Author: Charles Murphy

Connecting Imaginary Dots: ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ Might Have an Egghead After All

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on November 16, 2017.

It’s been a while since we’ve churned out a Connecting the Imaginary Dots feature, but this seems like the right time for one. For those of you that haven’t read these before, we’re basically taking a piece of information, making some deductions and taking an educated guess at something. We have no inside info; this isn’t a scoop; it’s just as likely to be wrong as it is right.

We like doing this, not because we sometimes get them right, but because it gives us a chance to tell you something you may not already know and then let our fanboy imagination run wild. So let’s get to it, shall we. First of all, here’s the bit of information that got us all started; it appears that actor Michael Cerveris may have joined the cast of Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man and The Wasp! You may recognize Cerveris from his role as The Observer on Fringe or from his recent work on The Tick. The IMDB listing (yes, we know it can be totally wrong, that’s why this is a Connecting Imaginary Dots piece) for Ant-Man and The Wasp was recently updated and lists Kent De Mond as a stunt performer for Cerveris:

Operating under the assumption that De Mond jumped the gun in updating his own profile and Cerveris is in the film, we started considering who someone like Cerveris, a VERY singular looking man, could be playing in the film. We reached out to our source to confirm, but at the time of publication, we had not been able to get word.

To be honest, it didn’t take a lot of deliberation to settle on Elihas Starr, aka Egghead. A genius-level atomic scientist, Starr was caught smuggling government plans with the intent to sell them. From there, Starr went on to begin his career as a villain in the service of the criminals who helped him out of prison. Starr first appeared in Tales to Astonish #38 and for most of his time in the comics served as an antagonist to Hank Pym. While much of the plot of the film is still being kept secret, we could see room for a genius like Starr to be in the film working to take on the Ant-Man team.

There really aren’t a lot of great, iconic Ant-Man villains (are there any?) but Egghead would have to be counted among them, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Reed add him to the film. While you might ask, “Why didn’t we see him in any of the character breakdowns/casting calls?”, that’s actually pretty normal. For a character actor like Cerveris, it’s possible that Reed either had him in mind from the beginning, or picked him from a small group that didn’t require an auditioning process. Either way, we could definitely see Cerveris in the role and hope we hit this nail on the (egg)head.

Source: IMDB

November 16, 2017
4 Things We’d Love to See In Future ‘Thor’ Installments

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on November 6, 2017.

Thor: Ragnarok certainly revitalized the franchise and the character. Not only did it bring some of the more fantastical elements of the Thor comics to the screen, it also saw the character make some bold choices that lead to some major repercussions for him and the people of Asgard. We know we’ll see the God of Thunder again in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 and expect him to play a significant role. While it seems that those films will be the swan songs for stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, it is possible that Chris Hemsworth could continue on in the role; after all, Asgardians age awfully slowly, making Hemsworth one of the few MCU stars whose aging could work out just fine. Furthermore, Tessa Thompson’s turn as the Valkyrie did nothing other than continue her ascension as a star and leave us all wanting much, much more of the character. If Marvel Studios is so inclined, they could potentially use the massive success of Thor: Ragnarok as a springboard to launch not only more Thor films, but also films centered around the Valkyrie. The source material certainly provides enough great stories for several films so we put together a sampling of some that we think would look great on screen!

To Wake The Mangog!

One of the great Thor villains that we’ve still yet to see on screen is the great and immortal Mangog! Seen above in concept art from Thor: The Dark World. the Mangog is a villain for whom the time may actually be right given some of the dark revelations about Odin’s past. In the comics, the Mangog was the sole survivor of his kind with the rest of his race being killed by Odin as he is imprisoned in the depths of the Realm Eternal. Fueled by the their combined rage (“the hatred of a billion, billion beings) the Mangog is released by Ulik the Troll (another Thor baddie we’re dying to see!) and proves an equal in battle for the Odinson.

The Mangog is returning to the comics and the events of Thor: Ragnarok could actually have set the stage for his entry into the MCU. The destruction of Asgard by Surtur could be used to explain how the Mangog escaped prison and a film featuring him could give us some more of the true history of Asgard, one of the juiciest and underserved plot points in Thor: Ragnarok. Of course the Mangog would turn his rage on the new King of Asgard, giving Thor a foe that not only challenges him physically, but threatens his burgeoning rule as well.

