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‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Madripoor Gang Jacket Revealed

Many of you reading this may remember a little over 6 months ago when The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was doing a week long shoot in Griffin GA. Just Jared posted a large batch of photographs from the shoot revealing a nasty bike gang and other unknown forces harassing our heroes Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes along with the villainous Zemo.

Instagram user Justbeachy4stacy visited this set in Griffin one night, just as she had visited the Barnesville set the month prior. We spent quite a bit of time the night she went, chatting in DM about what was happening there and if she was seeing any stars. She spotted Anthony Mackie but was too star struck to take a picture, just missed Daniel Bruhl, may have seen the director talking on the phone at one point, and saw a really big bald guy she thought was probably an actor but couldn’t place.

In our conversations at one point she showed me a picture she snapped of the back of someone else at the snack area. She said she thought he was actor or extra. I couldn’t tell who it was but I was very intrigued by the symbol on the back of the jacket pictured below.

I held back the image at the time thinking it might be a piece to a puzzle for another day. But now with a Murphysmultiverse.com redesign and relaunch and still no real clear idea what the symbol may mean, I felt it was as good a time as any to share and let people discuss it.

And I will say, it may mean nothing, or it may be an Easter egg for us to pick up on later, or it may have a larger link to some of our villains who Bucky, Sam, and Zemo face in what we now know was Madripoor.

At least some of the biker gang members surrounding the boys in those Just Jared pictures are wearing the same jacket, only cropped out to mostly cut out the gang symbol. See on the right on this image, and on the left on this one.

Here’s a closer look at the symbol on the jacket itself.

A number of villains immediately came to my mind upon seeing this symbol. Red Skull & Mephisto, of course, immediately spring to mind.

Mephisto

The Madripoor dragon, and other traditional villains of Madripoor spring to mind as well. We know there was extra casting calls for gang members of various ethnic groups for this shoot. IMDb lists at least one stunt actor as a Yakuza gang member, although it seems as if the group surrounding Bucky and Sam in those Just Jared shots are not exclusively Japanese but a mix of people. So again it is unclear if it’s one group which is a mix, or multiple different groups surrounding them.

Madripoor Dragon

But those don’t seem like quite the right fit for this image. There’s also the white sort of claws there, and faint circle around the head. It actually made me think of M.O.D.O.K. first. Could this be a redesign of that very strange and distinct looking villain? Perhaps an Easter egg, or perhaps a hint of him taking control behind the scenes in Madripoor? Or perhaps it’s something else entirely.

M.O.D.O.K.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

June 12, 2020
How To Adapt Comic Stories The MCU Way

Phase 4 will be huge for the MCU. It’ll be the phase we see beloved characters like Kate Bishop and Kamala Khan make their debut in this world. It’ll be the phase we see the first Asian superhero with Shang-Chi. It’ll be the phase the multiverse will branch off and fall apart. And not least, it’ll be the phase where we see a very recent comic story get adapted with Thor: Love and Thunder.

5 years ago, Jason Aaron introduced the idea of having a disease-ridden, dying, middle-aged Jane Foster wield Asgard’s most prized weapon. The idea not only came with an exciting spin on a decades-old character but it also brought a lot of status-quo changes for the Thor mythos. Mjolnir was no longer just a hunk of uru shaped into a hammer; it now had a sentient storm inside it choosing the worthy. Aaron reintroduced Mangog into the fold as well as turning Roxxon into a prime big bad for the Marvel Universe. Aaron’s Roxxon was led by one Dario Agger, an intensely corrupt executive who had the power to turn into a minotaur. So yeah, good shit.

Taika Waititi clearly knew this, hence the need to adapt such a badass story on-screen despite its recency, which brings us to the whole point of this piece.

Now, whether the majority of Aaron’s story makes it onto the story has yet to be seen but the choice to adapt something so recent is a choice that stands out to me as a frequent reader of the source material. I, for the most part, enjoy back-reading more than I do reading the current stories happening. For the longest time, I had this notion at the back of my head that stories needed shelf-life before they could be eligible for adaptations. Old stories that stood the test of time had first dibs to on-screen reimagining before any of these new ones. New stories had to stay on the shelf for a while, just so we could see how strong they stood 10 years from now. Kevin Feige and his thinktank at Marvel Studios clearly do not share the same sentiment as me.

