Author: Mary Maerz

The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania set to start Phase 5 in February, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to dramatically change course in the midst of the Multiverse Saga. Much like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the official list of what a fan should watch to prepare for the film is not quite as simple as you’d think. Part of this is the mere fact that the MCU now has 30 films, 8 Disney+ series, 2 Disney+ special presentations, and I Am Groot. Still, considering the absolute chaos of the Multiverse, the introduction of the Multiverse Saga’s main villain, a Young Avengers setup, and threequel status make Quantumania a fun one for our latest Ultimate List of Things to Watch Before.

At the end of the day, 16 projects made this list with varying degrees of relevance. First, the top three tiers are focused on Scott Lang/Ant-Man’s story as well as the Multiverse. After that, it is hard to ignore that Cassie Lang’s role in Quantumania is setting up yet another (likely) future Young Avenger, so the list takes a stroll down memory lane of others we have already seen. As is tradition, the last category really pushes the limit of what makes sense. In any event, somehow every single MCU Disney+ series has made this list, so get started.

Top Tier

The top tier, as you would suspect, comprises the most important projects to watch before Quantumania based on what we know about the film.

1. Ant-Man

It should go without saying that anyone watching the third film in a solo franchise should start with the original film. In 2015, Ant-Man was the epilogue of Phase 2 and introduced Scott Lang, Hank Pym, and Hope Van Dyne for the first time along with several other key players. From the official Quantumania trailer, we also know that the villain Darren Cross appears to be the face of M.O.D.O.K.

2. Ant-Man and the Wasp

While Ant-Man and the Wasp received notoriously mixed reactions, its focus on the Quantum Realm set up so much of the future of the MCU. The film brought the character Janet Van Dyne into reality but also set up the Quantum Realm as a real place to exist—this is where we will find our characters for much of Quantumania. It also highlights Scott’s relationship with his young daughter Cassie, who will be a teenager and seemingly much more important character in the threequel.

3. Loki

Other than the Ant-Man franchise, the Disney+ series Loki is probably the most important project to watch before Quantumania. The finale introduced us to the first variant of Kang the Conquerer in Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains, though “Kang” is set to make his more formal debut in the third Ant-Man film. He Who Remains provided an extremely important monologue about who he was and what would happen if variants of himself were allowed to live on. Now, we’re going to watch the consequences of Loki begin to play out, presumably all coming to an end in Avengers: Secret Wars. Quantumania may have gotten the Multiverse Saga’s most important character as its solo film antagonist, and we will surely see the actual multiverse truly come into play in the wider MCU after this film.

Tier Two

The second tier of “must watches” before Quantumania is short, but it focuses on the remainder of Scott’s on-screen story as well as the Quantum Realm’s connection to the multiverse.

4. Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame very casually dropped the first hints of the Multiverse and the first major consequences of the Quantum Realm and quantum-related technology. Of course, the film shows another appearance of the character, and it is the first time we saw Cassie as a teenager. The father and daughter’s lost time is clearly central to Quantumania, so their reunion early in this film has major significance. A pro tip for the real fans here is that it is always best to watch Avengers: Infinity War along with Endgame, even though there is virtually no Ant-Man significance.

5. Captain America: Civil War

The events of Captain America: Civil War will likely not have much relevance to Quantumania’s story, but in the true MCU spirit of preparing oneself for a solo threequel, all appearances of the character should be watched.

Tier Three

The third tier is (mostly) dedicated to the multiverse. While Quantumania is the first film of the second phase of the Multiverse Saga, Kang’s introduction will likely kick the stakes up a notch.

6. Ms. Marvel

True, Disney+ series Ms. Marvel is not related to the Multiverse. But the series (or at least the first minute or two of the first episode) is here because it mentions that Scott has become a relatively famous person and Avenger post-Endgame. The beginning of the Quantumania trailer also alludes to this fact, so this moment in Ms. Marvel is a significant connecting piece.

7. What If…?

The entrance of Kang and the beginning of Phase 5 can only mean that the MCU’s Multiverse is actually going to start coming out to play. Whether or not it’s a major factor in the main portion of Quantumania is yet to be seen, but the fallout of the film probably carries a lot of multiversal weight. The best way to get into the multiverse mindset is to watch the only project actually dedicated to it, even if it’s at the bottom of most people’s Phase Four favorites lists.

8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

How can you talk about the Multiverse without the film that has the word in its title? Several potential Young Avengers are present here (discussed more below), but Multiverse of Madness was the first live-action project to genuinely explore the multiverse to a significant extent. While it did not live up to all fans’ expectations, Quantumania will surely build on what we know from the Doctor Strange sequel.