Journey Into Mystery

If they are going to give Tessa Thompson her own franchise, and I REALLY think they should, I love this as the title. This is the title that introduced Thor to the Silver Age of comics and told young readers the “Tales of Asgard.” Interestingly enough, any movie featuring the Valkyrie, or Asgardians in general, doesn’t need to take place in the present day, giving Marvel Studios a plethora of options for Journey Into Mystery films. While the title might evoke images of Lady Sif for loyal readers, it’s pretty clear that the studio has larger plans for Thompson than for Jamie Alexander; however, that wouldn’t stop them from making an absolutely fantastic team up film with the two badasses!

We know that Thompson has pitched an all-female film to Marvel Studios and, at this point, we have to think the studio is open to it. This may not be the story she had in mind, but we’d love to see the Valkyrie team up with Sif. A couple of classic Thor villains come to mind as wonderful antagonists for such a film and while their team up would clearly be short-lived, we’d love to see Karnilla, the Norn Queen and Amora finally grace the big screen!

The Undying Ones

Outside of being an absolutely fantastic individual character, one of the great things about the Valkyrie being introduced into the MCU is that we are now just one character away from being able to assemble the comic book Defenders on screen. With Doctor Strange, Hulk and the Valkyrie in the mix, we just need Namor and we have the non-team many of us grew up reading about. It seems like the issues surrounding a Namor solo movie are similar to those associated with the Hulk, so introducing him in a team-up film is probably the only way to go. It also seems that the future of the MCU is in team ups of “unexpected combinations of characters” and this idea certainly falls under that umbrella.

First appearing in Doctor Strange #183 and Sub-Mariner #22, the Undying Ones, a group of inter-dimensional demons who used to rule the Earth, were the threat that brought the Defenders together. Whether it’s in the first Valkyrie film or a Doctor Strange sequel, this Lovecraftian horror movie is the type of genre-bending experiment that Marvel Studios seems more and more comfortable attempting. Thompson’s character already showed a fantastic rapport with Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner and would definitely be an interesting foil to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. Additionally, her irreverence would certainly grind Namor’s gears, cementing her as the centerpiece of this team up.

Gorr, The God Butcher

I’m aware that Thor: Ragnarok already introduced some facets of Jason Aaron’s incredible run on Thor: God of Thunder. While I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to which comics should be adapted into Marvel Studios films, I believe that Aaron’s Gorr arc is one of the finest Thor stories ever told. Those things considered, I feel that this is a story that can be told and told well at some point down the road, if Hemsworth chooses to stick around in the role (or if they recast someone else at some point).

In order for this story to be told, it probably makes sense that we are introduced to some other gods from other pantheons at some point. If future films introduce heroes such as Hercules and other characters like Ares and the Eternals, a story taking place in the future featuring an aged King Thor could be the fitting farewell to the character. The story of Gorr transcends time and space and would be perfect for the final, epic Thor story.

November 6, 2017
SCOOP: New Plot Details About ‘Ant-Man & the Wasp’ Revealed

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on October 18, 2017.

After years of starts and stops and a change in directors, fans finally got a chance to see Ant-Man hit the big screen in 2015. The film filled in some gaps in the history of the MCU, showed Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne in action, introduced their daughter Hope and gave us Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, one of the most endearing and relatable MCU heroes to date. Filming is well underway on Peyton Reed’s follow up, Ant-Man and The Wasp, and through set photos and some scoops, we’ve only been able to scrape together very little info about what to expect from the film…until now!

A source of ours has chimed in with a few details about the plot of the film that, in light of the set photos we’ve seen and where the last film left off, seem to make some sense. We are told that the film will take place over a very short amount of time and will see the leads begin the film in very different situations.

