney considering they’ve striven to have up to 3 Marvel movies a year for years, that’s been their formula for practically the 10 years.

What’s Most Likely:

Now as fans of the MCU have come to realise, Kevin Feige likes to keep things simple...even if it means not faithful to the source material. This hit home for me with Ultron and how he was created by Tony Stark rather than Hank Pym. Simple because they already had Tony Stark established, not faithful because Ultron is possibly one of Hank Pym’s greatest storylines and they gave it to RDJ.

The other thing to consider when understanding Feige’s mindset at the moment, is that he is in the centre of a major s&*tstorm right now. Not only with the fact he has had to put Guardians of the Galaxy 3 on hold until he can find a new director due to this past summer of trouble with James Gunn, but also with the fact one or two vocal members of the Guardians cast, Bautista especially, are being brutally honest about not trusting Feige or Disney anymore. So Feige I imagine will strive to keep his creative decisions as simple as possible while also pulling some major damage control to try and keep both actors and fans happy.

I did an entire post on how I think he could fix his Guardians problem with introducing the Asgardians of the Galaxy, however if he doesn’t choose to go down that route and they do bring out Guardians 3 as scheduled, then I have a way to create a positive media buzz around the film.

A b-storyline in Guardians 3 could be rebuilding the Nova Corps, which was destroyed along with Xandar in Avengers: Infinity War by Thanos in order to acquire the Power Stone. So to recreate the Corps, how about bringing in the original Nova - Richard Rider  Now just listen to this set up: “When the last surviving member of the planet Xandar's elite Nova Corps, Rhomann Dey, is dying, he selects New York high school student Richard Rider to replace him.” Firstly, Rhomann Dey has already been introduced in the first Guardians of the Galaxy portrayed by John C. Reilly, he only needs to appear as a cameo or flashback on how Nova was chosen. Not forgetting Thanos, off-screen, ravaged Xandar to acquire the Power Stone leaving the fates of the Nova Corps unknown, so what a perfect set-up for Guardians 3 or even Avengers 4 to introduce a young Richard Rider. If they wanted to retcon him slightly he could even go to the same high school as Peter Parker. But to be contemporaries with the other Guardians I think Feige will be best to cast in a similar age to Pratt and maybe show his origin in a Nova movie.

Bringing in the Mutants:

Another suggestion and possibly a more realistic option for Feige is to introduce the X-Men. They have of course been hotly anticipated to join the big leagues for years, and now they are owned by the Mouse House it’s just a question of when and how they’ll debut.

I have doe a Fan-Casting Frenzy post where I make suggestions for the MCU’s version of the Brotherhood of Mutants because a YouTube channel I watch has already appropriately cast the MCU’s X-Men team. But while I think an X-Men team movie potentially with the Brotherhood as the villains is inevitable, I do believe introducing individual X-Men members first to tease the movie is the way to go. Not only will it save us as fans having to meet an entire team of characters at once but, as Feige is known for, it’s a great way for fans to have their favourites going in.

I personally feel, like most, that Storm should definitely appear in a Black Panther sequel. It’s just too perfect to not happen! Not only is Ororo Munroe the wife of King T’Challa in the comics but also it would create hopefully an interesting love-triangle between the already established T’Challa and Nakia. Lupita N’yongo is someone everyone wanted to see play Storm and I still feel she would have been perfect for the role, but now she’s settled for the girl that needs a copy of He’s Just Not That Into You when Storm flies onto the scene, also yes make the Weather Witch fly for goodness sake! Two simple character traits; she has to fly and actually be African, and Ryan Coogler did a spectacular job honoring African culture with the first Black Panther movie, so surely he is the right person to bring Storm into the MCU.

Another place to introduce more X-Men members is in that hopeful Doctor Strange sequel. Both T’Challa and Stephen Strange are hot commodities for the MCU currently not only being part of the new wave of heroes to take centre stage after Phase 3, but also starring in solo movies that were highly successful with both critics and fans. Also with a Doctor Strange sequel, the two most logical ways to go with the story are either a House of M retelling which would see Scarlet Witch appear in the sequel, but the other way is Doctor Strange: Illuminati which could see him become one of the founding members of the secret government that works behind the scenes. The team also includes Iron Man as well as Professor X, Mister Fantastic and Namor. The latter three of which are now owned by Disney from Fox.