9. Spider-Man: No Way Home

The events of Spider-Man: No Way Home are likely well-removed from the world of Quantumania, but the film is a Multiverse classic, and likely the general population’s favorite of all MCU Multiverse-centered projects to date.

Introducing the Young Avengers

An ongoing rumor—or, more likely, prediction—is that the Young Avengers are slowly being assembled throughout several projects. Cassie Lang’s status as a teenage superhero in Quantumania means yet another obvious candidate will be introduced. Notably, Multiverse of Madness (which is already listed above) introduced America Chavez and featured young versions of Wiccan and Speed for the second time in the MCU.

10. Hawkeye

Kate Bishop’s inclusion in Disney+ series Hawkeye got plenty of Young Avengers hype. Not only is she a classic Young Avenger in the comics, but the character has received by far the most attention of any of the likely future members.

11. WandaVision

Wanda’s children, Billy and Tommy, perhaps sparked the first rumors of a future Young Avengers project. The duo’s powers as Wiccan and Speed were also featured in the Disney+ series WandaVision, making it clear that they likely have a superhero future outside of the show.

12. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Often overlooked, another likely Young Avenger made his debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Elijah Bradley, who becomes the superhero Patriot in the comics, has a couple of brief appearances alongside the focus on Isaiah Bradley, a lost/covered-up supersoldier Bucky encountered during the Korean War.

Why Not?

The title of this section says it all. The following projects do have some connection (maybe) to Quantumania in some way, but those connections are extremely distant from anything particularly important. This category is for the true fans.

13. Moon Knight

While Disney+ series Moon Knight notably omits references to the broader MCU, one of its few Easter eggs is actually Kang-related. In its third episode, the image on the back of one of the generic goons Marc Spector fights is a reference to Kang the Conquerer’s time as the pharaoh Rama-Tut in the comics (and presumably the MCU as well).

14. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

One of the worst connections thrown your way yet, the post-credits scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shows that the Ten Rings have a beacon—and the Quantumania teaser trailer also featured a beacon that clearly led to the Quantum Realm and likely Kang directly. Are all beacons the same? No. But could the Quantum Realm be relevant to mystical items like the Ten Rings or Ms. Marvel’s bangles? Maybe—you should probably watch this just in case.

15. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

The final two projects in this list are certainly a reach but a connection can still be made. The final Disney+ series so far, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, teased the criminal organization the Intelligencia. While we do not know if the name is the only thing borrowed from the comics, we do know that M.O.D.O.K., a Quantumania villain, is a member of the supervillain and super-scientist organization in the comics.

16. Iron Man 3 (AIM)

Like She-Hulk, Iron Man 3 has a loose connection to Quantumania involving M.O.D.O.K.’s comic book history. M.O.D.O.K. has an extensive history with the criminal organization A.I.M., which was briefly introduced and teased in the final Iron Man film.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17, 2023.

January 27, 2023
SPECIAL: The Sunday Paper— Greatest Hits of 2022

Murphy’s Multiverse’s Extremely Talented João Roque Pinto

The Marvel Cinematic Universe

This should come as no surprise. Of course, fans flock to MCU news. Splitting it into films and Disney+ series, the biggest movie news seems predictable. But our readers’ interest in the series is perhaps a bit unique. Of course, in general, the most interesting MCU news this year came from San Diego Comic Con’s debut of Marvel Studios’ slate for Phases 5 and 6, culminating in Avengers: Secret Wars.

MCU Movies

With the news that Phase 6 will include Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, the speculation of multiversal proportions has begun. Our readers, though, have been most interested in a rumor about who the first Avengers to potentially bite the dust in The Kang Dynasty will be.

New Rumor Reveals the First Avengers to Fall in ‘The Kang Dynasty’

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a big moment in 2022 for countless reasons. The MCU's newest anti-hero, Namor, finally made his live-action debut. While many want to see the return of the character, it may not be in the form of a solo film. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever producer Nate Moore confirmed that the character can definitely return in a future project, but Disney is not able to produce a standalone project based around the character. It seems the rights are still with Universal, who also holds the rights to Hulk and was the reason that character never got a sequel since the Edward Norton film back in 2008.

Other major MCU movie news includes, of course, Deadpool 3. While fans have been clamoring for any information on the character's MCU debut, we were treated this year with the knowledge that Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine, and a new working title (that includes "Wolverine") for the film seems to make it clear how important and big his role will be.

New Working Title for ‘Deadpool 3’ Reveals the Size of Hugh Jackman’s Role

While not directly about any particular MCU film, once again this year legendary director Quentin Tarantino made negative remarks about Marvel and/or superhero films which gave film Twitter fuel to rave for days. One of the things that peaked our readers' attention was learning that Tarantino actually has or had an idea for an MCU film based on the Howling Commandos.