From the first photos of Rudd on set fans have been curious about the timeline of the film. Given Lang’s inclusion in the events in Germany, his incarceration in the Raft and subsequent breakout, fans have wondered how he’s operating in public during Ant-Man and The Wasp. According to our source, the film takes place after Lang’s escape from prison and when it begins, Lang finds himself on house arrest. While that sounds bad for a superhero, it seems to be just fine with Lang who is content spending more time with his daughter, Cassie. It seems the events of Captain America: Civil War have soured Scott on the prospects of putting on the suit. When the film begins, Scott Lang is Ant-Man no more. How Scott was sentenced to house-arrest despite destroying an airport and breaking out of prison is unknown at this point.

While Scott finds himself adjusting to his new life, Hank and Hope are hard at work trying to find a way to bring Jan back from the Quantum Realm. The father-daughter team are none too pleased with Lang for taking off to Germany in the middle of their work have spent a lot of time working in their lab. They are using Pym Particles to keep their lab small and mobile (maybe similar to Ant-Man Vol. 2 Annual where Lang’s helmet actually had a lab inside it!) because Hank and Hope will spend a good deal of the film on the run, with all types of folks out for them. Though the source didn’t go into detail about the roles the Walton Goggin’s Sonny Burch, Hannah John-Kaman’s Ghost or Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo, it’s not crazy to think that they’re all involved in the hunt for Hank and Hope at some point.

Set pics have revealed that Lang will ultimately re-team with Hope and that, at some point, Hank is all suited up in FBI gear, so there’s certainly an unknown bridge from what our source shared to those points. However, with so little out there about the film so far, it’s nice to have some idea of what to expect when the film opens. It sounds like we are getting a very intimate film that takes place in a VERY short amount of time and one that is, at least in some part, separate from the major events of Infinity War!

October 18, 2017
SCOOP: Hawkeye To Take On A New Identity in ‘Avengers 4’

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on September 8, 2017.

Fans have theorized the possibility of Clint Barton assuming a new alter ego in Avengers 4. With part of the film taking place in Japan and Jeremy Renner sporting a very different haircut while prepping for the film, speculation has centered on the possibility of Clint Barton shedding Hawkeye and adopting not just a new look, but possibly a new name as well. Thanks to our source, the same source that delivered the goods on the children of Thanos and Steve Rogers’ new look, we can tell you that Barton is set to appear as Ronin (or at least an iteration of it) in Avengers 4!

In the comics, Barton has been known to take on multiple superhero identities. He took on the mantle of Goliath back in the day and underwent a very brooding gun-toting image overhaul in Ultimates 3 when tragedy struck his family. The most notable recent change the character went through happened after the events of Civil War in New Avengers #27. . Donning a totally new costume, complete with a mask to hide his identity like fraudsters would do, Barton, who had been trained with numerous weapons over the years, picked up some samurai swords and became the masterless samurai known as Ronin, a mantle that began with Daredevil ally Maya Lopez aka Echo. Though he eventually resumed his career as Hawkeye, Barton wore the mask for some time, including the events surrounding the Skrull invasion.

As with nearly all things MCU, the film won’t follow the template from the comics. We don’t want to get to deep into spoiler territory here, but we are told that the events of Avengers: Infinity War (one specific event in particular) leaves Barton in a VERY dark place and is the inciting moment in the archer’s shift into this darker superhero mantle. Given the nature of events that cause the shift, it’s possible that they may not make the final cut of the film, but trust us when we say that if they do, you will absolutely know it when you see it.

As always, while we are confident that our source delivered accurate information to us, it’s important to remember that we are talking about a film that is 20 months away from hitting the big screen. In that time, scripts can change, cuts can be edited, things can be added and, of course removed. Things that may have been shot for one film could end up in another. Having said that, this absolutely seems like a series of events the Russos would throw in given their knowledge of the comics and their penchant for throwing things in that the most hardcore fans can appreciate.

What do you guys make of this news? Are you excited to see a different, darker Clint Barton? Let us know!

Avengers: Infinity War will hit theaters on May 4, 2018 and Avengers 4 will drop one year later on May 3, 2019!

September 8, 2017
EXCLUSIVE: New Details About ‘Captain Marvel’ Revealed

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at MCU Exchange on August 2, 2017.

