Considering Marvel Studios has so far only released a teaser for She-Hulk, the list of character appearances is already off the charts. Fans have always clamored for connections between projects in the MCU and for the return of certain characters in new projects. Opinions on whether cameos add to or detract from any given project will never be unanimous, but the question has become increasingly tense among fans in the wake of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Regardless of your experience with the rampant cameo rumors that came before Multiverse of Madness, it is fair to say that many fans were expecting far more exciting characters to show up in Doctor Strange’s solo sequel. While the multiverse aspect gave the film an arguably easy way to include countless cameos, She-Hulk may very likely be the MCU’s strongest magnet for cameo madness in a very different way.
‘She-Hulk’ (2014)
The series’ subtitle says it all: “Attorney at Law.” While there may not be a multiverse in the Disney+ outing, there certainly is a black hole for an unpredictable amount and type of characters in the superhero-ridden MCU—lawsuits and courtrooms. The only laws that Marvel Studios has really discussed so far are the Sokovia Accords, which were first introduced in Captain America: Civil War and confirmed to still apply in WandaVision. But there is absolutely no chance that that one set of international laws is the only thing superpeople have to deal with. Property damage, wrongful death of civilians inadvertently killed during a major battle, theft, zoning law violations, assault, creating murderbots—you name it, an Avenger has done it. The thing is, we just have not seen anyone come after our heroes for regular laws. That’s where She-Hulk comes in.
The teaser trailer confirmed that Jennifer Walters has the same type of law practice that she does in the comics and will focus on superhuman law. She-Hulk comics runs that inspired the live-action series, like those by Dan Slott and Charles Soule, make it clear that superhumans of all varieties get sued a lot. But it can be a bit trickier to handle legally when a superperson runs afoul of laws designed for normal people. For example, Hercules was sued for damages after injuring a supervillain, Howard the Duck argued his film contract promised him a film trilogy, and Valkyrie learned she needed a license to operate a flying horse. And those were all on the same two pages in She-Hulk #9 (2004).
‘She-Hulk’ (2004)
The point is there is a neverending revolving door when it comes to who or what gets sued or summoned to court. And there is certainly a neverending invitation for these cases to be quite weird. Jen Walter’s legal practice is the perfect avenue for bringing in wild cameos from across the Marvel universe in each episode for elements of surprise, humor, mysteries, tricky legal storylines, fan service, or whatever the She-Hulk creators decide. While its role as a series rather than a feature film almost certainly means that it may not have the budget or capacity to bring in the type of A-List cameos some expected in Multiverse of Madness, it has all the room in the world to be incredibly creative and bring plenty of “madness” to the MCU. Plus, we already know of several major characters that will show up, so who’s to say the series cannot pull off even more?
Get excited for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which premieres exclusively on Disney+ on August 17, 2022.
The first trailer for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was full of Easter eggs and goodies to keep fans busy. From a member of the Wrecking Crew to an unexpected appearance by Leap-Frog to the first quick look at Jameela Jamil’s Titania, there was plenty to pick through upon repeated viewings.
The trailer also spelled out one of the series’ important foundations: Jennifer Walters is being brought on to the law firm of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg and Holliway to head up their Superhuman Law Division. And it looks like her first client is Emil Blonsky, who is being held in a VERY interesting looking prison.
Blonsky’s prison seems to be located smack dab in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but desert, and while Blonsky’s cell is the only one we see, it’d be an awfully big building to house just one prisoner. While we have no way of knowing what other potentially super-powered villains could or could not be among its population, we know that at least one of its residents is a gamma-fueled powerhouse, leaving open the possibility that the prison might have drawn at least some inspiration from the greatest of Marvel’s modern animated series.
For two years, Christopher Yost, Joshua Fine and Ciro Nielli treated adults and kids alike to the weekly goodness known as The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Following a micro-series that introduced each of the Avengers, the series kicked off in earnest with a two-part event entitled “Breakout.” As you may have guessed, the plot saw a mass escape of supervillains from 4 super prisons: The Vault, The Big House, The Raft and The Cube. The Cube, located in the Nevada desert, housed gamma-irradiated villains (most of whom were enemies of the Hulk) including Bruce Banner and…The Abomination.
