Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie Features

  • What “Folie à Deux” Could Mean For the ‘Joker’ Sequel

    What “Folie à Deux” Could Mean For the ‘Joker’ Sequel

    2019’s Joker was a box office hit that was met with equal measures of controversy and praise. The film grossed over $1B worldwide, but the real surprise was the performance Joaquin Phoenix put on, which earned him the Best Actor Award at the 2020 Academy Awards. The news of a sequel comes as a shock for many as first of all, Phoenix has really never been much for sequels. Secondly, Joker’s ending didn’t seem to leave a lot for the character to do in a sequel, but the film’s title could provide some clues to how it might play out.

    When translated to English the subtitle for the film’s sequel translates to “Madness for two”, but is often defined as “an identical or similar mental disorder affecting two or more individuals, usually the members of a close family.” With that in mind, here are a couple of ways that could apply to the plot of the sequel.

    The Imposter

    One avenue this film could follow is to pick up immediately following the events of Joker, and focus on the effects of Arthur Fleck’s influence on Gotham. Following the riots his debut as the Joker unleashed, the sequel could portray a Gotham up in flames and full of citizens in clown masks, inspired by Arthur to turn life in Gotham on its head. The sequel could directly tackle this by introducing a faux Joker, someone who fills the void left by Arthur’s absence and continues to raise hell in the city while Fleck sits in Arkham.

    Interestingly enough, in an interview with GQ, Willem Dafoe pitched the idea of a sequel following an imposter alongside Phoenix’s Fleck. Dafoe clarified that it was merely a hypothetical, but Folie a Deux could provide an opportunity for WB to cash in on the popular fancast of Dafoe as the Joker, similar to how Marvel Studios brought in John Krasinski to play Reed Richards in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.

    Casting another major star alongside Phoenix and pitting him against Fleck for the title of Clown Prince of Crime could be a lot of fun on screen. The idea also seems to fit with the film’s subtitle, teasing a counterpart with a mentality similar to Fleck’s.

    Family Conflict

    Alternatively, the chip away at the part of the definition of Folie a Deux that ties in nicely with one of the most controversial reveals from the first film. In Joker, it is hinted that Arthur Fleck is the illegitimate son of Thomas Wayne and half-brother to Bruce Wayne. While Thomas deflects these claims and tells Arthur his mother was delusional and crazy, the sequel could explore this claim and set up a confrontation between Fleck and Wayne.

    The first film included the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne that sends Bruce down the path to becoming Batman. However, the fact that the killer was wearing a clown mask and was clearly inspired by Fleck can allow Bruce to focus his vengeance on the man who lit the fire in Gotham.

    Such a plot for the sequel could feature a time jump and be set sometime in the 90s, which would allow for it to feature a grown Bruce Wayne, who has become somewhat of an insane vigilante. It’s a crazy and ambitious idea to hypothetically introduce yet another Batman while we’ve got Michael Keaton, Robert Pattinson, and Ben Affleck still running around in the cape and cowl, but it could work.

    No matter what they do with a potential sequel to Joker, it’ll be very interesting to see where Phoenix takes the character and just how he elevates and changes the performance for the return of Arthur Fleck.

    SOURCE: GQ

  • A Young Avengers Heat Map: Power Ranking Existing MCU Characters’ Chances of Making the Cut

    A Young Avengers Heat Map: Power Ranking Existing MCU Characters’ Chances of Making the Cut

    If the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 1 was about building to The Avengers, Phase 4 has been about, among other things, introducing the next generation of heroes. All the Disney Plus series (sans What If…?) and a number of the films in this phase have featured, or will feature, at least one younger character who could pick up a superhero mantle in the near future. And most expect that to culminate in a Young Avengers project. So with Ms. Marvel due to make her MCU debut in her eponymous series this week, let’s check in with the younger heroes we’ve met so far, and figure out who we think will be part of that initial lineup.

    Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel)

    Debut: Ms. Marvel, June 8, 2022
    Where We’ll See Her Next: The Marvels, July 23, 2023

    The Case For/Against:

    With strong reviews already pouring in for the show and its star Iman Vellani, Kamala Khan is poised to be even more of a breakout character in 2022 than she’s been in previous years, where she’s been featured in countless animated series, as well as the Avengers video game. Her brand is already closely associated with the Avengers, and as a youthful character, Kamala could easily be put at the forefront of branding the Young Avengers as the next big thing in the MCU.

    On the other hand, her next appearance being in The Marvels alongside another new hero in Monica Rambeau and an established hero in Carol Danvers might mean that Marvel is interested in establishing that team as a viable brand, especially if A-Force and The Ultimates — two team brands closely associated with Captain Marvel — aren’t being considered as viable options. And if Marvel plans to do subsequent seasons of Ms. Marvel, setting her apart from the other youthful heroes keeps the “hero worship” dynamic going a little bit longer before she steps into an eventual leader role on a team of her own, which hems more closely to her arc in the comics.

    Conclusion: ⚡⚡⚡

    America Chavez

    Debut/Where We Saw Her Last: Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness, May 6, 2022
    Where We’ll See Her Next: TBD


    The Case For/Against:


    At 16, Xochitl Gomez fits firmly in the age demographic for teen superheroes, and is a charismatic, likable screen presence that Marvel will want to feature more. America Chavez has also been associated with the Young Avengers team in the comics. To the extent that there are questions about where her story in the Doctor Strange sequel landed, putting her in a team setting alongside other young heroes could afford her the room to grow, without the pressure of having to carry a project. There aren’t really any downsides here.