The excitement around the SDCC announcement that Captain Marvel would be a period piece taking place in the 1990s was absolutely tangible. From the time period to the involvement of the Skrulls, people were absolutely blown away but also left asking a lot of questions. We reached out to our most trusted source who helped us out with the Children of Thanos and Nomad stories and were able to land a few details that should hold us over until Marvel Studios is ready to give us more info.

In 2014, Badass Digest revealed that Carol Danvers would make her debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The introduction, they reported, would be an end of the movie cameo that would include Ms. Marvel among the new members of the Avengers. The site included a disclaimer that while it was possible, it was just as possible that the studio was a little concerned about introducing such a major character in a short cameo.

Avengers: Age of Ultron did debut a new team of Avengers (which we never saw in action, by the way) but there was no Carol Danvers. With her own film having been announced in the time between the initial report and the premiere of the film, it seemed Marvel Studios chose to hold off and give her an introduction more in line with her high profile. The reports, however, were confirmed and Marvel even went as far as to shoot VFX plates for her entrance into the New Avengers facility, but those shots were ultimately used on Scarlet Witch’s arrival in her new costume. Kevin Feige explained his decision in keeping Danvers out of the film:

“There were drafts that maybe people somehow got their hands on and read early on that included some characters – maybe others, but certainly one, which is why it’s dangerous to read scripts early on, and talk about them early on…

[Captain Marvel] was in a draft. But to me, it would have done that character a disservice, to meet her fully formed, in a costume and part of the Avengers already when 99% of the audience would go, ‘Who is that?’ It’s just not the way we’ve done it before.”

And so Carol Danvers’ introduction to the MCU was put on hold as the minds at Marvel Studios went to work on how to best introduce her, but what was revealed was that Captain Marvel would have been a fully formed, known quantity as a superhero at the time. Now, we at the MCU Exchange have exclusive details on how Kevin Feige, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will bring Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman’s script to the screen and we think you’re going to love it!. As noted above, it is still very early in the process (they won’t film until winter 2018) and all of this is subject to change, but what we currently know sounds absolutely amazing.

Brie Larson’s absence from the filming of Avengers: Infinity War has people asking just where the most powerful of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes was when they most needed her. While it was widely believed that Carol wasn’t in the fight because she hadn’t been powered up yet, we now know that’s not the case; however, if she’s been a superhero for 20 years so you think she would show up when the fate of the entire cosmos was at stake!

So where has Carol been all this time? We are told that the comments by Marvel Stuido’s physics consultant, Dr. Spiros Michalakis, about the Quantum Realm playing a major part in Captain Marvel have an awful lot to do with where she’s been and why she sat out the events of Infinity War. With Captain Marvel releasing between Infinity War and the as-yet-untitled Avengers 4, we believe we have an answer to Danvers’ location and see her return to join the fray in Avengers 4.

Long time members of the Carol Corps are going to love the way the story pays homage to her long history. We know the Kree will have a large presence in the film and, according to the source, the film will absolutely include the Kree hero Mar-Vell! It’s well-established in Marvel Cinematic Universe mythology that the Kree have been to Earth before, so we aren’t surprised to find out that Mar-Vell might have been on Earth in the past to observe and report on the activities of humans especially given that film’s plot is expected to be driven by the longstanding Kree-Skrull war.

Though we don’t know if we’ll be seeing him on Earth as Dr. Lawson, we are told to expect to see a version of the Psyche-Magnitron accident from the comics and that accident will be responsible for altering her DNA and giving her powers. Furthermore, we are told that her unique half-Kree/half-human DNA will be used to explain why she hasn’t appeared to age since her disappearance, meaning they won’t need to age/de-age Brie Larson. Just like Thor and the Asgardians before her, Carol won’t necessarily age in the MCU.

Additionally and in somewhat of a surprising move, the earliest drafts of the script include references to her functioning as Ms. Marvel and that there will be a version of her early Ms. Marvel costume seen onscreen. Marvel Studios have been great about updating classic looks that respect the mythology without causing too much controversy and we expect something similar will be done here.

