Category: Features

The Clients of ‘SHE-HULK’: A Potential ‘THUNDERBOLTS’ Set-Up

We finally got some more news for the upcoming She-Hulk series. They have now hired Kat Coiro to direct a few episodes, as the production aims to start in February 2021. Jessica Gao was revealed as the series’ showrunner last November. We even found out that Tatiana Maslany will be playing the titular role. Everything is hinting at this show having a strong comedy vibe. Yet, Maslany‘s drama experience could give us a very unique Marvel show. The show is rumored to focus on Jennifer Walters’ time as a specialized lawyer for superheroes. The comedic vibe could hint at some crazy antics with D-list characters making an appearance throughout the show. This gave me an idea of how the show may emulate Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. Also, how her clients may shape each episode and connect to the overarching plot. Let’s dive right into what type of clients poor Jennifer might have to face in her upcoming Disney+ show.

Hawkeye vs. the Law

So, the first question I asked myself was what characters from the overarching Marvel Cinematic Universe may appear. Mark Ruffalo is the obvious choice, as his blood transfer will transform his cousin into the iconic She-Hulk. Yet, it seems like a waste that they won’t bring in other characters from the franchise. At first, I thought they might bring in characters from other Disney+ series. Ms. Marvel wouldn’t work as she is keeping her identity a secret. I highly doubt that Moon Knight would be sane enough to approach a lawyer. WandaVision and Loki are breaking the space-time continuum in their unique way. So, if we go by street-level heroes the one that makes the most sense is Hawkeye. To be more precise, Kate Bishop could kickstart the series and introduce us to Jennifer Walters.

They are trying to introduce the Young Avengers. She-Hulk wouldn’t have any connections to this potential overarching plot. So, her having to represent Kate would introduce her to the group before they get together. She actually could even represent Kate before she officially becomes Clint Barton’s protegé. We don’t have a specific timeline for these stories. So, we could see her as one of Lawrence’s first clients. Her story could be the catalyst that she meets her cousin. Bishop running around with the Hawkeye moniker getting into trouble. Jennifer tries to help her out but when she is on the run, she hopes that her cousin could get in contact with the real Hawkeye to keep her safe. As this is one of the last entries of Phase 4, it could be a nice way to tie it into the rest of the series. Also, it would give us a great introduction to Jennifer’s kindness before she transforms.

Teasing a Leader

What if not all her clients are superheroes? What if she ends up having to represent someone we haven’t seen in a very long time? Yes, I believe that this show might be the return of the iconic Hulk villain, The Leader. It has been 12 years since Tim Blake Nelson played the character of Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk. He tried to help Banner control the Hulk before getting knocked out. A chemical that started dripping into an open wound on his head started to change him. That was the last time we saw him. He got a brief cameo in the Fury’s Big Week comics. We see him getting transported away by S.H.I.E.L.D. to be locked away. Strangely, he hasn’t been freed since the spy organization fell apart during the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Perhaps he has been in U.S. custody with Thunderbolt Ross making sure he has him for a future project.

So, how does this tie into She-Hulk? In an attempt to flee from custody, he ends up at Walter’s law agency seeking help. As we learned she is a kind soul, she takes him in and tries to find out what happened to him. Stern has turned green with an oversized head, so she calls up her cousin to show up and help. The guy is disoriented and can’t control his abilities. It all leads to him losing control before Banner could show up and see his old friend again. Jennifer is mortally wounded with her agency blown to smithereens. The only thing he can do is transfer his blood to save her life. Now, we have the set-up for two characters having to face their gamma-powered transformations as they also face the law of their repercussions. Stern’s turn to evil could be built up when Thunderbolt Ross’ project results from these events.

Helping Heroes in Need

Jennifer became She-Hulk and learns to control her abilities with Banner’s help. She is a strong-willed hero and still wants to rebuild her law firm. She got fired from the one that blew up so she started building up her own. Sometimes fighting the stress of losing control, she wants to find Sterns and help him. On her way, she ends up meeting a variety of unlikely heroes that each come to her with their issues. This could open up the show to a lot of smaller characters that otherwise wouldn’t get a lot of attention. After having a brief cameo in Jessica Jones, we could get an actual appearance of the Whizzer. Robert Frank has been keeping his abilities a secret for years. Somehow, the government is trying to get their hands on him so he goes to Walters for help. We could finally get Milana Vayntrub to play Squirrel Girl in live-action after New Warriors has been canceled.

Jennifer slowly starts to realize that there is a connection to the rise in superhero-specific cases. So, she starts digging and uncovers one connective tissue. Thunderbolt Ross has been abusing the Sokovian Accords to gather superheroes in one location. After trying her best from a legal perspective, she decides that her newfound abilities may have been a blessing after all. She takes the fight to Ross to save as many as she can. She stumbles upon papers of a project titled Thunderbolts before rescuing as many as she can. Sadly, it seems that Sterns was nowhere to be seen. One last court case with Ross, she can use the law that she didn’t break any rules. She was able to save a lot of superpowered people but little did she know that Ross had his team together. We get the reveal of the core members with Sterns and even the reveal of Emil Blonsky a.k.a. the Abomination.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, IGN

September 18, 2020
Marvel Studios ‘ETERNALS’: Who is Phastos?

With the Infinity Saga coming to a close, Marvel Studios is preparing to launch into an all-new, all-different era beginning with Phase 4. While several properties are going to serve as deeper dives into already established characters and worlds, Eternals is going to introduce new characters and change what we think we know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Eternals were born in the mind of Jack Kiby as Marvel Comics “ancient aliens”: beings of immense power who had protected Earth since the beginning of time. Over the course of history, the Eternals and their enemies, the Deviants, worked their way into the religions and mythologies of many cultures gods and monsters, angels and devils and heroes and villains. Marvel Studios will certainly put their own spin on the characters, but we can still take an opportunity to get to know them here…in 400 words or less!

A master forger, inventor and tech genius,the nihilistic Phastos has developed weapons for the Eternals for the past 2,500 years or so, including the elegant and deadly blade of his fellow Eternal Kingo. His expertise as a weapons forger lead to him being confused for the Greek god Hephaestus. Like all Eternals, Phastos’ power suite gives him incredible strength and powers; however, unlike most of his fellow Terran Eternals, Phastos did not approve of going to war against the Eternals enemies, the Deviants. Spending much of his life searching for evidence that life has meaning, Phastos personal philosophy stands in stark contrast to the other Eternals.