As a side note, MM readers apparently got a kick out of our Ultimate Lists of What to Watch Before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder. If you thought the Multiverse of Madness list was chaos, just imagine what the Ultimate List for Secret Wars will look like (hint: the entire MCU and then some). Rest assured, an Ultimate List for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will hit the internet soon.

The Ultimate List of What To Watch Before ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

MCU Disney+ Series

If you were to guess what our readers clicked on most in 2022, would you guess Moon Knight? If so, you're a winner. Not only was our most-read article about how Moon Knight beat out Hawkeye's viewership on Disney+, but fans were all in on Moon Knight costumes. Theorizing alter ego Jake Lockley's costume (which did not come to fruition) was a fun pastime, and others were extremely interested in some of the unused suit designs for the series. Clearly, fans seem interested in more of the series. Will we get it? We still don't know, but we have a general guess we could see it in 2025.

‘Moon Knight’ Beats Out ‘Hawkeye’s Overall Viewership on Disney+

Readers also flocked to news about the upcoming Secret Invasion. Perhaps fitting for the show, some of the most-read articles involved leaked set photos or rumors about the identity of characters—specifically Emilia Clarke's character—whose identity will further be questioned throughout the series.

Emilia Clarke’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Skrull Identity Rumored to be Revealed

What would the past few years have been without the constant Daredevil dialogue? Of course, fans jumped on all news Charlie Cox-related. It ultimately paid off when fans learned he would return in his own MCU show, Daredevil: Born Again as well as cameo in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Still, the thing that got fans stirred up the most was when Cox finally broke his silence about his wild appearance in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home and re-ignited the renew Daredevil campaign.

DC

To be honest, DC has been a mess for quite some time. Whether you love(d) the DCEU (and/or all of the things that were in the DC multiverse but not the DC Extended Universe, which makes no sense), hated it, or (most likely) were indifferent to it, it existed. However, late this year all of it was thrown into complete additional chaos when it was announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran would be taking over as co-leaders of the newly-formed DC Studios. There is plenty to try and unpack so far—for example, Henry Cavill is no longer Superman. Who else will be recast? What will they do with their current 2023 slate that includes The Flash, Aquaman 2, Blue Beetle, and Shazam 2?

We do not know. But to be honest, MM readers have not spent too much time tracking the fire tornado that is DC. But Gunn has reassured fans that more will be known early this year.

Hot Take

It’s Time for Marvel Studios to End Their Most Well-Known Tradition

We also generated plenty of discourse around the MCU's post-credits scenes. One unknown member of the site, Charles Murphy, wrote a piece on why Marvel should end its post-credits scene tradition:

Given they distract from the movies, aren’t always followed through on and the disturbing trend in their quality, it really is time for the Marvel post-credit scene to be retired. We’ll always have that kiss between Jane and Thor…before Jane disappeared for a decade.
Charles Murphy

If you still have too many opinions about it, feel free to hop right back into that conversation. But screaming into the Twitter void about movies feels so 2022. 2023 is better...right?

Honorable Mentions

It's not all about superheroes, though MM readers certainly love them. But in 2022 we had some major interest in several other things. Check out some of the most noteworthy ones below.

Chris Hemsworth Shares First Set Photo from ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Prequel ‘Furiosa’ as Production Starts

EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘One Piece’s First Season No Longer Ten Episodes

Leaked ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 Set Photos Tease Sith-Themed Mandalorians

Jason Blum Offers Update on ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Film

January 1, 2023
REVIEW: ‘Doom Patrol’ Episode 5 — Youth Patrol

Doom Patrol’s fifth episode of Season 4 provided much-needed plot leverage as the series nears its mid-season break. After the disconnected previous episode, it was satisfying to be back with our main team exactly where Episode 3 had left off. In this week’s episode, we finally received more of a concrete explanation of what the season is truly about. The plot pacing paired with definingly creative character moments made this episode a very strong inclusion in Season 4 thus far.

Notably, Willoughby makes his genuine debut of the season to inform the group about what exactly “Immortus will rise” is all about. Rather than the General Immortus Doom Patrol comics fans may be more familiar with, Immortus in Doom Patrol is supposedly an interdimensional deity that can rip apart reality—and he wants to. What he needs, however, are certain shards of his that have been scattered around. Notable inclusions of these shards are Niles Caulder’s/Dorothy’s talisman and the miniature shards of it placed in Rita, Larry, Jane, and Cliff that gives them immortality. Immortus and his henchman are looking to extract immortality from them, and Dr. Janus succeeded in Episode 3 with Rita.

In her aging panic, Rita sets free a poorly-designed de-aging spell that initially turns the team into teenagers. The gag is generally used to put the characters in the comical space of the classic dumb teenager trope, which, in the midst of trying to stop yet another apocalypse that they are somewhat responsible for, the fact that their priority becomes a pool party with other random youth is very classic Doom Patrol. It also ultimately delivered some phenomenal character moments.

