Tag: Marvel TV

  • Murphy’s Team-Up: ‘What If…?’ Finale Wish List

    Murphy’s Team-Up: ‘What If…?’ Finale Wish List

    Murphy’s Team-Up brings the team together every Sunday to give their hot takes on a hot topic. This week: the finale of Marvel Studios first animated series, What If…?. Take a look at what the members of the team hope to see in the finale.

    Anthony Canton III

    What If…? episode 8 recap: Ultron brings Infinity Stone-empowered Marvel  chaos - CNET

    I want to see what actually defeats this Ultron. In a lot of these scenarios normally you can appeal to the villains humanity but that doesn’t apply here. As far as the Watcher, what will be the price of his interference and the additional interference? I want to see that story be told. Finally, will Supreme Strange have a connection to Multiverse of Madness? He’s seemed like the most important character in these stories.

    Charles Murphy

    WHAT IF...?' Marvel Legends Arrive, Hint at a Live-Action Captain Carter -  Murphy's Multiverse

    At this point I’m eager for the series to come to an end. I haven’t loved too many episodes and I feel like in most episodes they’ve made some really weak choices with how they’ve dealt with what could be a really freeing premise. So for me, I’m hoping that as the first season of the series comes to an end, we see some of the heroes step through a portal and morph into the live-action versions of their characters that we are rumored to see in upcoming films. I’m also hoping that once this is over, we get our first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    Mary Maerz

    What If...?' episode 8 review: There are no strings on me | Hypable

    I would like to see Ultron upgrade himself one final time, and that upgrade just so happens to be voiced by James Spader. The series did very well with dark themes and stories without happy endings—so I’m rooting for Ultron. I’d love to watch him take down the array of multiverse Avengers/Guardians we’ll get and be established as an ongoing and genuine threat for the series and maybe even the MCU at large. I would also be a bit disappointed if we didn’t get some sort of tease of how What If… ? can or will connect to the Sacred Timeline.

    Nathan Miller

    Marvel's What If Assembles the Guardians of the Multiverse for New Hyundai  Ad

    I hope to see some thematic cohesion between the characters brought together in the What If…? finale. The somewhat abrupt ends of some episodes alongside an unresolved confrontation from What If… Ultron Won? suggest The Watcher will bring together a team to resolve those loose ends. When the Avengers came together they were all lost despite being powerful enough to be Earth’s mightiest heroes. They each found some sort of purpose they had been individually lacking in becoming a team. Whatever team might form in the finale of What If…? does seem like it has a couple of members that are lost like Captain Carter and Supreme Strange. Potential members T’Challa Star Lord, Party Thor and Killmonger each seem content in their universes so it will be interesting to see what the thematic thread between them is that pushes them to join a multiversal team.

    Hunter Radesi

    Marvel Retconned MCU Time Travel Rules For The 4th Time

    If there’s one thing Marvel’s What If…? is lacking, it’s long term consequence. The show has thus far utilized immediate, dramatic effect to highlight it’s differences in universes, but this takes away from the subtle charm that always drew people to the comics. There, a story would often start with an obvious change and end with some unexpected butterfly effect far down the Marvel timeline. If the finale of the show’s first season finds time to revisit any of the worlds it set up in prior episodes, it would do well to show the audience how the likes of Captain Carter’s existence ended up changing the modern MCU time period as well.

    Dalbin Osorio

    What If Episode 8 Ending, Explained: Is Clint Dead or Alive?

    For me, I want to see what comes out of the finale. During Endgame, time-travel was explained to us, but it wasn’t until Loki that we found out that this was just how the Avengers understood time-travel. In Loki, we figured “ok, this is the accepted framework for time.” What If has played in that sandbox, with variants and what have you, but there’s still a little bit that is unclear. Namely, is the Watcher pulling all the Guardians from different universes, or do some of these stories overlap? If so, what does that mean for the overarching MCU story that’s going on right now? I hope What If…? begins to clarify the rules because time is a confusing plot device as is, but it can cave on to itself if it isn’t explained correctly. I expect What If…? to do just that.

