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Comic-book takeover: superheroes to dominate plexes for the next five years Sky-high expectations for Marvel's super-slate of comic book movies
(about 1 hour later)
If you hate comic-book movies, it might be a good idea to stay away from multiplexes for the next five years. Warner/DC has just announced its own slate of 10 interlinked superhero films, while 20th Century Fox gave the long-running X-Men saga a new lease of life this year with the daring, thematically complex Days of Future Past.If you hate comic-book movies, it might be a good idea to stay away from multiplexes for the next five years. Warner/DC has just announced its own slate of 10 interlinked superhero films, while 20th Century Fox gave the long-running X-Men saga a new lease of life this year with the daring, thematically complex Days of Future Past.
Sony’s Spider-Man is set to explore supervillain title The Sinister Six before returning with a third solo webslinger flick, while Paramount has just jumped on board with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There’s even a remake of the overrated The Crow in the works.Sony’s Spider-Man is set to explore supervillain title The Sinister Six before returning with a third solo webslinger flick, while Paramount has just jumped on board with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There’s even a remake of the overrated The Crow in the works.
Most exciting of all – because this is the studio that has revolutionised attitudes towards superhero movies in the past decade – is Marvel’s announcement last night of a nine-movie slate stretching all the way to 2019. So which films will be challenging The Avengers and The Dark Knight at the top of the superhero all-time box office charts? And which will have critics crying into their branded popcorn?Most exciting of all – because this is the studio that has revolutionised attitudes towards superhero movies in the past decade – is Marvel’s announcement last night of a nine-movie slate stretching all the way to 2019. So which films will be challenging The Avengers and The Dark Knight at the top of the superhero all-time box office charts? And which will have critics crying into their branded popcorn?
Captain America 3: Civil War – 6 May, 2016Captain America 3: Civil War – 6 May, 2016
The most recent Captain America instalment, this year’s The Winter Soldier, performed so well with critics that ever-optimistic studio bosses have reportedly been pushing it for Oscars recognition come awards season. Consequently, Cap III appears to have been significantly upgraded, with an appearance expected from Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.The most recent Captain America instalment, this year’s The Winter Soldier, performed so well with critics that ever-optimistic studio bosses have reportedly been pushing it for Oscars recognition come awards season. Consequently, Cap III appears to have been significantly upgraded, with an appearance expected from Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.
The fact that Steve Rogers is one of the weakest, on-the-face-of-it most prosaically-powered of superheroes was worked to The Winter Soldier’s advantage, with screenwriters forced to pitch the movie as an only slightly unwieldy geo-political fantasy about superhero agency Shield and the dark corridors of power.The fact that Steve Rogers is one of the weakest, on-the-face-of-it most prosaically-powered of superheroes was worked to The Winter Soldier’s advantage, with screenwriters forced to pitch the movie as an only slightly unwieldy geo-political fantasy about superhero agency Shield and the dark corridors of power.
With Captain America now firmly at the centre of the Marvel universe, it makes total sense for the studio to blend elements of the classic civil war comic-book arc into part three. It’s the perfect recipe for further political intrigue, and Rogers is the perfect figure to get caught up right in the middle of the superhero registration act and its spectacular fallout.With Captain America now firmly at the centre of the Marvel universe, it makes total sense for the studio to blend elements of the classic civil war comic-book arc into part three. It’s the perfect recipe for further political intrigue, and Rogers is the perfect figure to get caught up right in the middle of the superhero registration act and its spectacular fallout.
Doctor Strange – 6 November 2016Doctor Strange – 6 November 2016
Benedict Cumberbatch, should his appointment be confirmed, will make a fabulous sorcerer supreme. Doctor Strange, as I discussed yesterday in a blog post on the casting, has the potential to be a completely different kind of big-screen superhero. If director Scott Derrickson can successfully deliver a movie cut through with the lurid, vivid psychedelic tapestries of the early comic books, it could also be one of the most far-out superhero visions yet seen.Benedict Cumberbatch, should his appointment be confirmed, will make a fabulous sorcerer supreme. Doctor Strange, as I discussed yesterday in a blog post on the casting, has the potential to be a completely different kind of big-screen superhero. If director Scott Derrickson can successfully deliver a movie cut through with the lurid, vivid psychedelic tapestries of the early comic books, it could also be one of the most far-out superhero visions yet seen.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – 5 May 2017Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – 5 May 2017
Another property that will arrive in cinemas with huge expectation following the Guardians’ spectacular debut earlier this year. The first film was a key moment in the current comic-book movie revolution because it proved audiences can embrace the barmy cosmic sci-fi portion of the Marvel back catalogue.Another property that will arrive in cinemas with huge expectation following the Guardians’ spectacular debut earlier this year. The first film was a key moment in the current comic-book movie revolution because it proved audiences can embrace the barmy cosmic sci-fi portion of the Marvel back catalogue.