The case isn’t being made here that She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will adapt the Avengers: EMH Breakout storyline into its plot. The suggestion is simply being made that it’s possible the prison in She-Hulk, which houses Blonsky, could potentially hold other gamma-irradiated villains, even if we don’t see them in the series. In the animated series, The Leader and the Wrecking Crew (of whom we saw one member in the trailer) were counted among the inmates of the Cube, so it’s not too far a reach to think that maybe, those characters, who exist within the MCU, could be in the prison or find their way their, biding their time for the MCU’s big Breakout moment.
Beginning with their time together in 2012’s The Avengers, Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner put together some memorable scenes as the MCU’s Science Bros. Whether they were analyzing Loki’s scepter, creating artificial intelligence or creating the gauntlet to save the world, Stark and Banner’s working relationship was one of the MCU’s best.
With Stark gone and Reed Richards yet to arrive, Professor Hulk is the MCU’s resident genius and, from the looks of the new She-Hulk: Attorney at Law trailer, he’s got a pretty nice set up somewhere warm. And while his science bro might be gone, the new trailer shows us that he’s not forgotten.
In an extended look at Bruce’s tests on his cousin, Jennifer Walters, we see that he’s not scared to run her through the mill in order to get her inner-Hulk to appear, including putting her in room where the walls that close in on her are outfitted with dozens of gnarly looking spinning blades. And, if you look closely, those blades are Stark Tech!
It wouldn’t be surprising to find out that most of Banner’s lab is comprised of Stark Tech that he’s taken on since Tony’s sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. We know Happy was able to relocate the fabricator, seen in Spider-Man: Now Way Home, so maybe the rest of Banner’s lab will be filled with Stark Tech Easter eggs for fans to pick out over the course of his limited time in the series.
Jill Stevens. Patsy Walker. Angie Huang. Those are just some of the names bandied about by fans as they tried to piece together just what character Ginger Gonzaga would be playing in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. As it turns out, it’s none of the above.
The speculation about Gonzaga’s role came from information that indicated the character would be Jennifer Walters’ best friend in the upcoming series. That sent internet detectives scrambling to Google where Stevens and Walker were among the fist names to pop up. Speculation also turned to Huang, who was a paralegal that worked for Walters at her own law offices during Charles Soule’s She-Hulk run. Now, thanks to closed captioning on the first trailer for the series, we know that Gonzaga’s bestie-of-Jen is named Nikki.
As is often the case in the MCU, Nikki may turn out to be an original character who shares similarities with one or all of the characters mentioned above. It’s still not entirely clear what her role is at GLKH, but a shot in the trailer does seem to indicate she works there. Of course, there’s always room for a surprise, so Nikki may turn out to have some fabulous powers along the way, but for now it seems that her super power is being Jen’s best friend and discussing life over drink. Interpersonal relationships away from work isn’t something we’ve seen an awful lot of to date in the MCU, so whatever character she’s playing, it’ll be a welcome addition.
We’ll find out much more about Gonzaga’s character when She-Hulk: Attorney at Law begins streaming on Disney Plus on August 17th.
The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics got to this point in two different ways. The Heat took Trae Young and the Hawks to school and then broke the Sixers over their knee. The Celtics took out KD, Kyrie, and the Nets then outlasted Giannis and the defending champs. While those paths were different, the teams operated the same. They defended on a level higher than any of the teams they’ve played could reach, and executed on offense more efficiently. Now, these teams play each other. Miami has home court, Boston has some hunger to get to the finals, and this series should be fantastic.
Tale of the Tape: These teams have a lot of similar qualities. Head coaches who are tacticians that think quick on their feet. Ime Udoka and Erik Spolestra are very adept at figuring out weaknesses and attacking them. It’s a legitimately fascinating chess match. Spolestra has the experience, but Ime has been doing a tremendous job on the fly.
The Heat and Celtics both rely on talented two way players on the wing. For Boston, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are a more than formidable tandem. For Miami, Jimmy Butler leads a cast of very tough and intelligent guys on the wing. Both teams have hyper athletic defensive big men in Robert Williams and Bam Adebayo. Both teams have guards that are full of intangibles, and guys off the bench who contribute. These teams feel even don’t they? Let’s dive deeper.