    John Sabato

    Chadwick Boseman loved What If...? and reimagining Black Panther's T'Challa  - Polygon

    I hope to see the finale episode of What If…? really set the stage for what’s to come. The series has yet to really wow me and I hope they can do that here. I think I’m mostly looking forward to to seeing what could be Chadwick Boseman’s final performance.

    The finale of Marvel Studios What If…? streams this Wednesday on Disney Plus.

  • James Gunn to Introduce “One of the Greatest MCU Characters” in Guardians Holiday Special

    James Gunn to Introduce “One of the Greatest MCU Characters” in Guardians Holiday Special

    As we draw nearer to the release of the Disney Plus series The Book of Boba Fett, it’s appropriate to reflect on the now iconic character’s humble origins. Fett first appeared briefly in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special before having the briefest of appearances in The Empire Strikes Back and then, inexplicably, developing such a cult following that he is now one of the faces…helmets?…of the franchise and set to star in his own series. With Marvel Studios now heading down the holiday special route with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special set for 2022, a fan asked director James Gunn if he would use the show to introduce any new characters to the MCU. Gunn not only answered, he also gave fans a reason to be even more excited about the event.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1444366802411270159?s=19

    Gunn’s always interacted with fans and isn’t one to make promises he can’t keep, so it’s great to see him come out with this here knowing he’ll follow through. It’s nearly impossible to predict, however, just to whom Gunn may be referring. No corner of Marvel’s comic book universe has been more underrepresented on screen than the Cosmic one, with thousands of characters-and at least a few dozen of them memorable-from which to choose. Should Gunn chose to take inspiration directly from the Star Wars special and introduce a bounty hunter to the MCU, a character like Monark Starstalker (who is 100% tailor-made for Gunn’s buddy Nathan Fillion) could be a possibility. If he wants to go another route and introduce a character he’s expressed his love for in the past, Gunn could bring Beta Ray Bill, a character for whom he has professed his love in the past, to the MCU, making fans incredibly happy. Whoever the character is, they’ll have one helluva time following the impressive trail blazed by Boba.

  • ‘What If…?’ Ultron’s Funko Pop Isn’t the Leaked Supreme Leader

    ‘What If…?’ Ultron’s Funko Pop Isn’t the Leaked Supreme Leader

    Last week, a reliable leaker shared the potential naming of Ultron being changed to “Supreme Leader.” It seemed like a fitting name for a version of this character to take ownership of the Infinity Stones and tackle multiversal domination. Yet, now that the episode went online we also got the official Funko reveal. It turns out, it wasn’t the Supreme Leader but rather simply known as “Infinity Ultron.”

    infinity-ultron-what-if-funko-pop.jpg

    So, this naturally opens up the question of who the Funko known as “Supreme Leader” is meant to be. There are still five planned to release in the third series of Pops that are part of this series. There’s a chance that some minor characters will get their time to shine in the finale that didn’t get attention earlier on. As such, they could get some Funko Pops alongside their larger role in the finale. There’s also the chance it still ends up being Ultron, as he may go through some transformations.

    In the comments, another well-known Funko leaker pop_freak1 shares that the Supreme Leader is 6” and Amazon shared. As such, it’s larger than the average 4” Funkos. There’s a chance it might be inspired by the brief Galactus moment we got in the latest episode. It could also be a special Funko for The Watcher in the golden armor we saw, as he will most likely lead the Guardians of the Multiverse. Whatever it may turn out to be, it looks like we have a lot more heading our way once the finale airs.

    Source: Entertainment Earth, Instagram, ComicBook

  • How ‘What If… ?’ Season 2 Can Fix the Series’ Biggest Flaw

    How ‘What If… ?’ Season 2 Can Fix the Series’ Biggest Flaw

    With What If… ?’s season finale just around the corner, it’s a good time to look at the future of the series and where it can go from here. While the show has certainly given us what it promised – and arguably even more in cases like the Doctor Strange episode and the recent penultimate Ultron episode – but What If… ? hasn’t always stuck the landing. A leading cause for this is the restraints the series has received, whether by design or for practical reasons. Breaking free of these would take What If… ?‘s second season to another level. 