Concept art of Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, fourth from left.

Phastos will be brought to life by Brian Tyree Henry and the MCU version of Phastos seems set to offer a very different take on the character. Rather than adapting the nihilistic version of the comics of the character, it seems that this version will have found someone who gives meaning to life as he has a husband and a child in Marvel Studios Eternals. It will be interesting to see if Phastos still holds the same pacifist views about war with the Deviants as well, despite his expertise in designing weapons.

Eternals is set to hit theaters February 12th, 2021.

September 18, 2020
Marvel Studios ‘ETERNALS’: Who is Thena?

With the Infinity Saga coming to a close, Marvel Studios is preparing to launch into an all-new, all-different era beginning with Phase 4. While several properties are going to serve as deeper dives into already established characters and worlds, Eternals is going to introduce new characters and change what we think we know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Eternals were born in the mind of Jack Kirby as Marvel Comics “ancient aliens”: beings of immense power who had protected Earth since the beginning of time. Over the course of history, the Eternals and their enemies, the Deviants, worked their way into the religions and mythologies of many cultures gods and monsters, angels and devils and heroes and villains. Marvel Studios will certainly put their own spin on the characters, but we can still take an opportunity to get to know them here…in 400 words or less!

The daughter of the modern Prime Eternal, Zuras, Thena has been a part of the Marvel Comic mythology since she first appeared as the Roman goddess Minerva in 1940’s Red Raven #1. Retconned by Jack Kirby in Eternals #5, Thena has served as one of the Eternals fiercest warriors, often being confused for Minerva’s Greek counterpart and daughter of Zeus, Athena, over time. While Thena has served as the tip of the spear in the Eternals endless battles with the Deviants, she also found herself falling in love with one of their most ruthless warlords and eventual leader, Kro, over the course of a couple of thousand years. Thena became pregnant with twins which she decided to transfer into the womb of a mortal woman who then gave birth to the Deviant-Eternal hybrids. Those children, Deborah and Donald, eventually learned their true origins and of their incredible power: they could merge into one being, the Dark Angel, who grew wings and could, like many Eternals, project powerful beams from its eyes.

Angelina Jolie will portray the warrior Thena in Eternals. Interestingly, trailers have shown Thena interacting with the Deviant Kro. It’ll be interesting to see if Thena and Kro take on the role of star-crossed lovers in the film and go on to conceive the twins. While the length of Jolie’s contract with Marvel Studios is unknown, Thena’s character is one that is primed to appear in multiple films, especially if they adapt the story of her children with Kro. We also know that Thena will be affected by Mahd Wy’ry, a cognitive condition brought on by their long life that causes them to forget and can potentially drive them mad, making Thena, one of the Eternals fiercest warriors, a potential threat.

Eternals will hit theaters November 5th!

September 17, 2020
Theory Thursday: Ant-Man and the Young Avengers

This theory was meant to go up two weeks from now, but considering the amount of hype the Ant-Man threequel film has been getting with the casting announcement of Jonathan Majors as Kang, I thought it might be the appropriate time to discuss a little theory i’ve been working on for quite sometime now for ‘Ant-Man 3’ or as I like to call it; Ant-Man and the Young Avengers.

‘Ant-Man and the Young Avengers’ Concept Logo by Superhero Theorist (aka me).

Now, I want to delve a little bit into some of the comic lore that kind of helped me develop this theory.

COMIC CONNECTIONS

Let’s talk a little bit about how the Young Avengers were formed in the comics, and actually, while I’m mentioning it, my buddy Joseph Aberl a couple of days ago actually discussed a lot of Kang’s origin in the comics here on Murphy’s Multiverse and how his counterpart, Nathaniel Richards aka Iron Lad, helped set up the Young Avengers in the comics and how the film can loosely base itself on it. So be sure to check that out if you’ve got a minute and then pop back in here if you’d like.

Caught up? Alright, well in his article, Joseph states the following point; “Nathaniel (Richards) is the one that brings the team (Young Avengers) together after the Avengers disbanded.” This is a magnificent point that he brings up and he goes on to explain how the Avengers in the MCU are pretty much disbanded following the events of Avengers: Endgame. While it is a brilliant point, I do want to add a very crucial detail to the story of the Young Avengers’ origin story, by adding just a little more to Joseph’s original statement. So, let’s look back at the statement again shall we? In the 616 continuity in the comics, “Nathaniel is the one that brings the team together after the Avengers disbanded” following the events of the comic run, House of M.

Now, this is really important because if we look back at the Phase 4 lineup, we already know that WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are well into production and are going to base themselves on the House of M comic run. And with both Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Ant-Man 3 both slated for 2022 (if all goes according to plan), we might see the repercussions of that film and WandaVision play out in a similar way to the comics with the creation of the Young Avengers as a result.

Let’s continue on with the comic lore lesson shall we?

Later on, in Young Avengers Vol. 1 #2, Nathaniel runs away from Kang after his first encounter with him and manages to escape by travelling back in time to the regular timeline. He tries to go to the Avengers for help but realized, as we stated before, that the Avengers disbanded. So he broke into a Stark Industries warehouse where he found the broken body of the Vision and his fully functioning A.I. (Depicted above). Considering that Vision right now is pretty much broken following the events of Avengers: Infinity War, it would be a nice touch to see the AI form of Vision, J.A.R.V.I.S., come back into the fray to help form the Young Avengers since his comic counterpart played an important part in the Young Avengers comics.

Either way, back to the story, Vision’s AI explained that he designed the Avengers Fail-Safe Program, a program designed “to be utilized to recruit the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, in case the Avengers were ever destroyed or disbanded.”

Eventually, he uses the program to find and assemble the Young Avengers to eventually take on Kang the Conqueror.

Now that we’ve all caught up with the story behind the Young Avengers, let’s get into my theory:

Ant-man iii might loosely base itself on the Young avengers vol. 1 storyline.

Now I’ve seen people get confused as to why the third Ant-Man film would be the place for the Young Avengers to assemble. I personally think it would be fantastic to have them assemble in this film and let me explain why. Marvel has been setting up the Young Avengers for a while now and have been teased in subtle ways through the films. The main thing is determining exactly which characters from the comics will be a part of this team in the MCU. And I think I may already have the roster.