I am not saying a Doctor Strange sequel is the best place to introduce three characters, but if they don’t focus on them in terms of major character development and simply focus on the fact they are in the MCU and will be developed in future movies it could be a great introduction.

Fantastic Four:

Speaking of Mister Fantastic, introducing Marvel’s First Family would be a logical suggestion for the MCU due to the fact Disney has found storming success with Pixar’s Incredibles franchise. Yes they have co-morbidity in their powers but the Fantastic 4 did come first.

There however lies the problem Feige may face, being compared to the Incredibles. Yes there is a different family dynamic with the Richards-Storm-Grimm set-up to the Parrs, but there is no reason to say that a CGI and live-action version cannot co-exist. If anything I think the Fantastic 4 can learn from the Incredibles particularly with what to do with Mister Fantastic. The trick is not falling into the same trap as what has come before in attempts.

A-Force:

An idea that has been batted around a lot recently is an all female Avengers movie, logically speaking this would mean A-Force. While every female hero in Marvel seems to have been a part of the team in the comics. It makes sense in the MCU to have a team comprised of the already established female heroes, along with Captain Marvel who could easily lead the team. We’re talking Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, The Wasp, Nebula, Captain Marvel, potentially Gamora and maybe Okoye & Valkyrie. That’s eight female members already established. With the potential additions of Storm, Jean Grey and Rogue from the X-Men and even Sue Storm from the Fantastic Four and you have a full roster. I do not think Jessica Jones, Elektra and Quake will be elevated from their TV serials but to be fair I think those 12 are more than enough.

Young Avengers:

One suggestion I will always favour is the teenage “sidekicks” to the Avengers. This team would either make a great movie or Netflix series and definitely show up DC’s upcoming Titans series.

As a purist obviously I want to keep to the founding members, as such the team should be comprised of Nate Richards aka Iron Lad, Eli Bradley aka Patriot, Billy Kaplan & Teddy Altman aka Wiccan and Hulkling, Kate Bishop aka Hawkeye, Cassie Lang aka Stature, Vision 2.0. and Tommy Shepherd aka Speed. That is the main line-up of the original team.

Now I would say to stick with the original team because the current team does not have Cassie Lang and so far she is the only member established in the MCU. However, the later incarnation of the team is more racially diverse so maybe they can be brought in at a later date.

Wiccan and Speed are the twin sons created by Scarlet Witch, Hulkling is the son of Mar-Vell and a Skrull princess both of whom will most likely appear in the upcoming Captain Marvel. Others can easily be introduced either in a film or TV series.

But when thinking about the storylines; you have Wiccan and Hulking who would be the first openly LGBT characters the MCU has but also teenage gay characters hopefully in a realistic portrayal of a homosexual relationship, Patriot does kind of represent teenage substance abuse, there’s the family dramas with both Wiccan & Speed but also Stature and how Scott Lang feels about his daughter being a superhero not to mention Hulkling discovering his true heritage and maybe contributing to the Kree-Skull war that could be shown starting in Captain Marvel. Not to mention the first Young Avengers story which sees them face off against Kang the Conqueror who in the comics is most likely a descendant of Reed Richards. Numerous possibilities.

Nuhumans:

My final suggestion is a way to firmly solidify the connection between the Movies and TV Shows by introducing the newest generation of Inhumans, known as Nuhumans, in a movie and then giving them their own TV series possibly on Netflix or on Disney’s new streaming service.

Firstly the Nuhumans are mostly credited for introducing the new Ms. Marvel, who not only has gone on to join the Avengers but also could very easily become the new heart of the MCU.

Now the team could easily be led by Daisy Johnson aka Quake and would be a way to keep Chloe Bennett around or get her away from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as I do not see much more longevity in that series. But because she is a TV actress primarily, it could work for her to appear in one movie and then go back to television just with a bigger budget for her Quake powers and costuming.

The movie could introduce Ms. Marvel, Inferno, Moon Girl, Blizzard and Ana Kravinoff to the movies. In essence they are all teenagers and yes I do have a preference for bringing in a younger generation of heroes to the MCU post Phase 3 but I do think this opening line-up could not only form a good team but also a solid fanbase.

