TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Go To

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

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.
#145301: Jul 27th 2022 at 11:40:36 PM

Thank you.

EDIT: Incredible, the worst page-topper of all time.

Edited by PushoverMediaCritic on Jul 27th 2022 at 11:41:00 AM

Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#145302: Jul 27th 2022 at 11:44:36 PM

Wait, I got ninja'd so I meant to point to the post above you 😂 I'm so sorry 😂

Still, I like your post!

Edited by Nightwire on Jul 27th 2022 at 11:45:12 AM

Snoketrope Barb / Temporary Kylo from California Since: Oct, 2020 Relationship Status: Waiting for Prince Charming
Barb / Temporary Kylo
#145303: Jul 28th 2022 at 12:34:51 AM

I think the Thunderbolts could be a cross between the original idea and the more Suicide Squad-esqe direction. Where they are supervillains working for the government, but rather then being a secret team they would be public figures, just with superhero guises to disguise their true identities.

Hail Vox Populi!
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.
#145304: Jul 28th 2022 at 12:58:25 AM

My guess with the Thunderbolts has always been that they're going to be the government's attempt to manufacture a new public team of Avengers, outright replacing the officially-sanctioned Avengers as the supposed "new generation". Then the Young Avengers are going to fight the Thunderbolts over who gets to claim that title as the "next generation" of Avengers.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#145305: Jul 28th 2022 at 1:04:21 AM

I'd like there to be more than one Thunderbolts movie. The first movie should play the superhero thing painfully straight. Have them all be portrayed as legit brand new superheroes who do genuinely heroic things for the whole movie...

Right up to the last few minutes when they reveal their real costumes and real agenda as a bunch of villains who plan to exploit their new Villain with Good Publicity status for nefarious ends.

And then have a "<name> will return" screen, but instead of "The Thunderbolts will Return" it will read "The Masters of Evil will Return".

Edited by M84 on Jul 28th 2022 at 4:06:07 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Snoketrope Barb / Temporary Kylo from California Since: Oct, 2020 Relationship Status: Waiting for Prince Charming
Barb / Temporary Kylo
#145306: Jul 28th 2022 at 1:37:58 AM

I think that would be a bit hard to stretch for a whole movie, the first episode of a series would fit that better.

Hail Vox Populi!
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#145307: Jul 28th 2022 at 2:25:53 AM

An interesting bit, both Hawkeye and Luke Cage do have major roles in the Thunderbolts comics.

Clint was a member of the original team and was a major reason towards the members redeeming himself through being a virtuous leader to contrast Zemo's bullshit.

And Luke Cage was the handler for the Suicide Squad-era Thunderbolts, being basically the Rick Flag of the team who cares for the convicts and tries to help them go straight.

So thats some fun possibilities.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#145308: Jul 28th 2022 at 5:41:06 AM

See, I like that campy "make fun of superhero names" humor that the MCU does, but I have the soul of a ten year old.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Chortleous she/her friend to the hooved (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: She does the things you do, but she is an IBM
she/her friend to the hooved
#145309: Jul 28th 2022 at 6:31:11 AM

Some of it works if it fits the character doing it, but it can and often does come off as insecure more than anything ("we're a serious big-budget movie for a mass audience, can you believe this dumb comic book shit?"), and MCU writing is... not consistent enough to navigate that.

Edited by Chortleous on Jul 28th 2022 at 8:34:34 AM

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#145310: Jul 28th 2022 at 6:34:51 AM

Yeah, as a fan of the Fast and Furious franchise (as well as the aforementioned Sonic the Hedgehog films), I love it when ridiculous fantasy media has the nerve to be completely sincere and heartwarming about its balls-out nonsense. I wish the MCU had that kind of courage.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Avenger09 Since: May, 2014
#145311: Jul 28th 2022 at 6:44:28 AM

Dr Strange being indignant over Doom giving himself the title of "doctor" would fit perfectly since their both sorcerer's. Its just one is also a technocrat.

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#145312: Jul 28th 2022 at 7:05:26 AM

I don't know if I'd equate the MCU's fondness for (weak and admittedly overused) gags about the silly names of characters involved for a lack of belief in the sincerity of the material. I think by and large the MCU has actually shown a relatively thorough, roll-with-the-punches acceptance of a lot of comic book absurdity. A lot of the MCU's formula of success relies on pre-emptively acknowledging something is absurd before proceeding to roll with it in some earnestness anyway.

They should consider dropping (or at least minimizing) this song-and-dance, but at the same pace I think the suggestions of Doctor Doom specifically arriving so he do a verbal Take That! against it feels a tad too ham-fisted.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#145313: Jul 28th 2022 at 7:08:36 AM

This sort of thing is where I get annoyed at certain critiques of the MCU. We know it's going to be quippy and irreverent. That's been established for decades now. So why are people still bothered by it?

