A brief teaser for The Punisher: One Last Kill, the upcoming Disney Plus special, has been released, generating great anticipation among fans of the popular character. Despite its short duration, the teaser promises a good dose of the characteristic action of Frank Castle, once again played by Jon Bernthal, which is a relief for those who have been waiting for his return since his last appearance. The upcoming companion of Spider-Man will not only return in The Punisher: One Last Kill, which will premiere on May 12, 2026, but will also participate in Spider-Man: Brand New […]
A brief teaser has been released for The Punisher: One Last Kill, the upcoming special on Disney Plus, generating great anticipation among fans of the popular character. Despite its short duration, the teaser promises a good dose of the characteristic action of Frank Castle, played again by Jon Bernthal, which is a relief for those who have been waiting for his return since his last appearance.
The next Spiderman companion
Not only will he return in The Punisher: One Last Kill, which will premiere on May 12, 2026, but he will also participate in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, scheduled for July 31, 2026. This crossover between both works highlights the growing interconnectedness of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which promises to enrich the narrative of both projects.
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it is anticipated that Frank Castle will develop an interesting relationship with Peter Parker, which has generated excitement among the actors involved. Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man, has expressed his enthusiasm for Bernthal’s performance, stating: “He comes from a very different world, you know, the R-rated one, and we basically brought him into our world. And he really shines in this movie. It’s amazing.”
So far, details about The Punisher: One Last Kill are limited, leaving fans speculating about which aspects of the story will be explored. However, the teaser has already generated renewed fervor for the character and his apparent integration into a broader superhero universe. With Daredevil: Born Again still airing and these upcoming projects on the horizon, the summer of 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting time for Marvel followers.
Tessa Thompson has recently generated buzz by responding to questions about her possible return as Valkyrie in the upcoming Marvel movie, Avengers: Doomsday. During an interview with The Playlist, the actress could not confirm her participation in the project, but made it clear that she is open to reprising her iconic character. “Oh, [I am not] in a position to confirm anything,” Thompson stated, suggesting that while her return is not guaranteed, the idea is appealing. The representation of Asgard would come to the movie Valkyrie has played a prominent role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), appearing in four films and […]
Tessa Thompson has recently stirred up excitement by answering questions about her possible return as Valkyrie in the upcoming Marvel movie, Avengers: Doomsday. During an interview with The Playlist, the actress could not confirm her participation in the project, but made it clear that she is open to reprising her iconic character. “Oh, [I am not] in a position to confirm anything,” Thompson stated, suggesting that while her return is not guaranteed, the idea is appealing.
The representation of Asgard would come to the movie
Valkyrie has played a prominent role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), appearing in four movies and two television series, during which she has faced various threats, from killer gods to zombies. The character’s versatility has allowed Thompson to explore a range of genres and styles in her performances. “I think there are so many tonal spaces that can be explored within a Marvel movie,” the actress commented, excited about the creative opportunities that the MCU offers.
In addition to his interest in returning to the Avengers saga, Thompson has also expressed his desire to rejoin the Creed franchise, where he shares credits with Michael B. Jordan. “We love those movies so much. I think there’s still more to say if the audience wants to attend,” he stated, emphasizing the actors’ commitment to their characters and the story they have built together.
While the dynamics of the MCU are often wrapped in rumors and speculation, Thompson’s revelation suggests that Valkyrie could return in future installments, although at this moment, her return remains an open topic for interpretation. With a mix of excitement and caution, fans are eagerly awaiting news from the Marvel universe.
Tramell Tillman has joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a movie that promises to be one of the major releases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its Phase 6. Although Tillman’s specific role, known for his performance as Seth Milchick in the acclaimed series Severance, has not yet been revealed, he joins a star-studded cast that includes Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ Jones-Watson, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Jon Bernthal as Punisher, Michael Mando as The Scorpion, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, as well as Sadie Sink and Liza Colón-Zayas in unspecified roles
Tramell Tillman has joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a movie that promises to be one of the major releases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its Phase 6. Although Tillman’s specific role, known for his performance as Seth Milchick in the acclaimed series Severance, has not yet been revealed, he joins a star-studded cast that includes Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ Jones-Watson, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Jon Bernthal as Punisher, Michael Mando as The Scorpion, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, as well as Sadie Sink and Liza Colón-Zayas in unspecified roles.
An unknown role, but it can certainly help elevate you to stardom
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 31, 2026, falling just a week after the initial date of July 24. This change is due, in part, to the competition with The Odyssey, the new film by Christopher Nolan that also stars Holland and will be released on July 17, 2026.
Despite the fact that details about the plot of Brand New Day are scarce, Tom Holland has indicated in an appearance at CinemaCon that the new installment will be “a fresh start” following the cliffhanger left at the end of No Way Home. Holland described the project as an opportunity to start anew, an approach that, while not revealing much, raises high expectations among fans.
With the combination of a talented creative team and a cast that stands out in their respective careers, Spider-Man: Brand New Day promises to be an exciting addition to the MCU. Die-hard fans of the franchise and pop culture in general should eagerly await its release in 2026. For more details on upcoming Marvel movies, it is recommended to consult specific guides and summaries of the vast Marvel universe to date.
It’s a blast getting to be a superhero, but let’s be honest – it’s way more fun to be the bad guy. You get to blow stuff up, watch the good guys scatter and run, laugh maniacally as your army invades planets, and sit back on the throne of a new empire. With the villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe the scariest part is that oftentimes they’re not even wrong. So which one of these vindictive villains are you?