    Conclusion: 🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠

    Tommy Maximoff (Speed)


    Debut: WandaVision, May 2021
    Where We Saw Him Last: Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness, May 6, 2022
    Where We’ll See Him Next: TBD

    The Case For/Against:

    The 10-year-old Julian Hilliard has already been prominently featured in two high-profile Marvel projects, and audiences have responded favorably to him. Speed is definitely the less prominent of the two sons of the Scarlet Witch, so whether they ultimately decide to recast him in order to age him up, or let him age in real time as the youngest Young Avenger remains to be seen, but the positive response to his character does bode well for more appearances, and the Young Avengers is the most logical place for him.

    On the other hand, the end of Multiverse of Madness could also be read as the end of the arc for Wanda, and Marvel may want to move on from the characters for a few years, in order to let her storyline land more impactfully, before doing whatever magical shenanigans would be necessary to reintroduce him and his brother to MCU-616. Even still, it feels more likely than not that the shenanigans are already afoot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and his brother are back by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

    Conclusion: 👟👟👟👟


    Billy Maximoff (Wiccan)


    Debut: WandaVision, May 2021
    Where We Saw Him Last: Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness, May 6, 2022
    Where We’ll See Him Next: TBD

    The Case For/Against:


    Jett Klyne, at 12, is slightly older than the actor who plays his brother, and based on recent red carpet pictures, he appears to be on the verge of adolescence in terms of appearance, which would put him right in the Young Avengers wheelhouse if they skew younger. Wiccan is definitely the more well-known and popular of the two twins, so his return feels inevitable, and Young Avengers (where a future romance with Teddy “Hulkling” Altman would be in the cards) seems highly likely, notwithstanding the concerns raised above about the conclusion of Wanda’s arc, and his character’s role in it.

    Conclusion: 🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄


    Kate Bishop (Hawkeye)

    Debut/Where We Saw Her Last: Hawkeye, December 2021
    Where We’ll See Her Next: TBD

    The Case For/Against:

    Kate Bishop is probably the character most closely associated with the Young Avengers, and Hailee Steinfeld is a bona fide star who definitely scored rave reviews in Hawkeye. She’s perfectly positioned as a talented but green superhero with a lot to learn, and in need of mentoring. That feels like a Young Avengers slam dunk.

    On the other hand, the character is 22, and Hailee is 25. As most likely a college graduate by the time we see her next, she definitely could be a lot removed from the teen angst and high school problems of her younger teammates (if they don’t age Billy and Tommy up). Maybe the right story for her is a young hero who mentors younger heroes while she herself is mentored. Or, as suggested earlier, maybe Billy and Tommy are aged up to be closer to her. But regardless of the challenges in circling that square, Kate still seems like a lock.

    Conclusion: 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯


    Yelena Belova

    Debut: Black Widow, July 9, 2021
    Where We Saw Her Last: Hawkeye, December 2021
    Where We’ll See Her Next: TBD


    The Case For/Against:

    Yelena is only being included here because she was introduced as Natasha Romanoff’s little sister in Black Widow, and Florence Pugh plays her character with such youthful exuberance. However, Yelena is almost 30, based on the MCU timeline, and it seems highly unlikely that there will be thirtysomethings mingling with teenagers on this team.

    Conclusion: ⚔️

    Kid Loki


    Debut/Where We Saw Him Last: Loki, June 2021
    Where We’ll See Him Next: TBD

    The Case For/Against:


    Kid Loki played a role in the Young Avengers comic run, and audiences generally do love Loki. The trickster nature of the character makes it fairly easy to drop him into the narrative as a bit of a wildcard within the team dynamic, as he could drive the story as both ally or antagonist.

    On the other hand, Jack Veal, who played the character in Loki, wasn’t particularly well-received, and because he’s hardly necessary to the narrative, it’s easy to imagine him being left out of both the short and long term plans for bringing the Young Avengers team together.

    Conclusion:🐊🐊

    Joaquin Torres (Falcon)


    Debut/Where We Saw Him Last: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, March 2021
    Where We’ll See Him Next: TBD

    The Case For/Against:


    Danny Ramirez is tremendously likable, as anyone who saw Top Gun: Maverick can attest, so who wouldn’t want to see him take to the skies again, especially since his character inherited Sam Wilson’s Redwing gear? That bit of foreshadowing has to pay off, right?

    On the other hand, despite his baby face, Ramirez will be turning 30 this year, and that takes him way out of the age bracket. Plus, Captain America 4 affords Marvel a much more streamlined path to picking up on that narrative thread, as New Cap might be looking for a New Falcon before it’s all said and done.

    Conclusion: 🦅

    Eli Bradley (Patriot)

    Debut/Where We Saw Him Last: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, March 2021
    Where We’ll See Him Next: TBD

    The Case For/Against:

    On one hand, Elijah Bradley is a founding member of the Young Avengers in the comics, and it would definitely feel like a slight if he wasn’t there. After the emotional storyline the writers of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier gave Isaiah Bradley in that series, it would be nice for his grandson to get the opportunity to carry on his legacy and be prominently featured as part of the Young Avengers. And at 23, Elijah Richardson (the actor who plays him) would be able to match youthful energy with a Young Avengers team that skews more to college age.