Key Matchup: Robert Williams & Al Horford vs Bam Adebayo
Now you must be asking, why isn’t this Jimmy Butler vs Jayson Tatum? That’s a matchup that comes into play, but they’re both equally great. There’s a considerable chance that they cancel each other out. There’ll be plenty of time to discuss how each can affect the series as it goes.
The reason why Timelord and Horford versus Bam is the matchup is because of two years ago. These same teams matched up in the conference finals, and when push came to shove Bam sent the Celtics packing. He would drive the ball from end to end attacking the rim and it felt like he took Boston’s will. It was an Adebayo we’ve never seen before. There was almost a Giannis like quality of him barreling his way to the rim but with the grace of a gymnast. Bam also made the key play of Game 1 of that series when he blocked Jayson Tatum. It was one of the memorable blocks of postseasons past.
In this postseason though, the Celtics will need their best big men to contain Bam. Robert Williams has been working his way back from a meniscus injury but should be ready for Game 1. Al Horford continues to be a steady presence for Boston as these playoffs go but can he hold up? It’s been a lot of minutes against high level competition. He bears watching in this series. For Bam’s side it would be nice to see him getting aggressive down hill against the Celtics D. He can open up things for the perimeter guys on Miami. This matchup will be a bellwether for how this series goes.
Here you can see how effective Bam is on a grab and go situation in transition.
The Prediction: Both of these teams are the cream of the crop on the defensive end. It has potential to be a classic. The Celtics have been the best team in the league since February. The Heat have been the best team in the East all year. Can the Heat create offense in a close game down the stretch? Will the Celtics rotation be able to survive the Heat’s depth? It’ll be interesting to see those questions be answered, and I’ll go Heat in 7. Home court, and the Heat’s defense will be just enough against a very capable Boston Celtics team.
On the heels of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, much of MCU fandom is focused on the phases to come, particularly the next Avengers: Endgame-level event. For most of them/us, “Secret Wars” seems to be the destination. But trying to figure out exactly what form the MCU storytelling will take as it prepares to adapt Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 epic has been thorny, especially because the most recent Doctor Strange film gave us another thing to chew on: The Illuminati.
New Avengers #2 (2013)
The Illuminati featured prominently in the Hickman New Avengers run that preceded Secret Wars, but unlike in Marvel Comics, where the Fantastic Four and X-Men have been mainstays since the 1960s, the appearance of Reed Richards and Charles Xavier in the MCU (albeit in its Earth-838 universe) was a momentous event, one that jump-started speculation as to how and when we’d see both the F4 and mutants properly introduced into the narrative. And while I do have my ideas about the role the Fantastic Four will play, I think that the bigger question centers on the mutants, and their biggest brand, the X-Men.
Back in November 2021, Marvel announced during its Disney Plus day special that a revival of the popular 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, often referred to as “X-Men ‘92,” would debut in 2023 under the title X-Men ‘97. Storylines and continuity from the original series would be picked up on, as the timeline would press ahead. However, now that the MCU Multiverse is firmly in play, questions about the canonicity of these new episodes abound. Which brings us back to Secret Wars.
Avengers #44 (2015)
In Hickman’s “Time Runs Out” storyline, the narrative that led directly into Secret Wars, “incursions’” of alternate universes into the main 616 universe led to the Illuminati, among others, taking drastic steps to eradicate those universes so that ours would survive, until only two universes were left — the 616 and the Ultimate Universe, designated 1610, home to Miles Morales, the evil Reed Richards known as The Maker, and others. The finale, which immediately preceded Secret Wars, was an all-out battle between the two universes, which, although ultimately fruitless for both universes, was epic.
The MCU doesn’t have an Ultimate Universe; if anything its 616 universe, what with its Samuel L. Jackson-inspired Nick Fury and its teenage Peter Parker, shares quite a few similarities to it. And with a 15-year head start, there’s no time for Marvel to build up a new Marvel Universe for us to grow attached to. But what they can do is bring back a universe that we have a preexisting attachment to: the X-Men animated universe.
Once that classic theme song hits, our nostalgia feels will come rushing back, and an audience that has been fed a steady diet of uneven live-action X-Men content by Fox will be reminded of how good they once had it, and how good it could be again. By the end of the first season, I’m sure that fans will be fully reinvested in the characters and their universe. By the end of the second or third season, when their universe faces an incursion by the 616 MCU, fans won’t be eager to see that universe be sacrificed. And if that means X-Men battling Avengers, so be it.
