Marvel Cinematic Universe - All Marvel Movie/TV discussion

[SirSam]

Just saw Ant Man & The Wasp. It was a great pallet cleanser after the intensity of Infinity Wars.

It kept the light hearted nature of the first one and was funny where it needed to be but still knew when to take itself seriously and hit an emotional high note.

I loved the action set pieces, the growing and shrinking concepts really make things interesting and allow them to be creative with how things get done. The car chase in particular was a real highlight with them speeding around the streets and using the shrinking and growing to full effect.

I was split on Ava/Ghost, when she first showed up she was badass and at first it looked like her motives were quite interesting and conflicted however by the end they kind of dropped that and her character just became a pretty basic, 'I don't care about anyone else' character. Still were cool and her outfit may be one of my favourite in all the Marvel Universe.

Overall, great Marvel movie, at this point these guys just know their formula for the single super hero movie and while certainly didn't try to reinvent the wheel, it was none the less a very entertaining movie.

[XanMan]

I thought Ant-Man was okay; haven't seen the new one yet. I despise that they are using Scott Lang. I think a full trilogy of Hank Pym movies would have been awesome. First one he is Ant-Man, second one he is Giant Man, third one he is the older Pym that can only shrink and grow items like in West Coast Avengers and has to get by on ingenuity. We would also see the span of his relationship with Janet.

[Powder]

Just saw Ant Man & The Wasp. It was a great pallet cleanser after the intensity of Infinity Wars.

It kept the light hearted nature of the first one and was funny where it needed to be but still knew when to take itself seriously and hit an emotional high note.

I loved the action set pieces, the growing and shrinking concepts really make things interesting and allow them to be creative with how things get done. The car chase in particular was a real highlight with them speeding around the streets and using the shrinking and growing to full effect.

I was split on Ava/Ghost, when she first showed up she was badass and at first it looked like her motives were quite interesting and conflicted however by the end they kind of dropped that and her character just became a pretty basic, 'I don't care about anyone else' character. Still were cool and her outfit may be one of my favourite in all the Marvel Universe.

Overall, great Marvel movie, at this point these guys just know their formula for the single super hero movie and while certainly didn't try to reinvent the wheel, it was none the less a very entertaining movie.

I agree with the entirely.

[Samuel 'Plan]

It's not even out in the UK yet!

So news hit last couple of days that James Gunn has been fired from Disney because of some old divisive comments he made on his Twitter a number of years ago, and not a lot of people are happy about it. Taika Watiti is being asked for as a replacement by fans.

Putting the moral debate aside, from a purely creative standpoint I dare say Guardians would benefit from a new director, and not Watiti. Guardians 2 got totally out of control with the humour, totally missing the brilliant balancing act the first one struck. I'd like to see a return to the right mix of humour and pathos we got in the first, and I don't think Gunn would deliver that frankly. Guardians 2 was nothing if not in love with itself.

[meandi]

I’m a bit biased because the CapAm movies have been my favorites (especially Winter Soldier and Civil War), And Infinity War was amazing, as well... I’d have no problem with the Russo Bros directing everything from here on out. Mind you... I don’t want them necessarily writing; bring in some of the other guys that have written other movies, and let them bounce ideas off each other (Much like they did for IW), but, yeah... just let the Russo Bros direct everything.

[Samuel 'Plan]

So what can we expect from the MCU post-Avengers 4 do we think? I know they've announced a few films already, but presumably the Thanos arc ends in the next Avengers which leaves the path wide open should the shared universe idea continue on - especially in lieu of Disney and Fox now sealing the deal, which will see X-Men be available to the MCU.

A new collective arc, and if so, what? Or would they be better shelving shared universe for a time and instead focus on just making excellent individual films - something I feel has been a struggle for Marvel, generally speaking, really from the beginning. Lots of decent, not much great.

[meandi]

Really disappointed Marvel didn’t attend SDCC this year, although I totally understand why they wouldn’t. Can’t really go around throwing out new titles and trailers before Avengers 4 finishes the current crop of stuff.

[Samuel 'Plan]

Saw Ant-Man and the Wasp last night.

Not sure how I feel. It was as safe a Marvel movie as you can get. Was that a wise idea in the wake of something as subversive and intense as Infinity War? Or a disappointing return to standard after something very interesting?

