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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.
  • Spoilers for new releases should not be discussed without spoiler tagging for at least two weeks. Rather, each title should have a dedicated thread where that sort of conversation is held. We can mention new releases in a general sense, but please be courteous to people who don't want to be spoiled.

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

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#62026: Sep 3rd 2016 at 5:59:12 PM

[up]

It took me a few seconds to catch that one.evil grin

One Strip! One Strip!
TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#62027: Sep 3rd 2016 at 7:11:10 PM

Last week when they announced a writer for New Mutants and then a little before that when the writers of Deadpool were discussing the sequel's premise? And then prior to that Fox ordering another X-Men show.

...

...Well, shame on me.

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#62029: Sep 3rd 2016 at 10:35:50 PM

According to Chadwick Boseman Black Panther will be on the grittier side compared to movies like Ant-Man.

I like the sound of that. When I think "gritty" and "Marvel movies" I think of stuff like The Winter Soldier, and it would be great if the BP solo film's tone is anywhere near that. Also it'll be interesting seeing how BP works as a less quippy hero given the way a lot of the humor around his character worked in Civil War.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#62030: Sep 3rd 2016 at 11:02:58 PM

Well, one thing for sure, Black Panther doesn't quip. They need to get their humour from elsewhere this time around. I admit, I am still hoping that Steve left Falcon in Wakanda in order to keep an eye on Bucky....it would be interesting to see Wakanda from his point of view, plus, he can be so wonderful sarcastic.

I don't think that there is a chance that Fox gives up the X-men, especially not now that Deadpool was such a success. I also don't think that Marvel will ever allow the messy continuity of the current X-men anywhere near its well-ordered franchise, not even through parallel dimensions. I guess the best we can hope that either Fox does a reboot and does it right this time around, or that the rights revert back way, way down the line, so that Marvel has something to tackle once the MCU is no longer around. But I think the MCU will be around at least until 2030.

The Fantastic Four rights are another matter though. Good chance that Marvel gets those back. And I mean back, I don't think that they will share like they did with Spider-man. The F4 are worth less than dirt anyway currently, and that will stay that way until Marvel takes them in hand. So why should they make a deal with Fox which will allow Fox to keep the rights?

Random questions for experts, btw: How many untapped lead characters has Marvel left which are not tied up in the X-men rights? I guess there is Namor (even though he is apparently still in legal limbo), Howard the Duck (yeah, will never happen), Miss Marvel, Moon Girl, Moon Knight....

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#62031: Sep 4th 2016 at 12:25:15 AM

I'd be OK if Black Panther was fairly light on the comedy, even more than The Winter Soldier. It being a mostly serious affair aside from Everett Ross's jokes would be a nice demonstration of tonal range from Marvel Studios.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#62032: Sep 4th 2016 at 2:26:07 AM

[up] I guess that will more or less be the role of him, playing the funny guy to Black Panther's straight man.

This

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtGdGZLLGWs

just made me decide that I want an Avengers musical. Old style, with a lot of dance number in it. (Do it, Kevin Feige, I am sure you can come up with some excuse).

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#62033: Sep 4th 2016 at 5:21:55 AM

[up][up][up]I think Marvel has used all the A-list names. They've used a good amount of the B-list too. I guess they still have Hercules, She-Hulk, Captain Britain, and Namor. I'm not sure how many of them could carry a movie though.

edited 4th Sep '16 5:22:13 AM by Kostya

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#62034: Sep 4th 2016 at 5:38:26 AM

Pretty much anyone could carry a movie given the right take, though it becomes somewhat harder the further down the list you get, admittedly. Not because of any name brand recognition (be honest, pretty much every new hero we've gotten since Phase 1 has been more or less unknown to mainstream audiences) and more because it's infinitely easier to craft a movie around a character who has a larger body of work to draw from.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#62035: Sep 4th 2016 at 6:35:04 AM

That, and there is usually a reason why a minor hero or a minor team-up never caught on.

So, Namor, She-Hulk, Moongirl, Ms. Marvel, Moonknight, Hercules, Captain Britain and then there are the different Avenger team-ups and maybe (big maybe) Howard the Duck....are those all?

Marvel could really use those Fantastic 4 rights...they could do a Doctor Doom and Silver Surfer movie with them....

edited 4th Sep '16 6:36:54 AM by Swanpride

jakobitis Doctor of Doctorates from Somewhere, somewhen Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Doctor of Doctorates
#62036: Sep 4th 2016 at 7:26:28 AM

Black Panther is pretty frequently played as the Comically Serious member of any given group in much the same vein as Batman tends to be - Earth's Mightiest Heroes is a recent example, and in the Priest run most of the comedy stuff revolved around Everett Ross rather than T'Challa. BP can do the odd quip here and there but from what I've read of him he tends to be the most deadpan of snarkers you can get.

It will be interesting to see if they go all out action hero with him or play up his guile and political manoeuvring - comics BP beat a few enemies well before he ever physically fought them, and sometimes didn't even bother with a confrontation, but that might be quite tricky to make compelling over the course of a two hour movie. Perhaps somewhere down the middle would be the best approach.

"These 'no-nonsense' solutions of yours just don't hold water in a complex world of jet-powered apes and time travel."
comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#62037: Sep 4th 2016 at 7:48:35 AM

IIRC that's pretty much why Priest said he introduced several humorous characters. There's Ross and then there's also a character named Zuri, who he described as basically the Wakandan version of everyone's funny drunken uncle.