Introducing X-Men into the MCU this way has many advantages. For the mutant concept to maximize its potency, the weight of history — of a world where they have been hated and feared for years, and where some characters have formed relationships over decades — should be maintained. That can be highlighted and reinforced, and the animated series can do that far better than the Fox films, which admittedly still have some goodwill, but are nowhere near as universally loved and revered.
Now, will it be tricky to eventually bring the characters from that animated series into live-action? For sure. But one needs to look no further than Marvel’s Disney Plus sister property, Star Wars, to see that it can be pulled off, and be well-received by audiences. And given the stakes of this universe-destroying cataclysmic battle, Marvel can be forgiven for a stunt casting or two alongside longer-term castings of characters who will return after Secret Wars and the eventual Multiverse realignment. But many of us have been waiting decades to see comic-accurate, iconic looks in live-action, so one should expect the fan reaction to those characters making the transition be massive.
After Avengers: Endgame, fans and media alike have been trying to figure out how Marvel could top itself, and Secret Wars could definitely be that. But more so than seeing different versions of the MCU heroes squaring off against one another, seeing Avengers face X-Men with their respective universes at stake would be a spectacle unlike any we’ve seen to date. And X-Men ‘97 could play a vital role in bringing that about. Both universes can encounter Kang variants, and both could experience Incursions that would lead the heroes of their respective universes to do whatever it takes to preserve them. It would be a massive, epic storyline, with the potential to energize and galvanize fans. And of, course, it could be the biggest Marvel event of all time.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not only the biggest movie franchise of its time but the biggest movie franchise of all time. Even if it might have peaked for some when Avengers: Endgame hit theaters in 2019, there’s little reason to think that its cultural impact in 2022 hasn’t surpassed that. With Disney+ now available, the number of projects being released each year has more than doubled, and Marvel Studios doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon with more than two dozen projects set for release in the next few years alone. But all good things must come to an end and this means that the MCU as we know it should eventually do the same, although on its own terms so as to become something more.
New Avengers #1 (2013)
New Avengers #1 (2013)
It certainly does not come down to a lack of demand, but that should not be the only metric Marvel Studios should take into account when making franchise-wide decisions. Identifying issues that might be hurting a massive franchise that has passed its 14th anniversary is extremely important, especially if Marvel has its sights set not only on the next few years but, more significantly, on the next couple of decades.
Storyline Issues
The stories being told are the core of the MCU and issues that prevent them from being as good as can be should be addressed as a top priority. These can be due to several things, but most end up being a consequence of the same core issue: the shared universe.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Due to the intricacy of having so many stories being told through different IPs that either need to come together or stay apart in a way that feels justifiable, it’s perhaps fair to say that both movies and TV shows have had to compromise when it comes to the stories they set out to tell. A character that would have been perfect for a certain situation might not be available due to having a scheduled appearance somewhere else. Or maybe it is felt that its introduction deserves a bigger stage. While choices being made always aim at a better overall franchise, they end up not helping each individual project to be as good as it could be. This problem is only getting bigger and more noticeable as the years go by with the number of storylines, characters, and major events being introduced, especially since earlier storylines didn’t take into account the now real possibility of using a number of previously unavailable characters. While it still seems manageable at the moment, Marvel Studios should now be looking into how to stop while they’re ahead, in order not to hurt the entire brand in a way that might put their past achievements on the line.
Accessibility Issues
Going back to 2019, as Avengers: Endgame was set to premiere, both new and old fans were often gearing up for a complete MCU rewatch as the culmination of 11 years of storytelling was soon approaching. At the time, it only took watching 21 movies, something that while being no small feat, pales in comparison to what is needed to accomplish the same thing today.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
As of now, the post-pandemic MCU has not only added 5 new feature films (soon to be 6), but also 6 new TV shows (soon to be 7), something that likely isn’t helping with how new fans approach the franchise as a whole since it is becoming increasingly difficult to go back and experience it in its entirety. This will probably lead to casual fans choosing select projects to watch while feeling daunted by the magnitude of the rest of the franchise, meaning they’ll probably be missing out on the connective tissue between IPs that makes the MCU so special. So, in a way, and considering the previous point regarding storylines, they might be experiencing lackluster stories without the bonus of the shared universe experience. Die-hard fans will have another vision, as living through the interconnectivity between the projects might somewhat help to hide the imperfections needed to get there. But since Marvel Studios should be focused on bringing in new fans, while of course still appeasing old ones, the fact that the MCU has become too big for newcomers should be a cause for concern. A nice jumping-on point would do the trick, since new fans haven’t gotten that yet, not even after Avengers: Endgame.