Jane’s teenagerhood is perhaps the most interesting, as she herself had never been one. Only created by Kay in young adulthood, Jane never experienced being a teenager. Prior in the episode, Jane gave in to her desire and began to masturbate, but seemingly knocked herself into the Underground subconsciously. The burden on Jane to protect Kay at all costs is extremely interesting when looking at it from the perspective of Jane as a full being. Jane, of course, was created in the aftermath of sexual abuse and trauma sustained by Kay. So naturally, it makes sense that Jane had a primary or major focus on avoiding that type of relationship. The fact that Jane struggles on her own to let herself feel any sexual pleasure is an interesting twist on the usual Jane-Kay narrative. In teenager form—perhaps the form that best symbolizes raw sexual desire and exploration—Jane has some form of hallucination where Kay tells her that Kay’s body is both hers and Jane’s body, leaving Jane with the suggestion that she may be more free to live as her own person. Considering Jane’s initial push this season was to find her purpose other than protecting Kay, this move toward autonomy certainly seems par for the course. However, the fact that Bunbury the magic rabbit appears to extract her immunity at the end feels a bit more pressing.

The absolute standout moment of the episode, however, came from Rita and Laura. The two have been absolute masters both last season and Season 4 so far, but their bus top scene is every example of why. First, the two argue over Laura’s team leadership, but it devolves into the real issue between the two—Madame Rouge betraying Rita and having her boyfriend killed—and from there ends up at an extremely touching place. First, Laura has this important conversation with Rita’s now-child form, which amounted to a fully grown woman pleading with, apologizing to, and admitting again the extent of her shame and regret she will never be forgiven for to a child. When Rita tells her she cannot move past it, but misses her best friend, the dynamic between the innocent child who is hurt at her core and the adult who embodies all of the complexities of the relationship is remarkable. Finally, when Rogue beaks down so completely that she loses control and becomes her child form, the true level of pain, friendship, hate, love, and grief is beautifully captured in a near-perfect sequence.

Elsewhere in the episode, Larry and Mr. 104 bond over each other’s shared traumatic pasts at the Bureau of Normalcy due to Kheeg’s role as wingman. Mr. 104’s connection to Lazarus is key to his motivation, but it is still a little unclear. However, there is no doubt this episode sets up a romantic connection that will quite possibly end up breaking many hearts. Larry’s loneliness is a constant theme for the character and the fact that there is not someone around who understands some of his hurt and can even safely be with him unwrapped is almost too good to be true. Add in the fact that Mr. 104 is a quite charming, handsome man for Larry (and the actors have that chemistry) it is just a recipe for love and warmth, but it does not feel safe in a series like Doom Patrol.

Overall, Episode 5 is on par with the strength of the first three episodes of Season 4. It worked with its strongest elements while also pushing the boundaries of how successful that can make their character development. It is stunning that much of the development feels familiar, almost repetitive. Yet, despite the series’ best attempts to hammer a point home too many times, on the whole, each character and each line of personal development continues to consistently improve as if there is no ceiling. Next week’s Episode 6 will be the final episode of Part One of Season 4, so expect it to be action-packed with plenty of cliffhangers.

December 29, 2022
REVIEW: ‘Doom Patrol’ Episode 4 — “Casey Patrol”

The latest episode of Doom Patrol was probably the weakest of Season 4 so far. After three episodes of building up the main team’s dynamic, we take a hard detour back to Dorothy who we have not seen since the pandemic-induced Season 2 finale and Season 3 premiere. While Dorothy, Danny, and now Casey Brinke are certainly some of the most unique characters in the universe — which is saying something — they just were not that interesting here.

Alan Mino Jr.’s return as Maura Lee Karupt simply was the best of the episode. Despite his character’s default supporting role status, the episode would have been devoid of interest and energy. Abi Monterey as Dorothy Spinner puts in a strong performance, but the character is never one that truly stuck the landing. Her presence throughout the second season constantly felt like a burden, and frankly, the character’s departure at the very beginning of the third season ushered in a new, bright, and reset era for Doom Patrol. Dorothy has always had, via the series’ writers, quite a lot to contribute to the plot. In this case, it feels a bit unwanted. Granted, Dorothy’s role is rather unknown at this time, but the first three episodes set up a solid foundation for the season that now seems at risk to be thrown into disarray.

With relatively few episodes in the season, having Episode 4 be a complete departure from what came before it was unfortunately a bit disappointing. While Dorothy and Casey could in theory have the potential to truly break out, they do not have that much time. And assuming they will meet up with our main team sooner rather than later, it would be preferable for the strength of the main team to keep shining from their own self-contained merit. Adding a(pleasantly) bizarre character to the mix will surely shake the foundation — and it is just a strong one.

