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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
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    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#142626: May 31st 2022 at 11:51:28 AM

A metafiction like that doesn't really work with different mediums, though. Like, there's a reason that most non-comic things that Marvel Comics reference are products that have already wrapped production. The difference in production times and creative processes makes trying to make TV shows or comics beholden to whatever the comics are doing absurd.

So, like, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends? That show ended decades ago. So there's no harm in having Morlun murder them all for that deep-cut reference hit. But you'd be absolutely fucking insane to suggest killing off the actual Tom Holland Spider-Man in Spider-Verse #37. Absolutely not. Never going to happen.

The metafiction is an illusion. It only goes one way. It lets the comics adopt abandoned Marvel properties when their original creators are done with them. And, sure, when the MCU ends and the comic writers are allowed to scrap it for parts, someone will probably come up with some excuse to correct the numbering issue. But that's not happening any time soon.

For all intents and purposes, the MCU is its own continuity. It is an adaptation, not a spinoff.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#142627: May 31st 2022 at 12:00:32 PM

No one suggested the MCU be enslaved to the whims of the editorial office at Marvel. The discussion started and ended with "they should really have just used a different universe name to keep up the pattern and play with the multiversal concept in accordance to the comics". The MCU being, say, Earth-313 (and the comics having some moratorium on not mucking with Earth-313 so as to not break the spell) would be the simplest thing to do on the planet for a medium that's so fond of convoluted solutions.

It's not the end of the world (or worlds, given the topic) that they didn't do something like that, but it wouldn't have hurt anybody if they did. It's just always funny that bringing up something like this always leads to the idea that comic books having any sort of say in the movies aside from being a IP machine is a sin against God.

Edited by Gaon on May 31st 2022 at 12:04:19 PM

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#142628: May 31st 2022 at 12:10:19 PM

Back on Spider-Man, I do find it funny that Far From Home's plot centered around a fake multiverse only for the immediate sequel to do "multiverse but for realsies this time".

Also one of the dudes from said multiverse bears a strong conceptual similarity to a CGI monster Beck created as part of his multiverse fraud.

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on May 31st 2022 at 3:11:27 PM

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#142629: May 31st 2022 at 12:17:53 PM

That's part of the fun of Mysterio. His outlandish shenanigans work in the comics because he lives in the Marvel Universe, a place that is already completely unhinged, so he can often be Right for the Wrong Reasons.

If he shows up making up some shit that Spider-Man is an elder god of fire in an ancient viking temple there's a 50-50 chance that's true to some extent somewhere in the Marvel Universe.

Edited by Gaon on May 31st 2022 at 12:18:58 PM

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
JoLuRo075 Since: Jan, 2019
#142630: May 31st 2022 at 12:30:05 PM

"Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends? That show ended decades ago. So there's no harm in having Morlun murder them all for that deep-cut reference hit. "

And even that suffered a retcon, revealing that they were never the originals, but very similar versions.

And even without the retcon, there's nothing stopping animated series from doing their own multiversal crossover, showing that the '80s versions are alive and well.

Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#142631: May 31st 2022 at 1:26:29 PM

I think a lot of it is people taking multiverses at face value. Like, Marvel and DC both have universes that are just the real world. So when an event happens that destroys it, the options are either that we are all canonically dead, or the multiverse doesn't actually include every universe.

FGHIK Since: Aug, 2013
#142632: May 31st 2022 at 3:10:50 PM

I mean, realistically speaking, in an infinite multiverse you'd inevitably have multiple universes taking the same designation. Especially for a low number like 616. Unless the universes are less than infinite, and even then it's likely without some multiverse-wide standardization.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#142633: May 31st 2022 at 3:14:49 PM

In the comics I think it’s the captain Britain corp deciding how to number universes and I have no idea what their criteria is

Except that sometimes they have a sense of humor because they numbered the horror monster universe 666

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Watchtower Since: Jul, 2010
#142634: May 31st 2022 at 3:36:54 PM

Look if you have a multiverse in the range of no less than six digits and you have to be the poor bastard counting them all then you're gonna have fun with at least some of them. tongue

lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
The sleepiest good boi
#142635: May 31st 2022 at 3:42:40 PM

[up]I bet there was a fight as to who got to name Earth-420 and Earth-69.

Edited by lbssb on May 31st 2022 at 3:42:48 AM

Disney100 Marathon | DreamWorks Marathon
MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
dmcreif Vault Dweller from Vault 33 (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Robosexual
Vault Dweller
#142637: Jun 1st 2022 at 11:22:12 AM

The Suicide Squad's Daniela Melchior (Ratcatcher II) will be part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

She is the second DCEU actor that James Gunn has brought over to the Guardians franchise, the other being Chukwudi Iwuji (Clemson Murn).

