At Friday’s C2E2 panel, Marvel announced the next epic story to span across the Marvel Universe will be called War Of The Realms. The proper series drops in April, and will consist of six issues. Like with most Marvel Universe tie-ins, multiple heroes will be affected in their own ongoing titles.
As the name implies, this involves Asgard and all the other realms in Marvel lore. Malekith The Accursed, the Dark Elf Lord, will be the main force behind these wars. All but one realm has felt the effects of these wars. The last one left untouched is, of course, Midgard aka Earth.
This means Asgardians, Frost Giants, Dark Elves, Light Elves, etc… will all be wreaking havoc on Earth, in it will be up to the Marvel heroes to deal with it. It also seems to be an attempt to make Malekith an “A-Lister” on the level of Loki, Dr. Doom, or Kang.
Marvel has pulled out all the stops with this tale, including releasing an official theme song for this comic event. It is linked below for listening
Squadron Supreme will be re-introduced and will be based out of Washington DC, making them “DC’s Finest Heroes” (ba-dump CHING!). Not to be outdone, fan favorite Phil Coulson will be a part of the war as well in the Avengers title.
War Of The Realms will be written by veteran Thor writer Jason Aaron. art will be by Russell Dauterman and Natthew Wilson. The first issue hits April 3rd and the series will run through the summer. Aaron did state that this will end his seven year run on Thor, and he will be part of a new (presumably ongoing) Valkyrie stand-alone title.
Overall, this is looking like another solid epic story from Marvel. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this becomes the basis for a future Thor film, should Chris Hemsworth stick around for Phase Four or Five.
It’s a mega-sized collection of news on this episode of Geekville Radio. Seth “Zandrax” Zillmann and “Crazy Train” Jonathan Bolick return to talk some of the major headlines
Perhaps the biggest news, possibly even bigger than the obvious Star Wars distribution rights, is the Fox owned Marvel properties that can now be incorporated into the MCU.
The most obvious addition would be that of The X-Men. One of fans’ biggest complaints about the MCU is it never incorporated Marvel’s famous mutants. Now, that plethora of of characters can be introduced in Phase Four.
The other Fox owned Marvel property is The Fantastic Four. While the three movies may not have been as successful as most MCU movies, two characters linked to that specific brand could easily become major players as villains in future films. Those are of course Doctor Doom and Galactus.
While many fans are understandably thrilled about this, it is very possible there may be some major changes in store for the franchise.
First off, it is not a given that the existing X-Men actors will carry over into The MCU. And yes, that includes Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Despite already having five films’ worth of Spider-Man films, Marvel still recast Tom Holland in the role.
There is also the possibility that, by using the same actors, continuity just would be less sensical. After all, if the X-Men movies are considered part of the MCU, why didn’t The Avengers assist with any of those world-threatening situations.
Deadpool may stay according to reports, though as Train points out, the studio change may legally be a recasting of the role to Ryan Reynolds, just under a new company.
Disney/Fox Merger and Star Wars (19:20)
Another fan friendly wish that may become a reality is the re-release of the Original Trilogy, aka “Non-Special Editions”, Star Wars films. As discussed before, Fox owned the distribution rights to Star Wars. Thus, any theater or home video release could only be through Fox, unless some deal was worked out with Disney. That of course is no longer an obstacle.
Disney Rehires James Gunn (32:10)
Disney announced the return of director James Gunn to Guardians Of The Galaxy vol. 3. Was the reaction to past controversial tweets overblown? Did Disney cave? Was it just trolls? Or did they have this planned all along? There is evidence for all of these possibilities.
Gunn will still be writing and directing Suicide Squad 2, so Guardians 3 will have to wait for that project to finish before it starts filming.
Oliver Queen himself revealing that Arrow is coming to an end
We already know that Crisis on Infinite Earthswill be next years crossover. We also know they’ve been teasing Crisis since the pilot episode of Flash.
In the comics, Flash and Supergirl die during Crisis. Does this mean their respective TV shows will end as well?
Speaking of deaths, Oliver Queen did die in the DC Universe, but was brought back by Hal Jordan as Spectre. So it is very possible that Ollie may bite the big one, and be brought back in some capacity later on.
Bill And Ted 3 (52:40)
The last segment off the show is devoted to the long-awaited confirmation that a third Bill An Ted movie, now titled Bill And Ted Face The Music, has begun filming. Could a sequel to a 30 year old cult classic work in mainstream 2019?
As always, we welcome your thoughts on all these stories. Let us know in the comments section or on our social media
Variety reports, as expected, that Disney shareholders are happy with the news. Meanwhile, Fox shareholders are less enthusiastic.