Happy with your choice? If not, we suppose you could go and wreck the nearest planet in a frustrated tantrum. Or at least you could turn out the lights and let out an evil cackle. Come on, you know you want to.
Despite the creative cleverness and fresh ingenuity of Marvel figureheads and directors like Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, and the Russo Brothers, the widespread success and growth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe still began with the kernel of the comics. While the MCU has stayed relatively true to its source material, they’ve also taken their fair share of liberties.
While more hardcore Marvel fans might still be salty about Sony’s recent acquisition of Spider-Man, the glaring lack of mutants in the films, or how the Mandarin was cheekily sidestepped in “Iron Man 3,” there’s a lot of decisions the team has made that vastly improved the comic origins. Here’s our top 10:
10. Thor isn’t Donald Blake
If your first foray into Asgard was through the MCU then you probably don’t even know the name “Donald Blake.” While Thor was still born and raised an Asgardian in both, his powers and relation with the mystical Mjolnir was very different. In the MCU Thor is sent to Midgard (Earth) to learn humility and respect in the original “Thor.” He knows what he has lost and it’s only when he starts acting like a true hero that he re-earns his powers.
“soft-spoken and lame” is right
In the comics Odin sends Thor to Earth for much the same reason. The difference? In the comics Thor is further punished by being sent to Earth in the mortal guise of a crippled young medical student named Donald Blake, forced to hobble around on an injured leg. Furthermore he’s completely stripped of his memories, leading to a long stint as a (surprisingly successful) physician and surgeon, similar to Doctor Strange. It’s honestly pretty weird – “Donald Blake” even opened up a private practice in New York. We think it’s definitely for the best that the MCU decided to forego this unnecessary complication to the plot, and instead that Thor learned to be a hero the real way. No mind-wiping necessary.
9. Scott Lang, not Hank Pym
Hank Pym is one of the most important members of the Avengers in the comics: He’s a founding member, the creator of Pym Particles, and even the mind behind the creation of Ultron. Many fans of the comics were upset by his exclusion in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” when in the comics his character played such a pivotal role. Even when Ant-Man finally got a solo movie it wasn’t Hank Pym in the starring role, but rather Scott Lang. Hank Pym’s role is minimal, and he certainly had nothing to do with Ultron. Here’s why:
You can’t come back from some things
In the comics Scott Lang does become Ant-Man, and he’s the second guy to take on the mantle, just like it was shown in “Ant-Man.” Why put Hank Pym on the sidelines?
Well, to put it bluntly, it’s because in the comics Hank Pym beat his wife. Not something you’d likely see in a 2019 movie where you’re supposed to like the protagonist. Plus, the MCU already had one genius with a cool suit, they didn’t really need two. It was a lot more fun to see Scott Lang as the guy in the suit while Hank Pym exasperatedly tries to coach him.
8. Everything about Black Panther
Black Panther in the comics was a cool dude. He was the king of a hidden nation, a noble warrior, a humble leader in tune with his ancestry, and a frighteningly capable warrior. So how did the MCU take that character and improve him? By keeping everything we mentioned canon and focusing on improving everything and everyone around him. We could talk about the cool costumes and sleek technology of Wakanda all day, so to keep this short we’ll focus on a few key supporting characters from “Black Panther.”
Making Lupita Nyong’o a one-shot villain would be an egregious waste of her talents
Let’s start with Nakia. In the movies she plays T’Challa’s ex-girlfriend and a spy for the throne of Wakanda. Strong, compassionate, pragmatic, and forward-thinking she’s largely the reason T’Challa’s family survived Killmonger’s coup.
In the comics, Nakia is strong, too; in fact she’s one of the Dora Milaje. She was also a wife-in-training openly obsessed with marrying T’Challa (she even threw herself 50 feet into a shallow pool just so T’Challa would perform mouth-to-mouth on her). Ew. Definitely not something that would cast her in a good light in the movies. M’Baku was also radically overhauled in the movies, for which we are eternally grateful. Why? Dude was called “Man-Ape” in the comics.
Let’s just leave it at that.
7. Peter Parker is Iron Man’s protegee
Iron Man is a brilliant engineer and inventor. Spider-Man is a smart kid. On top of that, both are costumed superheroes trying to leave a positive mark on the world. It makes perfect sense that Peter would idolize Tony Stark, and that Tony would welcome his talents during a heated disagreement with his former friend, Steve Rogers.
We love the Tony-Peter relationship
What makes this improvement such a stroke of genius is that it also means MCU Spider-Man gets to play with all Iron Man’s gadgets and toys. As we saw in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” it’s a clever way for Stark to pass on the torch and keep his character’s influence present in the MCU even after the character has sadly departed.
6. Bucky is awesome
Before Steve Rogers became a super soldier in “Captain America: First Avenger” it was Bucky Barnes who pulled him out of the fire again and again, “’till the end of the line.” Even after receiving the serum, Rogers still played the shy hero with a heart of gold, while Bucky was the more outgoing, confident, older brother figure. This dynamic was one of the key aspects that made “The Winter Soldier” such a compelling film, and gave such weight to Cap’s wanting to protect and redeem his best friend in “Civil War.”
My eyes! They bleed!
It’s times like this that we implore you to remember that Bucky was Captain America’s teenage sidekick in the comics. Yeesh. Introduced during a time when Batman and Robin was all the hype, Bucky originally played the part of Steve Rogers’ eager, plucky sidekick and mascot. This version of Bucky also led a team of teenage soldiers called – wait for it – the Kid Commandos. We get the feeling that if this character had fallen off a train in the final act the audience would have burst into applause.