    But on the other hand, while the other Young Avengers in the comics have developed independent fan followings, Bradley has seen Marvel move past him to another character, Rashaun Lucas, wearing the Patriot colors, confusing the marketplace and raising questions about the extent to which Marvel brass has prioritized the character. Add in the fact that in America Chavez, the Young Avengers will have a star-spangled character they are definitely more interested in pushing, and it becomes more of a 50-50 proposition as to whether he will find himself firmly established as a Young Avengers mainstay, or have his story told in Captain America 4 alongside Sam WIlson.

    Conclusion: 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

    Cassie Lang (Stature/Stinger)

    Debut: Ant-Man, June 29, 2015
    Where We Saw Her Last: Avengers: Endgame, April 26, 2019
    Where We’ll See Her Next: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

    The Case For/Against:


    This character has been in the MCU longer than any of the others, notwithstanding the recent recasting that put a new actress, Kathryn Newton, into the role. And it’s unlikely that they’d recast if they didn’t have big plans for her. Fans have had a while to get invested in her story, and were she to develop powers like her comics counterpart, that would be the culmination of a story eight years in the making (assuming we see those powers in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). And Cassie Lang is a founding member of the Young Avengers who has never been associated with any other team. Everything is pointing to Cassie on the squad.

    Conclusion: 🧚🧚🧚🧚🧚

    Riri Williams (Ironheart)


    Debuts: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, November 11, 2022
    Where We’ll See Her Next: Ironheart

    The Case For/Against:


    Ironheart might be the trickiest character of all to call. Her comics version doesn’t really have a lot of established history with the Young Avengers, whose “Iron” character is Nathaniel Richards, a young Kang variant who has not yet gone down that path. But Riri’s comics version also doesn’t have much of a connection with Wakanda either, despite the fact that she’ll be debuting in the Black Panther sequel. Dominique Thorne is 23, so we can assume the character will be slightly older than her comics counterpart was, but a college-aged Riri is still in the right age bracket for an older skewing Young Avengers team. Plus, she’d be able to fill the tech genius void that the team would be lacking if she wasn’t included. Plus, since we’re already in uncharted territory with the character, who’s to say that Riri couldn’t turn out to be a Kang variant herself, in keeping with the “Iron Lad” role of the comics’ Young Avengers? It’s certainly not a perfect fit, but it could work.

    Conclusion: 💙💙💙💙

    After going through the possible candidates, the most plausible team dynamic would be a team that’s mostly composed of twentysomethings, with America Chavez as the “little sister” of the group who is mature beyond her years due to her life of traveling the Multiverse. In this scenario, it makes sense to age up Billy and Tommy to be peers of Kate, Cassie, Riri, and maybe Elijah. As for whether it makes sense for Kamala to join this mix right off the bat, there are arguments for and arguments against, but ultimately it hinges on how fast Marvel wants to get her out of high school. So much of her grounding in the teenage experience goes away in that scenario, but on the other hand, her going off to college puts her at a similar level of life experience as the other candidates — Young Avengers, but not too young. And I think that’s the vibe Marvel might be going for.

  • X Characters That Must Be Part of the MCU’s X-Projects

    X Characters That Must Be Part of the MCU’s X-Projects

    When Disney acquired the live-action right to the X-Men in the merger with Fox, they handed Marvel Studios a gold mine of characters that could support their own cinematic universe for decades. As Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios Parliament patiently plan their strategy for introducing The Mutants into the MCU, here are 10 characters whose stories could prove incredibly interesting and valuable over the long run.

    Apocalypse

    Most of the characters on this list haven’t appeared on the big screen yet (and to be honest, you could really make an argument that this character never did either), but among the very long list of characters done wrong by Fox, Apocalypse stands out as a giant. One of the world’s first known mutants, Apocalypse personified both the struggle faced by mutants and the idea that survival was only for those most fit. His character received a thrilling retcon recently, courtesy of Jonathan Hickman, and while not everything Hickman writes is easily adaptable to the screen, his retcon of En Sabah Nur provided, maybe for the first time, a glimpse of how to allow audiences to really empathize with the character. If the MCU reboot can pick adapt the history of Hickman’s Okkara, it would provide an entirely different look at the character from what we’ve seen. Apocalypse deserves a major role in any X-franchise reboot rather than the poorly done one-off that Fox gave him. Marvel’s access to Disney Plus can really help Apocalypse out in this way, allowing the character to grow and weave in and out of multiple projects.

    Christopher Summers

    A luxury Marvel Studios will have at its disposal that Fox did not is a self-owned streaming service. The X-world is MASSIVE and Fox chose to only focus on a very, very small portion of it. Marvel Studios is certain to have a team of X-Men, but it’s almost equally as certain that they will explore some of the many other corners left unexplored by Fox. Being able to use Disney Plus to introduce some characters who might not draw huge audiences to the theater will serve the studio well in that regard. Should Marvel Studios choose to make the decision to put the Summers family at the center of their reboot (a choice that can really pay off over the course of several years), one such character whose wild adventures would be worth following is Christopher Summers, aka Corsair, the leader of the Starjammers. Starting off the main X-Men franchise with an introduction to the father of Scott, Alex and Gabriel Summers and immediately introducing the Shi’ar Empire (one of Marvel Comics’ greatest alien races) gives the studios a footprint on which to expand on in two different worlds. Thankfully, Fox stayed away from Corsair and the Shi’ar, allowing for Marvel to cash in on some characters that are as sure of a thing as they have in their stable. Put Corsair at the center of the early days of the MCU reboot and you won’t be sorry.