Over the course of the decade, the MCU has found great success in adapting all kinds of stories, spanning the entirety of Marvel’s history. But even though there’s a seemingly equal mix of old and contemporary adaptations, the MCU is by and large influenced by modern Marvel comics. The Avengers and all the ancillary stories around it are based on the Ultimate line of comics, which was originally published to depict what a real-world Avengers initiative could look like. The Guardians of the Galaxy had been in publication for decades but it wasn’t until the Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning run that the blueprint for the live-action adaptation came.

There are varying degrees of how the Marvel Studios machine draws inspiration from text. Some adaptations are more pronounced than others while some are nuanced. Take a look at the last two Captain America films. Both films not only adapt the primary premise of each comic, which in Winter Soldier’s case is the brainwashing of Bucky Barnes and in Civil War’s case the ripple between the Avengers but more specifically Tony and Steve, but they also remake panels in live-action and share subtext with the source comic.

More often than not, you have the films that draw loosely from the text like Thor: Ragnarok. Ragnarok is an idea inherent to the Thor mythos yet the film barely touches upon the crux of the Norse apocalypse as it is foretold in ancient text and Marvel comics. In actuality, the film has less to do with the actual Ragnarok story in the comics than it does with Planet Hulk, an arc that came out a little over a decade ago. A chunk of Thor: Ragnarok takes place in Sakaar, the planet Hulk inhabits for some time. The premise of Hulk being a stranded gladiator is there but the meat of what the actual story is about isn’t there. Hulk doesn’t become the emperor of Sakaar in the film nor does the planet get nuked by the ship Hulk rode in.

One look at the MCU slate these past 11 years and it’s easy to assume how favored the newer stories are compared to the older ones. Modern stories tell more timely problems and depict characters in ways the current generation see themselves in. There’s a reason why we’re getting Kamala Khan before a character like Nova who’s been around for decades. The world is populated by a lot of people whose voices have yet to be heard, who see themselves in Kamala Khan. The same can be said for this new iteration of Captain America, with Sam Wilson under the helmet. Both Sam Wilson becoming Cap and Kamala Khan are recent additions in the comics that resonate well in the world we live in.

There’s an uncanny ambition to how modern Marvel stories are told. As the social themes of comics progress, so does its ambition for storytelling on a visual and narrative scale. Matt Fraction and David Aja’s now-classic Hawkeye run and Tom King’s Vision arc are fantastic examples of how cape stories could be in this day age. Both have a distinct deconstructive approach to tackling superhero stories akin to modern-day independent cinema. It’s no surprise that they’re getting a live-action adaptation of both stories despite them existing less than a decade with the upcoming Hawkeye and Wandavision Disney+ series.

By design, stories nowadays are conceived with the intent of bundling them in paperback/graphic novel form. Whereas back in the day, comics only existed in single issues. Stories were marketed individually. Daredevil: Born Again wasn’t referred to as Born Again until it was reprinted in graphic novel form. Up until that point, it was simply known as Daredevil #227-233. In this graphic novel era, there is a stronger push for long-form storytelling. The kind that Marvel Studios draws inspiration from.

We live in an era where the summer crossover events are everything to publishers. Gone are the days where events used to be contained in a small particular run. Now, crossover events are highly-publicized marketing ploys, composed of multiple tie-in stories that culminate in one big comic extravaganza. Sound familiar? That’s because it is in many ways the same thing Marvel Studios is doing with their films.

And thanks to the success of Hollywood comic adaptations, the industry has attained somewhat of a resurgence in publicity. Civil War was one of the first comic stories to gain international notoriety just for the novelty of pitting superheroes against each other. The publicity became so big that even my non-comic book reading relatives heard about it elsewhere. The bigger the story, the bigger the spectacle. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame may not be based on recent stories but the way they were designed in the MCU apes the modern way crossover events are told. Just for their scale alone, it’ll only be a matter of time until we see stories like the latest Secret Wars or Siege happen on-screen.

As for the older stories, they do get their live-action dues here and there. Most if not all ideas plucked from the stories of old are centered around a character’s essence and origin story. By design the Avengers are based on the Ultimates line, however, the first film takes cues from the original Stan Lee and Jack Kirby story where the team is forced to convene to defeat Loki. The beats of Stephen Strange’s journey towards mysticism are from Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s original ideas. The idea that Scott Lang is a reformed convict trying to make good with his daughter by stealing the Ant-Man suit is straight out of his original appearance in the 70s. Iron Man 2 was originally intended to be an adaptation for the iconic Demon in a Bottle storyline but because of the alcoholism aspect, the concept was vetoed and watered down to Tony battling the intoxication of the arc reactor instead of alcohol. As bad as they are, elements of the Thor films take inspiration from the amazing run by Walt Simonson.