5. War stories
Some might say that the MCU really hit its stride with the release and unprecedented success of the first “Avengers” film. The aftermath of the Chitauri invasion set the stage beautifully for Phase 2, with the effects of the disaster playing an important role in the subsequent chapters. While this isn’t really a choice you can compare with the comics, it was a brilliant way to interweave several of the themes and threads from the comics into a more streamlined, logical order.
It’s so cool that Vulture’s wings are powered with Chitauri tech
Right off the bat, we see this come into play with “Iron Man 3.” In the comics, Tony Stark had a serious drinking problem (which they addressed with moderate success in “Iron Man 2“) that was a huge hurdle for the character to overcome. This was repainted as severe panic attacks and an obsessive need to protect the planet as a result of realizing how under-prepared they were for what the universe had in store. Speaking of neat segues, this leads right into our next point:
4. I am Iron Man
Aside from making the smart choice to headline the MCU with a character that at the time was lesser-known (which meant a smaller chance to screw up the series!), placing Iron Man at the center was smart for another reason: His personal journey aligns perfectly with the course laid out by Marvel’s first 3 phases. Aside from Robert Downey Jr.’s performance elevating the character to a whole new level of awesome, it’s his relation with the other characters in the MCU that made such an important figure on a more macro level.
Tony Stark was never the same after New York
We already talked about how “Avengers” put Tony Stark on a course that plagued him with anxiety. While he recovered on a personal level at the end of “Iron Man 3,” he still carried this with him in all the later movies. He sees a vision of death and destruction in “Age of Ultron” that inspires him to build a shield around the planet. Thus Ultron was born.
He wants to prevent global disasters and champion a more legal, institutionalized grip on superheroes. Thus the Sokovia Accords were introduced and the Civil War ignited.
He carries the weight of Marvel’s first three phases on his shoulders and brings that weight into every story in which he plays a part, adding his signature gravitas and credibility to situations well into “Avengers: Endgame.” We love you 3000, RDJ!
3. Everything about the Guardians of the Galaxy
If you knew who the Guardians of the Galaxy were before 2014 you are a cut from a very different cloth than most. Seriously, even the most hardcore Marvel fans probably didn’t know these oddball characters terribly well, and certainly never thought they’d see the day when they hit the big screen. James Gunn changed all of that with the huge breakout success of the first “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Virtually everything about this corner of the Marvel universe needed a serious overhaul and paint job, and this movie managed to do that with flying colors, injecting its trademark humor, heart, multi-faceted characters, and zany, larger-than-life situations.
The Guardians of the Galaxy magically evolved into one of our favorite teams in Marvel
While Rocket and Groot didn’t change overly much from the comics’ formula, the oblivious and hilarious Drax was a delight to watch, and Star-Lord became the anchor the audience could attach to in an unfamiliar world. Playing rock hits from the ’60s and deeply affected by his mother’s passing, we could immediately sympathize and enjoy the new character. Gamora was perhaps the most important of all, with her ties to Thanos and the Infinity War, but we’ll get into that later.
2. To court Death
Humans “are unruly and therefore cannot be ruled,” The Other said to Thanos in the post-credits scene of Avengers. “To challenge them is to court…Death.” This line probably didn’t mean much to fans unfamiliar with the Infinity Gauntlet storyline, but to those who were, it carried on a whole new context.
In the comics, Thanos was obsessed with Mistress Death, one of the Cosmic Entities of the Marvel Universe. The MCU could have gone a very different direction with his character if they’d stayed true to the comics:
Come on, dude, you’re embarrassing yourself.
Thanos in “Infinity War” was portrayed as a dogmatic futurist set out to carve a universe with plentiful resources, a universe that would know neither famine nor overpopulation. This wasn’t the case at all in the comics; everything he did in the Infinity Gauntlet story arc was for the affections of Mistress Death, a love that was never requited. We’re glad the MCU didn’t go this route in the movies; we’re not sure we could have taken him half as seriously.
1. Everything connects
Our favorite thing about the Marvel Cinematic universe is how everything is seamlessly intertwined. Plot threads often return or are revealed to have had a much deeper impact than we previously thought, and it’s one of the coolest parts of setting up a multi-movie franchise. In that way, it’s actually quite similar to the comics!
Of course, there are a lot of differences in the things the studio chose to connect, like turning the Eye of Agamotto into the Time Stone, having Captain Marvel’s plane inspire Nick Fury into launching the “Avenger Initiative,” or making Red Skull the protector of the Soul Stone.
Did anyone really expect Hulk to run into the Ancient One?
While the comics had their own connections written throughout the series, drawing different connections between different points made these tie-ins special and exciting even to people who thought they knew Marvel comics inside and out.
Agree with our list? What’s your favorite story line or character from Marvel comics that got a shiny, refurbished paint job for the limelight of the MCU? Let us know in the comments below, and stick with Softonic for all things Marvel!
If you weren’t aware that Bucky was the Winter Soldier, or that Loki was really a frost giant, you probably went into the MCU without much prior knowledge of the comics. Say what you will about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s really good at keeping its content close to the original source material while still injecting it with a fresh spin, a clever tie-in, or a more modern re-imagining of its classic characters and story lines.
M’Baku was vastly improved in “Black Panther.” Want proof? In the comics he was ‘Man-Ape.’