THE ROSTER:

This would be my ideal roster of characters for the MCU Young Avengers. The characters are (from left to right):

AMERICA CHAVEZ

iRON lAD

Kate Bishop

Hulkling

Stature

wiccan

Speed

The idea of the Young Avengers joining the MCU really isn’t too crazy, since the seeds have already been planted across multiple MCU films. The idea was most recently teased during Avengers: Endgame when we saw with Cassie Lang (who eventually takes on the mantle of Stature in the comics) already being a teenager by the time Avengers: Endgame ends & Harley Keener’s appearance during Tony Stark’s funeral in that same film. Many fans have speculated for a while now the possibility of Harley Keener becoming taking on the mantle of Iron Lad and considering his age, it is entirely possible that we could see him take up the mantle. Though I wouldn’t necessarily count Nathaniel Richards out of the picture yet, considering that Kang the Conqueror was already cast in the MCU.

We already know from our good friends at the Illuminerdi and a report from our own Charles Murphy pretty much confirmed that America Chavez is joining the MCU pretty soon in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. We also know that both of Wanda’s children, Wiccan and Speed, are set to be introduced during the Disney+ show, WandaVision, and we also know that Kate Bishop is set to be introduced in the upcoming Disney+ show, Hawkeye. Lastly, as for Hulkling, considering that he was an original Young Avengers member, a member of the skrull race, with the introduction of S.W.O.R.D. coming into play for WandaVision, and the eventual relationship he develops with Wiccan in the comics, I totally see Hulkling coming into the MCU along with the Young Avengers for their assembly.

The mentors

Considering that this is an Ant-Man film, it’s obvious that we will be seeing more of Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym. Personally, for this film, I would love to see a sort of mentoring role from all of these characters. Scott and Hope can help train the Young Avengers in combat, while Hank can help in trying to find the best way to outsmart Kang, considering both their intellects. And Janet can help these new Avengers into understanding their powers and can finally fulfill a very important point from the comics, which is that she helped form the original Avengers in the comics.

The threat

Kang the Conqueror is the first threat the Young Avengers face in the comics, and Jonathan Majors’ casting as Kang is definitely indicative of Marvel wanting to base themselves on the comic lore of the Young Avengers for their introduction. Kang has been known to harness the power of time to travel and has an extremely complex backstory, since time travel can be confusing at times. We know that during Avengers: Endgame, the Avengers used the Quantum Realm to travel to other points in time to collect the Infinity Stones and we also know that the upcoming projects, Loki & the Doctor Strange sequel will deal with the concepts of space-time, which might draw the attention of one particular time traveler.

If Kang does decide to intervene and take on the Earth and conqueror the world, he better be fully prepared to take on the full force of Ant-Man and the Young Avengers.

September 17, 2020
Loose Adaptation: How ‘Ant-Man 3’ Could Change Kang the Conqueror’s Origin

We finally got some news for an upcoming Marvel Studios film. Jonathan Majors has been cast in a major role for Ant-Man’s threequel. Deadline’s sources indicated that he will play Kang the Conqueror This is huge especially with the Young Avengers rumors. At some point, M.O.D.O.K. was even going to be heavily featured. This film may truly become a cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward. This casting announcement seems like a natural follow-up to recent news. A lot of hints have been building up that make Kang the perfect successor to Thanos. Let’s look at some of the hints that may have teased his addition to the franchise. There is also a good chance this might be a very different version of Kang than we are use to.

A New Generation

Let’s get the obvious aspect out of the way first. Kang’s introduction is a heavy indicator that the Young Avengers will have a role as well. Let’s start with who exactly Kang is. Nathaniel Richards was from the 31st century and believed to be a descendant of Reed Richards. Not only that, but there is also the theory that he is also related to Doctor Doom. It is why he ended up using Victor von Doom’s technology to travel back in time, even become the famous Pharao Rama-Tut. His heir was non-other than En Sabah Nur, also known as the mutant Apocalypse. After overshooting his original timeline, he ends up conquering a war-torn Earth and becoming the infamous Kang the Conqueror. At one point, he decides to save his younger self and showed him the unexplored past. This version was saved from the moment he would turn evil and rejects that future. He dons the Iron Lad moniker and is the founder of the Young Avengers.

That’s a lot of connections throughout the Marvel Universe in just one character. Our main focus is the connection with Young Avengers. Nathaniel is the one that brings the team together after the Avengers disbanded. We are currently facing a timeline in the MCU without the Avengers. Tony Stark has passed away. Thor decided to join the Guardians off into space. Rogers was able to return to his own time and live a fulfilling life. Even their headquarters was blown up by Thanos. There seems to be nothing left as everyone is heading off into their own adventure. So, a new generation will take over to continue their legacy. How does this all connect to Ant-Man? Well, his daughter Cassie has aged up after the events of Avengers: Endgame. In the comics, she is a member of the team and is known as Stature. She tries to follow in his footsteps as many others find their protegés forcing him into a mentor role alongside Hope van Dyne.

Low-Key Connections

Stature isn’t the only connection we have between Kang and Ant-Man. There is also the elephant in the room. Tony Stark invented time travel through the quantum realm in Avengers: Endgame. Through their travels, they ended up creating a splinter of different timelines by stealing the Infinity Stones. There is a good chance these actions created a version of earth that will end up being torn apart by war. One particular timeline, in particular, seems like the best candidate that would lead to the creation of Kang. Tony accidentally manages to drop the Tesseract that lets Loki escape from Thor’s clutches rather than facing Odin’s judgment. Even as Captain America returned the borrowed Infinity Stones, this timeline has been changed the most. It also is the only one that is getting a spin-off with next year’s Loki series on Disney+.

Why does that matter? Well, Loki will introduce the Time Variance Authority (TVA). They are responsible for the multiverse and keeping timelines consistent, which is a perfect choice for this multiverse tale. Their existence is also a major hint at how Stark’s invention of time travel may have had some bigger implications. Marvel’s time cops haven’t always been successful at keeping the timeline in check, especially when Kang was involved. Keep in mind that Ant-Man 3 is currently slated for 2022. It’s a surprisingly early announcement, which could hint at Kang’s appearance in this Disney+ series. They could introduce him early to build up the character before appearing in the Ant-Man threequel.