How it Should All End
So, considering all this, should Marvel Studios just call it a day and shut down? Of course not. As stated above the MCU as we know it should perhaps end, but only for a neo-MCU to rise from its ashes. And as all signs point to the overall storyline being told at the moment leading to a Secret Wars-inspired event, Marvel Studios might just have an ace up its sleeve when it comes to approaching its future beyond the aforementioned event. If they choose to, obviously.
Secret Wars #0 (2015)
Marvel Studios has been pretty loose when adapting comic events. Age of Ultron, Civil War, and Infinity War are all examples of that. So even if Secret Wars is coming, there is still much room for how it will end up getting translated into live-action. But if the ending somehow stays similar, it may solve just about every issue pointed out above faced by the MCU. At the end of the 2015 comic series, following the collapse of the multiverse and the creation of Battleworld, Earth is restored as Marvel’s Earth-Prime. While not making everything that came before meaningless—in fact, it was everything leading up until then that made this new Earth both a possibility and a reality—this allowed for stories to be retold from a fresh perspective, while also allowing for better integration of all storylines into a single, unified universe. And this is what the MCU will need by the end of its Secret Wars.
Why It Will Be for the Best
For several years, there wasn’t either the budget or the character rights to put the perfect MCU on screen from the start. And nowadays, it has become an issue how to integrate certain characters that should have been a part of it earlier on. Certain storylines were simply avoided due to those constraints while others, even though they worked, had to be adapted in a way that perhaps diminished their appeal and overall impact. Allowing the MCU to scale itself down only to follow that up with a steady-paced growing, aware, and capable franchise that is willing to use all its moving parts/characters/storylines in the best possible way, could only mean good things for this new incarnation of the MCU in the long run.
Secret Wars #9 (2016)
Several actors could keep playing the same characters, new ones would enter the frame, and even legacy characters would be able to return without making audiences feel cheated in the way they were invested in their previous iterations. It would just be a case of letting go in order to both cherish and appreciate the past but also accept that a brighter future might be ahead. No sacrifice made up until then would have been in vain and it would all still have started in a cave with a box of scraps.
WandaVision introduced us to the iconic Kathryn Hahn’s witchy persona, Agatha Harkness. She was definitely a standout for the series, and it seems that Disney+, as well as Marvel Studios, saw the potential in further exploring her character. In a surprising move, they gave Agatha her own spinoff titled Agatha: House of Harkness. Given what happens to her at the end of WandaVision, it seemed like we might take a step into the past with her upcoming series, but the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may indirectly set up the spinoff series.
After Wanda is taken over by the Darkhold and fully embraces the Scarlet Witch persona, she continues down the path that Agatha warned her about. Yet, after facing the monster that she became, she took down the shrine built in her honor that also led to the end of the Darkhold across the multiverse. While her fate is still left open after a small puff of chaos magic is unleashed before the shrine collapses, it does seem like she’ll be out of commission as a result of the entire structure collapsing on her head.
It would be interesting if they explore her storyline from the Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, where she ends up with amnesia and lives with Victor von Doom. We have no idea if that may be the future storyline they are heading towards but one thing is clear: her actions in the film may also end up loosening her grip on Agatha. She was hexed into living a normal suburban life as the nosy neighbor she played while infiltrating Wanda’s initial Westview takeover.
We will likely start the Agatha: House of Harkness series the moment that red puff of chaos magic is unleashed. The Scarlet Witch being hit by the falling debris ends up breaking the curse put upon the witch, who finds herself in Westview again. Now that she’s freed, she starts retracing her steps and we may finally find out what was up with her bunny. Perhaps we even see the return of Evan Peters as Ralph Bohner, who just accepted that Agatha now lives with him.