The great thing about the studio’s modern cinematic approach is that even if you’re a Marvel comics guru there’s still plenty of opportunity for a movie to catch you off-guard with a sudden reveal, connection, or subverted expectation. Here’s a list of some of our favorite plot twists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
*SPOILER ALERT*
10. Mandarin is not Mandarin
When you watch the trailer for “Iron Man 3” it looks like Mandarin (played by Ben Kingsley) is gonna be one bad dude. At the start of the movie he’s labeled a dangerous terrorist, and he destroys Tony Stark’s house just to prove he means business. He’s set up to be the film’s baddie, so when he ends up being an out-of-work actor named Trevor Slattery, there were a lot of questions to answer.
The set-up was especially convincing to Marvel fans because Iron Man and Mandarin were infamously paired off dozens of times in the comics. Some fans were pleasantly surprised by the subverted villain, but others were upset that they never got to see the two square off on the big screen. Good news for those fans – (the real) Mandarin is set to enter the MCU with the upcoming “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” which is coming out in 2021. He will be portrayed by Tony Chiu-Wai Leung.
When Peter Parker had a crush on a girl named Liz in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” Marvel fans might have predicted it to be Liz Allan, the web-head’s sometime love interest. While they may not have expected a successful budding romance, they probably didn’t expect it to go the way it did.
Plot twist! Liz is the daughter of Adrian Toomes, the film’s main villain. Poor Spidey discovers this after the two have already fought one another … and right before he and the unsuspecting Liz attend a dance together. It’s tough to be Spider-Man.
When Steve Rogers squared off against Red Skull in “Captain America: The First Avenger” it was a brief tussle on a doomed aircraft that ended with the power-hungry HYDRA leader foolishly picking up the Tesseract (later revealed to be the Space Stone in what you might call another plot twist). The Infinity Stone was too much for his mortal form to hold, let alone control, and despite his super soldier serum he ended up being zapped away like the nazis at the end of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Tony Stark may have left us at the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” but his legacy was very present in “Spider-Man: Far From Home” and will likely stay present in Marvel’s upcoming Phase 4. That’s great for all the Stark Tech we get to keep seeing, but Tony Stark had his fair share of demons, and they’re still taking their toll on the post-Iron Man world. You won’t find a better example of this than Mysterio.
Spider-Man fans mostly knew that Mysterio (Quentin Beck) was a talented illusionist, and when he reveals himself to be the film’s baddie it’s not much of a twist. What was a surprise, though, was that we’d actually seen his illusion tech before – back in “Captain America: Civil War,” though we didn’t realize it at the time. Tony shunned Beck and Stark Tech shunned weapons tech specialist, William Riva. The two of them harbored grudges and it was a young Peter Parker who had to bear the burden.
We’ve read them in the comics, we’ve fought them in the video games, and when Carol Danvers was enlisted in the Kree military to fight against the creepy disguise artists we were ready to see the Secret Invasion unravel on-screen. While “Captain Marvel” featured plenty of Skrull-bashing antics, the story ended up going a very different direction.
The Skrulls aren’t so much a galactic threat. Rather, they’re a dwindling race on the run from the oppressive Kree – the same conquering empire that we saw Ronan the Accuser lead in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Maybe we should have seen this one coming. The discovery of the Skrulls’ plea coupled with the new knowledge that the Kree were trying to hold back Carol Danvers’ powers was enough to turn the cosmic hero to the Skrull cause.
Thor’s the older brother in line for the throne, Loki’s the adopted younger son (who’d arguably be a better ruler) who seeks to depose Odin and claim the rule of Asgard for himself. That’s the story of the original “Thor“, and it’s in keeping with the comics. That’s why when it was suddenly revealed in “Thor: Ragnarok” that there was an elder sister in the mix, it came as a surprise both to Odin’s sons and to the audience.
The reveal of Odin’s incredibly powerful first-born isn’t the only facet of this twist – it’s that she’s quite a bit older than either Thor or Loki, and old enough not only to remember Odin’s aggressive conquests of yesteryear, but to have been at the helm of them herself. Hela shows Executioner (and by proxy the audience) that Asgard was not always the glorious, peaceful city we’d seen previously, but a ruthless, war-like dominion that took the nine realms by force.
4. Nick Fury is a Skrull
Remember when we said that the Skrulls were shape-shifters who infiltrated Earth in the comics? And remember when we said that the Skrull were the good guys back in “Captain Marvel?” Things got a little confusing at the end of “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” Turns out that Nick Fury – and the many scenes were saw him in – was not actually Nick Fury, but rather Talos, Carol Danvers’ Skrull friend from the ’90s.
Oh, and Maria Hill was one too.
As for what this means for movies past and present (aside from “Captain America: First Avenger” every film in the MCU has taken place after the ’90s) we’re not sure yet, but it certainly opens a whole can of green, scaly worms.
What ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ tells us about Marvel Phase 4
We knew that Bucky wasn’t in control of his actions when HYDRA had their hooks in him. We knew the Winter Soldier had committed his fair share of wartime atrocities and violence, but there was one that hit a little too close to home for Tony Stark – the murder of his parents.
It’s a shame because Tony and Cap were this close to making amends towards the closing of “Captain America: Civil War.” Bucky’s murder of Tony’s parents, regardless of whether he was in his right mind at the time, was the straw that broke the billionaire’s back. Once the truth was out, Helmut Zemo accomplished what he set out to do – break the Avengers right down the middle.
After the Avengers failed to stop Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War,” our heroes were at their absolute lowest. Half of all life in the universe was simply snapped away and there was nothing they could do about it.
