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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

deuteragonist Since: Dec, 2013
#117376: May 2nd 2020 at 2:24:16 PM

I always find myself enamored by how GOTG really did not have to be that good. I was one of the people who knew it would be a hit before it came out, but when you really think about it a movie like Guardians of The Galaxy must have been pretty difficult to make.

I also think that both the first and second one are about the same level of great quality. The only thing I don't like about the second one is Rocket Raccoon is a dick.

Edited by deuteragonist on May 2nd 2020 at 2:25:11 AM

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#117377: May 2nd 2020 at 2:29:17 PM

He really is

It does a lot of narrative lifting for him and for Yondu though

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#117378: May 2nd 2020 at 2:32:01 PM

I think Guardians 2 is still my favorite MCU movie.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#117379: May 2nd 2020 at 2:32:58 PM

Before Guardians's release, everyone was talking about weird it looked. I was more concerned that it wasn't going to be weird enough. That it would just be a generic Star Wars clone like so many others that wouldn't distinguish itself in any meaningful way. Fortunately, it had a really solid grasp of character arcs and made compelling and worth caring about while also tossing in a cheeky sense of humor.

AyyItsMidnight Look, just be decent to one another ok? Since: Oct, 2018
Look, just be decent to one another ok?
#117380: May 2nd 2020 at 2:37:48 PM

We could debate their ups and downs for a bit but both Guardians movies hold a special place in my heart as the first two MCU movies I really grew to love, and even aside from that their themes in conjunction with the characters, visuals and soundtrack, enhanced by the juxtaposition against the weird zany setting and how we got talking raccoons, tree creatures, living planets and more, make them both two of the most standout entries, easily towering over any of the Avengers movies.

Self-serious autistic trans gal who loves rock/metal and animation with all her heart. (she/her)
C105 Too old for this from France Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Too old for this
#117381: May 2nd 2020 at 2:40:57 PM

If I remember correctly, I think that my main disappointment when watching the first GoG film was that the stinger was a joke with Howard the Duck instead of some tie about the upcoming films, which was what most of the Avengers films had done so far.

On the other hand, the end credits of GoG2 are my favourite among all the films so far. I always discover some new joke to laugh at every time I see them.

Edited by C105 on May 2nd 2020 at 11:41:25 AM

Whatever your favourite work is, there is a Vocal Minority that considers it the Worst. Whatever. Ever!.
chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#117382: May 2nd 2020 at 3:01:00 PM

Once the trailer came out blasting "Hooked on a Feeling", it was clear the film wasn't going to be a Star Wars knock-off.

I never really expected Guardians to flop, if only because it was offering something really different than other blockbusters at the time. It was Ant-Man that I was worried was going to be the first big flop for the MCU. Ant-Man wasn't the most popular hero and the production troubles with Edgar Wright leaving had me very concerned about where the film was going. It was a very pleasant surprise for me that it turned out as good as it did.

Edited by chasemaddigan on May 2nd 2020 at 6:01:34 AM

Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#117383: May 2nd 2020 at 3:02:52 PM

I think Guardians 1 had better comedy while Guardians 2 had better drama. For that reason, I consider them to be equally good.

The legend has returned.
RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#117384: May 2nd 2020 at 3:03:26 PM

What Got G did was, it had the surface level weirdness of a talking racoon, a tree man who only says one phrase, and the Farscape-esque setting, but the character types and the plot they go on are not that different from a number of other crime/action movies, so that balances it out.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#117385: May 2nd 2020 at 3:03:55 PM

Here's hoping 3 keeps up the quality.

Very curious what they do with Adam Warlock.

He was originally Thanos' nemesis.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#117386: May 2nd 2020 at 3:04:46 PM

I've got the same worries you had with Antman with The Eternals,it feels they should have introduced weirder stuff like the Celestials much sooner,a film about their creators feels like uncertain ground for me.

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
deuteragonist Since: Dec, 2013
#117387: May 2nd 2020 at 3:16:00 PM

GOTG also had the benefit of coming out a year before The Force Awakens, so Star Wars fatigue hadn't started and there was nothing to really compare it to.

I also agree that the Guardians movies ended up being two of my favorite movies in the MCU. The character work in them is very, very strong.

We probably won't see a third film get released for at least another three years, though.