    Cypher

    Doug Ramsey, mutant name Cypher, was first introduced fairly early on during Chris Claremont’s run on New Mutants. Cypher’s mutant gifts allow him to subconsciously understand any and all languages. As is the case with many characters over the years, as different writers have taken on projects, they imagine new ways for the characters’ powers to manifest. In this way, Cypher has become increasingly more interesting and powerful. Jonathan Hickman placed Cypher front and center in his Dawn of X era as he was able to communicate with Krakoa, the sentient island inhabited by the mutants. Cypher also has a fantastic relationship with the techno-organic alien Warlock, a character who COULD make as big of a splash win fans as Groot first did. Unlike the Fox films, the MCU is very likely to feature some of the X-Men’s cosmic adventures, making a spot for Cypher all but mandatory.

    Destiny

    One of the most powerful precogs in all of Marvel Comics, Destiny has played a major role in X-books over the last few years and seems…destined…to continue to do so. Following a classic archetype, Destiny lost her vision in her early teens as her ability to see the future grew. Fox’s X-films chose to focus heavily on Destiny’s long-time lover, Mystique, but strangely never included Destiny, who, with Mystique, reorganized the terrorist organization the Brotherhood of Mutants. In the comics, mutants have seen more than their fair share of major events, from the rise of Apocalypse to M-Day and even the Dawn of X…and Destiny foresaw them all. A powerful precog with an ever-changing agenda seems like a character who could serve as a wonderful wild card as Marvel Studios brings the mutants to their shared universe.

    Forge

    Forge’s mutant abilities made him a powerful technopath, but it’s his genius as an inventor that makes him truly fascinating…that and the fact that he’s also a pretty skilled sorcerer to boot. Raised in a Cheyenne tribe, the man known only as Forge has one the absolute wildest histories of any mutant. He’s served in the military, developed weapons for the Department of Defense (including one of the most devastating anti-mutant weapons ever created) and, over time, turned himself into a cyborg. Everything about Forge converges to make him exactly the type of character fans have come to expect to see in MCU properties. He should be front and center of the first wave of mutant projects developed by Marvel Studios.

    Kitty Pryde

    Kitty Pryde, played by Elliot Page in a pair of Fox’s X-films, is among the most tragically misused characters under Fox’s watch. Although the character got a bit of redemption in
    X-Men: Days of Future Past, the studio never came near to exploring the full potential of Shadowcat. A member of the main X-Men team, Excalibur and, more recently the leader of the Marauders and part of the Quiet Council that serves as the governing body of Krakoa, Pryde deserves to be at the forefront of Marvel Studios’ efforts. Given the complexity of her character and the multiple audiences to whom she would appeal, Pryde should be one of the building blocks of this iteration of the mutants’ story (and I’m told Kevin Feige is a big fan).

    Lilandra Neramani

    If the MCU is going to space with these mutants, they must include the Shi’ar Empire. And that means they must include Lilandra Neramani. In this regard, Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios Parliament would do well to learn from X-Men: The Animated Series which saw Lilandra and the Shi’ar figure prominently into one of the show’s best arcs. The dynamics of the Neramani family are absolutely fascinating in the comics and could make for a wonderful Game of Thrones-style project on their own and their story could be sprinkled into a few X-projects before taking center stage. Of course, Lilandra’s love affair with Professor X is one of the great landmark events of Charles’ life and could provide ready-made drama to the MCU’s mutants fairly early on. Her presence in Charles’ life would also allow for an entirely different side of his character to be explored than was ever done in Fox’s films.

    Madrox(es)

    Like Kitty Pryde, Madrox has already been done in live-action; however, also like Kitty Pryde, Madrox has never REALLY been done in live-action. Unlike most other mutants, Multiple Man’s mutant powers began to work immediately after his birth, with his first dupe popping out when the doctor smacked his ass to get that first cry. Marvel Studios will almost certainly take advantage of the multiple X-teams that have appeared in the books over the years and as far as telling a great Madrox story goes, that should mean adapting Peter David’s X-Factor. One of the greatest works of one of Marvel Comics’ all-time great writers, X-Factor totally reimagined the original purpose of the X-Factor team and follows Madrox and a team of mutants as they open up X-Factor Investigations. Though it may take a while to get to a point in their story where this arc fits well, this story, with Madrox at the center (and left…and right) is one that MUST be adapted to the screen, whether big or small.

    Selene

    One of the first mutants to make her way into recorded history, Selene Gallio’s personal history alone makes her a must for Marvel Studios’ mutant tales. However, her connection to the Externals, a group of supremely powerful immortal mutants that includes Apocalypse, could allow Marvel Studios to put a mutie-spin on a classic fantasy franchise: Highlander. Marvel Studios could adapt a mini-arc that kicked off in Jeph Loeb’s X-Force run and see Selene and the other Externals hunt, kill and absorb the life force of one another. If they land the right actress for the role, a Selene solo-series could serve as the de facto History of the MCU project, something ETERNALS should have done better, and introduce the Externals.

    Vulcan

    Should Marvel Studios decide to put the Summers’ family at the center of their MCU mutant franchise, they’ll have the opportunity to introduce the most powerful and craziest of the Summers’ brothers: Gabriel. Gabriel’s origins are horrifying and, as he grew in power, he did some horrifying things. Introducing his father early on allows for Gabriel (and his brothers) to take some time to develop and while Gabe can be a part of some pretty cool stuff early on, he could be the gateway character to Marvel Studios adapting one of its greatest Cosmic crossover events: War of Kings. Marvel Studios has shown it’s willingness to be patient and play the long game. Introducing Vulcan early on allows them to do that with a huge payoff looming at the end.

