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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.
  • While mild digressions are okay, discussion of the comic books should go in this thread. Extended digressions may be thumped as off-topic.
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If you're posting tagged spoilers, make sure that the film or series is clearly identified outside the spoiler tagging. People need to know what will be spoiled before they choose to read the post.

    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

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50076: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:25:51 PM

From what I'm gathering, I doubt that Natalie Portman will be back for more than probably one scene or something. I've heard she's not really into the role anymore.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
VeryMelon Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Wackd Since: May, 2009
#50078: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:28:47 PM

Gee, I wonder why. They've just been giving her so much interesting stuff to do.

(I mean don't get me wrong I love Jane but mostly for being a woman who kicks ass with science in Dark World, I'm not denying that the movies mostly treat her as disposable.)

Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50079: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:29:00 PM

Of course, I've heard the same about Anthony Hopkins, so I don't know the legitimacy.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
LordofLore Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Consider his love an honor
#50080: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:35:56 PM

IIRC both Elba and Hopkins said things about Thor 2 after the premiere(Hopkins said something like "I've already forgotten everything about it. The lines were awful and I had to change them into something that wouldn't insult me. I'm only doing these for the money and in the downtime between other roles" and I've forgotten what Elba said).

edited 23rd Jan '16 1:58:16 PM by LordofLore

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50081: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:41:58 PM

To be fair, it was Thor 2. Even though I'm an ardent fan of each and every one of the MCU films, I've only seen Thor: The Dark World once, and I don't feel the urge to see it again. I don't hate it, but it's not a film you'd rewatch again and again and again.

Though the final battle between Thor and Malakeith was great, as was Loki being, well, Loki.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Whowho Since: May, 2012
#50082: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:43:06 PM

I'm pretty sure Elba was missquoted? He was saying that wirework and the costumes and such were ridiculous, in that, it was incredibly good fun and absurd compared to his other roles.

I distinctly remember this happening, but you may be refering to something else he's said. From what I can tell though, he's quite fond if the role.

Hopkins though...

wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#50083: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:46:17 PM

I actually feel stupid for not recognizing that Odin was Hopkins when I first watched Thor years ago.

granted, that might be because I wasn't familiar with most of his filmography at the time.

edited 23rd Jan '16 1:46:43 PM by wehrmacht

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#50084: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:47:06 PM

Yeah, I thought I heard that Elba enjoyed Thor 2 because they gave his character more to do this time.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#50085: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:48:09 PM

Hopkins definitely said something to suggest that he wasn't coming back. It wasn't quite rude but it was something to the effect of "I've done two and that's enough."

Of course Money, Dear Boy exists for a reason.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50086: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:49:18 PM

I'm kinda surprised people had an initial backlash to Heimdall being played by Elba. I mean, Idris Elba is a phenomenal actor, why would anyone have a problem with him in the role?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Khfan429 Since: Aug, 2009
#50087: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:49:33 PM

Hopkins definitely seemed to be having more fun in the first film, what with the "HRRRRRNGH"s and the "BUT YER NOT KINGGGG!... Not yet!"s.

wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#50088: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:50:01 PM

they could just Darrin Odin if need be.

edited 23rd Jan '16 1:50:16 PM by wehrmacht

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50089: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:50:15 PM

I will give Hopkins this: the dude was so into the role that Tom Hiddleston was terrified of him during the scene where Odin cast Thor out.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#50091: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:51:51 PM

That's not out of character based on what I've read. He doesn't have much primadonna-ism, he just takes roles that pay well and does his best with the material he's given, I guess not unlike the late Cristopher Lee except he apparently wasn't as expensive.

as for there being backlash to Elba's casting, I don't really want to prolong that argument, but besides any claims of racism, it's basically because people are used to gods of a particular culture being of the same ethnicity as most of the members of that culture. People would find it weird if they went into a movie with japanese deities and have them all played by caucasian actors. The thing is, there actually were black vikings as far as I know, so Elba isn't really out of place anyways.

edited 23rd Jan '16 1:54:51 PM by wehrmacht

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#50092: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:53:44 PM

The backlash was because one of the Norse gods having an african appearance seems odd. that and just plain racism.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50093: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:54:51 PM

They had an Asian actor playing Hogun, I don't see why an African actor playing Heimdall would be that bad.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#50094: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:57:22 PM

That's the thing, Hogun is A) Not an actually norse god (both for being a Canon Foreigner to the mythology and for being explicelty stated he's not originally from Asgard), B) Asian-ish in the comics.

Heimdall however is an actual norse god, and white in the comics. So They Changed It, Now It Sucks! ensued.

That said the movie actually provides a decent explanation why Norse culture Heimdall isn't black (which is the major Fridge Logic this change would entail): Heimdall never leaves the Bifrost, so presumably the Nordic people never actually saw Heimdall and just deduced he was like his fellow Asgardians (that is, caucasian)

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#50095: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:58:56 PM

This might just be me, but the comics Hogun looks a little bit like an asian man in the panels I'm seeing, so maybe that was part of the reason people didn't care as much. I had honestly completely forgotten about the character, truth be told.

And he isn't a norse god, anyways.

[nja]

edited 23rd Jan '16 1:59:47 PM by wehrmacht

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#50096: Jan 23rd 2016 at 1:59:01 PM

One day, Heimdall cast his gaze down at Midgard, and his eyes fell upon a legendary actor named Idris Elba.

"This man has a physique worthy of the Aesir," said the All-Seeing One. "I shall take his appearance as my own, so that all may bask in the glory that is Heimdall."

And it was so.

And it was good.

Oh God! Natural light!
wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#50097: Jan 23rd 2016 at 2:00:44 PM

I like Idris Elba so I don't mind him in the role. He was a pretty memorable Heimdall.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50098: Jan 23rd 2016 at 2:02:19 PM

I mean, it's all settled anyways. Heimdall was one of the best parts of the Thor movies.

Plus, the Asgardians are technically aliens, so I don't think it'd matter much what skin color Heimdall was.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
wehrmacht belongs to the hurricane from the garden of everything Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
belongs to the hurricane
#50099: Jan 23rd 2016 at 2:03:32 PM

i don't think that many people care about elba being cast anymore at this point, his performance kind of sold most people on the idea of him being heimdall.

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#50100: Jan 23rd 2016 at 2:03:58 PM

I like Idris Elba's Heimdall. The only issue I had when his casting was announced was how they'd explain how Norse mythology Heimdall (who'd theoretically be, in the MCU, based off Idris Elba-Heimdall) is a white fellow.

But they provided a handy reason so now I enjoy the character fully.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."

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