Perhaps no one felt as guilty about the failure as Thor, who infamously “should’ve gone for the head.” Fans everywhere were arguing and speculating as to how the Avengers could beat the Mad Titan when he was still in control of all six Infinity Stones. Odds are, not many fans anticipated what actually happened:
Thanos destroyed the stones himself. True to his word, he wanted to kill half of all life, and once it was finished his purpose was fulfilled. Rather than excessive lead up and a climactic fight for the ages, once Thor discovers there’s no hope left he simply cuts off the titan’s head. The next plot twist comes right after: The remainder of the film takes place five years later.
It’s a short scene and it’s three plot twists in one.
1. Hail Hydra
HYDRA was literally a thing of the past, a distant memory for the history books for anybody that wasn’t Steve Rogers. The entirety of “Captain America: Winter Soldier” proved just how wrong we were. We learn that not only is HYDRA is alive and well, but that they’ve infiltrated SHIELD. In a way it’s like the Skrull Invasion without the Skrull. Nick Fury is presumed dead, everyone is suspect, and suddenly no one knows who to trust.
This film is a big departure from Captain America’s first solo film in that it’s heavily intertwined with the structure and world of the current day. After the events of this film, SHIELD is no longer a thing. The eye in the sky that had the Avengers’ back is put out, and Earth just lost its best line of defense. This makes the top of our list not just because it’s unexpected and a pivotal chapter for the MCU, but because it had been in the works behind the scenes as far back as “Agents of SHIELD” with Jasper Sitwell and “Iron Man 2” with Senator Stern.
Agree with our list? Let us know your favorite MCU plot twist in the comments below, and stick with Softonic for all things Marvel!
Far From Home opened up a huge can of worms for the MCU that we can’t wait to dive into!
“Avengers: Endgame” was a climactic wrap-up of the story that began 10 (almost 11!) years ago with director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark forging the first Iron Man suit in a cave with a box of scraps. Fans were dubious, however, to hear that Endgame was not the end of Phase 3, but that that honor instead belonged to “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”
The story is about the young webslinger-turned-Avenger struggling to fill the shoes (or in this case the glasses) that Iron Man left him. The film takes place in the shell-shocked aftermath of “Avengers: Endgame,” and its falling action does a lot to prepare us for the wild ride that’s awaiting us in Phase 4. The clues are in the details:
Get your glasses on, and read the fine print!
(SPOILERS BELOW!)
1. Even in death, he’s still the hero
Audiences felt the heavy loss of Iron Man at the closing of “Endgame” (we love you 3000, RDJ!), and the kid standing at ground zero of the power vacuum is the young webslinger from Queens played by the energetic and engaging Tom Holland. For many of us, the MCU looked to be a darker, sadder place without Iron Man, and “Far From Home” was a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. While Tony Stark may have died, his legacy is ever-present in the MCU. He’s a topic of bittersweet conversation among his friends, a hated name between his rivals, and his image is on graffiti at every other street corner.
Iron Man’s presence is still felt in the MCU
Moreover, Tony’s awesome tech is still all over the place. E.D.I.T.H (even dead I’m still the hero) is the Jarvis-like AI whose new home is the pair of glasses Tony Stark bequeathed to Peter Parker. From the looks of it – for better or for worse – Stark Tech isn’t going anywhere, either.
2. True love
‘Spidey and MJ’ has been a thing for practically as long as the comic series has been written. Unless you’re a fan of Gwen Stacy, MJ’s always been the gal for Peter. Thankfully the MCU has given Mary Jane (played by Zendaya) a much-appreciated revamp, making her less of a damsel in distress and more of a quirky, eccentric, fun character. She plays well off the quippy and often awkward Peter Parker.
MJ is super cool
Whether MJ will make appearances outside of Spider-Man’s solo films is unclear, but we’re excited to see more of what the studio has planned for her!
3. Spider-Man’s a menace!
One of the cornerstones of Spider-Man is that he’s the quintessential misunderstood superhero. No good deed goes unpunished, and there’s no one out to get our webslinger like newspaper tycoon, J. Jonah Jameson. In the wake of the destruction Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) left behind, JJ finds the perfect angle to frame Spider-Man and set the stage for a city that not only feeds off hate mail for the wall-crawler but also knows his secret identity.
“I want him strung up by his webs! I want Spider-Mannnnn!”
The best part is a surprise return to the iconic role of fan-favorite J.K. Simmons! That’s a good thing because no one shouts “Spider-Man!!!” quite like the guy.
4. The real sting
The funny thing about J. Jonah Jameson is that he is also the guy who initially hired Mac Gargan to become the Scorpion, one of Spider-Man’s most classic villains. Spidey’s got quite the impressive rogues gallery, but whether it’s from Sam Raimi, Sony, or Marvel Studios we’ve already seen some of the biggest names in it (Venom, Sandman, Doc Ock, Green Goblin (twice), Lizard, Vulture, and Electro). Scorpion’s another big one, and they already set up for it back in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
He’s on-screen for under a minute and he’s already terrifying
With Jameson introduced to the mix and the post-credits from Homecoming already hinting at the character, we think Scorpion’s likely to make an appearance pretty soon.
5. “People will believe anything”
‘Multiverse’ is a dangerous word to throw around when Marvel is involved, and the studio knows it. The comics have been playing in that ballpark for years and it’s a wonderfully confusing mess that can be daunting and inaccessible to anyone trying to catch up. The MCU has taken a different approach to the phrase and it’s opened up a can of worms that today’s audience has been awaiting. Turns out, that’s the exact thing Mysterio was hoping to hear.
Which end is up? What is real?! Is anything real??
