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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

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#131851: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:39:30 AM

Yeah, Thanos being connected to the Celestials is now similar to - say - Adam Warlock being connected to Thanos. It might have been a thing if all this was introduced earlier, but they missed the Thanos train and now it's unlikely that the adaptation will bother dredging it back up.

Thanos is dead, so there isn't a lot they can do with him in the present. Maybe they'll give him some extra post-mortem backstory, but it's unlikely.

Chrononaut70 Since: Dec, 2020
#131852: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:42:32 AM

I don't know. A'Lars is identified as Thanos' father in the MCU, like the comics. He's also a Deviant himself, so it's possible for the film to show it.

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#131853: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:42:53 AM

It does seem like the Deviants are more of a non-sapient monster race in this movie, compared to the Apokolips Expies of the comics. As far as we know there's been no indication of Titan having any connection to the Deviants in the MCU.

At most I expect the Eternals, the Deviants, and Thanos and his people to all be creations of the Celestials.

Edited by AlleyOop on Aug 19th 2021 at 11:43:36 AM

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.
#131854: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:44:01 AM

Given that "we didn't stop Thanos because we only interfere to stop Deviants" is LITERALLY their justification, it would actually create a plot-hole if Thanos had anything to do with Eternals or Deviants now. I guess Thanos really is just some guy native to Titan.

Chrononaut70 Since: Dec, 2020
#131855: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:44:31 AM

Still, the actual film might show them to actually be sapient. Or maybe not, who knows.

Whowho Since: May, 2012
#131856: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:44:50 AM

Okay the trialer has fostered interest from me when previously there wasn't. I like stories about reunions.

ArthurEld Since: May, 2014
#131857: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:45:41 AM

There is at least one sapient Deviant shown in the trailer, yes.

And we don't really know how smart the other, more animalistic ones are.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#131858: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:49:11 AM

Although I get the feeling they are regretting following the only fight Deviants edict.

When half the universe is wiped out for five years (which is pretty short for these dudes most of the time, but probably felt real long if their numbers were affected), you have to wonder if maybe you should widen your jurisdiction.

One Strip! One Strip!
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#131860: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:56:52 AM

in before the villains are the Celestials

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
MatthewWayne The Tapestry Weaver from Camp Echo One Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Tapestry Weaver
#131861: Aug 19th 2021 at 8:58:09 AM

I'm still not sure where I stand on Eternals as a whole yet, but I will say that it looks really gorgeous aesthetically, even if it's a bit too muddy in some areas.

The thing I'm most worried about is whether the film will be able to juggle the indie arthouse theme with a comic book movie theme. Also, there's a lot of main characters to focus that are being introduced in one film all at once. But I like Chloe Zhao as a director, and Angelina Jolie, Selma Hayek and Gemma Chan are all cool actors. So I hope it does well, especially in COVID times and with China hating Zhao now.

"I'm Mr. Blue, woah-woah-ooh..."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#131862: Aug 19th 2021 at 9:00:00 AM

I’m assuming based on little that a big shocking twist is that the Celestials also created the deviants and that the Eternals protecting humanity from them is something something control group

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
ArthurEld Since: May, 2014
#131863: Aug 19th 2021 at 9:01:37 AM

That is more or less their comics origin, yeah.

Chrononaut70 Since: Dec, 2020
#131864: Aug 19th 2021 at 9:12:45 AM

With regards to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, it appears that the film will have the lowest opening weekend since The Incredible Hulk according to current estimates, probably because of the pandemic's Delta variant and China not liking it. Even if the movie doesn't outright flop per se, it's certainly not the next Black Panther (2018) and we've seen Black Widow (2021) face the worst box office drop in MCU history. Considering that Shang-Chi isn't well known to casual viewers, who knows whether or not Eternals will make gangbusters at the box office since they're even more obscure and it's director dislikes the CCP so naturally they wouldn't be too keen on allowing a film made by a person that's staunchly opposed to them.