We’ll keep working with our source to find out more, but Marvel Studios has been on lockdown for a long, long time but this is a genius move by Marvel Studios. With the film being set in the 90s it gives them the opportunity to do a lot of things in the 20 years that have passed and also deal with the repercussions of those events.

August 2, 2017
SCOOP: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Will See a Different Steve Rogers

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on July 17, 2017.

The Avengers: Infinity War trailer shown at D23 was full of a lot jaw dropping moments but one of the ones that seems to have really caught the interest of fans was the appearance of a bearded Steve Rogers. While the secrets of Infinity War have been well-kept, we do have a little info about that bearded Rogers and what you can expect from him when Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters next May!

When we last saw Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War, he had put down the shield after his battle with Tony Stark, broken his buddies out of the Raft and took up residence inside the nation of Wakanda. Having turned his back on his past, Rogers is now a man without a country (even a war criminal?) and, as a result, will be taking on a new alias in Infinity War. The Russo brothers have proven themselves as knowledgeable fans of the comics, finding incredibly deep cuts that only the truest of believers would pick up. We’re told that they’ve done it again and that we should expect Captain America no more as the Steve Rogers we see in Infinity War will be a Nomad!

Comic readers will remember an incredibly short-lived run (Captain America #180-184) where Rogers, disillusioned by the revelation of the Secret Empire running America, took off his Captain America costume and donned a caped blue and yellow uniform. While we won’t be seeing an exact duplicate of that costume in Infinity War, Rogers’ costume will pay homage to his time as Nomad. It’s also worth noting that the bearded look, which is Chris Evans‘ preferred look anyway, does resemble Rogers’ time in Dimension Z from Rick Remender’s recent run.

The move towards Nomad is more than a nice nod to the comics. Rogers, as he did in the comics, has become disillusioned with what he has had to sacrifice to do the things he knows he must. The Russos sowed the seeds of this move early in Civil War and Rogers has had a tremendous personal arc over the course of the films in which he has appeared. His decision to become Nomad is representative of him no longer looking to follow orders or even give them, but to simply do what he believes is right.

Given what we’ve heard about the scale of destruction in Infinity War, there’s no telling if Rogers will ever pick up the shield again or if it’s time for someone else (looking at you Sam Wilson) to take on the mantle of Captain America. What do you guys think of this nod to a classic story line? Are you headed out to find a copy of Captain America #180?

July 17, 2017
EXCLUSIVE: Details on Hannah John-Kamen’s Role & Luis’ New Love Interest in ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ Revealed

Notes: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at MCU Exchange on June 28, 2017.

The cast of Ant-Man and The Wasp will be heading to Atlanta to begin filming soon, but very little is known about who will be joining the returning stars from the first film. One addition is actress Hannah John-Kamen, who joined the cast earlier this month in an unspecified role. Thanks to a source with knowledge of the production of the film, we were able to get a little more info on the role!

Kamen will be portraying a character named Dawn. Though the exact nature of Dawn’s role was not revealed, she is described as charismatic, eccentric, unpredictable and damaged. It’s not clear if Dawn is a new character created for the film or if she is adapted from the comics; while there are several characters named Dawn from which to draw in the comics, none of them seem to have a rich history as a supporting character in any Ant-Man stories. A character named Dawn Starr does catch the attention of fans of the comics who recognize the last name as the same one as Hank Pym’s nemesis Egghead, or Elihas Starr. However, Dawn and Elihas were not related in the comics, though Marvel Studios could certainly find a way to make that change if they wanted, so we can’t exactly settle on her.

Kamen’s Dawn is one of 3 female roles added to the sequel, joining the yet to be cast Janet van Dyne and one more surprise role. While the role may well be cast at this point, we can tell you that the studio was searching for a Latino actress for the role of Victoria, who will join the cast as the love interest for Michael Pena’s Luis. Described as a bit of a “loose cannon”, Victoria will be a part of the film’s comic relief but is also described as tough and smart with a “dangerous edge.”

With production beginning soon, possibly as soon as this Friday, we can expect some confirmation on these roles soon along with some other additions to the cast. Ant-Man and The Wasp will hit theaters July 6, 2018.