The good news is, of course, that movie distribution rights for previous Marvel and Star Wars properties are now all under one roof. This means that The X-Men can be formally introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Fox also had rights to Fantastic Four, which means A-Listers like Doctor Doom and Galactus could be part of the next MCU phases as well.
And, as classic trilogy fans have wanted for 20 years, it could conceivably mean that Disney could release “Non-Special Editions” of the original three Star Wars films. It also means the 3D releases, hyped a number of years ago before LucasFilm sold to Disney, could become a reality as well.
Conceivably, Disney could do crossovers with the properties. Could we see a Guardians Of The Galaxy crossover with Star Wars? Or The Deadpool Goofy Movie?
Like with many mergers, there is a downside. In this case, as many as 4,000 people could be laid off. No major business deal goes without losses.
Do you have any hopes for the new Disney/Fox era? Let us know in the comments.
Nearly eight months after being fired by Disney, James Gunn has reportedly been rehired to direct the third installment of the Guardians Of The Galaxy film series.
Deadline reports that Disney chairman Alan Horn met with Gunn to discuss his return to the franchise. Gunn was of course fired last summer over controversial tweets he made a decade previously.
According to the Deadline report, it was Gunn’s public apology and the way he’s handled himself since that persuaded Disney to rehire him.
The social media messages were indefensible, but the filmmaker never did anything but blame himself for poor judgment displayed at a time when he was emerging from the Troma film factory and attempting to be a provocateur.
Avengers: Endgame will release next month, which will wrap up Phase Three in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 will be part of Phase Four, which will include Spider-Man: Far From Home, Doctor Strange 2, and a standalone Black Widow film for Scarlett Johansson.
Marvel unleashed the latest, and probably final, trailer for Avengers: Endgame. Several classic moments from all the characters’ past are recapped. Including Steve Rogers carrying Peggy Carter’s casket, Tony Stark falling for Pepper, and Clint Barton training his daughter archery. It’s a very emotional recap of the last decade in Marvel movies.
That of course brings us to the imminent final battle with Thanos. And new costumes…
The latest Avengers trailer really brings The Feels
Avengers: Endgame opens on April 26th and will wrap up Phase Three in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The last film on the MCU docket before Avengers: Endgame has finally come. Of course, it has not come without controversy.
Captain Marvel opened nationwide this past weekend to the tune of $153 million dollars nationwide, and $450 million internationally. This amidst the attention comments made by star Brie Larsen have gotten to certain fans. You can listen to our previous episode for a rundown on that story.
As for reviews, it is currently sitting at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 63% audience approval. So it may not be the highest ranking entry in the MCU family, but it has been overall well-received.
So does Captain Marvel live up to expectations and continue the near flawless record of MCU films? Short answer, yes. Captain Marvel may not be the most must-see adventure in the MCU family, but it is an entertaining, if not a little predictable, superhero origin story.
But the biggest news may be how the movie retconned the history of the previous films. More specifically, the acquisition of The Infinity Stones that Thanos eventually got possession of.
Seth “Zandrax” Zillmann and “Crazy Train” Jonathan Bolick give a more through (that means SPOILERS) review of the film.
Captain Marvel is a character that has a lot of history, not the least of which has been that there have been multiple publishers laying claim to the name. This episode of Geekville Radio hopes to clear up several things about the character.
The differences between Captain Marvels over the years
The different Captain Marvels in Marvel Comics
The character of Carol Danvers, and the significance of her big screen appearance
Seth “Zandrax” Zillmann, “Crazy Train” Jonathan Bolick, and special guest “Leadbase” Nic Feutz try to bring any new fans up to speed on who Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers is.
First, a history lesson!
Captain Marvel (no, the OTHER Captain Marvel…)
Back in 1939, Fawcett Comics created a character called Captain Marvel, who had superpowers such as flight, super speed, and super strength. DC Comics sued Fawcett, claiming copyright infringement on Superman, who also had many similar abilities. The legal proceedings lasted YEARS, but the courts eventually sided with Fawcett, stating DC did not properly maintain their copyright claims.
One of the fundamental differences between Superman and Captain Marvel was that Superman’s powers were based on him being an alien, whereas Marvel’s powers were magic based. All Billy Batson had to do was yell the word “Shazam!” and he became Captain Marvel.
The original Captain Marvel, who would eventually go on to be known as Shazam
Fawcett, tired of years of legal proceedings, stopped publishing Captain Marvel titles and got out of the comics business entirely in the 1950s.