The big change will be in the fact that she is also no longer controlled by the Darkhold, which seemingly also corrupted her in some way. We may see a redemption story, as Agatha tries to reconnect with the family she left behind for her pursuits in witchcraft. We’ve gotten a glimpse into how that world of the MCU’s magic works, but the series would give us a chance to truly dive deep into the history of witchcraft we’ve only gotten a glimpse at, as Agatha tries to find her place in the world without the Darkhold’s control and faces the consequences of her actions in the past.
There’s something rather interesting about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. A lot of discourse surrounding the film has mainly been about the Illuminati and its members, Sam Raimi’s directing style, and how it “feels different” from the usual Marvel fare. Yet, after the film’s release, there’s been a hot debate regarding its rating as a PG-13 film, which has sparked an online discourse on if it should’ve been R-rated given some of the takedowns at the hands of Wanda. While some are understandably annoyed by the notion that one looks bad at horror elements in genre films, it does highlight Marvel studios’ biggest challenge when advertising the DoctorStrange sequel and ironically highlighting the current trend within its Phase 4.
A Multiversal Level of Expectation
The term “multiverse” has become synonymous with the potential of cameos and actors returning in roles they once popularized. Spider-Man: No Way Home certainly proved that very fact with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield‘s return. Yet, it also became a hindrance finding dragging expectations for Multiverse of Madness to new levels, as people expected a romp throughout Marvel’s extended cinematic history. The tease of Patrick Stewart‘s return definitely raised the bar in that regard, with many expecting more Fox characters arriving in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ironically, it’s been an underlying issue ever since WandaVision was first teased, as many put out their hopes that each time she shows up, the X-Men and mutants would make their arrival within the cinematic franchise. Yet, that was obviously never the intention; Evan Peters‘ Ralph Bohner should’ve been the very obvious warning for that very notion. Yet, on some level, Marvel Studios must’ve been aware of that expectation as their marketing started leaning hard into the “who might appear” notion of the project.
Illuminati getting a highlight in the last trailer almost seemed like a call to get people to wonder who else might show up and deter any thoughts of “so it’s only the Illuminati” early on. The rumor mill has gone rampant in a way that true believers started guessing who could appear with Kang, Deadpool, Wolverine and so many more getting even just a passing reference. Yet, the Doctor Strange film stayed true to what it is, a Doctor Strange story. The marketing doesn’t shy away from it either; they barely even hid Scarlet Witch’s turn to evil. Yet, people may have still expected an Avengers-level crossover leading to its potential frontloaded box office due to what No Way Home offered them only a few months before.
Any story dabbling in the multiverse is going to have this preconception built-in, may it be the eventual arrival of Kang and even other franchises like Warner Bros.’s upcoming The Flash film. Even comparisons made to Everything Everywhere All At Once are a showcase of a story element being interpreted in a specific way, while also letting previous releases shape the “expectation” going in. Multiverse of Madness was never advertised in any way similar to the Michelle Yeoh film, but it naturally became the “next” benchmark going into the other. Even if it’s an indie film with no real expectations going in, story, structure, or brand-wise, it was about the multiverse and that’s all it needed for “easy” comparison material.
A Horror-Defining Genre of Challenges
There’s an interesting juxtaposition between the film’s take on horror and how it was presented through its marketing. We’ve known for a while that this was going to be a horror film, a genre that is popular but also extremely niche. The highest-grossing horror film to date is the first entry of 2017’s It at a domestic gross of $327.5M. Even the more action-oriented Meg couldn’t break beyond $145.4M, which is quite far away from its 1975 inspiration Jaws, which was the originator of the term “blockbuster” release.
The 2017 film broke horror boundaries to gross $701M worldwide and still stands at the top of the board if you go by unadjusted box office numbers; a showcase of an exception rather than the rule. Yet, the film was very obviously an R-rated horror film with the added nostalgia factor from the 1990s It miniseries. In a way, it was the first true blockbuster horror film in a while to make bank, but it never shied away from what it is. Yet, even that film couldn’t escape a B+ CinemaScore rating when it was released.