What do you think of these new casting details for Ant-Man and the Wasp? Excited that a new character is being added to the Three Wombats? Let us know in the comments below!

June 28, 2017
EXCLUSIVE: Details About Thanos’ Black Order In ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Revealed

Note: This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at MCU Exchange on June 12, 2017.

“You are a disappointment sister; out of all our siblings, I hated you least.”

Brutal beatings at each other’s hands. Each loss made a permanent memory by Thanos as he rebuilt them to make them better. It’s safe to say that James Gunn has created a relationship between sisters Nebula and Gamora that went a little beyond the usual sibling rivalry, but the two daughters of Thanos seem to have come to an understanding and have chosen very different paths from the one their adoptive-father intended. However, as Nebula indicated, there are other siblings, other children of Thanos, whom we haven’t yet met and if Nebula and Gamora are any indication, they could be pretty nasty.

We can tell you that when Avengers: Infinity War rolls around, we will meet the other children of Thanos and, in fact, we’ve already seen them on set!

Earlier in the year, actor Terry Notary revealed that he was working alongside Josh Brolin and 3 other actors in Avengers: Infinity War and that his character, the “right-hand man” of Thanos, was “truly evil.” Set photos from Scotland seemed to indicate that we might be seeing some of Thanos’ generals, known in the comics as the Black Order, when Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters.

Our source indicated to us that this iteration of the characters, first seen in Jonathan Hickman’s New Avengers #8, won’t be referred to as the Black Order, but instead will be the siblings mentioned by Nebula! When Thanos goes looking for the Infinity Stones, he’s going to send his children and they’ll be bringing bad intentions with them.

While we can’t confirm which of the characters are being used and which is being left out, we feel confident with our previous prediction that Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight will be among them. We also feel pretty confident that if Nebula and Gamora are the well-adjusted children of the Mad Titan, that the Avengers are in for some serious trouble.

With the inspiration drawn from Hickman’s work and the recent set photos indicating Wakanda will play a role in the film, we are hoping to see something along the line of the Black Dwarf’s Wakandan invasion. In the comics, while Thanos’ other generals had defeated the Avengers around the globe, Wakanda, led by T’Challa and his sister, Shuri, turned back the army of the Black Dwarf, helping stem the tide of the invasion and give hope to Earth.

It’s interesting to see which Infinity-related events the Russo brothers have been using for inspiration and it’s becoming very clear that we are not going to be getting a straight adaptation of any one Infinity story. It’s exciting to see the Russos pull what was a solid concept from Hickman’s recent work and fit it into an opening already established by Gunn. While we don’t know if we’ll get much background on how the Mad Titan collected his children, they will undoubtedly provide an incredible threat to the Avengers and we expect that they may even prove to be too much in some instances!

June 12, 2017
A ‘Blue Marvel’ Film Could Be The MCU’s Platform for High-Concept Sci-Fi

Note: This post was originally published by Charles Murphy on MCU Exchange on May 18, 2017.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is just a few weeks into its global run but it’s clear that it will be another feather in Marvel’s cap. A massive financial success and another critical success, it also, based on my conversations, seems to be trending as a Top 5 film with many MCU fans. With the success of the two Guardians films, it’s easy to forget that this was far from a sure thing when Kevin Feige gave it the green light in 2012, but James Gunn has done an incredible job of bringing his vision to the screen and given us a couple of science-fiction gems. With a highly-anticipated third film on the way in 2020, which Gunn says will conclude the story of this version of the Guardians, Gunn has a chance to direct one of the first great sci-fi trilogies of the 21st century. While there will always be room for more Guardians films, Marvel Studios would also like to expand their universe and to do so, it might be time to take another chance on a lesser known property, but one that could, like Guardians, attract a visionary director to a high-concept sci-fi film. The story of Adam Brashear, Blue Marvel, could connect the science of the MCU to the extra-dimensional adventures of Ant-Man, Doctor Strange and Thor and could be the next underdog powerhouse franchise for Marvel Studios.