  • ‘Stranger Things’ “Dear Billy” Confirms Shawn Levy is the Perfect Choice for ‘Deadpool 3’

    ‘Stranger Things’ “Dear Billy” Confirms Shawn Levy is the Perfect Choice for ‘Deadpool 3’

    There were many reactions when it was announced that Shawn Levy was going to tackle the third entry of Ryan Reynolds‘ Deadpool series. In a way, it wasn’t too much of a surprise after the director and actor tackled Free Guy and The Adam Project back-to-back. He already proved his ability to tackle pop culture references and Reynold‘s usual brand of humor. Yet, there was one key ingredient that he just proved with his work on the Stranger Things Season 4 episode “Dear Billy.” He knows how to direct powerful emotional moments.

    It may sound strange, but while Deadpool#s quips and fourth-wall-breaking humor were generally his trademarks, the once 20th Century Fox franchise added one element that many overlook from his comic roots. Wade Wilson is a very tragic character that masks everything that has happened to him with the insanity that destroyed his view of his entire existence. The first two Deadpool films highlighted just how important that “human” element was when they explored his relationship with Morean Baccarin‘s Vanessa.

    The romance in the first film had its high points, but it was in the final moments where it truly came together in 2018’s Deadpool 2. The sequence when he finally gets to meet her again after her tragic death earlier in the film with an acoustic rendition of a-ha’s Take on Me hits like a dump truck of emotions. Even as he throws outlines, there’s something sincere and sweet that you wouldn’t expect from a comedy like this.

    With Levy taking on the third entry, there was some worry that the focus would mainly remain on the comedy aspects. Yet, his work on “Dear Billy” confirmed, at least for me, that the director is definitely one that can bring that emotional punch. The emotional arc of Sadie Sink‘s May Mayfield having to struggle with what may be her untimely death at the hands of Vecna was one of the season’s strongest.

    The emotional arc is rounded out by Max’s escape from the hands of Vecna through her favorite song, Kate Bush‘s Running Up That Hill which punctuated the sequence at its emotional arc. Besides the bonus side effect of the episode leading to the song once again hitting the Billboard Hot 100, it highlights that he is just as capable of tackling the humor, action, and heart that makes any Deadpool story stand out as more than just a fourth-wall-breaking comedy.

    Reynolds has proven he can pull off both, and it would be a shame not to continue his arc built around his connection with Vanessa. If they stick with her still being dead, there is an iconic story element that could be explored. The ending has implied he went back in time to save her life, and there’s a chance that this may have led to some shenanigans far beyond his own control; at least that he’d care to consider it. No matter how much the merc with a mouth throws out, as long as that emotional throughline remains, we’re in for what could become Marvel Studios’ funniest and most emotional entry yet.

    Source: USA Today

  • A Look Back at ‘Speed Racer’, a Misunderstood Masterpiece

    A Look Back at ‘Speed Racer’, a Misunderstood Masterpiece

    With the recent news that Apple is working on a live-action Speed Racer series, set to be produced by J.J. Abrams, now is as good a time as any to take a look back at the Wachowski’s 2008 film adaptation of the iconic anime. Not only was the film critically panned, but it also bombed at the box office; however, Speed Racer is better than you remember. In fact, it’s much better than you remember.

    All that’s wonderful about Speed Racer can be explained by a look at the film’s best scene: the interaction between Speed and the film’s villain, E.P. Royalton. Royalton is the business magnate in charge of ‘Royalton Industry’, a company that manufactures cars and does lots of other things. Royalton is essentially Jeff Bezos, except with way more style. Bezos wishes he could rock a cravat like Royalton. At first, Royalton charms the Racer family, but after Speed thinks about Royalton’s deal, he declines, leading to one of the greatest villain monologues in history. But why is this interaction so amazing?

    As an animated franchise, Speed Racer is well-known for its transitions: heads, action lines, and cars, all present in this movie. However, there’s a pretty specific difference in the energy of these edits depending on what emotion the audience is expected to feel. In the middle of a tense race: quick transitions, blurs and lines that simulate speed. But when the scene has low-energy, the audience gets calm transitions, fades and a slow pan. The conversation between Speed and Royalton featured mostly the latter.

    Part of what is so brilliant about this interaction is that the conversation is a framing device for the race that follows. Royalton reveals that he is in complete control of the World Racing League and tells Speed that the Grand Prix is fixed and has been forever. Then he offers Speed a choice: sign or lose. Speed refuses, and then Royalton tells one last story.

    When Royalton tells Speed about the Fuji race, the camera shifts and Royalton materializes a transition that we have only seen before in races, the races controlled by Royalton. It’s his world, and the Wachowski’s use the editing technique to demonstrate that. The screen becomes a blur that ends with Speed in the cockpit of the Mach 5, concerned and uncomfortable. Royalton is able to put Speed in a difficult position because of how much control Royalton has over the race.

    Royalton’s speech to Speed about Carl Potts, the racer he’d never heard of who was actually part of a complicated business maneuver can be jarring. After all, this would be tough to follow in The Wolf of Wall Street, and at least in that movie, every so often we’d recognize a ‘Lehman Brothers’ or ‘Macy’s’. The specifics of the sales mergers associated with Carl Potts and the ’43 Prix are borderline nonsense. We don’t know what ‘Iodyne fuel cells’ are or why they are valuable. But Royalton does, and that’s the point. If Royalton is going to win, it is because he understands this world in a way that we and Speed fundamentally don’t. And no matter how well Speed races, the business behind it all will always keep him from winning. We see this issue come up earlier when Rex was killed during the Casa Cristo Rally race by mobsters that were fixing the sport. And then later, Taejo Togokahn will betray Speed so that his company could drive up the price for their own merger. This world is just too complicated for Speed, and Royalton’s tone while explaining these business dealings spells that out for us.