Worries aside, Episode 4 still remained more or less a non-starter. Madeline Zima’s Casey Brinke is fine. The character clearly has the capacity to reach some more profound places personality-wise, and the innocent ignorance of many beloved Doom Patrol characters. Of course, we do not get to see her full form in just the introduction, but this episode struggled by essentially making itself an entire episode of side story exposition. It perhaps could have succeeded better by making it shorter and working it into the existing season better rather than taking a break from the strong momentum. Casey in particular seems like one who could interact well with the main group, but it can’t help but be wondered if there will be enough time and space in the remainder of the season to accomplish that, or if the character will feel like a constant distraction.

One thing is still for sure: Immortus will rise. The fact that Casey’s comic book alien father person is somehow involved in the same scheme as Dr. Janus from the last episode is interesting. Will we see more obscure characters pop up until the mysterious man drawing comics has all the trinkets he needs to raise Immortus? Dorothy’s presence certainly teases that Niles Caulder could make some kind of an appearance yet again in the series. As discussed last time, his role in the Immortus Initiative in the first place is clearly significant. Time will tell how Episode 4 merges into Season 4, but the initial impression is that the season just got a lot messier.

December 22, 2022
The Sunday Paper—December 18, 2022

The newly-formed DC Studios has continued to cause pure chaos and make the DC Entertainment brand messier than ever—which is hard to do. But perhaps better days are on the horizon for the studio, as co-CEO James Gunn told Twitter this week that DC Studios has a new slate set, and he plans to unveil the first part of it in early 2023. With that announcement, though, came the news that Superman actor Henry Cavill will in fact not be returning to play the character in the future. Cavill announced his return in October with his post-credits scene cameo in Black Adam to much fanfare. Black Adam, for a few reasons now, has become a fairly awkward moment in DC’s history. It probably does not help that Dwayne Johnson’s team reportedly leaked the film’s profit report based on false assumptions to try and prove to the public that the movie was profitable.

Cavill Superman fans have much to mourn. To dream about what could have been, Walter Hamada’s original DCEU plan for the character was revealed. We also learned that the officially dead Man of Steel 2 would have placed Cavill against classic Superman foe Braniac. Now, fans will have to wait and see what Gunn’s new Superman script will look like.

With everything happening at DC Studios, it begs the questions of whether the four remaining DCEU films with scheduled releases will actually happen, or alternatively, matter. If The Flash does go forward, it apparently cut Cavill’s and Gal Gadot’s cameos in its most recent cut, which would suggest that DC’s flagship characters across the board will likely get recast in a hard reboot situation. In that reboot scenario, it is very unclear how films like Blue Beetle will play any role in the studio’s grand new plan, but you can read the first official synopsis of the film here. It could be all we get.

While DC is having a difficult time, Marvel—through Marvel Studios and Sony—is all business as usual. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reed this week discussed how the film will be a major and important movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, rather than a palate cleanser like many perceive the first two Ant-Man films. He also discussed how crucial Bill Murray’s mysterious character is to the story. Of course, Quantumania will be our first significant foray into Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conquerer. With him in mind, a wild new fan theory is circulating that fans have already watched the ending of Avengers: Secret Wars.

Many speculate that the Deadpool 3 film will feature Deadpool and Wolverine annihilating the Fox Marvel universe. If you read into a specific word director Shawn Levy used in an interview, it lends a lot of support to that theory. The previous Fox universe of course includes two iterations of the Fantastic Four. While fans eagerly away who the MCU’s Fab Four will be, it seemed confirmed this week that John Krasinski will not be playing the proper Reed Richards in the 2025 Fantastic Four film.

On the side, it was unfortunately confirmed that the Disney+ Hawkeye-spinoff Echo is delayed after murmurs about the show’s team not being satisfied at the end of production. Thor: Love and Thunder apparently cut Galactus from the film, and Elvis actor Austin Butler is personally gunning for a major MCU role, notably the Human Torch.

Lastly, Sony keeps getting weirder and bolder with their Spider-Man universe. Yet another obscure villain is getting the solo film treatment in line with Morbius, Venom, Kraven the Hunter, and El Muerto. However, Hypno-Hustler will be produced by and star none other than Donald Glover.

December 18, 2022
REVIEW: ‘Doom Patrol’ Episode 3 — “Nostalgia Patrol”

The third episode of Doom Patrol feels like a fairly self-contained, one-off outing on its surface throughout most of the episode. By the end of “Nostalgia Patrol”, though, it is clear that the episode is an integral part of the season’s moving plot. After the first two episodes’ focus on the 2042 apocalypse and the team trying to grab its footing immediately after the decision to be the Doom Patrol, the restart of the crew’s daily lives almost feels disconnected. The stuck-in-a-movie plot came across like a stand-alone bit in classic Doom Patrol side adventure charm, but it ultimately serves as a clear launching pad for a parallel overarching storyline for the season—Immortus will rise.