There was a lot of discussion surrounding Multiverse of Madness‘ CinemaScore with a B+; some even hinting at the general audience’s not liking the film as a result. Yet, if you look at horror’s history with that broad of a target demographic, they rarely score above B. Even the well-received Scream revival from 2022 with a 76% acceptance rate by critics and 81% Audience Score couldn’t escape a B+ scoring. Last year’s Candyman received a B rating even with a 72% Audience Score and 85% Tomatometer score from critics. It’s simply a genre that doesn’t seem to mesh well with the general audience; something that tends to get forgotten in the discussion. Marvel Studios’ latest is compared with Marvel Studios’ previous, but that might not be as simple anymore
Moving forward, if their projects start to dabble more with new concepts and different directions, this might become the norm. Not that every film in the MCU will end up with a B or B+ evaluation, but that there will be more projects that may stick out from some more audience-friendly fare. Spider-Man: No Way Home has a strong A+ rating, which strongly showed in its cinematic staying power. Shang-Chi and Black Widow enjoy an A and A- rating respectively. The latter two dipped their toes in kung fu and spy cinema as the base of their inspirations. So, Doctor Strange and even Eternals may be exceptions rather than the rule, which we could see happen more often.
Weight of Audience Expectations
Doctor Strangein the Multiverse of Madness has faced a sharp drop in its second weekend by 67%, but the film still is only a few days away from crossing $700M. While it seems unlikely it’ll become the first horror film to pass $1 billion, the film is definitely taking many cues from Raimi‘s time with Evil Dead and Drag Me to Hell. If it comes to superhero storytelling and that director’s name, Spider-Man is what many might think of. In a way, we did expect horror elements, but Marvel Studios purposefully hid away any brutal takedowns that took place in the film. There are hints of Wanda crushing an Ultron bot, but no one expects her to literally turn Mr. Fantastic into spaghetti before his head pops.
In a report by Deadline, besides the rather bizarre “Uncle Vinny” section, a statement is made that only 27% of viewers would rewatch the film. It includes a curious statement by the Kentucky-Delaware exhibition head Rick Roman, who highlights that the film lacks rewatchability.
The movie has to be loved and enjoyed enough to want to see it a second time. My moviegoers feel the film is not good enough to see again.
Rick Roman
The article highlights that viewers’ negative reactions were mostly in regard to the “MCU discussion about storylines that may have jumped the shark and high expectations from the trailer to the actual film” which connects to the points made above. People have continuously expected the multiverse storylines to be the next Captain America: The Winter Soldier that reshapes the entire franchise moving forward. This is even highlighted by the Uncle Vinny rant in the article that there’s no clear path because Marvel Studios decided to play a long con this time around.
Word-of-mouth definitely played a key fact, as people probably expected horror but not Evil Dead going into the film. Some may have hoped for their usual Marvel fare and were met with something quite different and, like Eternals, unabashedly trenched in a different genre. One could make a similar discussion with the Chloé Zhao film, which faced a harsher critical reception. In a way, the echoed indie film’s reception from the general audience, which doesn’t usually get CinemaScores to begin with. So, the only current comparisons would be The Northman‘s B and The Unbearable Weight of massive Talent at B+.
It even reflects the critical reception of these stories, as many are pointing out to “X director’s style not meshing with Marvel’s usual flair” highlighting a very interesting trend in how perception has shaped what makes an “MCU film.” While critically, there has been an ongoing wish for more innovation and creative freedom in regards to Marvel projects. Yet, as it has happened, we’re seeing the natural reaction of something being “off” due to it not following the preconceived notion. If one expects specifics going in, anything that moves away from that will stick out like a sore thumb, which might be something that falls once those expectations are dropped on a rewatch; only if it actually gets one.
Can’t Make an Omelette Without
The same Deadline mentioned earlier highlighted that their approach to “plus-ing,” a Disney process where they keep adding to a project even if it’s deemed as the “worst” at one point, could potentially be reaching its limit. The concept strongly focuses on building upon what worked and what didn’t, which some tend to connect with a more formulaic and I strongly disagree with the “factory” view of their productions, as more and more behind-the-scenes statements highlight how surprisingly effective the company is at improvising. Yet, the standardized view of how more mainstream productions work has led to overshadowing what Phase 4 really is trying to do.