Edited by Chrononaut70 on Aug 19th 2021 at 9:22:55 AM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#131865: Aug 19th 2021 at 9:27:47 AM

Reminder that according to Kingo’s bio we are getting a big Bollywood musical dance number within the film.

That’s gonna be interesting to see.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#131866: Aug 19th 2021 at 10:55:58 AM

He’s gonna get killed by the true Mandarin in his one scene, guaranteed.

Why? Mandarin would have killed him years ago if he wanted to do it.

However, since Thanos is likely a Deviant-Eternal hybrid, this just creates more questions than answers.

The MCU has ignored any connection with the Eternals.

Edited by Cortez on Aug 19th 2021 at 1:59:25 PM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#131867: Aug 19th 2021 at 10:57:29 AM

He's probably going to wind up as a body double in all honesty for the Mandarin

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#131868: Aug 19th 2021 at 10:57:35 AM

A lot of the movie seems to be flashbacks, so we could absolutely have a scene that happens right after Iron Man 3. Heck, seeing Wenwu kill Slattery - a moron and a patsy who it would be pointless to kill - simply for pride's sake could be the thing that makes Shang decide to leave. We know that one of Shang's gripes with his father is the fact that he's a murderer.

But if he is still alive, maybe Wenwu forced him into being a servant or something.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Aug 19th 2021 at 10:58:18 AM

comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#131869: Aug 19th 2021 at 11:04:29 AM

Clearly the Mandarin just wanted to do a meet and greet because he was a big fan of Trevor's prior acting credits.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#131870: Aug 19th 2021 at 11:07:18 AM

He is a connoisseur of fine acting.

What gang-lords always like to play up how classy they are.

Edited by slimcoder on Aug 19th 2021 at 11:07:26 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Chrononaut70 Since: Dec, 2020
#131871: Aug 19th 2021 at 12:56:11 PM

The biggest issue that Eternals faces is introducing no less than 10 different main characters to the big screen (11 if one counts the Black Knight). That's way too many main characters and some of them will be underdeveloped with the main focus being Ikaris and Sersi respectively.

Edited by Chrononaut70 on Aug 19th 2021 at 12:56:32 PM

Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#131872: Aug 19th 2021 at 12:58:33 PM

No one ever says bad stuff about the cast sizes of Ocean's Eleven, Love Actually, or Knives Out.

Maybe it will wind up overstuffed or some characters will be sidelined, but a large cast is not a damning indicator by itself. It's all in the writing.

Edited by Synchronicity on Aug 19th 2021 at 2:59:35 PM

Asherinka from Winterfell Since: Jan, 2018
#131873: Aug 19th 2021 at 1:00:56 PM

[up][up]That's why they'll likely kill at least some of them off and solve the problem.

Also, they can always divide them into two groups or something. It is easier to watch 3-5 characters interact than 10. They did it in Infinity War and Endgame already. They even can make two groups fight each other...

Upd Wait. Now it's my favorite theory. One group lead by Sersi, another by Ikaris. And they fight each other over how to deal with that volcanic calamity. How's that for a plot?

Edited by Asherinka on Aug 19th 2021 at 11:06:57 AM

Of all the things at risk, the loss of an objective reality is perhaps the most dangerous.
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#131874: Aug 19th 2021 at 1:02:56 PM

In this case, the story seems fairly intimate and laser-focused on these 11 people as well, so I think it's fairly likely they all end up relatively fleshed out. Of course, some will be more fleshed out than others, but I don't think it's impossible.

What I think is more likely here is that the villains don't get much time to themselves, considering the 11-person-strong cast of heroes. Quite possible the Deviants end up like Generic Doomsday Villain types with a twist.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
ArthurEld Since: May, 2014
#131875: Aug 19th 2021 at 1:02:57 PM

Plus they obviously won't all be "main" characters. That's not how that works.

To use the aforementioned Knive's Out as an example, there are four central characters and then a large cast of various supporting players.

For Eternals, we already know who our core character is, and who she is most closely connected to.


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