Now I wonder if Jennifer Holland will be right behind them.

Okey Dokey!
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#142638: Jun 1st 2022 at 11:46:41 AM

Neat, she was great in that.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
AyyItsMidnight Look, just be decent to one another ok? Since: Oct, 2018
Look, just be decent to one another ok?
#142639: Jun 1st 2022 at 11:59:23 AM

Hey, cool. So we've got both the English and Portugese voices of Gwen Stacy showing up in the flesh now.

Self-serious autistic trans gal who loves rock/metal and animation with all her heart. (she/her)
MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#142640: Jun 1st 2022 at 1:53:26 PM

[up][up][up] So I guess we can say that Korg is Ratcatcher's father now?

Edited by MatthewWayne on Jun 1st 2022 at 1:53:35 AM

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
SAwatching from south africa Since: Oct, 2017 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#142641: Jun 2nd 2022 at 3:45:29 AM

If Stan Lee was still alive what sort of cameo do you think he would have had in Phase 4 movies and tv shows.

Sincerely S Awatching.
Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#142642: Jun 2nd 2022 at 6:24:10 AM

Here are my ideas for the movies.

  • Far From Home: One of the fleeing civilians in any of the attacks.
  • Black Widow: A visitor to Natasha's grave in The Stinger.
  • Shang-Chi: Absolutely one of the civilians on the bus.
  • Eternals: Just for shits and giggles, one of the villagers in the distant past.
  • No Way Home: One of the coffee shop baristas at the end.
  • Multiverse of Madness: He'd be hanging out with Bruce Campbell's character.

The legend has returned.
MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#142643: Jun 2nd 2022 at 7:57:16 AM

I guess I'll do the TV shows.

WandaVision - One of the S.W.O.R.D workers diesecting Vision.

FAFWS - One of the dudes freaking out when the Flag-Smashers smoke bomb the GRC

Loki - One of the hurricane storm shelter survivors in Alabama 2050.

What If - Reprises his role as the Watcher Informant, and gives Uatu new information about the different universes we see.

Hawkeye - A crazy homeless guy who gets kicked out of the LARP event for getting too into character.

Moon Knight - An American tourist who politely buys something from Steven Grant in the first episode.

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
HasturHasturHastur from Wheah the fahkin baby wheel is, Jay Since: Nov, 2010
#142644: Jun 2nd 2022 at 8:34:56 AM

She-Hulk: A prospective client approaching Jen and being turned away.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#142645: Jun 2nd 2022 at 8:49:49 AM

I could totally see him at the LARP event. He probably couldn't do anything physically intensive, but he could be standing over a defeated foe, brandishing his fake sword and exclaiming something like, "EXCELSIOR!"

The MCU really isn't the same without the old kook. sad

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jun 2nd 2022 at 8:51:20 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#142646: Jun 2nd 2022 at 8:53:50 AM

I feel like in Loki they wouldn't pass up the opportunity to have Stan Lee with goat horns among the alternate Lokis in Limbo. I can just picture in the scene where all the Lokis start a massive chain of mutual betrayal there's a brief shot of Stan Lee Loki fruitlessly pleading "Guys, guys, can't we all get along?".

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#142647: Jun 2nd 2022 at 9:23:15 AM

Stan Lokee.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#142648: Jun 2nd 2022 at 9:39:28 AM

It would’ve been dope if in the spread of characters in the multiverse who know Peter Parker was Spider-Man in NWH, one of them was Stan Lee.

Like, not even Stan cast as a character, but literally our Stan Lee.

Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#142649: Jun 2nd 2022 at 9:41:07 AM

Love the Stan!Loki idea as well as the LARP one. Could also see him getting turned away from being able to watch Rogers: The Musical, because he came on the wrong day.

With Shang Chi, I agree that the bus scene is a good option. Maybe there could also be a call-back to him being on the bus in Captain Marvel (e.g. "Next time I'll drive.")

Alternatively, I could see him as one of the punters betting on the illegal fighting ring. I kind of picture him with an eyepatch and hook hand as a compliment to that other bettor wearing a mask.

Edited by Hodor2 on Jun 2nd 2022 at 9:41:56 AM

FGHIK Since: Aug, 2013
#142650: Jun 2nd 2022 at 1:56:28 PM

[up][up] Oh wow that's my favorite idea yet. What a shame this couldn't happen.


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