    Every good villain serves as a dark reflection of the hero. The ‘how’ is super vague, but they usually share some trait or value. Spider-Man and Vulture are both working men. Spider-Man and Doc-Ock are both scientists. Spider-Man and Lizard are both experiments/urban legends. At first blush, it seems like Speed and Royalton have pretty much nothing in common. Sure, they both have ties to the racing industry, but what’s so interesting about Royalton is that he’s actually way more like Speed than almost any other character in the movie. Royalton wants one thing at the end of the day: to win. Not just the race, although that’s part of it, but Royalton views the collection of money as a competition. Royalton talks about being in the gains record book; “the only record book that matters.” And he describes the specifics of the company buyouts that led Iodyne Industries to corner the market on air travel the same way the Racer family talks about building a car. Racing is Speed’s life, his religion. And for Royalton, racing is a part of his life, a tool for his religion. After all, the race isn’t really anything more than an advertising opportunity for Royalton. Interestingly, Royalton doesn’t have anything specific he wants to do with it or have any rivals he wants to destroy with the money he wins. He’s been taught by a lifetime of keeping up with the sport and the business world that the real game is capitalism. He views the financial and legal forces that control Speed and his family as part of his own gain.

    Speed and Royalton are both fierce competitors who are playing different games, but with the same intensity. We never find out what Royalton’s values are that brought him to this point, or what family tragedy or father figure set him on this path, because we understand that sponsors and owners control sports in the real world. And in the end, it might not be that complicated. Speed wants to drive to win the race because he loves the race, and Royalton is Royalton for the love of the game, and his game is capitalism.

  • How the Road to ‘Secret Wars’ Might Go Through Earth- 838

    How the Road to ‘Secret Wars’ Might Go Through Earth- 838

    Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is looking like another box office win for Marvel Studios, what it accomplishes as the 5th film in Phase 4 is to continue planting the seeds for the potential next major crossover. Already eleven projects in, the path to Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the classic Secret Wars storyline seems like it’s being built, even if some feel we’re not ready quite yet.

    That’s right, it’s beginning to look like the MCU is eleven projects into what might become known as the Secret Wars saga. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier gave us a new Captain America, a reformed Bucky, and introduced us to the US Agent. Black Widow gave us a new Black Widow and a still effective Red Guardian. WandaVision gave us White Vision and Photon, while simultaneously introducing us to witches, including the Scarlet Witch. What If…? showed us different Earths, with different Variants of the heroes and villains we’ve seen on Earth-616, including worlds where Thanos does not become a villain and where Captain Carter is the first Avenger. And then there’s Loki, which presented us with the rules of the multiverse, how the TVA had been pruning Variants across different universes, while introducing the maestro behind it all, He Who Remains.

    He Who Remains, aka Nathaniel Richards, had spent considerable time and energy figuring out a way to defeat and/or trap multiversal Variants of himself, essentially wiping out their worlds. When Sylvie stabbed He Who Remains in the season final of Loki, she unleashed the multiverse. Indeed, we find out in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that a Variant remaining in another universe for too long causes an Incursion. Knowing that, it is clear that Nathaniel Richards did save lives, even if the methods of his TVA were not the right ones. The restoration of the multiverse, the knowledge that Incursions destroy other universes and the revelation that at least one universe in the multiverse has a TVA that openly works for a version of Kang can be seen as evidence that Marvel is building towards Secret Wars.

    With Incursions playing such a viral role in Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Wars run, and Marvel leaning a lot on Hickman’s work when they adapt these stories for the MCU, the mention of them by Earth-838’s Reed Richards is no coincidence. We now have one world (Earth-616) where a Variant (Gamora) is on the loose and no TVA to return her to her timeline. We know that, coming out of Avengers: Endgame, there were at least 5 different timelines. What If…? gave us the timelines mentioned above, which Kevin Feige confirmed are the consequences of Sylvie’s stabbing. In one of those universes, a Captain Carter exists. Could she be the same Captain Carter seen in Multiverse of Madness?

    In her world, we see that it’s a world where the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Inhumans all exist. The Charles Xavier who arrives late to Strange’s trial greatly resembles the Professor X from the X-Men animated series. If we accept that the animated series is canon to Earth-838, then this means that on this Earth there are the remaining members of the Fantastic 4 and X-Men, Inhumans who have just had their King brutally murdered, and ateam of Avengers who also just had their leader murdered. Also of note, only Mordo survived to tell their Wanda was possessed by another Wanda: as such, they’re going to want consequences.

    Hovering over all of this is every version of Kang. With Incursions caused by Variant sremaining in another universe for too long, and no TVA there to prune said Variant, then it is possible that Earth-838’s Kang (Immortus) will use the Baxter Foundation to further his desire to control the other universes. With a catalyst like Earth-616’s Doctor Strange off in the Dark Dimension, and the death of his own Variant, he may feel that Earth-616 is vulnerable and thus can be attacked. He’s got his army and all that’s left is war.