Loose Adaptation

Jonathan Majors‘ version of the character could be a unique take on the character. Marvel Studios isn’t a stranger to adapting the villain’s backstories to fit the overarching plot. Ultron was a creation of Hank Pym in the comics. It wasn’t until Age of Ultron that he got connected to Tony Stark. The original article by Deadline highlights this very fact. Also, he may not be the only villain. We could still see M.O.D.O.K. as the main antagonist with Kang pulling the strings. He may have been a wealthy benefactor that saved A.I.M. and gave them technology way beyond their time. Similar to Thanos, Marvel Studios might want to build him up throughout multiple cameos. He is known as a major Avengers villain. The Conqueror won’t be taken down so easily by a group of teenagers.

If Kang is given a new spin, there is a chance we won’t see the classic interpretation of Iron Lad either. First of all, the Fantastic Four haven’t been introduced yet. So, they might try to build a connection to existing characters. Similar to how Ultron, they may change his origin while keeping some defining aspects alive. A while back, there was the rumor of an Ironheart series being in development. It would be easier to combine her stories with Nathaniel’s rather than juggle two separate characters inspired by Iron Man. It would make sense if he was her descendant from the future. No matter what route they take, Iron Man is a likely connection to remain consistent in the adaptation. Hell, maybe even use some elements from The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Captain America’s survival altered his timeline in the show pushing him to conquer the present-day Earth. Rogers’ choice of staying in the past may work as his main motivation to travel to the present day within the MCU. They might not reveal his connection to Ironheart until a later entry. Kang is such a great character to introduce. He is exactly what Tony warned the Avengers about back in Endgame. When you mess with time, it tends to mess back.

Source: DisInsider

September 14, 2020
RETRO REVIEWS: Bioshock Infinite

The downtime caused by this quarantine has offered me some opportune time to get back in touch with my gaming roots. The last console I owned was a Playstation 2 which should give you an idea of what generation of video games I peaked on. Everything that came after, I missed out on. So as I relive the carefree gaming days of my youth, I thought it’d be a fun idea to review some of the games I missed out on.

It is a stormy night and you’re the sole passenger in a rowboat, escorted by two bickering Brits towards a lighthouse. You arrive at the door and see a bloodied note warning you of the task ahead, “Save the girl and wipe away your debt.” You enter the lighthouse and realize it is empty, save for you, a bloodied corpse, and a radio faintly broadcasting vaudevillian music. Each creaking step you take fills the lighthouse with dread. You make your way to the top where a locked door awaits you. Upon opening it, the grey sky surrounding you turns red, and from the heavens erupts deafening horns. A chair beyond the door calls for you. You sit down and the moving contraptions around you make it apparent that the lighthouse is a missile silo. All of a sudden, you are skyrocketed through the heavens. None of it makes sense until you reach the wild blue yonder where you see magnificent cities floating above the clouds. There’s that moment of clarity once the pod you’re strapped onto slowly lands on this floating city. It’s the first of many moments of clarity in the game where all the craziness you witness starts to make sense.

You play as Booker DeWitt, a hired gun tasked to rescue a woman named Elizabeth from the ultra-religious dystopian city of Columbia. Standing between you and Elizabeth are two warring political factions, a delusional prophet, a flying bird robot, and a series of tears through the space-time continuum that permeate the reality you inhabit. It’s a pulpy trek through this steampunk metropolis as you fight the establishment and enemies of the state alike with wacky guns and potions that give you superhuman abilities.

I’ve never been so enamored with a video game’s aesthetic way like the Bioshock franchise’s. Steampunk wasn’t a word that existed in my own vocabulary until I knew this franchise existed. The visual palette, aesthetic, and art direction of the game is simply a thing that draws you in. Even as I was phasing out of my gaming days in the late noughties, just seeing the first game’s poster and the way its underwater steampunk world was presented made me want to at least experience that. With Bioshock Infinite, I was finally able to experience what it’s like to briefly exist in a world as rich and beautiful as Bioshock’s.

The floating city of Columbia is a sight to behold. Nevermind the fact that character models resemble one another and you run into the same person every 20 steps. The city lives and breathes as you stroll through its alleys and plazas. I spent the first couple of hours of the game just simply observing every remotely interesting item I could find – a newspaper on some countertop, a print ad for magical potions, a statue of some white dude, ultra-religious paraphernalia, a mechanized human being displayed at a freak show among many others. The way the game uses the social upheaval that gripped America at the turn of the 20th century to underscore the pulpiness of the art direction and create something that’s out of this world yet wildly familiar is amazing. This world is layered to the core, with easter eggs in every corner that archive moments that led to the creation of Columbia and why the world is the way it is. There’s something in every nook and cranny of this game that’ll pique one’s curiosity which makes whatever limited exploration options you have worthwhile, to say the least.

I’ll admit that I was sort of taken aback at how the enemies were mostly composed of confederate soldiers and rebels. Part of me was expecting to fight creatures spawned from the mind of Guillermo del Toro. However, in the few instances that you get to fight the odd creature, they are a treat to against. You have these KKK sorcerers carrying coffins that are made up of crows and they teleport everywhere. You have the Handyman, disabled people that are forcibly put in mechanized bodies that go haywire – a huge pain in the ass to fight. By far the scariest is the Boy of Silence, who serve as watchmen in the asylum portion of the game. They let out a blood-curdling scream the minute they spot you and sic a bunch of powerful insane asylum patients on you. I’ve never been more terrified to sneak through a corridor since I played Alien: Isolation a couple of years ago.

Gameplay-wise, Bioshock Infinite very rustic. It’s a no-frills, uber-simple shooter that barely takes any steps to reinvent the wheel. You shoot, reload, and pick up ammo from corpses. Rinse-repeat. The Vigors and the tears, however, keep things interesting. The aforementioned magical potions keep the battlefield wildly interesting as it offers you a slew of magical traps and abilities. There’s one that allows you to summon a murder of crows to attack the enemy. A personal favorite is the one that allows you to possess grunts and mechanized enemies and have them fight for you. Again, it doesn’t change the game but it’s a nice addition to keep things interesting.

BioShock Infinite revolves around an Aristotelian tragedy with tragic heroes, grounded in a floating city set in 1912.