Some die-hard comic book fans may notice that Blizzard has already been introduced in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. portrayed by Dylan Minnette...well yes he has but has since gone on to form his own fan-base in both 13 Reasons Why and 2015′s Goosebumps as well as being in an Indie Rock band. Blizzard aka Donnie Gill was treated more as a mutate than an Inhuman but after his final fate in the TV series saw him frozen in the water leaving his ultimate fate unknown and these Nuhumans emerged from a water contaminate outbreak, it makes sense that Quake, who has a history with Donnie, either finds him or he finds her and becomes the troubled student of the team maybe along with Ana who is Kraven the Hunter’s daughter.

All the characters suggested would be great to see portrayed but my hotly anticipated pick is Moon Girl for the pure and simple reason that I feel she’d be a great start for an up and coming child actress considering in the comics she is supposed to be 9 years old. She should also be accompanied by her dino sidekick Devil Dinosaur.

It could also be a wonderfully diverse cast of characters if cast regionally appropriate; we already have Quake portrayed by Chloe Bennet both of whom are of Chinese descent. Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel is Pakistani American so finding a teenager or young adult actress of that heritage would be brilliant, Ana Kravinoff, like her father Kraven, is Russian, Moon Girl is African-American and Inferno is Latino-American.

In case anyone is wondering why I’m not trying to introduce the Inhuman Royal Family into the movies, Marvel already tried that and the result was a rather horrendous TV series whose cancellation was dragged out unintentionally. Yes Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. introduced Inhumans into the MCU in their Season 2, but to get the real experience of Inhuman powers you need a higher budget that a movie or maybe this new streaming service can provide.

I am not saying the Royals can’t be in this film/series, in fact if they want to either retcon or recast the series I would be happy with that. I would love to see Medusa done right and who doesn’t love Lockjaw? But in terms of where the MCU is going I feel a younger more current generation is the key.

So those are my suggestions for where the MCU should be headed post Phase 3, what do you guys think? Are you wanting to see the Inhumans done right? Do you think Chloe Bennet should make the jump from TV to film? Is a younger generation of heroes the way to go? Are the former Fox-owned properties the MCU’s best hope? How would you feel if Guardians of the Galaxy 3 did not focus on the current team we have?

Post your comments and check out more Superhero Spotlights as well as other Movie Reviews and posts.

#superhero spotlight #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #mcu phase 3 #mcu phase 4 #captain marvel #guardians of the galaxy vol. 3 #spider man: far from home #avengers 4 #avengers: infinity war #x-men #fantastic four #illuminati #doctor strange #black panther #storm #professor x #reed richards #mister fantastic #charles xavier #inhumans #nuhumans #inhuman royal family #ms. marvel #kamala khan #inferno #quake #blizzard #marvel's agents of shield #daisy johnson

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Black Widow Lawsuit Fallout Could Cost Marvel More Than Money

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Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow lawsuit was predicted to have major ramifications for Disney, Marvel and Hollywood itself when details of it first emerged at the end of July, and the legal action already appears to have had a domino effect on Marvel’s future movies.

The extent of Johansson’s unhappiness with the treatment of her solo Marvel blockbuster was crystal clear when she decided to sue Disney over breach of contract after Black Widow debuted in theatres and on the Disney+ streaming service at the same time. The actress said she had been given a “guarantee” from Disney that the film would get an exclusive theatrical release, and they had seemingly broken that agreement.

Variety predicted that Johansson’s lawsuit might “impact the way that movie stars are compensated in the streaming era and may inspire a wave of fresh legal action by actors upset that their films are not exclusively debuting in theaters”, but it looks like it may have also put the Russo brothers off returning to direct another MCU installment, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

Anthony and Joe Russo have been at the helm of some of Marvel Studios’ most ambitious and successful projects to date, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, but the new report says that the pair have now hit an “impasse” with Marvel thanks to the ongoing Black Widow lawsuit.

“Since the lawsuit, brothers Joe Russo and Anthony Russo, directors of Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing movie of all time, hit an impasse in negotiations to direct another Marvel movie,” the WSJ noted, adding “The Johansson dispute left them unsure how their next movie would be distributed and how they would be paid, according to people familiar with the matter.”

It’s unclear which Marvel project the duo were in line to direct next, but Joe Russo has previously revealed that he’d be keen to helm a Secret Wars film.