    What If...? | Disney+ Originals

    What If… ? is a unique venture for Marvel Studios, so it certainly comes across at times as though the writers and producers were testing the waters rather than jumping straight into its full potential. Part of why they may have felt so restricted is the uncertainty around the debut of their first animated series that’s also their first exploration of the multiverse, and, on top of all of it, being canon to the rest of the MCU.

    The creators likely did not have the full green light to go wild with the series from the start, as that arguably could have lost too many casual viewers. Those fans who are not particularly invested or knowledgeable in every facet of the universe could have felt lost or left out fairly easily. By easing us into familiar stories and using them as strong baselines for virtually every episode, it’s more accessible. 

    Trailer der neuen Marvel Serie: „What if…?“ | Stevinho.de - Ein  ausgezeichneter Blog!

    But these restraints can make it feel stale, too familiar, and not the greatest use of what the What If… ? concept has to offer. As always, “there was an idea” to explore universes beyond our own and expose us to theoretically unlimited situations. Situations that could not only provide meaningful additions to the MCU. Not just that, but also entertain viewers with new ways that characters and stories could be used to show off Marvel’s painstakingly-grown universe and honestly throw out some fan fiction-type bait. Hopefully, the series can grow into a much more complex set of storylines and themes apart from what can come across to some with Season 1 as sort of the bare minimum. There are obvious ways that What If… ?’s Season 2 can grow and evolve from the series’ debut.

    The creators should move on from testing the waters and dive right into the deep end. With the multiverse at play, there is literally nothing stopping writers from going wherever they want. It doesn’t matter if it’s recognizable or entirely new. They can do away with their reliance on existing MCU movies as starting points, and simply start stories from scratch. Being able to tell stories beyond an audience’s wildest dreams is precisely the power the series can wield, particularly given its canonicity. It absolutely can be a franchise of its strength, but it needs to own it and strut it.

    RECAP: WHAT IF...? S1E4 — “What If...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead  of His Hands?” - The Beat

    Season 1 held viewers’ hands through the concept and lightly introduced everyone to arguably one of Marvel Studios’ most ambitious and risky entries to date. We respect and thank you for that, What If… ? but even some of the more beginner viewers already now have a strong taste for what the series is giving them and what the series could be giving them. We’re ready to take off the training wheels and take a much more exhilarating ride with the series. 

    Lastly, What If… ? can distance itself from some of its technical or practical constraints and crutches. While this certainly falls into the categories above, it’s worth a mention. For starters, the half-hour runtime truly crams what essentially is a remix of two-hour films into thirty minutes. The episodes can undoubtedly feel rushed, and there can be wasted opportunities to dive into some interesting aspects in each universe that are often alluded to or just plain curious. The T’Challa Star-Lord episode benefited the most from being completely disconnected from any existing property outside of its initial pitch.

    What If...? : Tony Stark assassiné dans un nouvel extrait de la série ? |  melty

    Moreover, it is unclear how important having the original live-action voices are to the making of the show. While it certainly helped with the training wheels, it arguably sacrifices the quality of the storylines and sub-plots when certain characters seem to be reintroduced in ways that don’t make the most sense within the context they are added to. Yet, there’s undoubtedly a “cool” aspect to bringing back well-known and even minor characters with the original actors in an animated adaptation. To be fair, it also adds to the series’ current overall practice of mixing and matching familiar elements into new(ish) stories. Still, breaking free from any dependence or preference on that to put the focus entirely on the stories themselves could prove valuable.

    What If… ? has delivered a solid series thus far. While plenty of the episodes suffer from some of the restraints noted above, there were undoubtedly standout episodes that hinted at the series’ future ability and intention to go bigger and bolder. If Season 2, off the heels of what looks to be a promising Season 1 finale, can look to the vast open space of the multiverse and its endless possibilities as the future, while looking at its reliance on the pre-existing MCU as the past, the future of What If… ? could be breathtaking, wild, weird, and a blast. 