Arguably, the game’s biggest weakness is its linearity. With a world this expansive and rich, the lack of exploration possibilities and a progression system feels somewhat disappointing. The game literally tells you to follow a line as you navigate through the various districts of Columbia. You can take the occasional turn and peek through the door in that corner and score these upgrades called Infusions but that’s pretty much it. There are the occasional gun and Vigor upgrades but because the game is so linear, you aren’t given the opportunity to fully explore the selection of weapons the game throws at you. I get that the open-world mechanic was never in the franchise’s DNA but man, given the chance to fully explore the world they crafted, to do sidequests, and to upgrade your skills extensively, I’d lose myself in this game entirely. When all is said and done, this complaint is a testament to how just beautifully the world is envisioned and crafted.

Bioshock Infinite, in many ways, is one big theme park ride. It’s a chaotic spectacle that delivers the thrills. Sometimes a literal roller coaster ride across the sky. Your senses assaulted by a cacophonous barrage of sounds and visuals that defy your understanding of reality. But what makes the game transcend from being merely just a spectacle is the story. It’s a Kubrickian odyssey about redemption and fate. A profound journey to undo past wrongs and confront the destinies decided by the cosmos. And that ending. That goddamn ending. Part of me wishes I played Bioshock Infinite around the time it came out just so I’d partake in the collective freakout everyone must have had with the game’s ending. The last 15 minutes of the game will go down as one of the craziest endings I’ve come across in any narrative. To be in the center of this story, to experience it from the eyes and emotions of Booker DeWitt, is something that will probably stick with me for a while. Experience this game now, if you’ve haven’t.

September 14, 2020
Tracking the Multiple Realities Created in ‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’

Avengers: Endgame brought into the MCU the use of time travel on a massive scale. The theatrical releases had already toyed with the concept when it came to Doctor Strange’s use of the Time Stone both in his solo outing and in Avengers: Infinity War, but it was only in 2019 that we got to see it put to proper use. When doing so, movies usually tend to detail the mechanics of the whole thing, forcing themselves into establishing strict ground rules in which they get to play around for a couple of hours, and Endgame wasn’t any different. But even that didn’t keep fans from theorizing around what could have truly happened in the movie and what it all meant for the future of the MCU. There was enough exposition in the movie to help people understand how it all worked, but even that didn’t stop people that were actually involved in the making of it to have very different opinions on what time travel in the MCU was really like.

In an interview with Fandango, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely were quoted saying:

We are not experts on time travel, but the Ancient One specifically states that when you take an Infinity Stone out of a timeline it creates a new timeline. So Steve going back and just being there would not create a new timeline.

And at the same time, co-director Joe Russo is on the record for saying:

Both Ancient One and Hulk were right. You can’t change the future by simply going back to the past. But it’s possible to create a different alternate future. It’s not a butterfly effect. Every decision you made in the past could potentially create a new timeline. For example, the old Cap at the end movie, he lived his married life in a different universe from the main one. He had to make another jump back to the main universe at the end to give the shield to Sam.

They can’t both be right. But instead of trying to figure out who’s right and who’s wrong based solely on their status in the making of the movie, let us focus on what should really matter: What does the movie tell us?

In this regard, the first key moment is the Banner and Rhodey discussion just before Clint test runs the quantum suits. It’s here that we find out that you can’t change your past even if you travel back in time. What you can do is relive past situations, that become intrinsically different just because of your presence. The time flow should therefore split, creating a new branch reality. This is all basically confirmed once we get to witness the team’s time travels. Even though they all try to stay out of sight while there, and considering some of their interactions don’t actually negate events we’ve known to have occurred in the MCU, several incidents simply cannot have happened on what we might now call the MCU’s Prime Timeline. And once that becomes obvious, you understand that this now applies to every timeline created, on every trip each member of the Avengers makes, since you cannot have different mechanics to essentially the same type of actions. So now, even the most innocuous interaction in a different time stream, should make for a slightly different future than the one we’ve known to have happened in the Infinity Saga.

So where might these new timelines take the MCU moving forward? The narrative opportunities coming from these new timelines are immense, with new characters rising, and not so new characters developing in new ways. You can now nullify the status quo that has been built through the years using these new timelines, launching into storylines that have become increasingly unlikely to occur in the Prime Timeline.

So, what realities could we find developing in the branches Avengers: Endgame created in the time flow? Let’s being with the first of these new timelines to ever be created:

CLINT TRAVELS BACK IN TIME TO HIS FAMILY FARM

The date here is speculative, but considering how Clint’s daughter looks basically the same as she did in 2018, it shouldn’t be too far off.

This served as a simple test for the missions to come, so Clint didn’t have the time to impact this new timeline in any meaningful way. He took his kid’s baseball mitt back to 2023, and that’s about it. The Butterfly Effect might turn this into some world world-shattering event but that would be unlikely.

TONY, STEVE, BANNER, AND SCOTT TRAVEL BACK TO THE BATTLE OF NEW YORK

Steve’s interactions with Rumlow, Sitwell, and 2012’s Cap could probably all be accredited to 2012’s Loki impersonating him, making it easy to imagine the timeline wouldn’t be that impacted. What is not so easy to sweep under the rug is the fact that Loki got away with the Space Stone. The consequences are huge since now Thor isn’t able to take both his brother and the stone back to Asgard, directly influencing the events of Thor: The Dark World as well as everything that came after that.

THOR AND ROCKET TRAVEL BACK TO ASGARD

Thor and Rocket’s actions could actually fit into what we saw happening on Asgard in Thor: The Dark World. All it takes is for Frigga to have kept her conversation with her son to herself and continue on with her day as if it never took place. But since a new timeline was created, things could have evolved through a different path. Frigga didn’t want to hear what her son was about to tell her about her future, but who’s to know if she didn’t end up taking precautions after he left? Maybe she didn’t die that day. Maybe someone else did. This could be an interesting path going forward, making for a different Asgard that wouldn’t be so pervious to Hella a few years later, of that could maybe even allow for her showing up ahead of schedule. Ragnarok could turn out to have a very different outcome.

NAT, CLINT, RHODEY, AND NEBULA TRAVEL TO MORAG

Nat and Clint then fly to Vormir, still in 2014’s timeline.