Mysterio’s a villain that likely wouldn’t have been a threat to the MCU back in 2008. The world back then wasn’t ready to believe in extra-terrestrial shapeshifters, superhero civil wars, gods from another realm, or sorcerers who could stroll through different realms and return in time for tea. Mysterio preyed upon a wounded world, one in which “people will believe anything,” as he said with his dying breath.
We’ve got a sneaking suspicion that this could be the tagline for Phase 4, with madcap adventures like a Doctor Strange sequel, “Thor: Love and Thunder,” Blade, and the Fantastic 4 soon to come. Heck, the Doctor Stranger sequel is even called “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” And that’s without even getting into Marvel’s biggest game of smoke and mirrors …
If you loved the baffling illusions and misdirection of “Far From Home,” you ain’t seen nothing yet. If you stayed for the post-credits (which every loyal Marvel fan should have learned to do by now) then you were treated to a bizarre scene. Nick Fury and Maria Hill were not who they appeared to be. Instead, Fury was Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), the Skrull we were first introduced to in “Captain Marvel.”
The Skrulls look like they might be the MCU’s take on Fury’s Life-Model Decoys
Talos was keeping an eye on things for Fury back on Earth, while Fury was elsewhere (we’ll get to that in a second)! Contrary to other Marvel media, the Skrulls ended up being the good guys in “Captain Marvel,” so whether the MCU plans to eventually tackle the Skrull Invasion is unclear, but the option is there. It’s also worth pointing out that a lot could have happened since the Skrulls’ introduction back in the ’90s, and alliances can shift …
7. SWORD
If there’s one guy who’s had just about enough of shifting alliances, back-stabbing, murder attempts, and betrayal it’s Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). While Talos was covering for him back planetside, the former Director of the now-defunct SHIELD really was ‘far from home.’ Specifically, he was on a space station with presumably covert intentions. ‘How can a space station be covert?’ you might wonder. Well, Fury thought the same thing before he met the Kree in “Captain Marvel.” It wouldn’t surprise us if he’s taken his paramount paranoia and personal projects to the skies.
SWORD (as opposed to SHIELD) reflects Fury’s more aggressive stance on Earth’s security
In the comics SWORD is the Sentient World Observation and Response Department that deals with the same threats on a galactic level that SHIELD used to deal with on the ground. Now that we’ve been introduced to the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos, Captain Marvel, the Kree, the Skrulls, and all manner of other dimensions (thanks to Doctor Strange) it makes sense that Fury wants to take security to the next level.
Guide to Marvel Phase 4: Everything you need to know
SWORD could also have some pretty exciting tie-ins to several upcoming items on the Phase 4 docket, particularly the “Captain Marvel” sequel, “Guardians of the Galaxy 3,” “What If,” and, perhaps most exciting of all, a great way to introduce the space-faring Fantastic Four.
Wrapping up
Let us know in the comments below what you think the future holds for Marvel’s Phase 4, and we’ll keep you posted as more information is made available. We’ll see you in theaters!
Can Marvel’s original superteam survive a third reboot?
Marvel shared a ton of news with us at Comic-Con last week: A handful of new TV series, some of the upcoming movies in Phase 4, and a bunch more. One promise that raised some eyebrows was the announcement of another Fantastic Four reboot.
Yes, another one.
We’ve had three movies with these guys in the past 15 years, and they were all pretty … well, they weren’t fantastic.
Guide to Marvel Phase 4: Everything you need to know
One of their more remarkable feats is time and again bringing long-forgotten characters into the glorious spotlight. Who could have foreseen the popularity of Iron Man over a decade ago? The same can even be said of the Avengers. How many people had even heard of the Guardians of the Galaxy before 2014 (seriously, comment below if you had; kudos to you)?
If you told a Marvel fan back in 2005 that the Guardians of the Galaxy would rake in more cash than the Fantastic Four, he’d laugh in your face through his vintage issue of Alpha Flight. That’s because the Fantastic Four weren’t a long-lost offshoot in the overlooked annals of comic book history – they were at the epicenter of the Marvel universe, and had tie-ins to virtually everything involved inside it.
Why the Fantastic Four are so important
These guys have been on more adventures than anyone else in the Marvel Universe!
Historically the Fantastic Four were the group that propelled the Superhero genre into the modern era. It did so by capitalizing on what were, at the time, very atypical angles of narrative: Though they got their start in space, the problems they shared were very down-to-earth.
The four teammates did not get along like the members of the original Justice League; The Thing despised his monstrous appearance and wished he’d never gotten his super powers; and Reed Richards struggled with decidedly non-super problems – overspent budgets, stock market crashes, failures in his personal projects, and struggles to lead his team. Instead of an unapproachable hero figure, Lee and Kirby created a relatable family of misfits:
It was at this point (in 1961) that Stan Lee convinced Martin Goodman to rename the company Marvel, and the team really started finding their own voice. It’s sad to see such a flagship of comic book history fail to meet the mark again and again with a modern audience, and it would be a welcome change if Marvel were to redeem their golden four.
The Fantastic Four might be the most important team in the original Marvel comics
The Fantasic Four are also hugely important to several story arcs and characters that the MCU could tackle soon, most notably Galactus, Silver Surfer, Kang the Conqueror, the Negative Zone, Annihilus, and of course the infamous Doctor Doom. So it’s not just about Marvel’s fab four looking shiny on-screen, it’s about what it could mean for the direction of the cinematic universe on a macro level.
Question: How do you go bigger than Thanos? Answer: Galactus.