  • REVIEW: ‘What If… Ultron Won?’ – Episode 8

    REVIEW: ‘What If… Ultron Won?’ – Episode 8

    What If… Ultron Won? is another lovingly dark episode that scoops up the scraps of the multiverse and the varied multiversal seeds the series has been planting throughout the season. While Ultron’s presence is certainly in the spotlight—and he’s definitely a class-act villain—he comes across as more of a vessel to tell the Watcher’s own story through. Impressively, Episode 8 manages to tell a two-pronged story throughout its short runtime. 

    First, it explores the classic What If… ? story of what would have happened on the sacred timeline had Ultron been able to assume Vision’s body. The result is that he is able to quickly laser Thanos in half, acquire all of the infinity stones, and destroy the entire universe piece by piece. He even takes on Captain Marvel, who once again returns as a wildly powerful being that can drive Ultron into the inner core of a planet but it’s not enough. It’s a story that the Watcher uncharacteristically states breaks his heart—which is somewhat interesting considering he also watched Strange Supreme destroy his entire universe for love and due to overwhelming grief. Either way, generally everything and everyone we would know from our universe is wiped out, and almost no hope remains.

    But enter that sliver of hope: Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton as the last remaining heroes alive fighting Ultron and his sentries. The episode absolutely paints the two “lamest Avengers” as, frankly, pretty damn cool. Natasha is up to her usual skillset for the most part, but Clint really seems to get an upgrade. Apart from a metal arm, his archery skills are nearly perfect and his arrows are wild. 

    Still, Clint stands out as having a particularly human dark moment that hit even amongst the total universal destruction. He mentions throughout the episode that he feels tired and as though there’s no point in fighting anymore. While Natasha and the Watcher hold out hope—and hope appears to arrive in the form of Arnim Zola—Hawkeye eventually actually gives up because he no longer wants to fight. It’s a stunning shot of him leaping into a pit of sentries in an obvious nod to Natasha’s own death on Vormir in Endgame. Honestly, even if you hate dark episodes, you have to love it for its realistic take on post-apocalyptic life and human (or superhuman) imperfections. Despite the entire premise of this first layer of story being “hope survives”—a message we’ve encountered before in the series—this episode is a brutal but wise reminder that sometimes it dies.

    The other side of the episode involves the Watcher more personally. While we have seen him somewhat more involved emotionally, we have never peered behind the curtain until now. The Watcher already toyed with interfering in Natasha’s and Clint’s affairs, but was able to stay out of it. But, when all seemed saved, Ultron gained the power to see beyond his own universe, recognize the multiverse, and find the Watcher. 

    The Ultron-Watcher showdown is a genuine spectacle of solid animated action and visual enhancement. At first, the Watcher was surprised that Ultron was able to see and locate him, but he also seemed scared. The turnaround into him being an incredibly powerful cosmic being was definitely rewarding, particularly considering that we have only seen him hovering around. Still, Ultron is ultimately the powerhouse he always should have been, and he ultimately defeats the Watcher with some bonkers moves like taking a Galactus-esque bite out of a galaxy. 

    Once the Ultron-Watcher battle starts, What If… ? really begins feels like the work it did in building the season piece by piece will pay off in a compelling and rewarding way, rather than just attending to fan service in exclusively one-off kernels of easter eggs and mini-stories. The two literally punched their way through numerous universes throughout the fight, with Ultron seemingly taking the wheel on most of it. And yes, we did see a universe where Steve Rogers becomes president.

    The result was stunning—combine it with the visuals of where the Watcher resides amongst all the shards of time prisms, and we have a very different visual and spatial concept of the series and the multiverse itself. It’s much more Doctor Strange than any other comparison, but the unique elements at play (and the animation) certainly distinguish it from anything we’ve seen before. Any live-action adaption of this type of imagery and movement—looking at you, Multiverse of Madness—will likely be a sight to behold.