Even if the Power Stone was to be returned in a way that allowed Quill to retrieve it as was saw in Guardians of the Galaxy, the events of that movie would still be impossible to replicate moving forward. Peter Quill would never meet Gamora since she left this timeline with Thanos and so the Guardians of the Galaxy would never come to be (at least the team we’ve come to know). And with 2014’s Thanos traveling to 2023 and dying there, this timeline wouldn’t have the Mad Titan pulling the strings, orchestrating his future pursuit of the Infinity Stones. This would mean that Xandar wouldn’t be destroyed and that the entirety of the Nova Corps would still be alive. The ramifications of Thanos going missing could be felt on even on earth because, without the events of Avengers: Infinity War, the Avengers would never get back together the way they did after the events of Captain America: Civil War, amongst other things.

TONY AND STEVE TRAVEL TO CAMP LEHIGH

In the new timeline, Steve stealing the Pym Particle vials from Hank’s lab, could make Pym even more paranoid than he was when it came to the way S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to control his genius and intrude into his research. This could expedite him leaving the organization, all but making sure Janet van Dyne wouldn’t disappear after going sub-atomic on a mission in the ’80s.

Also, maybe Howard Stark became a more present father after that conversation with Tony. The “No amount of money ever bought a second of time.” that Howard once passed on to his son, and that was now said by Tony back to his dad, could help to mold a different version of Howard, that could eventually give a young Tony a different childhood. And that could end up being what makes him not becoming Iron Man down the line. Perhaps he wouldn’t use B.A.R.F. in the way he did, and that piece of technology wouldn’t get the name he gave it. Quentin Beck would have fewer reasons to hate Tony and the idea of Mysterio wouldn’t come to fruition allowing Peter Parker to enjoy a nice little trip to Europe with his friends like he always wanted.

STEVE GOES BACK TO PEGGY

The script Marvel Studios submitted for BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY had both the place and date Steve traveled to on it. Since it wasn’t in the movie they might very well change that in future projects, but for the sake of discussion let’s take that as what happened.

There was a line spoken by Banner, just after Steve left and didn’t return to 2023 as scheduled, which made it absolutely clear that Cap had indeed spent his entire life, not on the same timeline he had left behind.

Sam: Where is he?
Banner: I don’t know, he blew right by his timestamp. He should be here.

This would mean Steve went beyond Banner’s present, having had to travel back in time to 2023, to the moment he knew his friends would be there, by the lake. This also shows us that, since Steve went back to 1949 to be with Peggy and not to mess with the Infinity Stones, that you don’t need to remove one of them to create a new time stream. What the Ancient One told Hulk back in 2013 was that by removing a stone, that reality would be left in disarray, for being unbalanced. Once Banner said he’d make sure the stones would be returned, that reality would still continue to exist, just not shrouded in darkness.

And so, since Captain America crashed into the Arctic sometime in 1945, so this would mean that, from 1949 onwards, there would be two Steve Rogers in this new timeline. One living his best life besides Peggy Carter, the other frozen inside a Nazi aircraft until being found several decades later.

Knowing what major events the future would bring, 2023’s Steve would have the possibility to try to prevent whatever he felt should be prevented. And it’s then only natural that the more he tampered with this new timeline, the more it diverged from his own. Being this, as far as we know, the furthest back someone traveled back in time, this is the timeline that could make for a more distinct 2023. The possibilities are too many to even consider.

So this is where the MCU stands at the moment. At least seven active timelines in constant evolution, and even though we are focused on the Prime Timeline for the foreseeable future, there is nothing stopping characters from the other ones from dropping by for a visit. Marvel already teased the possibility of a character being from another earth in Spider-Man: Far From Home, it’s only a matter of time they do it for real. Maybe sooner than we realize.

September 14, 2020
This is Wonder Man: Pitching an MCU Mockumentary

Disney+ has started an interesting new trend. After the success of The Mandalorian, Disney wanted to continue the hype by releasing an entirely new series focused on the behind-the-scenes work. The new series was given the title Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian. Instead of a play on the name, the title is vague enough for future installments. As such, they seem to plan on continuing it with future Disney+ originals. There is a good chance that the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe entries Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision would follow also get their entries. This could be our closest look at how Marvel Studios approaches their show’s development.

The thought of getting a look at the filming of a Marvel project was exciting. Yet, I started wondering if there was something more they could do. Then, an interesting idea hit me. Why not combine the look at what happens during a Marvel Studios production and weave a story through it. I mean, we are still missing the appearance of one major Avenger. Wouldn’t Wonder Man be the perfect candidate for his own Disney+ series?

Wonder Man

Simon Williams has an interesting history in comics. His brother, Eric Williams, also known as the Grim Reaper, talked him into embezzling money from their father’s company. He was then forced by the Enchantress and Baron Zemo to infiltrate the Avengers. This resulted in him getting flushed with ion-based powers before being killed off. After being revived, he eventually joins the Avengers as Wonder Man. At some point, he became a stuntman and actor. The latter aspect is probably what the character is now most known for nowadays.

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The character was to appear in the MCU. James Gunn hired Nathan Fillion to play Williams as a big shot actor in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. They even revealed a picture of him playing a character named Arkon from one of William’s in-universe films. Funny enough, Arkon exists within Marvel Comic’s canon. Sadly, this cameo was cut from the film. Gunn did tease that there is a future for this character at some point in the MCU. Yet, there is still no sign of the actor since he was cut from the 2017 film.

Passion Project

Simon Williams isn’t confirmed as Wonder Man yet. As far as we know, he is a renowned actor that even got to play Tony Stark in a Steve Jobs-inspired film. We got a tease of what type of films and documentaries are being produced in the MCU. In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter looks through various in-flight films about Wakanda, HYDRA, and a documentary about Tony Stark. Naturally, as everyone mourns the loss of the iconic billionaire, studios weren’t going to waste this opportunity. They gathered information from various sources to make a follow-up film. Williams returns in the iconic role and his popularity skyrockets to new heights. Now, he is at the peak of his game. It is his chance to finally make a dream project a reality. In a world filled with superheroes, he wants to create his own.

He tries to get the Executives on board to produce a film titled “Wonder Man”. After much discussion, he gets them to greenlight the project. Now, the superstar has complete creative control as he sits in the director’s chair. Just to bloat his ego, he also has an entire team film their production, which is our primary set-up for the stories’ format. We follow Williams throughout his production, as he creates the superhero he always wanted to be. Inspired by Captain America, the superstar dreamed of the character when he was a kid. We slowly get to know the arrogant hero better throughout the story, as the production faces various issues. Yet, he is unaware that some of his past mistakes are coming to haunt him.