Barring all the problematic stuff that made you go yikes from the olden era, there’s an unmistakable charm to the classics. The Saturday Morning Cartoon style of writing can seem to be dated at times but you can’t help but revere the SMASH!, BOOM!, POW!, EXCELSIOR! sincerity of Stan Lee. The way these stories struck the right thing at the right time and how timeless it got as the world changed. Spider-Man’s themes from the Silver Age still resonate in this day. The redemption stories of Iron Man and Stephen Strange continues to echo in our minds this day.

Of course, a lot of stories from that era had ideas that absolutely insane groundbreaking; no one had seen the likes The Coming of Galactus and Infinity Gauntlet when they were released. The stories defined what original truly meant back then. It’s because of these stories that the modern era has a foundation to build something on. The MCU at its core works because of how ingrained old-fashioned earnestness to the way they write these characters in a modern light. As Coulson puts it, we all could use a little old-fashioned these days.

It’ll be interesting to see how the MCU moves forward with taking modern comic inspiration in the next decade or so. It was announced not too long ago that Kevin Feige was being promoted to Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer, which meant all stories spanning television, comics, and film would have to go through his desk. Feige today has essentially the say to whatever kind of story he wants in the comics for the MCU to draw from. That could either go horribly wrong due to the forced corporate synergy or it could go well if Feige tells the comics division to continue telling bold and ambitious stories independent of what’s happening on screen.

June 11, 2020
Thunderbolts*
Premiere: May 2, 2025

Following a late 2021 rumor that stated that a Thunderbolts project was going ahead at Marvel Studios, a June 2022 trade report not only confirmed the project but also announced a few names charged with bringing it to the big screen. The director’s chair is said to be filled by Jake Schreier with the script being penned by Black Widow writer Eric Pearson.

During Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 it was announced that the Thunderbolts feature film would be the final chapter of the MCU’s Phase 5. However, as the script moved on from Pearson to multiple different writers, the film found itself bounced down the line and, as Marvel Studios reshuffled its entire slate, it’s now on track for a 2025 release.

The team’s full (?) line-up was announced in September 2022 at D23. Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, and Hannah John-Kamen also reprising their characters from previous projects. Steven Yeun was cast as Robert Reynolds/Sentry but left the project before its 2024 start of production. In January 2024, Yeun dropped out of the film and was replaced by Lewis Pullman. In late January 2024, Geraldine Viswanathan joined the cast, replacing Ayo Edebiri in a supporting role.

On March 27th, 2024, Florence Pugh posted a behind-the-scenes look at the film to social media and revealed that the film’s title had been changed to Thunderbolts*. At the time, no information was provided about what the added asterisk might mean.

Cast
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova / Black Widow
- Lewis Pullman as Roberty Reynolds/Sentry
- Sebastian Stan as James “Bucky” Barnes/Winter Soldier
- David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
- Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
- Geraldine Viswanathan in an unknown role
June 11, 2020
SDCC is Still Happening This Year But With a Twist

San Diego Comic-Con will break a 50-year old tradition this year as the company ventures into the unknown: live streaming. Titled Comic-Con At Home, pretty much everyone who’s never gotten the opportunity to attend this iconic event, myself and Charles included, will finally get their chance, albeit at the comfort of our couches. There’s a first time for everything, right?

BREAKING: San Diego #ComicCon at Home will be held on the same dates as the previously canceled Comic-Con, July 22-26 and be FREE.

They're promising panels and presentations about comics, gaming, television, film, and a wide variety of topics from publishers, studios, and more. pic.twitter.com/x45hrkPc0U

— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) June 10, 2020

Obviously, the biggest question here is what kind of news we’d be getting or if there’ll be any substantial news at all. It’s a tough guess. Hollywood, for the most part, has halted dealmaking and filming. With the exception of some in-house pre-production, there hasn’t been any movement in the stuff we’re all interested in. So what is there for us to chew on? Is Marvel even gonna bite when so much of their properties are in limbo?

At the most, I could see them putting out something Eternals related to keep the discussion going. If they want to keep the Disney+ hype rolling, a solid confirmation on when Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Wandavision premieres this year could work, given how the former has yet to finish filming and therefore will not make the original August date and the latter will soon begin reshoots.