    Speaking of Doctor Strange, the Watcher ends up in Strange Supreme’s tiny universe bubble we saw at the end of Episode 4. Luckily, the two have briefly met before, and there’s already a buddy-banter dynamic. Which does interestingly call into question Strange Supreme’s personality—he was certainly “Dark Strange” before, but he was fairly jolly here. Either way, he gets the Watcher to admit he needs to intervene and get help. While we know from teasers and trailers who many of these “Guardians of the Multiverse” will be, the finale will undoubtedly keep a few surprises or twists up its sleeve to finish the season strong.

    The penultimate episode of What If… ? definitely delivered in terms of setting up a larger crossover that spans the entire season. Now that we’ve finally seen the Watcher in his fullest, we have a greater sense of how the multiverse comes together and how to view it on a macro-level rather than bit by bit as we have been doing. The episode certainly sets up an exciting finale and it is another strong take on dark themes that the series has toyed with so well in the past. 

  • Meet the Skrulls: An Unlikely Family Dramedy in the MCU

    Meet the Skrulls: An Unlikely Family Dramedy in the MCU

    The upcoming Secret Invasion series on Disney+ will explore the invasion by the Skrulls. We got our first introduction to the alien species during Captain Marvel, and they’ll take center stage once more in the upcoming Secret Invasion series. We’ve recently shared details that Ben Mendelsohn‘s Talos won’t be the only Skrull, and some don’t share his more peaceful mindset. So, we’re going to witness an invasion by the shape-shifting aliens soon, and potentially even beyond the Disney+ series. As such, it opens up the path to explore the life of Skrulls hiding amongst modern suburbia. So, the perfect sequel series would be an adaptation of the 2019 Meet the Skrulls.

    The comic series explored the life of the Warner family. They’ve lived a suburban life on Earth. Well, if you ignore the fact that they are Skrulls preparing Earth for an invasion. Robbie Thompson and Niko Henrichon brought a simple concept to life that took a look at aliens trying to fit in with humanity while keeping to accomplish their mission. Marvel Studios is no stranger to exploring a strange suburbia life with their first Disney+ venture of WandaVision. Yet, it explored a sitcom version of that kind of life, and now it’s time for Marvel Studios to embrace it.

    Meet the Skrulls #1 - Stories For Nerds

    Skrulls living in the suburbs while following their mission might seem simple, but it could also help flesh out the MCU. Why not have the parents work at Stark Industries or the WHIH news. That way, we can see the world that the bigger projects don’t normally share with us. This Disney+ series isn’t like Solar Opposites, where they are living as aliens in plain sight, but rather a group of Skrulls, who are paranoid of getting caught. It opens up to some comedic moments of them misunderstanding things, trying too hard to hide, or even letting loose at a party. Especially giving us insight into teenage Skrulls adjusting to life could bring out some dangerous situations.

    Of course, there’s also the drama of it taking place post-Secret Invasion. The world is aware of their presence and is on the hunt for the last splinter cells. So, the build-up to seeing what S.H.I.E.L.D.’s existence means to them. At one point, they are uncovered and have to survive an infiltration of their home. In a way humanizing the alien species that simply believed in their mission was for a good cause. Not only would we get a look from a more grounded perspective in the MCU, but also fully understand the motivation of the aliens. Perhaps they didn’t know they were just pawns but believing in something to keep their race alive. Can you truly trust everything you see and know?

  • Marvel Studios Currently Juggling 30+ Projects

    Marvel Studios Currently Juggling 30+ Projects

    Marvel Studios has always been an overachiever in the business. Not only did they build a connected universe on the silver screen, but decided to expand it through streaming on Disney+. Recently, they even ventured out into animation while adding new talent to continue their efforts to expand. We only get a glimpse into what they are working on with each grand announcement, which hopefully expands once Disney+ Day arrives.