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#117388: May 2nd 2020 at 4:57:47 PM

I think Marvel has had a lot of "turning point" movies. If I had to list them:

  • Iron Man: The one full of charm and heart that started it all and settled the formula, of course.
  • The Avengers: The greater risk of them all, the first "crossover movie" of the MCU (which to that point had just been standalones with connections) with a huge success that crowned the MCU.
  • Captain America - Winter Soldier: the acclaimed, more "serious and auteur" movie that broke out of the usual MCU mold and established the Russos as the enduring creative powerhouses they became. Noticeable also for its more open contemporary criticism with the security and HYDRA themes.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: The massive gamble, oddball movie that established the MCU as a brand onto itself, selling characters obscure even to comic fans to one of their greatest successes.
  • Black Panther: Basically The Winter Soldier part deux except this time even greater a sociopolitical phenomena and even greater as a "serious and auteur" movie setting itself apart from all others.
  • Infinity War & Endgame: What is truly "the most ambitious crossover of all time", at least when it comes to cinema, and basically the culmination of a decade of cultural dominance of the MCU (hence becoming the most successful movie ever). I personally consider them a single movie split in two, but if I had to pick one I'd go with Endgame.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
FGHIK Since: Aug, 2013
#117389: May 2nd 2020 at 5:39:53 PM

GOTG 3 (And much of the MCU going forward) has me a bit worried. It kind of feels to me like they had a plan up to Endgame, and now they're just writing by the seat of their pants. Like Thor being with the team, Adam Warlock, Gamora being dead and replaced with her past self... I'm just not sure how they're going to make all of it come together. Maybe they will though, they've surprised me before.

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#117390: May 2nd 2020 at 5:44:40 PM

I have a feeling Thor's going to leave the team in the first act of Love and Thunder. I doubt he'll stick around for next Guardians film.

Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#117391: May 2nd 2020 at 6:06:08 PM

That's a good list of turning points, but I'd add Civil War here. Spider-Man's debut opened the floodgates for everyone else to be accepted back into the MCU mold and Zemo's the start of the more interesting villains.

The legend has returned.
Discar Since: Jun, 2009
#117392: May 2nd 2020 at 7:02:46 PM

[up][up] That could go either way. In the comics, female Thor was alone because Odinson no longer felt worthy. So they could have him stay with the Guardians to keep him out of the way of her plot. Or, he could leave the Guardians, and Love and Thunder will be a buddy-cop movie with two storm gods. It's too early to say at this point.

Writing a post-post apocalypse LitRPG on RR. Also fanfic stuff.
ChumlyX1995 Since: Jan, 2020
#117393: May 2nd 2020 at 7:12:08 PM

Having Got G vol.3 be “The Search for Gamora” really intrigues me. That right there could be Quill’s, Nebula’s and Gamora’s story in Vol. 3.

I feel sorry for Drax not having actual “revenge” on Thanos. I’m not sure what they could do with him in Vol 3. I imagine the last 5 years has made Rocket less of a dick.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#117394: May 2nd 2020 at 7:19:50 PM

Drax not getting revenge on Thanos could be what they do with Drax.

In the dna run, he felt aimless after he did succeed in killing Thanos. You can do Drax that has to live without revenge as his primary motivator.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#117395: May 2nd 2020 at 7:58:26 PM

Drax participated in the battle where Thanos was slain for good. I think that's sufficient enough for Drax even if he's not the one who scored the final blow.

Transferring his grudge to Thanos aside, he seemed pretty okay with merely being a participant in Ronan's death.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#117396: May 2nd 2020 at 9:09:18 PM

I generally got the impression that the Russos had little idea what to do with the the Guardians, minus the Thanos connection with Gamora and Nebula. Hence Rocket mostly just being Thor's guide character in Infinity War and Endgame, practically disappearing from the plot in Endgame once he wasn't needed for that purpose any more, while the rest of the Guardians mostly spend both movies just fucking around and not doing anything of note.

Quill screwing up the big moment in Infinity Wars is the standout exception (which, in addition to the scenes that got deleted, says a lot about how they perceived the group), but beyond that they came off as characters the Russo's had to include, not characters they wanted to.

Edited by KnownUnknown on May 2nd 2020 at 9:10:02 AM

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#117397: May 2nd 2020 at 9:36:19 PM

If I were to change which of the Guardians were snapped, I'd probably have Quill be the sole survivor instead of Rocket. I feel there was missing potential of him arriving on Earth and having to deal with culture shock after being gone for so long. You could have done some interesting things with him in the five year gap, maybe even build on his relationship with his grandfather (although I'm not sure if he'd still be alive by 2023). Have him feel genuine remorse over letting Thanos get away, and heartbreak over losing his entire team. Hell, Quill being a drunken wreck would've made more sense than Thor.

But I'm just spitballing at this point.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#117398: May 2nd 2020 at 9:41:48 PM

Didn't they confirm that Quil has been to Earth plenty of times off-screen?

C105 Too old for this from France Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Too old for this
#117399: May 3rd 2020 at 2:28:46 AM

That would explain the incredible longevity of his tape player tongue

Whatever your favourite work is, there is a Vocal Minority that considers it the Worst. Whatever. Ever!.
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#117400: May 3rd 2020 at 2:32:08 AM

Ya know what be hilarious?

If someone showed him the remake of Footloose & told him it’s the original movie despite his obvious confusion of where’s Kevin Bacon. tongue

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."

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