Unlikely Hero

If WandaVision is anything to go by, Disney+ will let Marvel Studios reinvent their approach to storytelling. So, why wouldn’t they give a show a try that works as a mockumentary within the MCU? It lets Marvel Studios tell a meta-story about everything necessary to get their superhero films on the silver screen. It would be fun to see Kevin Feige, Victoria Alonso, Louis D’Esposito, and the rest of Marvel Studios’ team to appear in minor cameos. We could even finally address the fact that the heroes have doppelgangers in Hollywood. It would be fun to see Chris Evans show up discussing how everyone thinks he is Captain America. Also, throughout the series, we get commentary from the crew to add some comedy. It would work as an in-universe way of using fourth-wall-breaking elements similar to The Emperor’s New Groove.

Of course, the main focus of the story is Williams. His arrogance acts as a nice parallel to Iron Man’s from the first film. He made some mistakes in his past. His fame and fortune also got him addicted to gambling. He lost his entire earnings and hoped that this film’s success would get him out of debt. He starts to learn his lesson but it may be too late. During production, they are filming a sequence in a research lab that was deserted a while back. Ignoring the A.I.M. logo hanging above, he tries to save some money for the CGI effects by using it as a backdrop. While filming in the Wonder Man costume, he accidentally gets hit by an ion blast that changes his body. He was made of pure ion energy now and was unrecognizable. Suddenly, mid-filming he loses control and ends up in a confrontation with some new Avenger recruits. He is now forced to regain his original form. He is unrecognizable to many so the superstar is on the run. All still in the same filming style of a mockumentary. We still get commentary from Williams throughout. It blends the boundaries between the film he is making and what really happened. Perfect Blue may have played some inspiration as well. There is so much potential with this concept within the MCU. It would be a perfect follow-up to WandaVisions insanity.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Instagram

September 13, 2020
‘Avengers’ Journal: Wishlist for the Initiative

Not too long ago, I shared my experience with the single-player campaign of Marvel’s Avengers. Reassemble tells the story of Kamala Khan, as she reunites the Avengers five years after the A-Day incident. It is a surprisingly heartfelt and grounded coming-of-age story. Kamala becomes the emotional anchor for the team. Now that the campaign is over, we enter the Avengers Initiative. Here, I was able to explore what the game truly has to offer. We get quite a few missions teasing future storylines. There are even unique mission types like HIVE raids to add some variety. Sadly, live-service games have a certain reputation due to past experiences. Avengers isn’t innocent of sticking to those conventions. Yet, Crystal Dynamics has a chance to grow beyond those tropes. Here are some aspects that I believe will accomplish that goal.

A Loot of Issues

So, the loot system isn’t great. It is used to level up the power of your character. Like classic RPGs, the stat changes are the focus. To put it in comparison, Destiny adds different visuals to gear. Yet, I have to confess that I didn’t care much for this aspect. When I finally found a design I liked, I had to replace it with something more powerful anyways. So, it was a bit pointless to me. When Avengers revealed the loot included different abilities based on Marvel’s history, I loved this approach. It gives you an incentive to find them with unique attributes to enhance your playstyle. Yet, at the end of the day, the gear is mainly just to upgrade your stats. You go through so many different versions that you can’t stick to a specific style throughout. I mean, you could if you are willing to grind it out for hours-on-end. Especially with the necessity of power levels for missions.

There’s a lack of incentive to invest time in grinding for gear. For some, it’s the design changes. There supposedly is Epic Gear in the game that does add some visual flourishes. I do believe that this addition would be enough to make it worth the time. It could be something small like Iron Man’s arc reactor glowing green if a Gamma-based gear is attached. This way it doesn’t affect the skins. Also, give people the chance to create or add effects to existing loot. Would love to see the tech lab add a new station. You can combine gear to create a new one. If you gather enough resources, you can even add your preferred effect to the weapon. Giving players a bit more freedom would also give them more of an incentive.

A Feeling of Déjà-vu

So, I am currently going through the endgame content. Taking my time to go through the character-specific missions and post-game content. I was excited when I finally unlocked my first HIVE raid mission. It felt like every time I was going through the story, I was opening up new aspects of the game. The only problem was that you start to realize a pattern between these missions. They commonly consist of multiple parts that are in a different order. You start by destroying an elite squad of A.I.M. goons. This is then followed by a hacking mission where you get bombarded in a small circular area. You might also have to protect three defecting A.I.M. scientists, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, or hunted Inhumans. I love the gameplay and the missions but it’s hard to deny that they tend to repeat. Just switching the order doesn’t make it less noticeable. Especially if you tend to retread familiar ground through recycled A.I.M. bases.

We know that we will get a lot more content when Kate Bishop is released next month. While I do believe it will great to have various content additions alongside new characters, I hope they don’t restrict themselves here. Hopefully, this game will see years of content to come. It doesn’t always have to be in the form of a new character or story mission. A concept like the Avengers lends itself to a major variety of possible conflict. It could be something as simple, as a mission getting interrupted by a brand new enemy type. Maybe HYDRA has returned and you end up in a conflict between them and A.I.M. that sets up a future storyline. Even just adding a new faction like former A.I.M. scientists that want to help you and formed after Black Widow’s unique story.

A Faction of Conflict

Factions are an interesting addition to the game. It’s something that was obviously inspired by Destiny. After taking on different objective types, you can rank up your connection to either S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Inhuman resistance led by Hank Pym. On paper, this is a great idea that gives you an incentive to replay missions. It even unlocks unique Villain Raids where you take down a boss you encountered in the main story. My only problem lies in the fact that you barely really get anything out of a Fraction rank up. You get some resources, maybe even unlock some collectible and you get access to more purchasable weapons. It doesn’t change much as you also have two available vendors. It sadly is just a bit underwhelming from what they could’ve done with this concept.