DC eventually bought out Fawcett’s comic properties, meaning they gained control of all the Fawcett characters. This of course included Billy Batson and Captain Marvel.
But wait, it gets better…
Yet ANOTHER company, MF Enterprises, started publishing their own Captain Marvel title in 1966. Unlike Fawcett, MF’s Captain Marvel was an android who looked nothing like a superhero. This version was nowhere near as popular, and was canned after a few issues.
When it comes to impressive powers, dismembering ones self ranks low on the scale
By the 1970s, DC was all ready to produce stories about their Captain Marvel. Except there’s one problem. Marvel Comics had registered the actual term Captain Marvel. That’s right, the name “Captain Marvel” had not, up to this point, gone through the proper copyright procedures.
This is the part of the real life story that many comic fans know. In the end, DC agreed to not refer to their character as Captain Marvel as long as Marvel published stories with their Captain Marvel. Since the word “Shazam” was so closely linked to DC’s property, DC’s version would start regularly being referred to as Shazam.
Marvel’s Captain Marvel
So that brings us to Marvel’s Captain Marvel, and the character about to be introduced to the masses in the latest blockbuster MCU film of the same name. What do people need to know about Captain Marvel?
The Kree
First and foremost, Captain Marvel is closely associated with the alien race The Kree. Fans of the ABC series Agents Of SHIELDhave seen the story develop about The Kree. As we’ll see in the film, The Kree are a militaristic race that have been at war with another race, The Skrulls, for millennia. While Skrulls are generally looked at as the villains, the war has been going on so long that neither race is truly considered “good” anymore.
The Kree have cosmic abilities, which means any Captain Marvel will as well. The Skrulls aren’t nearly as cosmically powered, but they do have the ability to shapeshift. This has lead to stories where famous characters have been revealed to have been Skrulls for years. These stories have lead to mixed receptions from fans.
Mar-Vell
Mar-Vell: The first Captain Marvel was, incidentally enough, named Mar-Vell. This is the only incarnation to have Stan Lee’s name connected to it. He and Gene Colan created the character in the mid 1960s.
Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau: The second Captain Marvel was Monica Rambeau, created by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. This was the Captain throughout the 1980s.
Genis-Vell: The son of Mar-Vell took over the mantle in 1993. Created by Ron Marz and Ron Lim, this is the look that a lot of fans probably remember.
Phyla-Vell: Genis’s sister, created by Peter David and Paul Azaceta
Khn’nr: A skrull posing as Mar-Vell during the Secret Invasion storyline. This may or may not be what will happen with Jude Law in the movie. Khn’nr was created by Paul Jenkins and Tom Raney.
Noh-Varr: The last Captain before Carol, and was one of the Dark Avengers. Created by Grant Morrison and JG Jones.
And that brings us to Carol Danvers
Carol Danvers may be like the seventh Captain Marvel to come along, but she was a fixture in the Marvel Universe long before that. In fact, the character is over 50 years old.
She first appeared in 1968 as an Air Force security officer, and was an ally of the original Captain Mar-Vell. In the 1970s, she became Ms. Marvel. This is the name most associated with her throughout her run. The pilot aspect comes from the Ultimate Universe
Carol Danvers as Ms. Marvel, her previous name before Captain Marvel
She is a Human/Kree hybrid, which allows her to have the Kree abilities, while still keeping her human appearance. In the 2000s, she was also known as Warbird, and as Binary.
Her main powers include super strength, flight, and the ability to survive in space without air. Over time, she developed a “seventh sense” ability to see into the near future. As Binary, she also gained an energy absorption power. Simply put, she can absorb energy and dissipate it back out.
Boycott Controversy
Seth, Train, and Leadbase dive into the controversial news surrounding the film’s release. They do not take political stances when we talk about things like this, but there are things that are pretty hard to ignore.
Rotten Tomatoes “Want To see” ratings have been disabled due to negative reviews
While it can’t be proven, it’s a pretty safe bet that some, if not most, of these reviews are “troll” reviews by people without any real narrative
A lot of people are making blanketed statements when discussing these reviews
A lot of male Marvel fans have been wanting a Black Widow movie for years
No large scale boycott of Wonder Woman happened with male fans
Alita Battle Angel has been readily praised as a good example of a woman in a sci-fi action lead role
A perfect example of “trolling”.
One other thing worth mentioning, we had this poll on our Facebook page asking people if they were planning on seeing Captain Marvel this weekend. After approximately 150 votes, it was still 57% to 43% in favor.