That brings us to the big question: The Fantastic Four have been done before and it’s bombed every time. How can they be done better? When asked why the latest Fantastic Four did poorly at the box office, Stan Lee’s response was pretty legendary: “It was probably because I didn’t have a cameo in it,” he joked.
Unfortunately the MCU can’t rely on the same selling point that pushed the Fantastic Four comics to stardom, this notion that superheroes weren’t too dissimilar from us, or that they dealt with everyday problems; the MCU has already covered that in spades, and it wouldn’t make them stand out from characters like Hawkeye, Spider-Man, or Hulk.
So what can make this story work? First off, we’re all dying to see Doctor Doom, but maybe it’s best that we don’t – at least not right away. Spider-Man’s biggest villains are the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, and the MCU wisely chose to veer away from them in favor of the less famous, less scary Vulture and Mysterio (both of whom they did really well). Instead they might be better off focusing on the Skrull, Terrax, or Annihilus, the latter two being characters we’ve never seen on film before.
Introduce the Negative Zone early, and bring in Annihilus as their first big villain!
Besides picking the right villain, it’s also important that the film tell the right story. We don’t need another origin story. Please. We didn’t need one for Spider-Man, we didn’t need one for Black Panther, and we don’t need one here.
Instead, focus on the family dynamic that made the team likable to begin with, and then pick a conflict for them to face together. The Negative Zone is an especially powerful plot thread that could have a huge impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a Fantastic Four reboot is the best chance to introduce it in a big way.
We’re anxious to see how Marvel and Feige plan to handle the Fantastic Four, but tbh we’re still biting our nails; we’ve been burned three times. Let us know in the comments below if you agree with our points, and what you’d like to see the company do with the Fantastic Four!
Agent Romanoff’s dark beginnings take the stage in the fake trailer for the Black Widow movie.
Someone trolled us hard, but it looks so good we can’t even be mad. An upcoming Black Widow movie has been confirmed and we already know the director (Cate Shortland). There have even been a few set photos leaked. With the release date TBA, the environment is just right for someone truly evil to release a fake trailer. That someone was a YouTuber named ModeMarvelous. Here’s the (nearly believable) result:
The fake trailer has gotten more than 9 million views, and we’re not sure whether to be angry. On the one hand, it’s not real. It’s not fun being lied to, especially when people are so excited for any details regarding the movie. On the other hand, it’s hard to knock the quality. Okay, so that ID definitely says ‘Lucy,’ from Johansson’s 2014 movie but hey, she’s a spy, right? It’s a fake name!
The worst part is that this trailer looks like it’d make for a legitimately good movie. We see Black Widow going through her initial training, kicking butt as a spy, and meeting Hawkeye for the first time in a place that could pass for Budapest. It hurts to find out someone’s been crying wolf, but hey – at least we’ve got these cool leaked set photos?
Whether Taskmaster is going to be an actual villain is also anyone’s guess (though we think he’d be a perfect choice). Production for the actual Black Widow movie began in June, and there’s no actual trailer for it yet. If we do get one from Marvel this year, the bar is set pretty high.
Let us know in the comments below whether you’d go see the movie based on this sadly unofficial trailer!
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been knocking it out of the park the past 10+ years, and with “Avengers: Endgame” returning to theaters alongside the premier of “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” Phase 3 is coming to a close. From heartfelt conversations to joke scenes to empowering, character-defining moments, at the end of the day these films are still inspired by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and the multiverse they helped create. Considering these are blockbuster movies based on comic books, popcorn-munching fight scenes are around practically every corner.
Some of these fight scenes are for the visual spectacle, others are big turning points for characters, and others are climactic showdowns that took several movies to build up to. Fight scenes are a big part of the MCU, but which ones were the most memorable? We took a walk down memory lane and composed a list of what we think are the top 10 combat scenes in the MCU:
10. Dr. Strange versus Dormammu
In one corner we have Dormammu, an otherworldy entity who can enslave and destroy entire dimensions. In the other corner: Stephen Strange, a relatively inexperienced (but very determined) Sorcerer Supreme who’s barely gotten used to the title. You can’t get a much better underdog story than that.
What puts this finale of “Doctor Strange” on our list is that it’s not even really a fight scene; it’s a battle of wills, and Dr. Strange emerges victorious. By creating a time loop with the Time Stone, he’s essentially able to annoy Dormammu into letting Earth go free. “Pain is an old friend,” he says to the titanic otherworldly being, and in that moment we know it’s not the Sorcerer Supreme who beat be baddie – it was the surgeon with broken hands.
What makes this loss hit even harder is “Infinity War” takes place literal minutes after “Thor: Ragnarok,” a movie where Hulk is the grand champion of Sakaar, beats up Thor, and goes toe-to-toe with both Surtur and Hela. To have Thanos take out the Avengers’ biggest gun right from the start is a gut-punching shock, and it makes our list for being one of the most powerful narrative fight scenes in the series.
“Avengers” was one of the best (and historically important) films in the MCU, and it’s because we finally get to see our heroes come together to become the team Nick Fury hinted at as early as “Iron Man.” The team is hardly ready to work together at first encounter, however, and the first time it comes to blows is when its two most hotheaded members meet up in a forest after Thor swoops down to capture Loki.
It’s the classic instance of magic versus technology, and we learn that Thor’s lightning actually helps power Tony’s suit – a trick that would come in handy later on. When Captain America comes down to stop the fight, Thor swings down on his shield, proving that the metal of the three matches their mettle, and all are capable combatants in their own right. An unspoken respect is shared between the three from that point moving forward, but it’s this initial clash that paved the way.