Dr. Adam Brashear, the Blue Marvel, was introduced in 2008 in a 5-issue mini-series, Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel, written by Kevin Grevioux. You might recognize Grevioux from his work as Raze in the Underworld films, which were originally conceived by him and the first of which he also co-wrote with director Len Wiseman, but Grevioux has appeared in dozens of shows and films in addition to working on other comic book projects including New Warriors. Grevioux is also a distinguished man of science, holding a degree in Microbiology and having dabbled in chemistry, psychology and genetic engineering. Grevioux’s scientific interests clearly influenced his writing and were especially clear in his work on Adam, when he fully developed the character of the Blue Marvel which he had created during his teens.

Grevioux’s Blue Marvel origins as a hero are rooted in classic Marvel archetypes and though written in 2008, took place in the 1960s alongside so many other Marvel characters. A former Marine and brilliant scientist, Brashear’s work on harnessing the energy of antimatter from a parallel universe went sideways, exposing him, and his best friend and colleague, Conner Sims, to an unimaginable amount of radiation when the machine keeping the spacetime boundary between the two universes stable exploded. Brashear’s exposure left him a living antimatter reactor capable of producing massive amounts of energy, flight and just about any superpower imaginable; Sims, however, was transformed into pure energy and soon found himself incapable of sustaining a human form for long. His inability to maintain a stable physical manifestation of himself contributed to a break in his psyche and he became the villain known as Anti-Man. For a time, Brashear served as the masked hero the Blue Marvel, retiring at the request of President Kennedy after a rip in his mask during a battle with Sims revealed him as an African-American hero, something the culture of the time wasn’t ready to accept. The battle, which apparently destroyed Sims, was the end of the Blue Marvel, and Brashear went back to work as a scientist.

Brashear married, had children and became a physics professor. Despite being retired, Brashear saved the Earth on many occasions, defeating aliens and keeping a multiversal being known as the Infinaut from creating a massive breaching reality and manifesting at such a size as would cause the complete destruction of our planet. Following the death of his wife and along side his oldest son Kevin in their undersea labs at the Marianas Trench, he continued work on antimatter and other dimensions, ultimately discovering the space between realities called the Neutral Zone. Here, matter and anti-matter co-existed leaving endless possibilities for energy. Adam and Kevin’s exploration of the vast space when on until a villain, Doctor Evald Skorpion, attempted to use the Neutral Zone to destroy reality. Skorpion sabotaged the Brashear’s portal, causing it to expand and allowing extra-dimensional energies to begin destroying everything. To save all reality, Adam had to destroy the portal with his son Kevin still in the Neutral Zone, trapping him there forever. Brashear attempted several times to bring his son home, failing at every turn. Angry at his father for sacrificing his brother, Adam’s youngest son Max began his own research, funded by terrorists, into the Neutral zone under the name Doctor Positron.

The Blue Marvel has recently been a part of Luke Cage’s Mighty Avengers and currently serves as a member of the Ulitmates, solving multiversal (and potentially even bigger) problems. His work has brought him into contact with Galactus, reunited him with his friend Conner Sims and seen him go head-to-head with other Cosmic entities and forces. He has reconciled with and worked alongside his son Max and recently entered into a relationship with fellow Ultimate member Monica Rambeau, aka Spectrum.

As Marvel Stuidos shifts its sights to the future of the MCU post-Infinity War, we hope that the story of Adam Brashear is one that they are ready to tell. A powerful and intelligent hero, Brashear will mesh nicely with the existing science-based heroes and help further explore the concepts of extra-dimensions and what really goes on in space. With the rights to the Fantastic Four seemingly set to remain at Fox, Brashear is the perfect character to take on the role as the explorer of the unknown. His origin story reads like so many of Marvel Studios’ best films and plays to the trope of the villain’s powers being tied to the heroes. His family ties will help create interest and tension to add some drama and his interracial relationship with Marlene Frazier, the woman who ultimately becomes his wife, would allow Marvel Studios to tackle some very real issues we’ve yet to see in one of their films. Adding Blue Marvel to the docket also allows Marvel Studios to continue to address the lack of diversity in their films, something Feige has said they intend to do well beyond Black Panther and Captain Marvel.