  • Three Ways ‘Ms. Marvel’ Will Tie Into ‘The Marvels’

    Three Ways ‘Ms. Marvel’ Will Tie Into ‘The Marvels’

    Now that Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness has released on the big screen, and Moon Knight has concluded its 6-episode run on Disney+, eyes have naturally pivoted to the next double entry in the MCU: Thor: Love & Thunder and the introduction of Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel is about three weeks away from dropping, and as we have seen, the Disney+ shows are FIRMLY connected to the wider MCU (even Moon Knight had a reference to the GRC that debuted in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier). Ms. Marvel will be no different, forging ties to the 2023 theatrical release, The Marvels.

    The 1-2 punch of Ms. Marvel/The Marvels seems in line with WandaVision/Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. As such, the speculation train is rampant as to how this story about a young hero from New Jersey can connect to the sequel for one of Marvel’s highest grossing films ever. We can start to answer that by going back to the source: the comics.

    Based on the trailer, Kamala Khan’s power source seems incredibly reminiscent of the Quantum Bands. The Quantum Bands, gifted in the comics to Mar-Vell as he became Protector of the Universe, may offer us our first connection to Carol Danvers.

    In the MCU, the Bands are likely Kree tech with a connection to the Quantum Realm. The Kree came to Earth-616 to bring Carol Danvers back to Hala, and it is entirely possible that they left some tech that Kamala Khan stumbles upon. The last time we saw Carol, in the post-credit scene for Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, where she was quickly distracted and had to run off. It’s incredibly likely that will coincide with the timeline of The Marvels.


    The Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye may also provide a template for a connection to form between Kamala and Carol. In that, we see a young Kate Bishop inspired by Hawkeye after watching him from her parents’ apartment as he fought off the Chitauri. In the comics, Kamala looks up to Carol in the same way, and you see hints of that transferring over from the page to the screen in the footage that Marvel has released. Kamala idolizes Carol, and it wouldn’t be too surprising to see a similar scene in Ms. Marvel that allows for Kamala to develop a deep respect for Carol. Keep in mind that, at this point in the MCU, Carol’s adventures have taken place off-world, so Marvel is going to have to show why Kamala feels this deep connection to Carol.

    Lastly, we can’t talk about how Ms. Marvel will connect to The Marvels without discussing the third “Marvel”: Monica Rambeau. Imbued with powers from thrice crossing “The Hex”, it is possible that Monica Rambeau will be the one to remind Kamala that Carol is not the hero that she thinks she is. Monica blipped when her mother was alive, returning only to have her mother pass and Carol, her mother’s best friend, nowhere to be found. In Wandavision, we see a Monica that is very clearly not too fond of Carol, and now she’s going to be with a person in Kamala who adores the person she cannot stand.

    Given that Carol didn’t Blip, and thus won’t understand why Monica is so pissed, it’s even likely that Kamala is who tells Carol that Monica has a reason to not be happy with her. Given Carol’s stubborn nature, this will most likely be needed. At the end of WandaVision, we also see that Monica is told by a friendly Skrull that someone wanted to see her, and that someone could be a Carol who has now recruited a kid into space (if Ms. Marvel ends with Kamala Khan being beamed up in order to be protected). Imagine her anger when seeing that Carol came to protect Kamala, but not her.

    With her power source potentially being Kree tech, the idolization of one of the heroes, and potential role as an intermediary between Carol and Monica, Ms. Marvel will most definitely be required watching for anyone preparing to watch The Marvels.



  • REVIEW: ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ Delights in Stupidity

    REVIEW: ‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ Delights in Stupidity

    People are kind of stupid. They’re also smelly, anxious, stubborn, and unpleasant. It’s something we learn at an early age, that other human beings are packed full of everything we’d like to hide about ourselves. We’ve all been to the slumber party where one of the other kids lets a big one rip, followed by a moment of silence and an appalling scent filling the air. By all accounts, this should be the end of that child’s social life. Expelled for unrepentant nastiness. Yet, this is almost never the case. Instead, in the seconds following a loud fart, most of us do the unthinkable. We laugh. We laugh because we know deep down that we’re just as gross and silly as our friend who might need to change their pants, and, most importantly, we know that’s okay.

    The Bob’s Burgers Movie succeeds because it engrains this knowledge into every crevice it has to offer. Loren Bouchard and Bernard Derriman weave a tapestry that, despite being made of comedy, comes together to create a beautiful image about family and all of its flaws. Don’t get me or my fancy wording wrong, the movie is still very much what you’d expect it to be. It has all the trappings of a typical Bob’s Burgers episode, right down to the daily special displayed on Bob’s chalkboard and the ever-changing business next door. There are goofy musical numbers, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them one-liners, visual gags, and all the familiar guest stars. However, the thing that truly helps the film soar is the major, aforementioned core trait that’s carried over from the series to the big screen – the lovable dysfunctionality of the Belcher family.

    A lot of the story’s action takes place outside of the show’s normal environment, so the movie relies heavily on the group dynamics of everyone’s favorite burger-flipping brood. The story concerns a giant sinkhole opening in front of the Bob’s Burgers restaurant, preventing access to customers and threatening to close the joint for good. Bob and Linda form their own plan to raise money with the help of loyal patron Teddy, while the kids take a dramatically different path and try to solve a murder Louise is convinced will solve all their problems. Impressively, both plots work in equal measure, and the movie manages to organically sow them together in the kind of hilariously chaotic style only Bob’s Burgers could pull off. Every moment with more than one Belcher on-screen was guaranteed pleasure.