Doom Patrol is not known for answering open questions swiftly or without ambiguity. But even when the show goes to off-the-wall territory, it often stays strangely connected, and Season 4 may be no different. The concept of immortality has long tied many characters and elements together, some not as obvious as others. Immortus rising, then, is likely to bring back familiar faces and concepts from past seasons. And with a strong possibility (given the non-stop shakeups and breakups of HBO Max and the DCEU) of Season 4 being the show’s final season, bringing everything together in the end makes the most sense.

The group’s first interaction with the adversary is passive, psychological, emotional, and successful. General Immortus promises to be a force this season that goes to the heart of the Doom Patrol, exploring the shady Immortus Initiative and Niles Caulder’s mildly disturbing actions that led to him collecting and experimenting on our main characters from the beginning. Notably, it seems likely that the fact that the main characters do not appear to age will be addressed, potentially giving viewers more opportunity to explore the cohesive force that bound such a misfit team in the first place.

The core plot of this episode—Rita and others being caught in her old movies—allowed it to be characteristically wacky while also giving it new color and texture that helps the series maintain its “comicbook-y” feel. But among the brevity of the concept was Doom Patrol’s defining emotional distress. Of course, Rita’s profession of love for her family despite her feeling fully rejected was the highlight, but Vic’s bittersweet and uncomfortable reunion with his old friends struck a competing, darker chord. Madam Rouge’s drunken monologue-montage of self-loathing, guilt, and desperation yet again shows this unlikely team member’s merit as a new character to get invested in.

At the end of the day, Doom Patrol has barely explored an actual, traditional superhero team because everything is personal in this series. The characters’ personal lives are constantly in the direct line of fire. Not many comic book or action properties take this kind of route. Instead, they opt for big world-saving heroics and ignore the detailed mechanics of the “humans” in the middle of the story. Doom Patrol, for that reason, is somehow one of the most realistic comic book shows at the same time it is easily “too weird” for many crowds.

December 15, 2022
The Sunday Paper—December 11, 2022

This week the news fell into an alternate reality where DC is making all of the headlines. A huge report pointed to several shakeups in the newly-formed DC Studios. The report indicated that not only did they pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film, but also won’t move forward with a Black Adam sequel; even as Dwayne Johnsondesperately crunches the numbers to prove it’s a success. The biggest shock was also the fact that Henry Cavill may have returned briefly as Superman but is unlikely to do so once again. The upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may be the last we see Jason Momoa in the role, though news coming out of that film’s test screening will disappoint both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton Batman fans apparently.

For his part, co-CEO James Gunn took to Twitter to vaguely half-confirm the report. Though it is probably safe to say that even the top of the totem pole does not have all the answers. While the studio’s“lack of communication to talent reps and content creators” is reportedly “creating a riot”, Gunn did take the time to confirm to fans on Twitter that the character of Superman is a big priority for DC Studios going forward.

In Marvel Studios news, we’ve gotten a couple of potentially big rumors about Avengers: The Kang Dynasty this week, including who the first Avengers to fall to Kang might be and a very interesting potential ally in the fight against the Big Bad. In the spirit of the first-parters to major MCU crossover events, we also saw some interesting concept art of a character mash-up between Iron Man and Doctor Strange that was cut from Avengers: Infinity War.

This week, we learned that actresses Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt have joined Daredevil: Born Again in major roles. While the roles are not confirmed, there is a chance Holt could be portraying Tyger Tiger, a character with more links to Madripoor than Hell’s Kitchen, but could tie together some criminal enterprises.

As Black Panther: Wakanda Forever remains in theaters, we keep learning interesting tidbits. Michael B. Jordan opened up about what it took to keep Killmonger’s return in the film a surprise, and new concept art reveals alternative Namor designs. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on the near-ish horizon, we speculate which characters might meet their untimely fate in the film which is promised to be an emotional last outing for the team. Whether or not there will be more adventures for a new iteration of the team is a decision that Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, and his trusted Parliament have to make but in-universe, Guardians or not, the galaxy still needs heroes—and we have just the suggestion.

In the gaming world, it appears Marvel’s Avengers video game experiment is coming to an end. Developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix, Marvel’s Avengers was an ambitious attempt at launching Marvel’s biggest superhero brand in the digital marketplace. Marvel’s Avengers will reportedly “sunset” in 2023 with support for the game and new content slowly ceasing to exist.