In the last segment of the show, Nic gives a detailed (SPOILERS!) review of Alita: Battle Angel, and gives comparisons to the Captain Marvel controversy regarding content
If you want to hear more about the “Strong Female Character” types, check out our second episode entitled “Warriors Of Estrogen” linked below
It seemed inevitable after Luke Cage and Iron Fist were dropped last year, but the last of the Marvel Netflix series finally got the ax over the weekend. Deadline reports that Netflix cancelled The Punisher and Jessica Jones, with the upcoming third season of Jessica Jones being the last.
This marks the end of all the series that have aired on the streaming network since 2015. Daredevil premiered four years ago to an enthusiastic audience and critical praise. Jessica Jones began the following year, which introduced Luke Cage to the mix. Finally, Iron Fist was released and was quickly followed with the first (and now only) season of The Defenders. Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of The Punisher, aka Frank Castle, proved strong enough for two seasons of a spin-off.
Jeph Loeb, who Executive Produced all the Netflix-run shows, posted this via Marvel’s website.
It had never been done before.
Four separate television series, each with different super-talented showrunners, writers, directors,cast and crew, coming out months apart and then…
…they would meet in a single event series all set in the heart of New York City.
We called them The Defenders.
And together we were thrilled by stories of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and even the Punisher joined in!
They said it couldn’t be done.
But Marvel assembled amazing teams to write, produce, direct, edit, and score 13 seasons and 161 one-hour episodes.
Take a moment and go online and look at the dazzling list of actors, writers, directors, and musicians who graced us with the very best of their craft.
We loved each and every minute of it.
And we did it all for you — the fans — who cheered for us around the world and made all the hard work worth it.
So, Thank You!
On behalf of everyone at Marvel Television, we couldn’t be more proud or more grateful to our audience.
Our Network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters… but you know Marvel better than that.
As Matthew Murdock’s Dad once said, “The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it’s how he gets back up.”
To be continued…!
– Jeph Loeb and all of us at Marvel Television
While no official statement has been made, the chances seem rather slim that the shows would be picked up by Disney’s streaming service. Screenrant reports that, even if it could happen, it wouldn’t happen before 2020. Furthermore Marvel Television is a separate production company from Marvel Studios, who head up the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Agents Of SHIELD.
2019 certainly has no shortage of geek films. From sequels to reboots, to live action remakes. Even the horror genre looks promising.
Join Seth and Train as they preview many of the upcoming moves in 2019, especially the Marvel and DC entries. Links below are all courtesy IMDB, with trailers attached if available.
FEBRUARY 5th
Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – The long awaited sequel has most of the primary cast returning to deal with the imminent threat of the giant Duplo Block Invasion. In our review of the first film, we were amazed that a $100 million dollar commercial could be so much fun. Everything still looks awesome.
FEBRUARY 14th
Alita: Battle Angel – Manga fans are familiar with this title, based on the series of books from the 1990s. The story is set in a cyberpunk future where a cyborg is awakened and repaired. Once functioning, she sets out to learn her past and how everything came to be. If you’re not familiar with the title, there are some bonafide A-Listers at work. Robert Rodriguez is directing , with the screenplay co-written by James Cameron himself.
Happy Death Day 2U – The first film was a surprise hit with a very original premise. It was almost like a horror version of Groundhog Day. Writer/Director Christopher Landon returns to helm the sequel that will pick up immediately after the original movie ended.
FEBRUARY 22
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – Seemingly everybody has enjoyed the Dreamworks animation releases. They are arguably the #2 animation studio next to Disney itself. The third and final installment in the movie is set one year after How To Train your Dragon 2 and finds Hiccup searching for a lost dragon world.
MARCH 8th
Captain Marvel – The first Marvel MCU movie of 2019 will introduce Carol Danvers and Skrulls to the MCU. Samuel L Jackson returns as a younger, two-eyed Nick Fury. The film takes place entirely in the 1990s and will presumably show how Fury got his trademark eyepatch.
APRIL 5th
SHAZAM – In a hilarious twist of fate, DC’s Captain Marvel (aka SHAZAM) is brought into the DCEU the month following Marvel’s entry. Teenage Billy Batson is transformed into a fully adult superhero by uttering the word “Shazam”. So Marvel Comics has a Captain Marvel, DC has a Captain Marvel. Everybody got that? Zachary Levi portrays the title role, while Mark Strong plays the villainous Dr. Sivana. This puts Strong on the interesting list of actors with multiple comic book roles from the same publisher (he portrayed Sinestro in the 2011 Green Lantern film). No other DC Characters listed as appearing according to IMDB. Sorry fans, we have to wait a little longer to get The Rock’s Black Adam.