As far as new announcements go, I can’t see them doing any new project announcements like they did last year given how delayed the schedule is. As much as I want to hear about an official Fantastic Four announcement, I think Marvel Studios will keep things close to the chest this year.

Source: Twitter

June 11, 2020
What I Heard This Week: The ‘UNCHARTED’ Domino Effect

Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. For instance, on February 19th, I wrote this piece relaying some rumors I’d heard about Marvel Studios updating its Disney Plus slate; the next day, the news broke that a special Disney Plus event would be held in London on March 5th where it is expected that Marvel Studios and Star Wars slates will be updated. I also shared information about Peyton Reed directing episodes of season 2 of The Mandalorian months before he made it official.

This little nugget was one I found to be very interesting on a lot of levels despite it not being directly related to any of the properties I find interesting.

It has been passed on to me that Sony is currently planning to begin filming on their upcoming video game adaptation, Uncharted, in mid-to-late July. The film was just about to kick off production in Germany when the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down but the studio believes that the current community health situation in Germany provides a safe environment.

This is of interest to me for a few reasons. In late April, during one of the mass shufflings of movie release dates we have seen in response to the pandemic, Sony moved Uncharted from an October 8th, 2021 release date to July 16th, 2021. MCU fans might remember that this was the original date for Sony and Marvel Studios third Spider-Man collaboration, a film that was moved to November 5, 2021, a date originally held for Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness.

The common denominator here is, of course, Tom Holland. Holland is the lead of both Uncharted and Spider-Man and Sony’s move, in conjunction with Marvel Studios willingness to move the Strange sequel, meant that Holland was always going to film Uncharted before kicking off Spider-Man. However, what is truly interesting to me is that I have also recently heard rumblings about the production of Spider-Man 3 aiming for a late-September.early-October start date. During any other time and taken on their own, these dates would make perfect sense. It’s very common for Marvel Studios to roll cameras on a film 10-14 months before it hits studios, but you can probably see how these two start dates don’t make much sense when taken together.

Thankfully, I heard just a little more on the subject in regards to Sony’s plans. We all know that, for the foreseeable future, movie sets are going to be very different than what they have been in the past. Fewer people, fewer large scale sets and shorter working days. In practice, that would seem like it would mean shoots would take more time, not less, making it all but impossible for Holland to finish Uncharted in time to get to work on Spider-Man 3; however, it seems that Sony is really keen on getting as many productions done as they can while the water is warm, so to speak (most industry folks are expecting more shut downs in the Fall once flu season begins and the second wave of COVID-19 is expected to hit). To that end, the studio is working towards some unconventional means to get Holland’s work on Uncharted done and dusted in time for him to be back stateside to do Spidey. That might mean shooting out of order to complete Holland’s scenes and it might mean starting work on Spidey without the lead on set, but from what I’m hearing, studios are stepping WAY outside of their comfort zones to get things done during these crazy days.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I’ve been banging the “don’t worry about start dates” drum for a while because right now there’s just no way to be sure when things will start, pause, restart and finish; however, in this instance there were so many connected pieces along with the planning around unconventional work by the studios that I thought it was worth the chance to put it out there knowing a COVID spike could happen in 3 weeks putting everything on hold again and making me look dumber than normal. The best we can do now is wait and see, but it’s good to see studios addressing these issues and trying to make hay while the sun is shining.

June 10, 2020
Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 52

The Charleses talk about the rumors about the Joker showing up in Matt Reeves The Batman trilogy and how the controversial House of M series could be among the comic book inspirations for WandaVision.

Episode 52 demands your ears. Listen here!

June 10, 2020
House of M: How One of the Biggest X-Men Stories May Inspire ‘WANDAVISION’

When Disney Plus launched in 2019, we were treated to a behind the scenes look at Marvel Studios plans for the streaming service in a feature called Expanding the Universe. Given the lack of content available these days, I recently went back and watched it again.

As the feature shifts to WandaVision, there is a brief segment with supervising producer Mary Livanos in which many comic book pages, presumably used for inspiration for the series, can be seen in the background. At the time, I like so many others, was so caught up in seeing the birth of Wanda and Vision’s twins, that I pretty much ignored the rest of the pages. Given the amount of free time I currently have on my hands, I decided to identify the rest and did so to pretty great success, leaving only one of the visible pages unidentified.

As you read, understand that I am moving left to right and up and down with the assumption that there are 6 pages per row. The rows aren’t all in perfect alignment, so you’ll have to adjust as you go. But, with no further ado, here’s what I was able to find.

1. Scarlet Witch (2016) #9, page 18

Why is it here?

Thankfully Murphy’s Multiverse has some great followers and one of them (@wandamaximoofff) was eagle-eyed enough to identify this panel which comes from James Robinson’s solo Scarlet Witch series. In this issue, Pietro visits Wanda and their discussion quickly turns into a major falling out that sees the twins use the full force of their powers on one another. The panel depicted sees Wanda unleash a powerful hex on Pietro and getting the upper hand. Rumors have swirled around Pietro, whose death in Avengers: Age of Ultron was another nudge in the dark direction that Wanda is headed, so it is entirely possible that though Wanda would be very happy to have her brother back to life (could this be why Evan Peters has joined the cast?), it’s possible they don’t see eye to eye once Pietro gets an idea of just what’s happening in this new reality.

2. Vision (2015) #7, page 11

Why is it here?

This was a flashback issue in the great Tom King series. Wanda and Vision are hosting a dinner party and we get to meet their guests. I can tell you that one of the earliest episodes of WandaVision (I think episode 1) will see Wanda hosting a dinner party. I certainly wouldn’t count on them having the same lineup of guests, but you can bet that Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness/Agnes will be there.

3. Unidentified

Mary’s head is very small, but she seems to put it in the way very effectively.

4. The Vision and The Scarlet Witch (1985), Cover

Why is it here?

This is a classic cover and the issue begins with Doctor Strange visiting Wanda to let her know that she is pregnant and the two having a discussion about Wanda having used her “magick” to make it happen. Later in the issue, Wanda shares the news with Vision who faints in his excitement.

We know that Doctor Strange is set to play a role in WandaVision and that Wanda is set to have a huge role in Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, so we might expect more than a scene or two out of the Sorcerer Supreme.

5. The Vision and The Scarlet Witch (1985), page 36

Why is it here?

The birth of Billy, a surprise second baby. When Wanda went into labor, Doctor Strange was back on hand to deliver the baby. To everyone’s surprise, including his and Wanda’s, a second child was born. Billy would eventually become Wiccan, share a surprising trait with his mother and be instrumental in bringing her back from the edge of madness.

6. House of M (2005), page 3

Why is it here?

Following the events of Avengers: Disassembled, Wanda finds herself almost uncontrollably altering reality. Here, she’s revisiting the birth of her children but rewriting it just a bit before being addressed by someone just off screen who has been trying very hard to hold her back.

7. House of M (2005) #7, page 6

Why is it here?

By this point in House of M, Wanda has completely rewritten reality at the behest of her brother, Pietro. Doctor Strange and Wanda talk as a battle rages on outside. This page cements the importance of Strange to her journey and may also hint at Wanda rewriting the reality of the MCU.

8. House of M (2005) #7, page 23

Why is it here?

Simple. The most famous words ever uttered by Wanda. Here, as House of M comes to a climax, Wanda’s descent into madness is sealed as she depowers nearly all the mutants of Earth in what became known as the Decimation.

9. Unidentified

It’s behind her head. You can’t see it!!!! It’s probably the most important one!!!!!

10 and 11. Vision (2015) #7, pages 5 and 6

Why are they here?

Interesting panels from King’s flashback issue of Vision. It shows both the awkward nature of Wanda and Vision’s relationship, but also shows them coming closer throughout the 2 pages. Interestingly enough, pages from this book not shown in the background (maybe because they’re hidden behind Mary), include Vision, at a point further down the road, telling Wanda that things have gone on long enough and that they need to talk about the children because they are not real…that discussion, about the nature of what is or isn’t real, is likely to be a thematic focus of WandaVision.

12. House of M (2005) #1, page 4

Why is it here?

Here’s that guy from earlier that was doing his best to control Wanda: Professor Charles Xavier. It certainly doesn’t seem likely that Wanda will meet Charles here, but this is a powerful page that shows how hurt and desperate Wanda has become.

13. House of M (2005) #7, page 17

Why is it here?

A continuation of the conversation with Doctor Strange, but also an interesting look at both Wanda admitting she’s losing control of her powers to alter reality and the fact that one of her sons (I don’t think it’s every clear which one did it, but we can probably guess) just flat out erases Hawkeye from this reality. I do suspect scenes like these will be a big part of the second half of the series.

14-16. Unidentifiable

Again, these are all behind her.

17. The Vision and The Scarlet Witch (1985), page 28

Why is it here?

The birth of Tommy.

18. House of M (2005) #1, page 5

Why is it here?

It’s Wanda snapping out of her flashback and realizing the damage she did during the events of Avengers: Disassembled. It’s here when Xavier realizes he will be unable to control her any more. That realization leads to an argument about whether or not Wanda should be let to live, which leads to the House of M timeline which leads to the Decimation which leads to the return of the Phoenix Force and so on. The last panel, specifically, could show Charles’ face as he made a decision that impacted Marvel Comics for well over a decade.

You’re on your own here to speculate about what we might actually see in the show, but it is clear that WandaVision will be influenced, at least thematically, by House of M and Vision in addition to 1985 limited series The Vision and The Scarlet Witch. Could the show be the way in which mutants are introduced to the MCU? Will Wanda’s reality altering powers force Doctor Strange or even Hawkeye to confront her? One thing we do know, this is going to be one wild ride.

June 10, 2020
Lessons From Lucasfilm: How Marvel Studios Can Learn From Star Wars

As part of the relaunch of Murphy’s Multiverse we invited several friends, old and new, to write some guest features. This was written by our good friend, Marvel News Desk’s very own Caleb Borchers.

2019 was an important year for Marvel Studios as they finished out their first saga of films in triumphant fashion. One of the facets of their success is that Marvel Studios passed up Lucasfilm as the most financially dominant arm of Disney. While Star Wars films had historically outperformed their Marvel counterparts, Marvel is now clearly ascendant. It may not be a totally apples to apples comparison, but both Marvel and Lucasfilm released the final film of an era of storytelling. One could argue that Rise of Skywalker was actually set up to be an even greater event in that it capped off 35 years of film making across several generations of fans. When the dust settled, however, Avengers: Endgame dominated Rise of Skywalker with far more than two times the international gross.

Despite their general dominance, Marvel Studios still has a few things they could learn from Lucasfilm and their company compatriots in a galaxy far, far away. As fans of both franchises can attest, Star Wars still provides some things to fans that Marvel just hasn’t been able to duplicate. Here are three ways that Marvel Studios could benefit from some of the practices over at Lucasfilm.

(Obviously one could write the opposite article and it might even be longer. First on my list for how Lucasfilm could learn from Marvel Studios would be something like “Hire a director and actually trust that director, keeping them on board until the movie is released!” I don’t mean here to pretend that Lucasfilm has no flaws, just that they do some things really well.)

Make Use of Animation, Particularly on the TV/Streaming Side

Many Star Wars fans feel that the best material to come out of Lucasfilm since the Disney takeover has nothing to do with the Skywalker saga or the big screen. Instead, The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Rebels have been the big homeruns of the era, in addition to positive reception of the latest season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While Lucasfilm has struggled to match Marvel in producing multiple successful films a year, Marvel hasn’t even touched the world of animation, with the exception of the upcoming What If…?

Animation for Star Wars has been great in its ability to extend and deepen their universe. Anakin Skywalker was a dud in the prequel trilogy. But fans of Clone Wars are much warmer to the character after he was more fully realized in animation. Almost every planet in the Star Wars universe has multiple stories of lore now between the various animated projects that have returned to settings from the films. Imagine a TV show that could explore what life is like in Wakanda or what the daily cases handled by X-Con Security might look like or what threats the Nova Corps have defended against. Animation allows all this exploration on a minimum budget. The only limits are the imaginations of the animators.

Another advantage of animation is that it allows for connections and cameos that are impractical in live action properties. Just in Rebels alone Star Wars fans saw Leia, R2-D2, C3PO, Lando, Mon Mothma, Obi-Wan, Vader, Maul, and the Emperor operating within the larger universe before A New Hope. Imagine the Marvel connections that could happen within the bounds of animation. Peter Parker and Shuri could meet at a youth science expo. We could get a history of Mar-Vell and the Skrulls with Ego stopping by in the midst of things. Or Red Skull could be in a confrontation with Odin during his attempts to find artifacts in Norway during WWII. Kevin Feige has rightfully been hesitant to force those kinds of interactions into films where they would be a side show. Animation would allow him to make those interactions the focus of what would literally be a side show to the main MCU.

Animation also serves as a lab in which new characters can be added and developed. Lucasfilm is about to cash in on a decade and a half of animation to bring the like of Ahsoka Tano, Bo Katan, and Sabine Wren into The Mandalorian. Casual fans might not know those characters but the loyalists most certainly do. And everyone will know them when they explode onto Disney+’s most popular show. While Feige and crew have done an excellent job blooding new characters in other films (including Vision, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and more) their capacity could open in animation. There would be more screen time if nothing else.