Cut through with beautifully-written banter and breezy action, Guardians of the Galaxy successfully sidestepped any potential audience resistance to the idea of a superhero movie about monotonous talking trees, emerald-skinned assassins and loquacious raccoons with unexpectedly creative comedy curveballs and a side order of blisteringly offbeat 70s pop. It was only let down by its somewhat formulaic cartoon villains, Thanos and Ronan The Accuser, but you can’t have everything.Cut through with beautifully-written banter and breezy action, Guardians of the Galaxy successfully sidestepped any potential audience resistance to the idea of a superhero movie about monotonous talking trees, emerald-skinned assassins and loquacious raccoons with unexpectedly creative comedy curveballs and a side order of blisteringly offbeat 70s pop. It was only let down by its somewhat formulaic cartoon villains, Thanos and Ronan The Accuser, but you can’t have everything.
Given that The Avengers and Guardians are expected to cross over at some point, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if a familiar face such as The Hulk turned up, but we can probably expect those kind of interactions to take place further down the line. Writer-director James Gunn has hinted that part 2 will centre on the identity of Star Lord’s father, which ought to be a plum role. So don’t be surprised if yet another veteran actor you never expected to see in fantasy fare turns up following Robert Redford’s debut in The Winter Soldier. Or to go an entirely different route, how about they give it to Mark Hamill?Given that The Avengers and Guardians are expected to cross over at some point, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if a familiar face such as The Hulk turned up, but we can probably expect those kind of interactions to take place further down the line. Writer-director James Gunn has hinted that part 2 will centre on the identity of Star Lord’s father, which ought to be a plum role. So don’t be surprised if yet another veteran actor you never expected to see in fantasy fare turns up following Robert Redford’s debut in The Winter Soldier. Or to go an entirely different route, how about they give it to Mark Hamill?
Thor: Ragnarok – 28 July 2018Thor: Ragnarok – 28 July 2018
Thor needs to significantly up his game after the mildly disappointing, overly tinkered-with The Dark World, and that title hints at a pretty epic third instalment. Ragnarok is the name of a cyborg version of Thor who appeared in the comics, but given that storyline would pitch too close to The Avengers: Age of Ultron, it’s more likely that Marvel is referencing the Asgardian cycle of apocalypse which shares the same moniker.Thor needs to significantly up his game after the mildly disappointing, overly tinkered-with The Dark World, and that title hints at a pretty epic third instalment. Ragnarok is the name of a cyborg version of Thor who appeared in the comics, but given that storyline would pitch too close to The Avengers: Age of Ultron, it’s more likely that Marvel is referencing the Asgardian cycle of apocalypse which shares the same moniker.
The Ragnarok storyline saw the prince of Asgard battling to end the endless circle whereby the Nine Realms are created and destroyed over and over again, always climaxing with an enormous battle that leaves all the Gods including Thor dead. The only problem here is that the film series’ best moments so far have come when Odin’s son interacts with mere mortals, and its worst when it spins off into offbeat and far-flung fantasy elements such as the Asgardians’ battle with Malekith’s tedious dark elves in Thor 2.The Ragnarok storyline saw the prince of Asgard battling to end the endless circle whereby the Nine Realms are created and destroyed over and over again, always climaxing with an enormous battle that leaves all the Gods including Thor dead. The only problem here is that the film series’ best moments so far have come when Odin’s son interacts with mere mortals, and its worst when it spins off into offbeat and far-flung fantasy elements such as the Asgardians’ battle with Malekith’s tedious dark elves in Thor 2.
The jury’s out on this one, but I think we all want to see what Tom Hiddleston’s Loki gets up to now he’s really got under Odin’s skin.The jury’s out on this one, but I think we all want to see what Tom Hiddleston’s Loki gets up to now he’s really got under Odin’s skin.
Black Panther – 3 November 2017Black Panther – 3 November 2017
My colleague Ben Beaumont-Thomas has brilliantly delved into the significance of Marvel’s first ever lead African American superhero in this blog post.My colleague Ben Beaumont-Thomas has brilliantly delved into the significance of Marvel’s first ever lead African American superhero in this blog post.