    They also recently gave Victoria Alonso, who has been with the company since 2008’s Iron Man, a promotion. In an interview with 221radio, she offered some insight into her current schedule, which was brought to our attention through our very own Discord. While discussing her time on The Marvel‘s set, and lunch with Salma Hayek, she also offered a small window in just how many projects are currently in development over at Marvel Studios. After the interviewer asked if they were working on 35 projects, she corrected them with the actual number and that not everyone makes it out of some form of development.

    We are currently working on 31 projects, don’t add 4 more, please. (Laughs) It is a question about how are we handling multiple plates in the air at the same time, and the biggest thing is that sometimes the plates fall, and, you know, what are you going to do then? We want people to understand that the idea that we have, to tell these connected stories, it is important that the world knows that the characters we create, their stories have to do with how humans interact with each other.

    Victoria Alonso

    The number makes sense, as currently there are seven films alone in production, as confirmed by the President of Physical and Post Production, Visual Effects, and Animation Production. She did also highlight that they are venturing into animation more in the future. She also highlights that some might just not make it out of a specific step of development. It’s crazy to think how many projects they are currently working on, and the number might only continue to rise as time goes on.

    Source: 221radio

  • ‘What If…?’ Head Writer Hints at Tony Stark Episode Pushed Into Season 2

    ‘What If…?’ Head Writer Hints at Tony Stark Episode Pushed Into Season 2

    At one point, What If…? was initially announced to consist of 10 episodes with the second season already in development. Yet, as time went on, that number seemed to fluctuate especially when the pandemic hit. It wasn’t until last month that we learned that one of those episodes had been pushed to next year’s second season. After weeks of speculation, head writer A.C. Bradley has finally given us our first clue which episode got postponed. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she states that:

    “Our 10th episode was a more light, upbeat Tony Stark episode.”

    A.C. Bradley

    After some light deduction, we can figure out that Bradley is referring to an episode that was leaked during the summer. There’s a Lego set with the title “Tony Stark’s Saakarian Iron Man.” It included a Thor: Ragnarok-inspired Hulk Buster suit. It also came with Tony Stark and Valkyrie, which would hint at him taking the place of Hulk in his journey to Sakaar.

    In the same interview, they confirm that the upcoming eight-episode will lead into the finale, which seems to focus primarily on Ultron and the Guardians of the Multiverse. There was also the tease of a Gamora-centric episode, which featured her hunting down Stark. It also seems absent and might even connect to the one above. It also fits with the joke, where Bradley highlights that

    I noticed on Twitter we’re getting a lot of crap for killing Tony a lot. He has become the Kenny of the What If…? universe by accident.

    A.C. Bradley

    So, the comment adds more credence to the connection, as we have seen Iron Man bite the bullet quite frequently throughout the first season. Gamora was hinted at as part of the multiversal guardians in one of the earlier trailers. So, if they postponed the episode into the second season, it’ll be interesting to see if she still has a role in the upcoming crossover.

    Source: EW

  • EXCLUSIVE: Tidbits on the Evil Skrulls in ‘SECRET INVASION’

    EXCLUSIVE: Tidbits on the Evil Skrulls in ‘SECRET INVASION’

    Earlier this year, trades broke the news that 2020 breakout star Kingsley Ben-Adir would be joining the cast of Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Secret Invasion as a villain set to go up against Nick Fury and his Skrull buddy Talos. The 35-year old actor landed a role for which Marvel Studios had checked on names such as Gary Oldman (who the studio has been interested in for several roles) and hoped for star power on the level of Denzel Washington. In short, this is a major Marvel Cinematic Universe role, but one about we know very little. Murphy’s Multiverse has uncovered a bit of information on Ben-Adir’s role and how it connects to Killian Scott’s, who joined the cast last Spring.