Another advantage for Marvel Studios is that it increases output. Star Wars fans are kept somewhat happy between films because there are more stories happening in the animation world. They’re seeing the biggest stars of their universe on the small screen too. This has ancillary benefits of selling more merchandise. Fandoms generate revenue disproportionately from the most dedicated fans, why not give them something else to enjoy and purchase? (To be fair, comics do serve this function for many MCU fans.)

Now some will argue that Marvel already has an arm to do these kinds of things and that is Marvel TV. Fans of both universes will know that the crossover and continuity of Star Wars television is on a totally different level than the crossovers between Marvel films and TV shows. While ABC’s shows and Netflix’s universe were given lip service by Marvel, it was always a one way relationship. TV shows worked hard to connect over and the films just ignored the TV universe. Certainly one would never hear the voice of Charlie Cox in Endgame the way Rey hears from half a dozen TV only Jedi at the climax of Rise of Skywalker. Also, with the exception of Fury and Sif in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. film characters hardly come into TV shows. But in Star Wars characters, ships, locations, etc. move back and forth. Perhaps the most distinct version of this is the TV character Saw Gerrera appearing in a pivotal role in Rogue One. Marvel TV could do this function, but it hasn’t. Maybe that will change with Disney+, but live action Disney+ shows are still not going to provide the flexibility of animation.

One final things animation does is that brings in new, young fans. While Star Wars fans may not love how young Star Wars: Resistance skewed, it still captivated younger viewers. The reality for a company like Disney that has centuries in front of it most likely is that they must always capture new fans from young ages. Enticing kids to watch is a way to guarantee another 60 years of revenue from loyal fans. Marvel Studios is clearly aware of this with their focus on a younger Spider-Man as well as all the rumors about Young Avengers. Animation is another easy on ramp to this audience base.

Designate Some Canon Keepers

Almost every time a documentary crew talks to Lucasfilm about a new project, those interviewed includes someone from the Lucasfilm Story Group. This group functions as the official keepers of canon. They appear to have detailed records on every character in their universe, all the appearances of those characters, and important dates involved with characters. They keep up similarly with locations and ships and much more. As such, anytime a filmmaker is interested in doing something there is a definite authority to determine if the decisions will break the canon of the universe.

Kevin Feige and crew need such a group and they need it badly. Some talk has occurred suggesting some of this work happens. Feige has alluded to an official timeline that is kept somewhere at Marvel Films HQ. But none of it is as official as the Lucasfilm Story Group. This has become painfully clear a time or two, with the date cards of Spider-Man: Homecoming being a perfect example. While the concerns are relatively pedantic, it is even more short sighted to not keep up with these things. The beauty of the MCU, even as opposed to the comics, is a relatively cohesive story with a real sense of the passage of time and character development. A group like this could help in so many ways.

Not only would the existence of such a group help Marvel Studios, but they should also publicize who is on the canon committee and make them household names. We should all know someone as “the continuity guy” and Marvel. The opportunities at conventions would be fun. Come to a panel and ask your obnoxious continuity concern and get an official answer. Also, how much time would it save for Feige when on a press tour to deflect the “gotcha” questions by simply saying, “That’s a great question for our continuity guy, you should interview him.”

Stronger controls on continuity and canon would allow Marvel execs to be off the hook, would tighten up the universe for fans, and would just add an overall level of polish to a universe that’s already fairly cohesive. My last suggestion piggybacks off this idea and might not be popular.

Swing the Continuity Axe

Many fans were incensed when Disney bought up Lucasfilm and immediately canned what is known as the “extended universe” canon. This was an attempt to streamline plans for new content. With all the novels and comics about Star Wars post-Return of the Jedi off the table, J.J. Abrams had much more freedom to tell a new and different story about the universe post-Luke, Leia, and Han. It was a bold move but one that greatly simplified a very messy mass of story.

Marvel Studios needs to do the same thing with the so-called “canon” of the Marvel TV shows. While the original idea was ambitious, it never truly worked. Early on there were great moments, like the Hydra overthrow of S.H.I.E.L.D. which occurred simultaneously on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But the positive fan experience of that moment seemed to be a detrimental experience to the creatives behind the products. S.H.I.E.L.D. felt mis-paced for much of its first season but we now know that is because the show was merely treading water until the big crossover reveal. The second season’s helicarrier crossover idea with Age of Ultron is still awkward to this day.