I hope they expand it with new factions, as the world continues to grow. Also, it opens up rivalries and unique story moments. Inhumans don’t trust A.I.M. scientists after the experiments. So what if a faction of A.I.M. defectors is founded. Supporting them ends up decreasing your alliance with the Inhuman faction. It isn’t until you solve a unique mission line that they learn to work together. Also, it lets your activities within the game have actual consequences. How about you can invest in the factions that see their outposts grow. Maybe the Ant Hill gets some upgrades. Crystal Dynamics could add some mini-games that are unique to the base. Players can win some free resources or credits. As of now, the only reason you need to visit the Ant Hill is to get the faction missions. It’s a shame that there isn’t much to them as of now.

A Chimera of Potential

I believe one aspect of this game has the biggest potential. The Helicarrier Chimara was a huge selling point for me. Just the idea of exploring your own Helicarrier was fun. I couldn’t wait to see it back in the air after resting in Utah. One of the best missions in the story was when the Helicarrier got attacked by A.I.M. Suddenly, everything you repaired throughout the story was gone. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Inhumans that joined you vanished. It reflected the story’s narrative and was a great way to add something to the story. Now, in the post-game, the Chimera lost that charm a bit. You mainly use it as a hub for small interactions and accessing the War Table. Yet, there is so much more Crystal Dynamics could do with this concept.

Now that you have a base crew together to keep the Chimera flying. With a war with A.I.M. on the horizon, it is time to build up a team. Let our activities with the Factions allow us to recruit Inhumans or S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with different abilities. They can either act as support during missions or be sent out on their own to gather resources. You can build up an entire team that has their personalities as you talk to them on your flying battleship. Perhaps they even give you rewards if you regularly talk to them and build up their loyalty. Maybe some will become new vendors that specialize in specific gear like cryo or gamma. All that is up to your decisions throughout your journey. After a time, you can even customize and specialize your Helicarrier. Maybe you are more focused on mobility or firepower for your team’s missions. Invest some time to upgrade the Quinjets that let you call in for backup during a mission.

A Sign of Growth

I won’t deny that Avengers is a bit barebones as of now. Yet, the price of admission was worth it. The story and gameplay alone hooked me in. Thes ideas are just ways that could really make this game stand out. It would add so much more variety. This way. Plus, it would just offer some variety to the core gameplay that keeps you coming back. The game’s biggest issue is the lack of polish. Of course, the bugs are the most apparent issue alongside the rather high costs for the marketplace. With a lack of diversity in skins, there is no real incentive to buy anything especially at some of these prices. It’s also a waste for the marketplace not to be available in the actual Chimera. They could add a meta-joke with the CEO of Square-Enix as the vendor. It would be quite funny and similar to how he was a secret boss in Nier: Automata. The potential of the game is the whole reason I aim to keep up this journal. Hopefully, Crystal Dynamics will stick to it and we will have years of content to come. I’ll also be selfish and hope they actually implement some of the ideas I’ve mentioned here.

September 11, 2020
Warner Bros. & Sony’s “Only in Theaters” Strategy Facing a Digital Revolution

2020 hasn’t been kind to anyone. COVID has made the life of many difficult and halted many prominent industries. The film industry has certainly been hit hard. Not only have all their productions been halted, but they also can’t air any of their finished films. Most tentpole productions have budgets that go beyond the $200 million mark. Every release past March was postponed either until the fourth quarter or even for a full year into 2021. September was the month that everything should change. Cinemas were slowly opening again. Tenet was promised to reignite the Box Office again.

Sadly, it brought in just $20 million and is barely scraping by in the States. We’ve already seen the results of this underperformance. Now, Warner Bros. has postponed Wonder Woman 1984 to December. This is just a week after Dune premieres which would cannibalize their own production. Sony is deciding to wait for COVID to be a thing of the past, which is still unknown. On the other hand, Disney is testing the waters with a brand new Premium Access option on its streaming service. Universal was the one that kickstarted a digital revolution by releasing films on video-on-demand.

Delaying the Inevitable

It’s more than just a question of time at this point. Even as cinemas open, people will be a bit cautious about returning to a cramped dark space. Even countries that reopened cinemas are now changing direction. Here in Austria, you have to wear a mask as of next month while watching a film. This state-mandated rule will just encourage people to stay home and not take the risk. There is the discussion point at what point can one even consider it to be “safe” to return to cinemas. Sony’s strategy could drag out well into 2021. This could go as far as delay the third Spider-Man‘s December release. Warner Bros. might also go mad by constantly delaying their productions without an end in sight.

Production budgets are borrowed money. The longer they drag out the releases, the more expensive it might become. Most 2020 productions will have to take some loss into account. We won’t be seeing any record-breaking releases anytime soon. In the end, Universal and Disney might be on track for the best strategy right now. Smaller production companies also combined physical and digital releases at this point so they don’t have to market each delay. Marketing budgets would continue to grow as they’d have to rework every trailer. At this point, it is all about cost minimization. Even if 2021 opens up the floodgates, it will be so packed with new productions they will cannibalize each other. There is a good chance, film productions won’t recover until 2022.

Facing a Digital Future

AMC already had issues with Universal’s strategy by banning them temporarily from cinemas. People criticized Disney+’s pricing for Mulan which was around $30. If you compare it to the $20 rental fee for Bill & Ted Face the Music, it’s surprisingly reasonable. Plus, Disney+ focuses its marketing towards families, so a four-headed family gets off pretty cheap than paying upwards of $40 for tickets. Plus, they can save money by avoiding the concession prices. For some, the price isn’t that bad. Disney might not just be able to cover costs but even turn in a profit. It not only boosts their subscription numbers but also makes up for the Box Office loss it would’ve faced otherwise. We can expect films like Black Widow to be added to Disney+. If you are interested in a deeper analysis to check out Edward’s analysis by clicking here.

Warner Bros. and Sony are simply postponing the inevitable. When we were discussing the implications of the WW84 delay, Charles made the good point that Disney might be able to dominate the market. They would be the only company to make their tentpole releases available to everyone without any competition. As such, they don’t have to worry about cannibalization. Even as AMC tries to lawyer up against these strategies, it’s the only option to keep the industry alive. If production companies can’t cover their costs, there won’t be any films to show in empty theatres. Believe me, I would want nothing more than to return to a cinema again but it’s still a massive risk. Right now, Disney and Universal have a better strategy and it wouldn’t be surprising for the others to follow suit. From this perspective, Sony and Warner Bros. are going to face a very rough 2021.

Source: CNet, The Verge, IndieWire, Forbes

September 11, 2020