Captain Marvel – 6 July 2018Captain Marvel – 6 July 2018
Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, will be the first female superhero to get her own movie in the Marvel universe, with the studio resisting fan pressure for Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow to beat her to the punch. Danvers will arrive in multiplexes a full year after Warner DC debuts Wonder Woman and ought by that stage to have plenty to live up to. Captain Marvel is by far the lesser-known hero, but Marvel has proven in the past that comic-book stature means nothing once a character has made the leap to the big screen. The studio has been working on this story for some time, so we’re entitled to expect a bold and ambitious movie, despite the female version of the superhero having existed for just a short time. Marvel boss Kevin Feige says Danvers will have an “earthbound” adventure, but the character’s past has often dovetailed with stories of the Kree and other alien races, so we can expect the film to further shift the Marvel universe into the cosmic realm.Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, will be the first female superhero to get her own movie in the Marvel universe, with the studio resisting fan pressure for Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow to beat her to the punch. Danvers will arrive in multiplexes a full year after Warner DC debuts Wonder Woman and ought by that stage to have plenty to live up to. Captain Marvel is by far the lesser-known hero, but Marvel has proven in the past that comic-book stature means nothing once a character has made the leap to the big screen. The studio has been working on this story for some time, so we’re entitled to expect a bold and ambitious movie, despite the female version of the superhero having existed for just a short time. Marvel boss Kevin Feige says Danvers will have an “earthbound” adventure, but the character’s past has often dovetailed with stories of the Kree and other alien races, so we can expect the film to further shift the Marvel universe into the cosmic realm.
Inhumans – 2 November 2018Inhumans – 2 November 2018
With the rights to Marvel’s X-Men currently owned by rival studio 20th Century Fox, who show no signs of being willing to let them go, the Disney-owned studio has its beady eye on another gang of mutant super-humans. The Inhumans are the descendants of genetic prehistoric experiments on humanity by the alien Kree who have lived apart from the rest of mankind ever since and developed their own advanced technologies. The nature of their powers, and the method through which they develop them, could nicely feed into the development of all kinds of superheroes within the Marvel universe.With the rights to Marvel’s X-Men currently owned by rival studio 20th Century Fox, who show no signs of being willing to let them go, the Disney-owned studio has its beady eye on another gang of mutant super-humans. The Inhumans are the descendants of genetic prehistoric experiments on humanity by the alien Kree who have lived apart from the rest of mankind ever since and developed their own advanced technologies. The nature of their powers, and the method through which they develop them, could nicely feed into the development of all kinds of superheroes within the Marvel universe.
The Avengers 3 – Infinity War: Part 1 – 4 May 2018 and The Avengers 3 – Infinity War: Part 2 – 2019The Avengers 3 – Infinity War: Part 1 – 4 May 2018 and The Avengers 3 – Infinity War: Part 2 – 2019
Might this be the end of the line for the current incarnation of The Avengers, with Thanos proving unstoppable thanks to finally getting his hands on that elusive Infinity Gauntlet? There’s nothing like announcing a two-part sequel to a superhero epic that’s already expected to be one of the highest-grossing movies of all time to put the kibosh on your rivals. So the news that the Infinity War double header is just three years away really does put Warner/DC’s ambitious slate of 10 superhero movies into perspective.Might this be the end of the line for the current incarnation of The Avengers, with Thanos proving unstoppable thanks to finally getting his hands on that elusive Infinity Gauntlet? There’s nothing like announcing a two-part sequel to a superhero epic that’s already expected to be one of the highest-grossing movies of all time to put the kibosh on your rivals. So the news that the Infinity War double header is just three years away really does put Warner/DC’s ambitious slate of 10 superhero movies into perspective.
The arrival of Thanos centre stage suggests there could be all kinds of crossovers with the world created by Gunn in Guardians of the Galaxy, even if I wasn’t hugely impressed by the cosmic supervillain in his most recent outing. He may be rather more powerful than Loki, but Hiddleston’s prince of darkness exhibits a lot more twisted joie de vivre. Let’s hope he’s part of proceedings too.The arrival of Thanos centre stage suggests there could be all kinds of crossovers with the world created by Gunn in Guardians of the Galaxy, even if I wasn’t hugely impressed by the cosmic supervillain in his most recent outing. He may be rather more powerful than Loki, but Hiddleston’s prince of darkness exhibits a lot more twisted joie de vivre. Let’s hope he’s part of proceedings too.
We should also be fully expecting the Guardians to turn up in at least one of these movies. If so, it’s going to take everything the Marvel bigwigs have got for these films to keep delivering greater and greater epic thrills each time they hit cinemas rather than devolving into an over-populated mess.We should also be fully expecting the Guardians to turn up in at least one of these movies. If so, it’s going to take everything the Marvel bigwigs have got for these films to keep delivering greater and greater epic thrills each time they hit cinemas rather than devolving into an over-populated mess.
Joss Whedon upped Marvel’s game with The Avengers, and the signs are positive for Age of Ultron. Let’s hope the Buffy creator gets a third and fourth crack of the whip. If this is the end, the film-maker who took Marvel’s universe to the next level really should be there to see it out.Joss Whedon upped Marvel’s game with The Avengers, and the signs are positive for Age of Ultron. Let’s hope the Buffy creator gets a third and fourth crack of the whip. If this is the end, the film-maker who took Marvel’s universe to the next level really should be there to see it out.