APRIL 12th
Hellboy – While this is a reboot, this isn’t just an ordinary reboot. Creator Mike Mignola will have a larger creative role in this version. David Harbour (Stranger Things) takes over the title role, while Milla Jovovich portrays the evil Nimue.
APRIL 26th
Avengers: Endgame – Not much can be said that hasn’t already been speculated on already. We had a thorough dissection of the trailer last month. Arguably the most anticipated movie of the year (which is saying something) will finish the story from last year’s Avengers: Infinity War, and usher in Phase Four of the MCU.
MAY 24th
Alladin – 2019 is the year for Disney live action remakes. Alladin was a huge hit in the 1990s, due in no small part to Robin Williams’ epic take on The Genie. Sadly, Robin is no longer with us, or he surely would have reprised the role. Will Smith certainly has some big shoes to fill.
MAY 31st
Godzilla: King Of The Monsters – Millie Bobby Brown (also from the Stranger Things cast) makes her big screen debut. This sequel to the 2014 smash hit introduces Mothra, Rodan, and King Gidorah to the American Godzilla franchise. Plus, we know King Kong is also part of this Kaiju Cinematic Universe.
JUNE 7th
X-Men: Dark Phoenix – One of the most popular storylines from the X-Men comic books finally is adapted for the big screen. Some elements were used in X3, but this version looks to be a more in depth take. With this being the likely conclusion to Fox’s X-Men franchise, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a lot of characters bite the big one.
JUNE 14th
Men In Black International – Thor Ragnarok co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson reunite in this spin-off that also introduces Liam Neeson to the franchise. The trailer looks to carry on the sci-fi comedy that made the first three films so successful.
Shaft – Jessie T Usher stars as JJ Shaft, the third generation of the Shaft family. Richard Roundtree and Samuel L Jackson reprise their respective roles as John Shaft and John Shaft II. In a world of so many reboots, it’s refreshing to see an installment that still recognizes previous movies as part of the story.
JUNE 21st
Child’s Play – Speaking of reboots, MGM has this take on the horror/comedy franchise that rebrands Chucky for a 21st Century audience. It is important not confuse this with the upcoming TV series of the same name. This film will be a new continuity and will not involve creator Don Mancini or actor Brad Dourif, who will be part of the TV series.
Toy Story 4 – Ironic that a horror franchise dealing with an evil doll drops on the same day as the beloved family franchise about dolls and toys. Toy Story 3 had a very emotional ending, so it will be interesting to see what is in store for the cast in this new installment.
Lion King – Another live action adaption (if you want to call it that) of a Disney franchise. This trailer looks almost shot by shot like the 1994 smash hit. James Earl Jones is the lone cast returning. He will reprise the role of Muphasa, while Donald Glover steps in as Simba.
AUGUST 2nd
The New Mutants – With the exit of one mutant franchise from Fox, another one debuts. As the name implies, the film is inspired by the 1980s Marvel title which brought a new generation into the fold. Though the trailer seems to heavily hint a much more horror focus than simply sci-fi action. In this post-Deadpool and Logan world, could an R-Rating be in store?
SEPTEMBER 9th
It Chapter 2 – We knew when the first film hit that this would be a two part story. Thankfully, that gamble paid off as It became a worldwide smash and became the highest grossing horror film of all time.
OCTOBER 4th
Joker – The much examined Joaquin Phoenix standalone film will be also star the legendary Robert De Niro. Not much is truly known about the film, and there is the underlying rumor that Phoenix may not even be the title character after all.
OCTOBER 11th
Addams Family – The classic comedic family is returning to the big screen, this time in animated form. Oscar Isaac voices Gomez, Charlize Theron voices Morticia, and Finn Wolfhard (another cast from Stranger Things) takes on Pugsley. An animated take may seem a bit odd to some, but it may actually be more faithful to the original comic strip that existed before the TV show.
NOVEMBER 1st
Untitled Terminator Film – Creator James Cameron is returning to the franchise that made him a household name. Linda Hamilton is returning to the role of Sarah Connor and Arnold Schwarzenegger is once again portraying a Terminator. Like Halloween before it, this film will ignore most of the previous films, and will be a direct sequel to 1991’s Terminator 2.
DECEMBER 20th
Star Wars Episode IX – Much like Avengers Endgame, there isn’t much to talk about that hasn’t already been said. Disney has confirmed that this will be the final episode of “The Skywalker Saga”. This implies that any future films will be unrelated, and may not have the classic scrolling text introduction. That said, what on Earth could possibly be the final shot of the nine episode saga?