Depending on how Marvel chooses to play it, a Blue Marvel film could either continue to add some depth to the history of the MCU or take place in the current day. If Marvel Studios chose to make Brashear and older, more experienced hero similar to his comic book self, they could place the origin story in the 1980s, making Brashear a contemporary of Hank Pym. In this instance, reaching out to gauge the interest of Denzel Washington would seem a no-brainer. Should Marvel choose to have the origins occur in real time and grow the story of Brashear over time, maybe we see Disney employ some more inter-company synergy and give John Boyega one of the meatiest roles in their new universe.

Regardless of the timeline, having Brashear and Sims investigating the types of extra-dimensional energies used to create portals in Doctor Strange. Even though we’ve only recently seen them in the timeline, the existence of magic and the Ancient One in the MCU predates the film. Brashear and Sims could crack the science behind the magic and open up a portal, unprepared for the events unfolding on the other side. To some extent, you can imagine the film following some key beats from other sci-fi horror films like The Fly or Event Horizon and becoming a little introspective on the dangers of exploring the unknown. With that theme in mind, the dream director is Alfonso Cuaron, though I know that Marvel Studios often tends to look for up and comers. Perhaps someone like Jordan Peele (Get Out) or Colm McCarthy (The Girl With All the Gifts) could put something together that would catch Feige’s attention.

Truth be told, none of us have any idea in what direction Feige intends to take the MCU. However, outside of some longtime favorites like Richard Rider, Monica Rambeau and the Squadron Supreme, I can’t think of a character I would like to see more. What are your thoughts about the possible inclusion of Dr. Adam Brashear to the MCU?

May 18, 2017
Connecting Imaginary Dots: Sterling K. Brown Was Just Cast as Erik Killmonger’s Dad

This article was originally published by Charles Murphy at MCU Exchange on January 6, 2017.

Yesterday the already stellar cast of Black Panther grew by one with the addition of rising star Sterling K. Brown. The official press release from Marvel revealed that Brown would play N’Jobu, a character from T’Challa’s past. The character of N’Jobu wouldn’t turn up in any Google searches of the Marvel Universe, but that wouldn’t stop us from digging a little deeper and connecting some imaginary dots. After some thinking, I believe that Brown’s N’Jobu is the father of the film’s presumed primary antagonist: Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger.

In the comics, Killmonger’s hatred for T’Challa comes from a long-held grudge against the Wakandan Royal Family. During an attack on Wakanda by Ulysses Klaw, Killmonger’s father (a native of Wakanda) was forcibly enlisted into Klaw’s invading army and forced to fight against his own country. In the conflict, Killmonger’s father was killed and when Klaw’s army was defeated, Killmonger’s remaining family was exiled from their home country. Taking up residence in America, Killmonger began his path of vengeance against the Wakandan Royals, setting his sights on T’Challa, the new king.

In a tremendous case of me really stretching some already thin fabric, I believe the beginnings of this conflict have already been seen in the MCU and that the Black Panther film will fill in the blanks with some flashbacks. How do we get there from here?

Erik Killmonger is a native Wakandan, so, as you may have guessed, he probably wasn’t born Erik Killmonger. In fact, his birth name was N’Jadaka. I’m no expert on Wakandan naming traditions (the only experts on the subject were busy at the time of publishing and had not returned our calls), but it seems an easy thing to draw a parallel to other Wakandans and their names. T’Challa, son of T’Chaka. So, could it be N’Jadaka, son of N’Jobu? In my mind, he will be.

I’m guessing we will see a flashback to Andy Serkis‘ Klaue’s time in Wakanda (referenced in Avengers: Age of Ultron), see the death of Brown’s N’Jobu and the subsequent exile of his son, giving us the necessary exposition for the main conflict of the film which should pit Killmonger against T’Challa. Framed in this way, you can really see Jordan in the role. In some ways, he’ll be able to channel some of the same things that made his performance in Creed so memorable and will become more than another one-note villain. Jordan’s Killmonger will be the equal of T’Challa in every way and may just make for one of the MCU’s best villains to date.

What do you think about this entirely ridiculous speculation? Let us know in the comments and be sure to share this with your friends!

January 6, 2017