December 11, 2022
REVIEW: ‘Doom Patrol’ Season 4 Episodes 1-2

The opening two episodes of Doom Patrol, “Doom Patrol” and “Butt Patrol”, show that the series is still the best comic book adaptation on television. Amidst the DC Entertainment turmoil, Doom Patrol is a strangely shining beacon of hope despite being wildly underrated and skewing away from the comfortable tone and subjects adopted by most other projects. Season 4 proves that there is simply something overwhelmingly unique about the HBO Max show.

After finally ending last season as the “Doom Patrol”, we briefly see the superhero team in some classic action. The time machine introduced in Season 3 could be a key player going forward—it is used to facilitate the hero antics, but it is clear after Episode 1 that it can have a much larger role. Time travel played a large role previously, and Episodes 1 and 2 leave it questionable whether Season 4 will expand or retract it. Considering the team is trying to prevent a future apocalypse, a lingering question about a person they collided with in the time stream, and a General Immortus prophecy tease, there is a strong chance Doom Patrol will be playing with time as much as it ever has.

HBO

Just as time never stops, there is a never-ending theme of doom in the series. Aside from, obviously, the title, the group is relentlessly in a state of “doomed.” Not only does this season appear to revolve around the Doom Patrol stopping an apocalypse they themselves caused, but the main characters have also already met their future dead and ghostly selves and have started to dig their own graves in the aftermath. The show is a lively spectator sport where the viewer is constantly rooting for the loser. But as much as we might think we want a win in Doom Patrol, does that feel natural?

It all naturally leads to a consideration of how Season 4 could fall short, and the answer is stagnation. The three preceding seasons all felt like they were building to a larger moment where the group of misfits become the titular Doom Patrol. They did, but we certainly do not spend much time in that mode. Instead, the group generally falls back into its dysfunctional family routine. This is the irreplaceable heart of the show, but one wonders if this season will show more movement—with the conclusion of Season 3, the forming of the Doom Patrol, and the slow buildup to an expected “superhero team show”, settling back into old territory might not be enough.

That being said, Doom Patrol is generally the antithesis of commonality or familiarity. The current story is certainly intriguing—and ties in previous hits from last season—but only time will tell if the show can for a fourth time bring fans to a place wildly outside of any comfort zone. Still, some of the foundations laid are stronger than others.

HBO

Jane’s story is perhaps the trickiest one to predict here. Historically, her inner workings have been an extraordinarily strong subplot throughout all seasons, but it seemed to come to a strong peak last season. Episode 2 suggests that this aspect could be winding down, but the lingering solo subplot of Jane unraveling the depths of hers and Kay’s psyches—regardless of its quality—is starting to feel tired.

In any event, the cast remains yards above their peers. Diane Guerrero seems impossible to beat, pulling off multiple characters effortlessly. April Bowlby and Michelle Gomez are once again humble pillars of the show, both on their own and as a duo. While Rita in particular has become the closest character there is to a lead, her and Madame Rouge’s dynamic feels both grounded in traditional storytelling technique and entirely refreshing. Jovian Wade’s Victor is in quite an interesting place as a character—Cyborg without any of the cyborg. So far, it seems like Season 4 is in no hurry to “correct” that aspect and Wade shows promise of a very strong and nuanced performance over the season. The Brendan Fraser-voiced Cliff has some of the most emotional scenes of the first two episodes, and he and fellow faceless Larry (voiced by Matt Bomer) always find their way to being some of the most emotive characters in the series.

In sum, the first two episodes of Doom Patrol’s Season 4 capitalize on all of the series’ wonderful elements that have propelled it in the past. So far, there is a seemingly extra-cohesive plot, which may help glue the season together better than some of those in the past that felt slipperier than perhaps ideal. Of course, the first episodes raise many questions about the plot, but the biggest question may be how far the series is willing to stretch its core concept of a misfit bunch of powered-up rejects toward what its title can represent.

December 8, 2022
The Sunday Paper—December 4, 2022
There were several revelations from the 2022 CCXP Disney Panel in Brazil on Thursday. Marvel Studios unveiled both the first trailer and synopsis for the awaited Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The trailer offered us our first look at several new players, including Lylla. Here’s who we theorieze might die in the movie. See the full trailer below:

In non-Marvel news from CCXP, the title for the fifth Indiana Jones movie was revealed—Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny—and Season 3 of The Mandalorian got an official release date of March 1, 2022. Separately, Marvel Studios debuted new trailers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Loki at APAC Showcase 2022.

However, a new rumor seems to shake up what we thought we know about a potential Scarlet Witch solo project. Apparently, such a spinoff may not be happening at all. But there is good news for Marvel fans wishing to see more of underutilized-in-the-Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. Past Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel Studios has plenty more of the character in mind in the MCU’s future, which is suggested by some information on some actors’ contracts.