It’s hard to deny that most of the current projects stand out for different reasons; even if controversial ones. Marvel Studios very likely saw the challenge of following Avengers: Endgame and tried to take a step back rather than double down. Complaints have become so varied, that they may be reflecting how the general audience is feeling post-COVID many have felt a loss of control. Now, if the perceived “usual Marvel fare” is starting to try out new things and evolve to stay relevant, some might need a while to adjust.
Moon Knight‘s mind-bending fourth episode may have ruffled some feathers with those expecting a more straightforward experience. Thor: Love and Thunder is very likely going to continue this trend, as Taika Waititi has publicly teased its romantic comedy elements. They may or may not fully dive into similar to Multiverse of Madness‘ horror, and it is very much something Waititi has been dabbling with such as his work on Our Flag Means Death. We might see a wild variety of receptions throughout Phase 4 as Marvel Studios continues to find a more diverse footing to break beyond expectations and offer different audiences unique experiences.
One thing is clear, the general audience still enjoys these films. Even if massively frontloaded, one cannot downplay Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ initial draw at the box office. There are quite a few different elements possibly at play here and the challenge will be to keep that early momentum. There’s no clear trend that general audiences “are done” with Marvel films, quite the positive so far. No Way Home definitely created some good faith and there’s a chance that Disney+ releases give these projects a new life that extends into the cinematic experience, a counteract to the 45-day release window affecting its cinematic release.
One thing is for sure, Marvel Studios’ future endeavors might not be as simple to dissect as they start embracing more avenues moving forward.
The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks have played an unorthodox 6 games to get to Game 7. The home team has won every game and won them decisively. The series has featured the young, coming-of-age superstar in Luka Doncic trying to knock off Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and the league-leading Suns. There is a ton at stake in this game 7, but to be quite honest it’s surprising we’re here.
After the first two games of the series which Phoenix controlled easily, Dallas has adjusted and changed strategy. Their role players have stepped up defensively, answering the call of head coach Jason Kidd. More importantly, the Mavs at home have gotten the three-point shot going including 16 3s in the Game 6 victory. Chris Paul has played poorly over the last four games, but got an extra day off going into this one. Simply put, this would be an incredibly disappointing result for the Suns if they were to lose this game.
What’s at stake for the Suns: This could be Chris Paul’s last best opportunity to win a championship. The Suns last season blew a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. They fought all season to be the best team in the regular season, and now have to cash that in. We always think great teams will get back to this level, but CP3 is getting older. As great as he’s been, you never know what can happen once you get to this stage of your career. The Suns don’t want to have another version of “what if…?” on their minds if they lose this game.
What’s atstake for the Mavericks: A trip to the Conference Finals, validation for the Kristaps Porzingis trade, and a message to the league. That message? As long as Luka Doncic is on your team, you have a chance to contend for a title. It’s really remarkable that this team has transformed into this. Their defense has outperformed what we’ve expected all season. Their roster has been full of guys who’ve performed well under pressure, and there’s no fear. Winning this game would give them a legitimate chance to win a championship.
The Suns will win if… Chris Paul plays like Chris Paul. It’s important to recognize how bad CP3 has been in the last four games of this series. Averaging under double digits in points and almost as many turnovers as assists is not going to get it done. The maestro needs to get back to his efficient ways. Also, Deandre Ayton has to play better. In the earlier portions of the series it looked like he would dominate the matchup. Now, it feels like he hasn’t been up to snuff. They need his aggression and inside presence. There’s still an advantage to be had and Ayton has to take that advantage.
The Mavericks will win if… they get an outlier performance from a third guy. Luka is going to score, Jaylen Brunson is going to score, they need another guy going. Whether it’s Dorian Finney Smith(8 3s in game 4) or Spencer Dinwiddie, on the road you need more contributors. Maxi Kleber will also be a guy to watch in this one. Foul trouble for him will be huge. There’ll be spaces during the game where it will require a bit from everyone. Another guy to watch out for? Reggie Bullock. He’s had a great series on both ends of the floor.
The Prediction: It’s the best team in the NBA going up against perhaps the most dynamic offensive player remaining in the playoffs. The Suns are at home and the Mavericks haven’t beaten them yet there. In a one game sample though with everything at stake? You can certainly make the case for Luka having a virtuoso performance. It’s just hard to see the Suns season end right here, so the Suns will be the pick to find a way to win at home.
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