It's like owning a cat for ten years and still complaining about the shedding. Sure, maybe it's part of the usual social song-and-dance from cat owners, like background noise, but as a serious concern it falls flat.

Edited by Fighteer on Jul 28th 2022 at 10:10:16 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#145314: Jul 28th 2022 at 7:54:50 AM

I think people complain because of the fact that it's been so long. They made jokes about Doc Ock's name in Spider-Man 2 in the faraway year of 2004, seeing that in the modern day can be weird.

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#145315: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:06:35 AM

Things evolve and change, otherwise they grow stale. It's not unreasonable for people to expect more change and variety from the MCU, I'd say, and this joke is directly part of that whole shindig.

It's part of the looming problem of the MCU that in some sense the irreverent humour approach is showing signs of some exhaustion. No one in sane mind is expecting the MCU to just do a complete 180 and become a Abel Ferrara movie (nor it should) but change and variety is good. Winter Soldier and Black Panther, two of the most acclaimed MCU entries, are notorious for their more solemn and straitlaced approach.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#145316: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:09:02 AM

Personally I wouldn’t want the MCU to become wholly solemn and straight laced. Variety is the spice of life

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#145317: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:09:13 AM

I guess it operates on a spectrum. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is probably going to be using that serious tone, while Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3 will be comedic. I'd expect Captain America: New World Order to also be more serious.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
diddyknux Straw Hat Robin (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Straw Hat Robin
#145318: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:09:13 AM

[up]x5 I agree with that. I can understand people rolling their eyes a bit, especially if its a particularly recurring bit (can we please STOP having characters who find out magic is real getting hung up on the fact magic is real?), but its not as though EVERY movie goes all in on the lampshading gags. I think there's a fair amount of variance.

People tend to get hung up on things that bug them instead of letting the full picture be.. well, full.

Edited by diddyknux on Jul 28th 2022 at 10:11:52 AM

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#145319: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:27:38 AM

Making fun of Doctor Doom's last name would also feel kind of assholeish since, well, it's his actual name. It's just the "Doctor" part that should be mocked since he's not really a doctor.

Disgusted, but not surprised
dcutter2 Since: Sep, 2013
#145320: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:29:25 AM

[up] Tell that to Octavius. Plenty of jokes have been making fun of the characters' real names.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#145321: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:32:03 AM

Yeah, the "your real name sounds like a superhero identity" joke has been made multiple times and it never stops thinking that it's funny. Your mileage may vary, but I absolutely love it, and it goes far beyond the MCU.

For example, Ryan George's Pitch Meeting for Face/Off gets a lot of mileage out of the absurd character names.

Edited by Fighteer on Jul 28th 2022 at 11:33:32 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#145322: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:32:53 AM

The best name gag the MCU did was still in the first Doctor Strange film.

  • Kaecillius: How long have you been at Kamar-Taj, mister...?
  • Strange: "Doctor".
  • Kaecillius: "Mister Doctor"?
  • Strange: ...It's "Strange".
  • Kaecillius: Maybe. Who am I to judge?

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#145323: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:36:59 AM

My pet peeve is that the trailers for these films always spoil the name jokes. I guess the one above is an exception since it's an extended bit of dialog.

Edited by Fighteer on Jul 28th 2022 at 11:37:18 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#145324: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:42:32 AM

While I think that under more than one director/writer, the MCU has jokes that detract from emotional sincerity, I don't see an issue with having at least one joke about Doom's name.

The issue would be more with having Doom start ranting and raving in response and the characters/movie not taking him at all seriously.

I thought the jokes about Doctor Strange's name in his own movie and in Infinity War were quite amusing. [nja] And I think it seems intuitive to have some lampshading of when characters have unusual predictive names (like Strange and Doom). Or similarly to note the frequency of alliterative names.

Edit - Also, not superheroes, but the humor with Doom and Strange kind of reminds me of (always funny) jokes in British media (i.e. Lord Peter Wimsey) about people with the name Death or D'eath who insist that it's pronounced de-ath. Because it is a real thing for people to have cool names like that.

Speaking of British media, I'm also thinking of how in the various Inspector Morgan media, there's a running joke of the head cops having these meaningful or ironic last names - Bright, Strange, and Moody.

Edited by Hodor2 on Jul 28th 2022 at 8:46:49 AM

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#145325: Jul 28th 2022 at 8:46:18 AM

I absolutely agree that there must be at least a couple of jokes at the expense of Doom's name. It's just hanging out there because of how ridiculous it sounds. Having Doom immediately pulverize the person making the joke is the obvious subversion.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

Total posts: 186,763
Top