The Netflix shows didn’t fare much better. Despite the Sokovia Accords rocking the superhero world to its core in films, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage are out and about in the streets showing off their powers with no concern about the police arresting them for their power usage. Fans have bent over backwards to try to explain the inconsistency away. Maybe it was about the geography or power level of the characters. Maybe you could squeeze the time frames so all the shows happened pre-Ultron. While one can understand the efforts lovers of these shows went into keeping them in canon, it is hard not to see that the producers of the shows (and definitely the producers of the films) just didn’t care as much.

The most egregious example would be the utter nonsense surrounding Thanos, the snap, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The season 5 finale is clearly placed during the invasion of Wakanda and season 6 is clearly in a non-snapped world. This says nothing of the fact that the time travel rules of Endgame and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are in almost complete disagreement. As S.H.I.E.L.D. continued the continuity just frayed to the point of no longer being salvageable.

Dropping the shows from continuity also allows some characters who were poorly done on TV to be reclaimed in the films. The Inhumans are too important to the history of Marvel to allow the utterly disastrous ABC show to be considered the MCU version of Black Bolt and Medusa. Iron Fist fans also deserve a better version of their favorite hero. This isn’t true for every version of every TV character, but Marvel Studios can choose to rehire actors who did work like Charlie Cox, Vincent D’onofrio, or Olivia Holt.

If Marvel Studios would adopt these three practices from Lucasfilm it would improve the already strong MCU. More characters, depth, and breadth would be available to the universe. That increased potential would be kept within logical canon guidelines. And the TV shows which just do not fit into the larger narrative of the show would be freed from those expectations to be enjoyed for what they are.

June 9, 2020
A ‘Black Widow’ Actor May Have Made the Jump to ‘Shang-Chi’

I came across something kind of interesting during a recent check of IMDb for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. One of the Widows in the upcoming Black Widow film is listed as a stunt performer on Shang-Chi as well!

Jade Xu and the other Widows in the Black Widow trailer.

A quick double check of Jade Xu’s Instagram confirms that she was indeed in Sydney Australia for a new Marvel adventure there beginning March 1st until at least March 8. Good enough to confirm for me that the listing can be trusted.

Could it be one of the Widows survives the events of Black Widow and appears in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings? Or is she simply doing some miscellaneous stunts? Her height and build, I believe, would make her a good candidate to double Awkwafina’s character, widely rumored to be Shang-Chi’s sister Fah Lo Suee, so this is another strong possibility.

The reason I’m really excited by this stunt performer being listed for these projects is the very high level of skill she possesses. We are certain to get some great fighting sequences with a stunt actress like this involved!

Jade Xu, per her IMDb listing, is a 3 time Wushu/Kung Fu World Champion and began her martial arts training at 6 years old. You can find examples of her athleticism and grace on her Instagram, YouTube channel, and website jadexu.com

Jade Xu

June 9, 2020
Matt Reeves ‘BATMAN’ Trilogy To Introduce New Joker

According to a report from The Direct via insider Daniel RPK, Matt Reeves‘ planned Batman trilogy will introduce its own, unique version of the Joker to square off with Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight! The report indicates that Reeves will tease the character in 2021’s The Batman before bringing the latest Jester or Genocide into play in the second and third films.

Should the report hold true, we would be seeing the fifth version of the Joker on the big screen and the third version in, presumably, less than a decade. Jack Nicholson’s Joker was the first to hit the stage in 1989’s Batman, followed by Heath Ledger‘s legendary performance in 2008’s The Dark Knight. More recently, Jared Leto‘s Joker was more of a a joke in 2016’s Suicide Squad and Joaquin Phoenix took an entirely different turn as a plodding, down-on-his-luck schmuck who had bad day in 2019’s Joker. Given the look of Reeves’ new series, it seems his Joker is more likely to follow his own path than to take inspiration from either of the latest incarnations

While a third Joker in 5-7 years may seem like a lot, I’m firmly in the camp that Batman can’t be fully realized without the Joker. While I’m eager to see new interpretations of the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman, it’s the Joker that has driven the majority of the great Batman arcs in the comics. Of course I’m also firmly in the camp that you can’t have a fully realized Batman without Dick Grayson, but so far there’s no sign of the Boy Wonder getting another shot to shine in this new adaptation.

The Batman is set to hit theaters in 2021 and, apparently, spawn a trilogy of films that will span the first half of the decade.

Source: The Direct

June 8, 2020