I'll have to let it digest a little more before where I stand with it. Entertained me though.

[Prime Time]

I saw Ant-Man and Wasp. Went in with no real expectations because I hadn't seen the first one, but thought it was a lot of fun. I had a blast.

[XanMan]

So apparently Sony actually has the rights to around 900 characters as part of their license deal with Marvel. They have scrapped the plan for Black and Silver, but if Venom does well a solo Black Cat movie and a Kraven solo may be in the works along with several very minor characters getting their own films. There is also a possibility of MCU characters popping up in the Spider-Verse.

[Samuel 'Plan]

Ya know, I was thinking the other day (and apologies, because this is slightly off topic) whether WB have missed a trick in not reflecting Sony, rather than Marvel.

I'm not convinced of multiple Spider-Man supporting characters getting solo off-shoots but it strikes me a shared Bat Family universe, rather than a shared DC universe, could have worked really well.

Batman, Nightwing, Red Hood and Batwoman would have all made for awesome solo franchises just to start with, and a collective film would've obviously been easy to bring together. Maybe a City of Owls story or something for example. They could have even carried on the Nolan-verse to do it.

But that's for another thread I'm sure! I'm not certain how much interest there is in the likes of a solo Kraven film, as an example, but I remain a believer it all boils down to one thing: is it a good movie? If so, let Sony blast out as many as they like. Otherwise restraint might be in order...

[XanMan]

Along with, "Is it a good movie?" is the question, "How many superhero origin stories can I take?" I would like these companies to start taking a chance and showing these characters in media res. I don't need to see young Kraven growing up or Felicia Hardy learning how to be a cat burglar. Let's get some movies where these characters are already fully formed and doing their thing. Otherwise it's basically the same story we keep being told and, as much as I love Marvel, getting pretty old. From the previews, I think Aquaman is going to strike a nice balance, but we really haven't seen that yet from any of the big companies. It might not be since, Hellboy, actually.

EDIT: I forgot to comment on your actual idea. I think a series of Gotham related movies would have been great. I was lukewarm on the tv show, but I would love to see those individual movies you listed; it would be kind of like Marvel's Defenders. There will be a Batwoman series on WB next year; I'm not sure if you knew that or not. I would rather that Wayward Sisters had gotten the nod, but I'm not butthurt over it or anything.

[LWO4Life]

My thing about origin stories is this. Is the character familiar with main stream audiences? Say for instance Superman. Superman doesn't need another origin story ever again. My wife knows the Superman story. But, say Ant-Man, no one knows Ant-Man. Having an origin story helped my wife, who had no idea who he was, understand why he appeared in Civil War. Marvel has done a great job and I'd say found a second wind. Except Winter Soldier, I thought all the sequels of Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Avengers 2, all were meh. But since Civil War the movies really picked up and now putting out fun movies. I saw Ant-Man and the Wasp with the kids, first Marvel movie in a while with no curse words and it was really, really fun.

[meandi]

Along with, "Is it a good movie?" is the question, "How many superhero origin stories can I take?" I would like these companies to start taking a chance and showing these characters in media res. I don't need to see young Kraven growing up or Felicia Hardy learning how to be a cat burglar. Let's get some movies where these characters are already fully formed and doing their thing. Otherwise it's basically the same story we keep being told and, as much as I love Marvel, getting pretty old. From the previews, I think Aquaman is going to strike a nice balance, but we really haven't seen that yet from any of the big companies. It might not be since, Hellboy.

SpiderMan: Homecoming. Even the bit in Civil War when he goes to tell the story, and Stark is like “Yeah, whatever... I gotta go.” That was about the perfect tease.

[XanMan]

Good call. And I suppose Incredible Hulk, too, if you don't take it as a continuation from Ang Lee's Hulk.

LK, the thing is why do superhero movies have to do that when others don't? I'm not saying no others do, but take, for example, Mission: Impossible, Tombstone, or Ocean's 11. The leads of those movies--all blockbusters--are already fully formed characters and we don't need to see them start in their formative years or whatever. We just roll with the current predicament they are in. That's how I think more superhero movies should be. Even if audiences don't know the origin, there can be a brief touch on it or something; it doesn't have to be all or most of the movie.