This week, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige teased more mutants in the MCU’s near future. During the Q&A after the CCXP event showcasing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige was asked on if we can expect more mutants in the near future and he definitely seemed optimistic: “No, look, we’ve already met a few. There’s a new Mutant named Namor that you might’ve met recently. So, more to come.”

Of course, the head of the production company is not going to give away what we can expect. We do know that Deadpool 3 will give Hugh Jackman one more chance to play Wolverine; hopefully finally wearing his iconic outfit. And, there are many opportunities to slowly introduce various versions of these characters throughout upcoming projects. Now, we just have to wait and see if the X-Men will get their time int he spotlight or if they even existed throughout MCU’s history to begin with.

Of course, rumors keep swirling about whether Tom Holland has officially signed on to play more Spider-Man in the MCU. A new rumor this week suggests Holland’s return could be as early as 2024. We took a look at how that release date could impact Marvel Studios’ current 2024 theatrical slate. On an unrelated “Spider-Man 4” note, this week fans got a new look at the Vulture wings that never made it to Sam Raimi’s fourth Spider-Man film.

Check out some of our reviews from the past week:
December 4, 2022
The Sunday Paper—November 27, 2022

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is now the next Marvel Studios film up to continue the franchise. Accordingly, we are seeing plenty of news bits here and there about the upcoming film which will feature potential Multiverse Saga Big Bad Kang the Conquerer.

Actor Jonathan Majors previously played He Who Remains on Loki and teased he was just one of “many iterations” of Kang that he’d be playing during his tenure in the MCU and now Ant-Man franchise director Peyton Reed has chimed in on which version audiences will see in Quantumania. “Kang The Conqueror in our movie is a very different character,” from Majors’ He Who Remains, teased Reed in an interview. “He’s someone who has dominion over time, and he’s a warrior and a strategist,” added Reed, whose description is in lockstep with how Majors has previously described this version of the character. Reed finished the thought by describing this version as, “an all-timer antagonist“, giving fans of the comics a pretty good idea of what to expect.

A Funk Pop that made its way to stores earlier than expected offered fans the first look at M.O.D.O.K. A new theater standee shared on Twitter has indicated that in addition to the main cast of Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Michael Douglas returning for the film, one other actor is set to return for his third MCU film—David Dastmalchian. The actor has played Kurt Goreshter in the previous two Ant-Man films and along with Michael Pena’s Luis and T.I.’s Dave was a frequent source of comedic relief.

There’s been a lot of hype around Tenoch Huerta‘s incredible performance as Namor, the leader of Talocan and antagonist in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Many have hoped that this performance would kick off interest from Marvel Studios to get this character his own solo project, but sadly it seems that rights are still an issue for some of the Marvel characters. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever producer Nate Moore has confirmed that the character can definitely return in a future project, but Disney is not able to produce a standalone project based around the character. It seems the rights are still with Universal, who also holds the rights to Hulk and was the reason that character never got a sequel since the Edward Norton film back in 2008.

As shared on Instagram, there’s already a The Marvels‘ shirt available that gives us a good look at the main trio of Monica Rambeau, Carol Danvers, and Kamala Khan. The biggest reveal from this merchandise is the costume that Monica will seemingly wear during her outing as a hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Kingpin actor Vincent D’Onforio made a comment about Daredevil: Born Again that had everyone speculating this week. Though he’s often been clear that he’d love to see Kingpin take on Spider-Man in the MCU, he’s also made it known that a Punisher vs. Kingpin battle is on his list of goals. With the rumors of Jon Bernthal’s return to the role continuing to swirl, perhaps D’Onofrio’s comments could give fans of the character a little more reason to hope he’ll be included.

In the world of DC, James Gunn took to Twitter to shoot down reports about Henry Cavill’s alleged contract(s) with DC Studios to play Superman down the road after his return in Black Adam. Gunn made it clear that only he and co-head of DC Studios Peter Safran know anything about the subject, and any report out there is likely false.

Any time a legendary filmmaker comments on superhero films, the internet discourse goes instance, and Quentin Tarantino’s recent comments ignited the discussion again. Tarantino is not a big fan of modern superhero films. The acclaimed director recently said he’s never helmed one because he’s “not a hired hand” and while “the writing’s not quite on the wall yet”, he believes the fascination with superhero films will eventually fade.” However, when asked about what type of comic book film he would be interested in making, Tarantino revealed it would be the 1963 Stan Lee and Jack Kirby series Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandoes, which actually inspired Inglorious Basterds.

Despite Tarantino’s lack of interest in the superhero genre, we wrote about his long history with comic book movies, which you can check out here. While you’re at it, you can check out our feature on comics Avengers who are a bit “too wack” for the MCU.

November 27, 2022