    There’s a lot of humor from the jump in this film, and the jokes come at a relentless pace. Surprisingly, almost all of them land. There were several moments where I found myself cackling in the theater, something I haven’t done at a comedy showing in years. It’s often difficult in comedy to maintain that high of a joke rate without tiring the audience out. Sometimes, even if the comedy is well done, the schtick gets old by the time the credits begin to roll. Jackass Forever, for example, is a brilliant slapstick piece that almost became too much to laugh at as it crossed the finish line. Well done and actively funny, but most of my screening stopped laughing out loud about an hour in from fatigue. Conversely, The Bob’s Burgers Movie had everyone in their seats until the post-credits scene made us burst into laughter a final time.

    It took me a while to figure out how this worked, but I think I finally came to a conclusion. As stated previously, the best kind of humor is typically rooted in truth. We can’t help but be amused by other people doing and saying stupid things, because really, we know we’re entirely capable of being just as dumb. Bob’s Burgers rattles off an endless stream of material, all of it based in characters being brainless, and more than once, I caught myself thinking “that feels like something I would do”, or, “that reminds me of [insert friend here]”. Because of this, I was completely engrossed the whole time, and let out an audible chuckle for every fart joke and nonsensical sentence the Belchers and friends emitted throughout.

    Finally, to bring it all home, are the last few words from that opening paragraph. Bob’s Burgers never forgets that, no matter how empty-headed its protagonists can be, it’s all okay as long as they still love each other at the end of the day. This is a movie about embracing your weirdness and being comfortable in it because with any luck, you have other weird people around you to accept it. Even the overly-rich, eccentric landlord has an overly-rich, eccentric brother to understand him. The Bob’s Burgers Movie delights in cherishing stupidity, and the people who’ve allowed it to endure for millennia. Sometimes that’s enough to warm your heart, and it’s definitely enough to justify a trip to the movies.

  • REVIEW: ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers’ Is Nostalgia Done Right

    REVIEW: ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers’ Is Nostalgia Done Right

    Ever wonder what it would look like if The Lonely Island were put in charge of a Disney movie? Wonder no more. That movie is here, and it is Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. The newest animated comedy from the House of Mouse is a perfect example of nostalgia done the right way. Director Akiva Schaffer manages to find a perfect blend between classic story of friendship and the admittedly insane amount of cameos and references pulled off during the film’s tight runtime. It’s family friendly, with lots for the little ones to love, but with plenty of jokes aimed specifically at the adult crowd as well.

    Those jokes, however, aren’t necessarily the kind one might expect from a Chip and Dale picture. Gone are the high-pitched chipmunk voices of old, and in are the vocal chords of comedians Andy Samberg and John Mulaney. Naturally, this leads to a lot more deadpan quipping and observational humor than the cornball antics of the original animated series. The strange tonal pivot, which works surprisingly well, is explained away with a rather Roger Rabbit-esque revelation. Chip and Dale were never those famously squeaky detectives that folks tend to think of when their names come up. Instead, they are simply actors, living in a world where humans and cartoons co-exist peacefully. Now, decades after the end of their hit show, they’ve broken up and live relatively normal lives, working jobs that don’t exactly bring them the same kind of fulfillment as the Rescue Rangers once did.

    From here, the movie gets pretty cliche. The duo’s old partner Monty, now voiced by Eric Bana, goes missing, forcing them to reunite and resolve their differences to save their friend. Most of the plot points and story beats are ones audiences will recognize, and most of what goes on is pretty predictable. It’s a really simple movie obviously designed with children in mind, paced quickly for short attention spans, making it easy to follow. However, the fact that so much of the film treads familiar water while also remaining fun for grown-ups is a testament to just how entertaining the rest of it is. Despite not breaking much new ground, Chip ‘n Dale is genuinely pretty funny from beginning to end.

    The movie is injected with that specific style of new-age satire that allows it to be both earnest and self-aware at the same time. For every joke made at the expense of animation and it’s classic characters, there’s also a sense of pure love and admiration for the genre that the filmmakers so clearly grew up on. There are quite a few deep cut references to the history of animation too. Some are more on-the-nose, like Los Angeles’ slum being called the “Uncanny Valley” because it’s filled with poorly rendered CGI avatars from the “early 2000s.” Others, like a surprise appearance by the Tigra from Marvel’s flopped Avengers: United They Stand  cartoon, are just weirdly obscure and specific enough to put a big smile on the face of an older audience. There are many more I’d love to get into here, but I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun of seeing it all for the first time.

    Mercifully, most of the cameos and references happen in a pretty organic way. Trailers for the film made it seem like the Easter eggs may overpower any actual storytelling, but this isn’t the case. The Roger Rabbit setting allows for a litany of references and appearances to happen without anything being forced, with a multitude of famous faces popping in and out as the plot unfolds naturally. It’s essentially what many fans had hoped Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness might be, without the limitations of applause breaks or fear of “being too much.” There are quite a few vocal surprises as well, with guest stars voicing different characters than were advertised leading up to the film’s release. A lot of them produced excited chuckles from myself..

    Ultimately, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers succeeds in being a heartfelt tale for kids while also being a viable entertainment option for adults. Truthfully, the movie sort of plays like a project made specifically for people who grew up on the cartoon while simultaneously introducing the characters and concepts to a new generation. Most of the best jokes and surprises are really for the parents. So, get ready to sit down and gear up for a fantastic new family adventure. Sometimes some crimes go slipping through the cracks, but these two gumshoes are picking up the slack.

  • How An MCU-616 Earth vs ‘X-Men ’97’ Showdown Could Be the Multiverse Saga’s Endgame

    How An MCU-616 Earth vs ‘X-Men ’97’ Showdown Could Be the Multiverse Saga’s Endgame

    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.