“That was one of the first books that I really fell in love with as a kid,” he told MTV in 2019. “This notion of, you know, event storytelling, and I think that’s part of the reason that we gravitate so strongly towards these event films and these ensemble films is the notion that you can contain so many different characters and so many different points of view and galvanize them around a story point is really compelling to us.”

Marvel have been heavily-rumored be planning a Secret Wars project for some time, and it’s a potentially huge one that could feature not only the Avengers, but the X-Men and the Fantastic Four going into battle together.

Secret Wars writer Jim Shooter recently claimed he’d had a call from Marvel regarding the potential use of some characters utilized in the original Marvel Comics run, including the Beyonder, Titania and Spider-Woman, and Marvel boss Kevin Feige finally addressed the growing chatter in an interview last month.

“I’ve seen those rumors as well,” he told Comicbook. “Why is everyone talking about that now? That’s what I want to know. I think one person writes about it, and then another person writes about it, and then everybody’s writing about it, and then it’s happening. Secret Wars is a great, giant crossover. There are a lot of great, giant crossovers that we could [adapt] — it’s the ongoing embarrassment of riches of Marvel Comics.”

If Marvel were ever planning to make a Secret Wars movie with the Russos, or any other huge crossover movie, they could find it to be an even bigger task than they first envisaged if Johansson’s lawsuit has started affecting negotiations with yet more of their reliable regular collaborators.

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Kang the Conqueror: What the New Villain Means for the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Jonathan Majors has reportedly been cast as Kang the Conqueror and will make his debut in Ant-Man 3. Considering that Kang is a time traveler, it’s probably to let Paul Rudd know how many decades he has left until he starts showing signs of aging.

Other than the fact that Peyton Reed will return to direct, there aren’t many official Ant-Man 3 details yet (it doesn’t even have a release date at the moment), so we don’t know how major Kang’s appearance in this film will be. Is he the full-on villain of the movie? Is he a glorified cameo like Thanos in the first Guardians of the Galaxy or Klaw in Avengers: Age of Ultron? Still, a high profile announcement of an actor making waves in a hot property (Majors is currently starring in HBO’s Lovecraft Country) makes him seem more than post-credits fodder at least.

If they choose to go this way, Kang could be the MCU’s next Thanos, a recurring mega-baddie who keeps upping the threat level until it’s time to bring everyone together to take him out. Kang remains the most high-profile Avengers villain to not show up in a movie to date and can potentially be the focus while we wait for MCU versions of Dr. Doom, Magneto, and Galactus to eventually make their presence known.

So what does Kang the Conqueror’s arrival in the MCU truly mean for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

The Backlash of Time Travel

Avengers: Endgame opened Pandora’s Box with its time heist. For such a high-profile, climactic story, it was strangely casual about the invention of time travel. Sure, there were only a limited amount of Pym Particles and that meant they only had one shot at pulling off the plan, but they had endless prep time and now that everything is copacetic with the post-Thanos universe, there’s nothing preventing the use of more time travel.

Granted, according to the movie’s rules, they can’t outright change the past, but they can still create alternate timelines to deal with the future. By the conclusion of Endgame, Steve Rogers had all the time in the world to send back the Infinity Stones because Hank Pym’s back and that means no more shortage of Pym Particles.

The upcoming Loki series on Disney+ is showing that there are going to be some resistance to willy-nilly time travel thanks to the Time Variance Authority. That’s right, we’ll be seeing time cops soon enough.

Kang antagonizing Ant-Man could honestly hit either extreme when it comes to time travel use. On one hand, Kang could be some kind of ominous authority figure out to oppose the man who ultimately helped invent time travel to begin with. On the other hand, Kang could be the horrible look at what’s possible now that the genie is out of the bottle and skipping through eras is easier than it should be.

Scott Lang saved the universe, but at what cost?

Young Avengers

Outside of the time travel connection, the biggest link between Scott Lang and Kang is the creation of the Young Avengers. In the comics, a younger version of Kang dated Scott’s daughter Cassie. Kang already represents how confusing time travel is, but having a good Kang vs. an evil Kang at very different ages? That’s some cross-eyed, head-spinning storytelling right there!

Could this lead to an MCU New Avengers or even Young Avengers team in the future? In the comics, the Young Avengers also came to be in the aftermath to the regular Avengers disassembling as well as Wanda Maximoff’s super-powered meltdown. And much like Young Avengers co-founder Kate Bishop showing up, that development is on its way thanks to the various Disney+ series.

Reed Richards and The MCU Fantastic Four

Much like Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were deemed just as much X-Men characters as they were Avengers characters, Kang the Conqueror is as much an Avengers villain as he is a Fantastic Four villain. Kang has many alter-egos due to the absolutely bonkers complications that come from time-travel and alternate timelines. There are lots of contradictions in there and a lot of developments that are hard to keep track of.

The main thing here is that Kang’s real name is Nathaniel Richards. The original idea was that Nathaniel is presumably a descendant of Reed Richards, Dr. Doom, or possibly both of them (I mean, he’s from the 31st century. He’s going to have a LOT of ancestors). He travels time and becomes the ancient pharaoh Rama-Tut before eventually going to the 41st century and doing the Kang thing.

But Reed’s father is also named Nathaniel Richards and he too does time travel. He’s even considered one of Kang’s many counterparts. It’s a huge headache.

Anyway, this means that putting Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe can also work as the first step in setting up the Fantastic Four. The connections to Reed and the rest can come in any direction (after all, this is a movie series that turned Star-Lord’s father from a jerk space king to a literal planet). They can even pull a Captain Marvel and have them from a different decade if they wanted!

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That might end up being the best solution. The Fantastic Four are the first family of the Marvel Universe, and turning them into newcomers might feel like they’re being shortchanged. But if, like Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym in the Ant-Man films, they were heroes of an earlier era who perhaps disappeared into the timestream thanks to Kang’s antics, that might open some new storytelling possibilities.

In any case, we won’t be seeing Ant-Man 3 until at least 2023 at this rate. Marvel currently has four dates reserved in 2023 with no titles attached: Feb. 17, May 5, July 28, and Nov. 3. Any of those would be a good fit for Kang to make his presence known.

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15 Marvel Characters Who Need Their Own Movie

As soon as the Walt Disney Company bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009, Disney proclaimed that it now had access to Marvel’s “treasure trove” of over 5,000 characters. That ever-growing library of characters has been the beating heart of the Marvel Universe for decades. With the announcement that Miles Morales’ Spider-Man will be headlining his own feature film, one more character is set to come to life on the big screen.

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Despite that, most of those 5,000 characters still haven’t had a starring role. Now, CBR is taking a look at some Marvel characters that should have their own films. For this hardly comprehensive list, we’ll be looking at characters and teams from Marvel’s comics and movies that have either never been adapted or have never starred in a solo adventure.

NICK FURY

Although he’s been absent from some of the more recent Marvel films, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury was the nucleus of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its earliest years. Since his debut at the end of 2008’s “Iron Man,” Jackson’s Fury has given Marvel’s films a sense of gravitas as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Thanks in part to Jackson’s commanding performance as the manipulative spymaster, the MCU is a world that can cohesively mix espionage and Asgardians without coming apart at the seams.

While Fury’s excelled as a supporting player, he hasn’t had a starring role since David Hasselhoff’s ill-fated 1998 “Nick Fury” TV movie. Jackson’s Fury would be an ideal candidate to star in a gritty, high-octane action thriller. Even after five seasons, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” still hasn’t introduced some major S.H.I.E.L.D. players like Jimmy Woo, G.W. Bridge and Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. With those kinds of characters on the table, a stylish Fury-focused film could draw from Jim Steranko’s iconic run on the character, flesh out the early days of the MCU and maybe even show just how he lost the eye.

THE INVADERS

While “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Agent Carter” both spent time exploring the World War II-era MCU, the Invaders, that era’s premiere superhero squad, still haven’t made an appearance. Created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema in 1969, the Invaders brought Captain America, Namor the Sub-Mariner and the original robotic Human Torch together for WWII adventures. While that team was known as the All-Winner’s Squad in the 1940s, the Invaders have an expansive roster that has included characters like Winter Soldier, U.S. Agent and Union Jack over its various incarnations.

With characters like the Howling Commandos already established, an Invaders movie could give Hayley Atwell’s Agent Carter a new home and introduce Namor and the android Human Torch to the MCU. Between Atlantis and his famous flooding of Manhattan, Namor could bring an unparalleled spectacle to Marvel’s films. In addition to tying up loose ends from “Agent Carter,” an Invaders movie could be the perfect venue to introduce some of the early ill-fated attempts to recreate the Super Soldier formula and set up future Captain America plotlines.

SILVER SURFER

While “Guardians of the Galaxy” has opened up the cosmic side of the MCU, Fox’s Fantastic Four and X-Men franchises have remained distinctly earthbound. While that may change soon, the Silver Surfer could help expand Fox’s Marvel Universe in a major way. Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in 1966, the Silver Surfer has a conceptual elasticity and complexity that makes him one of Marvel’s richest characters. Whether he’s racked with guilt from serving as the Herald of Galactus or riding the spaceways in a psychedelic romp, the cosmically-powered Surfer is a compelling character who can easily hold down a stand-alone adventure.

While the Silver Surfer appeared in 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” he’s conspicuous by his absence in the MCU. If Fox continues to hold on to the Fantastic Four rights, a Silver Surfer movie would be the first logical extension of the franchise. By embracing Dan Slott and Mike Allred’s lighter “Doctor Who”-esque take on the Silver Surfer, Fox could rebuild the Fantastic Four universe with a much-needed tonal shift.

MYSTIQUE

Thanks to the fortuitous casting of a pre-superstar Jennifer Lawrence, Mystique has taken on a surprisingly large role in Fox’s three most recent X-Men movies. While Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique was more of a silent supporting villain in the first X-Men trilogy, Lawrence’s Mystique has literalized the philosophical conflict between Charles Xavier and Magneto. While this focus has added some unique wrinkles to the familiar character, the continued emphasis on the character has taken screen time away from underserved X-Men like Cyclops and Storm.

While Mystique doesn’t have an extensive history as a solo character, the 2003 series “Mystique” provided a solid template for a more heroic interpretation of her. In that series, which was partially written by Brian K. Vaughan, Mystique was cast as a secret agent who worked for Xavier. While the idea of a shape-shifting spy is a fairly compelling idea in its own right, this could be a convenient way to tease some less flashy pieces of X-Men lore like Genosha or the Legacy Virus.

MARVEL BOY

With the blockbuster success of Fox’s “Deadpool,” audiences seem willing to embrace a different, more violent kind of superhero. While Marvel’s Netflix shows have fulfilled that role in the MCU so far, Marvel could shake up its reputation for relatively safe, predictable fare by adapting “Marvel Boy.” Created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones in 2000, “Marvel Boy” follows Noh-Varr, a young Kree alien, as he viciously wages war against the trillionaire Doctor Midas and the sentient corporation known as Hexus.

While Marvel Boy would eventually become more traditionally heroic and join the Young Avengers, that initial miniseries was filled with a cosmic punk aesthetic that would be a shocking change of pace for the MCU. With all of the power and none of the responsibility, Marvel Boy could offer a dramatic counterpoint to fellow teen superhero Spider-Man. A Marvel Boy solo film might finally give Cobie Smulders’ S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Maria Hill, something to do, and could begin to set up a Young Avengers film.

HAWKEYE

While audiences got to make an extended visit to Hawkeye’s farm in 2015’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the Avengers’ archer still feels like a far cry from his comic book counterpart. Jeremy Renner has done what he could with a fairly thankless role, but Hawkeye’s trademark charm has gotten lost in some overcrowded MCU outings. A Hawkeye solo film could give Renner’s character a chance to breathe in between all of the Civil Wars and Infinity Wars.

Along with several other modern comics masters, Matt Fraction and David Aja perfected this kind of low-key Hawkeye with their 2012 run on “Hawkeye.” By following Hawkeye on his days off from the Avengers, the creators had the room to innovate and flesh out Hawkeye’s supporting cast, especially Kate Bishop, the younger Hawkeye. Given the prominence of teen superheroes in comics, there’s a surprising lack of them on screen. Introducing Kate could help remedy that while also setting up a Young Avengers movie. Although that comic starred a single, city-dwelling Hawkeye, a movie focusing on Renner’s rural, married hero could unearth some new depths for the character.

SPIDER-WOMAN

In 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War,” Tom Holland’s Spider-Man joined the MCU to great fanfare. While that newfound cooperation between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios has let Spider-Man swing alongside the Avengers, it could also pave the way for a Spider-Woman film. Since her 1977 debut by Archie Goodwin and Marie Severin, Spider-Woman has lived in an occasionally macabre world of espionage and lies that could help connect the desperate points of the MCU.

Given Spider-Woman’s history of working for both Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D., a dark Spider-Woman solo film could dig into the complex psychology of what it’s like working for these impossibly massive organizations. In addition to serving as a new potential Avenger, Spider-Woman could act as a sustainable link between Sony’s Spider-Man movies and the larger MCU. Spider-Woman’s nemesis, Morgan le Fay, could make an obvious foil for Doctor Strange and help establish the role of magic in the Marvel movies. Given the character’s prominent role in the 2008 crossover “Secret Invasion,” a Spider-Woman solo film could almost single-handedly set-up a major storyline for a future Avengers movie.

STARJAMMERS

In 1977, Dave Cockrum created the Starjammers as an independent feature. When there wasn’t any room for them in any of Marvel’s anthology titles, he and Chris Claremont introduced them to “Uncanny X-Men” in the middle of the landmark “The Phoenix Saga.” While Corsair, Raza, Hepzibah and Ch’od have always been close X-Men allies, Fox could easily give the ragtag team of space pirates their own X-Men-free adventure. Even though the characters have only appeared irregularly since their debut, they could overcome the inevitable comparisons to “Guardians of the Galaxy” and thrive on film in a light-hearted space romp.

Thanks to Fox’s control of the X-Men and Fantastic Four rights, a Starjammers film could feature some tantalizing match-ups. The Starjammers could watch as the Shi’ar Imperial Guard make a desperate last stand against Galactus or fight off Annihilus’ Annihilation Wave filled with the Brood and the Phalanx. By introducing some of these more science-fiction elements, a Starjammers film could also pave the way for the X-Men and Fantastic Four’s intergalactic adventures.

MOON KNIGHT

While Marvel has had tremendous success with its solo character films, none of them have been the same kind of grand urban epic that Christopher Nolan perfected with the “Dark Knight” trilogy. With its dark premise and a strong library of underrated source material, Moon Knight could be Marvel’s celluloid answer to Batman. While most of Marvel’s street-level heroes have a home on Netflix, the earthy avatar of Khonshu would make a striking image on the big screen with his eerie all-white ensemble.

With the character’s relatively complex premise, a Moon Knight feature could mix the grimy heroics of Marvel’s Netflix shows with the magic of Doctor Strange and the mythology of Thor. While Moon Knight could bridge all of these worlds, it could also serve as a spiritual sequel to the Blade franchise. By drawing on Bill Sienkiewicz’s depiction of Moon Knight or Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey’s recent run on the character, Moon Knight could also work as a thrilling standalone psychological horror film.

BISHOP

In comics, Bishop’s history is hopelessly tied to the X-Men’s convoluted possible future timelines. Without the minutia of X-Men continuity, Bishop makes a compelling protagonist with a brilliant high-concept. Created by Whilce Portacio, Jim Lee and John Byrne in 1991, Bishop is a time-traveling policeman who comes back to the past to hunt an energy vampire named Trevor Fitzroy. While Omar Sy only had a few moments as the character in 2014’s overcrowded “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” that kind of time-traveling fugitive tale is the perfect set-up for non-stop sci-fi action in the vein of “Timecop” and “The Terminator.”

A Bishop film could also take a more grounded approach and adapt the short-lived crime series “District X.” In that comic by David Hine, David Yardin and Lan Medina, Bishop served as a policeman in the mutant-haven known as District X. Either one of those premises can stand on its own merits with a loose connection to the X-franchise, or could establish a number of plotlines for further X-Men movies equally well.

SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN

Even after five movies, most of Spider-Man’s villains still haven’t appeared on the big screen. While Spider-Man’s iconic villains should make their debuts fighting the wall-crawler, some of Spider-Man’s less lethal foes could build up his rogues gallery in their own feature. As “Suicide Squad” proved, a villain-focused film can succeed with nothing but cameos from established heroes. With that in mind, Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber’s “Superior Foes of Spider-Man” could be the perfect basis for a different kind of Spider-Man movie.

While most Spider-Man films have been fairly kid-friendly, a Superior Foes movie could exhibit the world-weariness and desperation of blue-collar criminals like the Shocker or Boomerang. A Superior Foes movie could make Spider-Man’s New York feel more expansive and lived in. Like Spencer and Lieber’s comic, the movie could be a light-hearted comedy of errors or more cynical look at the psychological toll of getting repeatedly beat up by a teenager in tights.

X-STATIX

Outside of Deadpool, the X-Men doesn’t lend itself terribly well to the world of comedy. While X-Statix doesn’t share “Deadpool’s” violently absurd sense of humor, the team could star in a solo film with vicious social satire. Created by Peter Milligan and Mike Allred as a later incarnation of “X-Force” in 2001, “X-Statix” cast its young mutant team as immensely popular reality TV celebrities. While that concept lends itself well to parody, the book was equally noteworthy for its sudden bouts of extreme violence and expendable team members.

Beyond tonally pushing Fox’s X-Men franchise in a drastically new direction, an X-Statix movie could offer a glimpse of how the world views mutants outside of the X-Men. Along with the compelling romance between Mister Sensitive and U-Go Girl and the commercial appeal of Doop, the team’s floating potato-like videographer, some of the comic’s less satiric elements could also translate to the big screen fairly well. Given the role of media in the series, the X-Statix movie could also be the ideal place to introduce the media-obsessed X-Men villain Mojo.

SPIDER-MAN 2099

Since Miles Morales is finally headed to the big screen, Spider-Man 2099 could add a whole new dimension to Sony’s Spider-Man franchise. Created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi for Marvel’s 2099 imprint in 1992, “Spider-Man 2099” showed how a future Spider-Man could operate in a corporately-owned dystopia that’s unlike anything Marvel has put on screen. While that line folded in the mid-1990s, Spider-Man 2099 has lingered long after the imprint’s cancellation and still stars in an ongoing title today.

Thanks to his appearance in a few Spider-Man video games and cartoons, some of the general public would already be familiar with Miguel O’Hara and the world of 2099. By clearly establishing the legacy of Peter Parker, a Spider-Man 2099 film could help set Tom Holland’s Spider-Man apart from his predecessors and offer audiences their first glimpse of the future of the MCU. Along with Spider-Man’s other film incarnations, a Spider-Man 2099 film could also help set-up a potential “Spider-Verse” crossover movie.

THUNDERBOLTS

While the MCU has many strengths, an expansive roster of well-defined villains hasn’t been one of them yet. A Thunderbolts movie could go a long way to changing that. Created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley in 1997, “Thunderbolts” originally followed a group of villains who were posing as heroes. As the series progressed, some of those characters actually reformed and the title morphed into a work release program for super-criminals akin to DC’s “Suicide Squad.”

While many of the classic Avengers originally started out as villains, those origins haven’t really been reflected in the MCU. Although “Suicide Squad” relished in its characters’ misdeeds, a Thunderbolts movie could be a sincere underdog story about redemption. The Winter Soldier could find a home in a Thunderbolts movie, and longtime Thunderbolt Songbird could be a logical choice to join a future film incarnation of the Avengers. With its focus on villains, a Thunderbolts film could draw from Marvel’s Netflix shows, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and older MCU movies, and serve as a regrouping point for the larger MCU.

BLACK WIDOW

At this point, it’s absolutely ridiculous that Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow hasn’t starred in a solo feature. While the character doesn’t have the most extensive history as a solo character in comics, Johansson’s super-spy has been a consistently engaging part of the MCU since her debut in 2010’s “Iron Man 2.” Thanks to her continued presence in Marvel’s movies, the Black Widow has unexpectedly risen from Marvel’s B-list to become one of the most visible superheroes in the world.

With Johansson’s proven box office appeal and experience headlining action thrillers like “Lucy,” the Black Widow could easily carry a Bourne-esque action-packed spy thriller in the espionage-rich MCU. As the rest of the Avengers movies continue to grow in size and scope, a Black Widow thriller could offer a necessary re-grounding after “Avengers: Infinity War.” Over the past few years, creators like Mark Waid and Chris Samnee have given the character several standalone comic stories that could model for the character’s solo cinematic outing. Even “The Avengers” director Joss Whedon has expressed interest in giving the Widow her first stand-alone starring role.

For all the latest Marvel Comics features, stay tuned to CBR! Let us know what Marvel character you want to see on the big screen in the comments below!

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