Zemo has taken control of Bucky’s mind, and the poor guy’s going full rampage – or at least as full rampage as you can get with minimal access to weapons. The titular civil war hasn’t happened yet, but this scene is fuel for the fire that “Captain America: Civil War” is all about.
This scene is a rare instance in which none of our heroes are geared up for a fight; Black Widow even tells Tony “I hope you brought a suit,” and Tony quips back that “it’s a nice three-piece.” The battle breaks out without warning, and that means we get to see them armed with little but their training and wits (and superhuman enhancements for a few of them). Everyone tries to take a crack at the Winter Soldier, and he keeps them at bay, culminating in Cap bringing down a helicopter with his bulging biceps. What’s not to love?
Nebula and Gamora have been at each other’s throats since childhood. We saw them going at it in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but it’s nothing like this fight in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.” Gamora is sitting contemplatively in a field when Nebula streaks out of the sky in a ship, murder in her eyes. It turns into a knock-down, drag-’em-out fight in an eerie cavern beneath the ground, and there’s no holds barred from either of them. Nebula finally gets the upper hand … and can’t bring herself to kill Gamora.
Then she says the line that changes their relationship from that point forward: “You were the one who wanted to win, and I just wanted a sister!” It’s a pivotal moment in their relationship, and starts her on her journey into the Nebula we see in “Avengers: Endgame.”
By the second waterfall fight in “Black Panther” the audience already knows the ritualistic significance of the combat. T’Challa’s earlier battle here with M’Baku serves as a comparison to what is perhaps his darkest moment: T’Challa cannot beat Killmonger in this fight, and as a result, his mentor Zuri is killed in front of him.
Zuri’s death breaks T’Challa’s discipline, and for the first time we see a crack in his usual calm, cool demeanor. Killmonger puts that crack under the spotlight. “Is this your king?” he taunts. T’Challa’s spirit is broken, and his body follows shortly after. This fight makes our top 5 because (aside from the awesome choreography and backdrop) this is the real turning point in “Black Panther,” and really sets up the later conflict between Killmonger and T’Challa.
If there was a single MCU fight that was all about the spectacle, it was this one from “Captain America: Civil War.” The fight at the airport was made for the fans, and it’s chock full of quips (including the first time we see the new Spider-Man fight!) and consists of a bunch of our favorite characters duking it out with each other because of … the Sokovia Accords? Or maybe it’s got something to do with the Winter Soldier? Eh, who cares, this is epic.
On one side you’ve got Cap, Falcon, Ant-Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and Bucky.
On the other side is Iron Man, Black Panther, Black Widow, Spider-Man, War Machine, and Vision.
The fight gets progressively more ridiculous as it goes, reaching its zenith when Ant-Man gets huge and starts wreaking havoc. It’s all fun and games until Vision misfires and forever cripples Rhodey with a misfired blast from the Mind Stone. It’s this moment that juxtaposes the silly fun, and puts the civil war into perspective, properly raising the stakes.
3. Winter Soldier versus Captain America
“Captain America: Winter Soldier” was a game changer in many ways: Cap’s trying to make ends meet in modern day, HYDRA has infiltrated SHIELD, Nick Fury is compromised, and suddenly no one knows who to trust. To make matters worse, the mysterious Winter Soldier is somehow mixed up in all this, and Steve and Natasha end up facing off with him in the streets.
In what’s arguably the best-choreographed fight of the entire MCU, the Winter Soldier puts two Avengers on the ropes, even daring to fight in CQC with Captain America, a step into the ring that few can handle. The scene ends with the Winter Soldier unmasked. Steve manages to croak out his friend’s name, to which he responds, “Who the hell is Bucky?” There are powerful forces at work here, Cap. Powerful forces indeed. Between the excellent combat, fluid camera direction, and the huge significance this has on the plot, this one makes our top three.
“Infinity War” started with Thanos killing a ship full of Asgardians, curb-stomping the Hulk, killing Loki (which we’re still not okay with), and overpowering Thor. It’s not until Iron Man, Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy reach Thanos’ homeworld of Titan that they also get to try their hand against the big purple guy. Thanos at this point has four Infinity Stones, and the fight sequence is a series of coordinated attacks trying to wrest the Gauntlet away from him.
Besides just being visually spectacular, this scene cleverly uses all the Avengers’ talents in tandem, and we get to see just how powerful Thanos really is; in the end, even that isn’t enough. Strange sacrifices the Time Stone to save Tony’s life … because it’s the only way they’ll make it to the endgame.
1. Avengers Assemble
Ever since “Infinity War,” our heroes have been dying for some payback with the Mad Titan. At the climax of the “Endgame,” Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America step outside to see Thanos (currently without the Gauntlet or any Infinity Stones) awaiting their approach. It’s been a long five years for the Avengers, and now’s their chance for redemption.
Thanos is still a formidable foe, even without the Infinity Stones, and even their combined strength still isn’t enough. The Avengers give it their all: Iron Man gets his second crack at the big guy, Thor works right alongside him and dual-wields hammers, and Captain America steals the show by lifting Mjolnir in what is probably the best moment in the film.
We could stop right there, but it only gets better from that point. In a moment of unmatched heroism, Captain America stands alone against the alien hordes of Thanos … or so it seems. Portals open up, and our favorite heroes get to come join the fight: Black Panther, Okoye, and Shuri; Falcon, Dr. Strange, and Wong; Spider-Man, Valkyrie, Wasp, Pepper, and the Guardians of the Galaxy; and eventually Captain Marvel as the ace up the sleeve. It’s the lineup everyone was waiting for, and the battle to end all battles.