[up][up]I think down the line we will eventually get Young Avengers.

edited 4th Sep '16 8:04:10 AM by comicwriter

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#62038: Sep 4th 2016 at 8:30:50 AM

I can imagine Tchalla dryly expressing his annoyance with Ross's prying in his kingdom's affairs, complete with Stealth Insults and intentional misdirection.

edited 4th Sep '16 8:41:31 AM by nervmeister

nervmeister Since: Oct, 2010
#62041: Sep 4th 2016 at 10:41:17 AM

[up]What auto shop in real life designs a leather jacket that looks anything like that?

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#62042: Sep 4th 2016 at 10:55:58 AM

The thing is, Marvel has a ton of characters and, as long as they don't mind using obscure properties (which Guardians of the Galaxy shows that they don't), they have so much they can use: Agents of Atlas, The Invaders, The Ultimates, Angela, Avengers Academy, Black Knight, Captain Britain and MI-13, Hellcat, Hercules, Thunderbolts, Dakota North, Darkhawk, Death's Head, Devil Dinosaur (with either Moon Boy or Moon Girl), Doctor Voodoo, the Eternals, Man-Thing, Hellstorm, the Hood, Ka-Zar, the Legion of Monsters, Nextwave, Squadron Supreme, Omega the Unknown, the Order, Power Pack, Red Wolf, Secret Avengers, She-Hulk, the Sentry, Skrull Kill Krew, Warlock, Weirdworld, Werewolf by Night, and Young Avengers.

Hell, I could totally see some of these things happening. If they wanted to make an epic fantasy movie, Weirdworld would be the best bet (and the last Weirdworld book was awesome). If they wanted to try their hands at doing a better Justice League movie than DC, Squadron Supreme would be good. Hell, if they wanted an espionage team up after the inevitable Black Widow movie (let me dream), then Secret Avengers would be just the thing.

And let's not forget if they want to make a straight out comedy, we always have Nextwave: Agents of HATE. Nextwave: healing America by beating people up.

What auto shop in real life designs a leather jacket that looks anything like that?
It's his exact costume in the comic book.

edited 4th Sep '16 10:56:52 AM by alliterator

Spinosegnosaurus77 Ramen Fairy from Ontario, Canada Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: All I Want for Christmas is a Girlfriend
Ramen Fairy
#62043: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:01:28 AM

When asked if Groot would be small for most of GotG v. 2, James Gunn answered on Twitter that "most would likely be an understatement."

edited 4th Sep '16 11:02:08 AM by Spinosegnosaurus77

Peace is the only battle worth waging.
jakobitis Doctor of Doctorates from Somewhere, somewhen Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Doctor of Doctorates
#62044: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:03:50 AM

[up][up]Which does not answer the question of what auto shop in real life has one like that. The MCU in general does seem to go for more (relatively) realistic/practical looks (e.g. Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye) and that particular outfit might well end up on the edge of 'acceptable' in terms of realism, though I could not explain what gives me that impression.

edited 4th Sep '16 11:04:21 AM by jakobitis

"These 'no-nonsense' solutions of yours just don't hold water in a complex world of jet-powered apes and time travel."
Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#62045: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:14:05 AM

The white logo thing doesn't seem all that implausible. And I think it's actually a stylization of the front zipper panel of other Ghost Riders' jackets, like in this cover.

edited 4th Sep '16 12:24:16 PM by Unsung

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#62046: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:34:23 AM

Sure, Marvel has a ton of character, but most of the minor ones are obviously for the TV shows. I was wondering how many properties are big enough that they might warrant a movie down the line. And there actually aren't that many left. I mean, we are very much set for Phase 4 with all the properties which are added in this phase and which most likely all will demand sequels (unless one of those movies really doesn't click with the audience).

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#62047: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:37:31 AM

It's certainly not impossible to make a movie based on some of the more obscure heroes, it's just a lot of extra work. The nice thing about B and C list characters who could hold down their own books is that a lot of the writer's work is already done for them.

With solo characters who happen to be part of a group as well, you get the benefit of having years of stories to draw from and a fleshed out world of there own. Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and even to a lesser extent Ant-Man (if we're talking about them in the context of both Ant-Men) have that benefit, as do the upcoming Black Panther and Captain Marvel. Those guys all have their own supporting casts, locales, and rogue's galleries that can be used as fodder when writing up a movie.

Whereas it'd be harder to do with someone less known because then you have to build their world out of cloth. In fact, that's probably part of the reason why Feige has said there are certain Avengers they never really had any intention of spinning off into solo films. It'd be tough to try and do a movie centered around someone like Vision or Scarlet Witch, awesome as they are, because they have mostly existed as ensemble characters for their published histories.

[up][up]The character has been around for like two years and now I'm kicking myself for just now noticing that.

edited 4th Sep '16 11:38:56 AM by comicwriter

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#62048: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:39:24 AM

[up] I can actually see them doing one movie focussed on Scarlet Witch and Vision as Co-leads, but not a whole franchise.

Perhaps that is the future of the MCU, not franchise but team-up movies with two or three Avengers going on some sort of Adventure.

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#62049: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:45:08 AM

Sure, Marvel has a ton of character, but most of the minor ones are obviously for the TV shows.
A decade ago, Guardians of the Galaxy was a minor property. Now, it isn't. Getting a movie can change a minor property to a huge one.

Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#62050: Sep 4th 2016 at 11:52:56 AM

Vision is Marvel's version of Martian Manhunter in more ways than one, and that includes sticking with the team long after others leave and not really working as a solo character. Scarlet Witch can't really work on her own given that her brother is dead and her father is stuck in another continuity, trapped behind licensing rights. Sad, really.


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