    As fans have speculated, Ben-Adir is indeed playing a Skrull that will find himself up against Nick Fury and Talos throughout the series. The interesting bit here, however, is that Ben-Adir’s Skrull character will be revealed to have a long history with Ben Mendelsohn‘s Talos. Prior to the Kree Accusers’ destruction of the Skrull’s homeworld of Skrullos, Talos was a Skrullian general who had spent his lifetime fighting in the Kree-Skrull War working alongside Kree scientist Mar-Vell to find refuge for a group of Skrulls. Given the Skrull’s generational hatred for the Kree, it seems very likely that Ben-Adir’s Skrull character might find Talos’ taste in allies unsavory. 

    While Marvel Studios is working to keep the identity of Ben-Adir’s character a secret, the fact that he has a history with Talos could give fans clues as to who he might be portraying. Given it’ll have been at least 30 years since the destruction of Skrulls, it’s reasonable to assume that other Skrulls could have reestablished themselves elsewhere, perhaps Tarnax IV, and readied their invasion of Earth.

    If that’s the case, Ben-Adir could be portraying the Skrull spy Paibok, who was himself a Skrullian military captain in the comics. Should they, however, wish to take the “go big or go home route,” Ben-Adir could be portraying one of the Skrull’s most decorated military heroes: Kl’rt. While most people know Kl’rt as the Super-Skrull, it wasn’t until later in his career that he became the first Skrull to carry that designation after being granted the combined powers of the Fantastic Four. Then again, it may be premature to introduce the Super-Skrull version of Kl’rt before the Fantastic Four are established. However, having a disgraced Kl’rt return home with his tail between his legs might give him the necessary motivation to become “super” in the future.

    Joining Ben-Adir’s Skrull in his battle against Fury and Talos will be Scott’s character. While his identity is similarly a tightly kept secret, his character is a crony of Ben-Adir’s, meaning he’s likely a Skrull himself. Given Scott’s very everyman looks, he’s possibly playing someone like Klrr. In the comics, Klrr is a Skrull spy who infiltrated Stark Industries and whose family, under the guise of the Warners, helped prepare for a Skrull invasion. Old rumors pointed to the 2019 series Meet the Skrulls as a potential inspiration for Marvel Studios Secret Invasion, so it wouldn’t be too surprising to see some of those characters, like Klrr who posed as Carl Warner, show up here. 

    While some fans are still expecting a direct adaptation of the Secret Invasion comic event and looking for an Avenger cameo-fest, Kevin Feige has stated the MCU adaptation will play heavily with the themes of distrust and paranoia. On that note, fans can look forward to Christopher McDonald throwing gas on the fire as a discord-sewing, “tough talk” talking head TV figure. This one is starting to sound like it’s going to be a blast. 

    Secret Invasion is expected to stream sometime in the second half of 2022.

  • ‘What If…?’s Episode 8 Will Be Standalone But Lead Into the Finale

    ‘What If…?’s Episode 8 Will Be Standalone But Lead Into the Finale

    Ever since the first merchandise dropped for What If…?, we got the tease of a team-up. They were called the Guardians of the Multiverse and it let us know that the once anthology series might be more connected than we initially thought. The ending of the Party Thor episode introduced us to the threat that would bring the team together, a Variant of Ultron powered by the Infinity Stones. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Bryan Andrews also highlighted how they carefully mapped out the season to build up to this very point of the final episodes.

    It was designed to be a certain way, and some people have been vibing and savvy enough to notice that we’re slowly seeing more and more of the Watcher’s visual appearance as we move forward. And that was all orchestrated from the very beginning. It’s all now coming to an arrow’s tip point.

    Bryan Andrew
    What If...?

    Writer A.C. Bradley also confirms in the same interview that while the next episode is standalone, but will lead into the ninth and final for this season. She highlights that “you can watch 8 as a standalone, but 9 is – for once we answer the end tag.” They highlight the exploration of the Watcher’s role throughout the series and the imminent threat of Ultron, or the Supreme Leader, might push him to break his oath. With the recently released poster, we’ve come to learn that Ultron will take center stage in the next episode. So, we’ll probably recap his journey to gaining the stones and why he ventures out into the vast multiverse.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly