Tag: Movie Features

3 Things We’d Like to See Explored in a ‘SHANG-CHI’ Sequel

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings has established itself as both a critical and popular success, carrying a strong 98% audience score and 92% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metascore of 71 and 7.6 user score at Metacritic. Financially, it has outperformed pandemic expectations and looks to have another good week or two in the tank. All that success combined with Kevin Feige and Destin Daniel Cretton’s comments which have indicated a sequel is essentially waiting to be given the green light mean that a follow up to Shang-Chi is an inevitability at this point. The first film was pretty well self-contained, but as is always the case found ways to connect itself to the MCU and leave some threads left to pull for potential sequels. What could we see in Shang-Chi 2? We have some thoughts…

The Capital Cities of Heaven

The pocket dimension of Ta Lo is integral to the plot of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. When Shang-Chi and Xialing first arrive in Ta Lo, they get a tour of the small town along with a history lesson: in short, there are other hidden cities that, like Ta Lo, are likely pocket dimensions. As we prepare for the Sacred Timeline debuts of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, it’s possible that Shang-Chi also laid the groundwork to bring Daniel Rand-K’ai, the Iron Fist, along for the ride as well.

Should Marvel Studios decide to take the leap (and make no mistake, bringing Iron Fist to the MCU will come with several big shit storms), a Shang-Chi sequel could easily make use of the pre-established idea of hidden cities to introduce the Capital Cities of Heaven and, should the want to make an absolutely incredible movie, center it around the Tournament of the Heavenly Cities. Introduced during Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and David Aja’s run on Immortal Iron Fist, the capital cities of heaven are all mystical cities located in pocket dimensions around the Earth, each with their own Immortal Weapon or champion. Among those cities if K’un Lun whose champion is, of course, The Immortal Iron Fist. Every 88 years, 7 of the 8 cities converge into one breathtaking setting, the Heart of Heaven, and host a tournament that pits the Immortal Weapons against one another. Bringing the tournament to the big screen would provide MCU fans with a chance to meet characters such as Fat Cobra, John Aman and Tiger’s Beautiful Daughter while giving Feige a chance to reboot Danny Rand, Dog Brother #1 and the Bride of Nine Spiders, all of whom were done dirty in the Netflix series.

It wouldn’t take much imagination to shuffle things around enough to have Ta Lo be one of the Capital Cities and have Shang-Chi be their champion. Given Cretton’s effective use of flashbacks in the first film, it would be fun to watch him explore the rich history of these cities while introducing characters that could stick around for a while and have their own stories told down the line. Given what we learned in Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, it’s safe to assume these cities already exist. Now it’s a matter of how badly the team at Marvel Studios wants to explore them.

The Atlas Foundation

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings did a wonderful job of establishing the long history of the Ten Rings organization without telling us too much about either the organization or the rings themselves. We know the organization has existed for around 1,000 years and that during that time, Wenwu was known by many names, among them the Great Khan. Logically, if one organization has existed for a thousand years, so could another: The Atlas Foundation.

The Atlas Foundation’s origins date back to the time of Genghis Khan and have ties to him as each of the Foundation’s leaders have always been descendants of him. Given Wenwu’s long life, it’s entirely possible that he fathered more than the two children we met in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings and that one of those children could have gone his or her own way from Wenwu and created a secret organization that has grown significantly over the last 1,000 years. This part of the sequel writes itself as, should this organization exist, both Shang-Chi and Xialing would be direct heirs of Wenwu and the rightful leaders of the Atlas Foundation. With Xialing now running the Ten Rings, it would make for some killer sibling rivalry if Shang-Chi took his place atop Atlas and used its resources to work against his sister.

Introducing the Atlas Foundation opens the door not only for another really cool dragon (Atlas has long been advised by the immortal lung dragon known as Mr. Lao) but could also pave the way for Jimmy Woo to enter the picture and open the door to an Agents of Atlas project as a direct follow-up.

Fin Fang Foom

When we found out that Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings would feature multiple dragons, NOBODY predicted we’d get the Great Protector and the Dweller-in-Darkness. Nobody is complaining about how great they worked out but fans are still crossing their fingers that the one we all thought was coming will show up and the mid-credits scene, while intentionally ambiguous, certainly leaves open the possibility we will see Fin Fang Foom in the sequel.

As the Avengers explain to Shang-Chi, his use of the Ten Rings activated a beacon that is calling to something ancient. Given the presence of Captain Marvel in the room, it’s easy to believe that this beacon is calling to something far away across the stars, however, that is never made explicit. The opening of the film leaves the origin of the Ten Rings intentionally ambiguous, stating only that Wenwu maybe found them in a crater or in a tomb, leaving room for a sequel to explore just exactly where they came from. Given his comic ties to the rings, it would be pretty great if the answer to that question came in the shape of He Whose Limbs Shatter Mountains and Whose Back Scrapes the Sun.

Though his story has changed some over the years, Fin Fang Foom is an ancient being from the planet Kakaranthara from where his species, the shape-shifting Makulans, left to conquer other planets. FFF arrived in Ancient China prior to the 8th century and while his fellow Makulans went out to conquer, he was given a reserve role and put to sleep in a tomb. Eventually, the Mandarin ventured into the tomb and took the Ten Rings, Makulan technology that contained the souls of dead warriors, and woke the Foomster.

Again, the story writes itself and keeps its ties to the comic books while updating it to keep it fresh. Wenwu’s rings are clearly alien tech; the combination of that tech with Ta Lo’s magic could be just the catalyst to bring Foom out of his slumber and into the world where he would lay waste to it in the form of a giant dragon, giving Marvel Studios its very first Kaiju film. While Fin Fang Foom might seem like an Avengers-level threat (indeed the mid-credit scene with the Avengers leads us down that path), Shang-Chi is pretty powered up with the rings and could put up a fight against Foom and maybe even learn something new about the rings along the way.

September 15, 2021
Exploring When the Next Young Avengers Members May Appear in the MCU

The trailer has finally arrived for Hawkeye. It introduces the world to Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop. Not only an important character in the role of Clint Barton and the Avengers but a very prominent member of the Young Avengers. We’ve noticed a variety of young heroes popping out throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s fourth phase and it seems like we might get a Young Avengers adaptation at some point. Yet, there are still three prominent members that haven’t made their debut yet. So, it’s time to explore when we can expect the missing members of the team.

Miss America

Now, this is a rather easy one to pinpoint, as we got the confirmation that Xochitl Gomez will play America Chavez in next year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We still have no idea what direction they are taking with the character, but her presence in a multiversal story stays true to her comic origins. She was raised by her mothers in a dimension known as the Utopian Parallel. After a great tragedy, she ends up traveling from one reality to another before embracing her heroic nature.

It’s still unsure how she fits into the story. There might be a connection between how she ends up working alongside Strange and the rumored appearance of Shuma-Gorath. We also have Wanda’s unknown role on top of it all. Perhaps her home dimension is the key to ending the madness that rages across the multiverse. At the end of the story, she may end up in the mainline dimension and meets up with some of the already introduced members, as they potentially face a new challenge ahead.

Hulkling

So, here’ the first of the three Young Avengers that wasn’t hinted at in any capacity. Theodore Altman is half-Kree and half-Skrull. He was born as the love child of Mar-Vell and the Skrull princess Anelle, who had a brief affair. As a result, he was raised on Earth due to the fear of what her kind would do to him knowing he is a half-breed. Growing up, he learns fast of his shapeshifting abilities and ended up drafted by Vision in the Avengers Fail-Safe Program a.k.a. the Young Avengers.

His Skrull and Kree background makes him eligible for two specific projects. Either we’ll get introduced to the character in the Disney+ Secret Invasions series or the Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels. We got introduced to a gender-flipped version of Mar-Vell that was protecting refugees from the Skrull race. There wasn’t any hint of her having potentially brought a child to the world, but there’s a curious gap in history that has yet to get explored before her death at the hands of Yon-Rogg.

Iron Lad

Unlike the previous characters, there’s a strange absence of Iron Lad. We did get introduced to his multiversal parallels, The One Who Remains and Kang the Conqueror. In the comics, a young Nathaniel Richards is abducted by an older version of himself. Terrified of the vision that shows the monster he would become, he swears to avoid his fate and arms his body with a bio-metal suit. As his name implies, the teenage hero is inspired by Iron Man’s iconic design. So, it would make sense that he’d potentially appear in Armor Wars. Yet, the Marvel Cinematic Universe might curiously twist his origin story.

There’s a chance we might not even see Iron Lad in the MCU but rather have another character take his place. Marvel Studios is working on an Ironheart series eyeing a production start next year. The only thing she and Iron Lad have in common lies in their inspiration. They both end up building high-tech armors inspired by Tony Stark that could even surpass his work. As we learn that Kang is strongly connected to time and the multiverse, she may take his role in the original story as she faces the fact of what her existence would create. Of course, they could also still introduce Richards as a fellow MIT student. Still, her prominent role in the MCU’s future might create an interesting twist on the original.

September 13, 2021
The Artist Who Inspired Denis Villeneuve’s ‘DUNE’

Dune is an incredibly diverse and culturally rich story. Frank Herbert introduced us to many interesting cultures, factions, and places, which influenced the entire broad thematic spectrum of Dune. Despite this, Herbert was not famous for his elaborate descriptions of places, landscapes, or costumes. Instead, he focused on a varied narrative that presented the viewer with different perspectives and heavily delves into characters’ psychology.

The lack of a consistent stylistic vision of the world presented by Herbert made this subject open to several artists. When we take a look at the film adaptations of Herbert’s work, we can see that each of them approached the visual aspect of this world in a different way. You can see this most clearly in Alejandro Jodorowsky‘s unfinished version of Dune, and Villeneuve’s film. Jodorowsky intended to go for a visual extravaganza, collaborating with famed artist Mobius. Mobius’ concept art later inspired many artists with its creativity, psychedelic and fantasy.

Villeneuve, on the other hand, focuses on the rawness and brutality of Herbert’s world. He doesn’t hide the inspiration he draws from the colors of John Schoenherr‘s works that appear on the illustrated edition of Dune. Even Herbert himself once pointed out that this vision is the closest to what he had imagined.

However, there is another artist who has influenced Denis Villeneuve’s vision in a much greater way: Wojtek Siudmak.

The Works of Wojtek Siudmak are beautiful and powerful hypnotism. Once encountered, they remain rooted in our memory like intimate revelations about ourselves. It seems as if the artist’s raw material originated from our own unconscious. His vision captivates the viewers with their profundity. Though nobody has yet managed to crack open the door to the future, Wojtek Siudmak already anticipates it and watches, with his curious eyes, eternal beings floating in a world where time and space are no longer constrained by the fundamental laws of nature.
Denis Villeneuve, The Worlds Of Wojtek Siudmak, Rebis, 2021

Wojtek Siudmak has been creating interstellar hyper-realistic illustrations related to Dune for many years. The most famous works of his are from the Polish edition published by Rebis, which have become a unique project worldwide. His works have become an inspiration for many artists like Federico Fellini, Jean-Jacques Annaud and George Lucas, who mentioned that “there’s a powerful tranquility in Wojtek Siudmak’s creations, and endless to explore and invent”.

artist: Wojciech Siudmak

Exploring the world of Dune through the perspective of Siudmak’s images is an amazing experience on its own. The world he envisions is based on complex and multilayered storylines dealing with messianism, criticism of religion up to ecology, and even tribalism.

In his images, people become victims of their arrogance and blindness in the desire for evolution, which turned out to be a cul-de-sac. In these illustrations, humanity is caught in a conflict between rationalism and the surreal creation of the world that is manifested in such magical and abstract imagery. These paintings exude sensuality, intimacy, and eroticism, which is the highlighting of the human soul as its bodily manifestation and power of consciousness.

Siudmak portrays many iconic things from Dune in a way that intrigues and thrills with ingenuity and surreal empiricism. In addition to drawing from Siudmak’s sense of monumentalism, female persuasion, and oneiric atmosphere, Villeneuve also takes inspiration from his architecture. Many of Siudmak’s works show monumental, brutalist structures, which with their ancient appearance refer to (in this world) prehistoric cultures such as Greek, Egyptian or Gothic.

In the world of Siudmak, a man is faced with a question of what reality is and whether a man can control and change it with his mind, adjusting time and matter to his perception. The works of the Polish artist will always stay with me. I am glad that they have become an integral part of the world of Dune. Today, Siudmak is one of the icons of this universe.

September 11, 2021
From Ta Lo to Atlantis: How Marvel Studios Might Introduce Namor’s Home

Following the release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become home to yet another fictitious location, Ta Lo. With Namor scheduled to make his MCU debut as early as next year in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it’s likely that audiences will get to see yet another mythical location, the undersea kingdom of Atlantis. While little is known regarding how the studio will introduce Atlantis on the big screen, it’s fair to assume that its upcoming introduction may take some hints from Shang-Chi. Like with Ta Lo, Atlantis will need to touch on how it’s imprinted with its cultures’ mythology, how it has managed to stay hidden up until now and even its access points.

With over a decade of movies under its belt, Marvel Studios will need to take a new approach when introducing fantastical new locations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Part of Marvel’s problem is that, after twenty-five films, audiences may be confused as to why a location is only recently being referenced. And even though there are locations that could have only gained relevance due to The Blip, not all can fit those criteria. Due to this, many, especially ones that have been around for millennia, need a more careful approach regarding their MCU debut, and Ta Lo is a perfect example of that.

What is Ta Lo?

In the comics, Ta Lo was a small “pocket” dimension adjacent to Earth, and it appears to be something quite similar in the MCU. It is described as a mystical dimension, inhabited by Chinese mythological creatures, that have managed to stay hidden not only by being difficult to access but especially by making it unclear to the outside world if it’s even a real place or not.

It can be accessed from Earth through a portal located in China, which is shielded by an enchanted bamboo forest, that only allows safe passage on the first day of the fifth solar term of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, the first day of the traditional Qingming Festival. Besides The Great Protector, its giant guardian dragon, several other Chinese mythological creatures are shown to live inside Ta Lo. From Dijiangs (Morris’ kind) to several Phoenix and Nine-tailed Foxes, Guardian Lions and Qilins.

The way Marvel Studios managed to enrich the movie by embedding it with the spirit of such a vivid concept of what Chinese mythology should be about, managed to take the project to a whole new level. By intertwining these ideas with a real-world setting, they became a more credible concept within the MCU, contributing to the world-building Phase 4 seems to be all about. And this is where one is left to wonder if, knowing what Marvel Studios might be hinting at by casting Tenoch Huerta as Namor, and Mabel Cadena as Namora, Kevin Feige and his team are preparing to do something similar in its approach towards Atlantis.

How does it relate to Atlantis?

Following Ta Lo’s example, Marvel could treat Atlantis as a place beyond earth’s dimension. Doing so would allow for an easy explanation as to why it hasn’t been addressed previously. The founders of Atlantis, as some write, were half-god and half-human, so it wouldn’t be unheard of to make it a mythological place of its own, almost inaccessible, rooted in the mythology of a civilization. With both Huerta and Cadena both having distinct central American heritage, that seems to be playing a part in the uniqueness Marvel should want for its take on Atlantis, something like the Aztec Empire serving as the grounded real-world connection to a fictional lost underwater city sounds like a possibility.

Tlālōcān

When diving into Aztec history, one learns of their ancestors’ (the Olmecs) presence in the Yucatan Peninsula. Lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east, it’s a place said to have a profound connection with the Aztec water Gods, who ruled over a paradise world called Tlālōcān. This world is said to be the home of those who died through drowning or lightning, ruled over by the rain deity Tlāloc. In the present day, it’s more of a concept embracing the subterranean world and its denizens. Aztec shamans were supposedly able to access this otherworldly realm through whirlpools, something very similar to the way Ta Lo was accessible to Shang-Chi.

To understand how those whirlpools might come into play, we should remember that the Yucatan Peninsula is, amongst other things, famous for its cenotes, a.k.a. sinkholes. These were likely to have been formed several million years ago through the impact of an incredibly large meteor in the region. As a result, they are filled with shocked quartz, a byproduct of the extreme impact. One of the characteristics of this type of pressurized quartz is that it can convert Earth’s natural electrical vibrations into a form of energy, and it’s been theorized that it could be used in the creation of wormholes, through an electromagnetic reaction called the Casimir effect.

A modern take on Atlantis

Cenote Angelita

We now have the idea of a mysterious location, deeply rooted in Aztec mythology, much like Ta Lo. We also have clearly defined access points. These access points prevent accidental outside access, defined by the geomorphology of the region. By taking a realistic approach to Atlantis, Marvel Studios can introduce its own fresh take on the world. More importantly, though, it also allows Marvel to preserve the verisimilitude of its universe by grounding it in real-world cultural concepts going back generations.

Could we have found or Atlantis in Tlālōcān? Going back to Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings, Michelle Yeoh’s character, Ying Nan, suggests that there might be other cities in pocket dimensions. Will this be how audiences come to meet the kingdom of Namor the Sub-Mariner?

Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings is in theaters now, while Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in production and expected to hit theaters on July 8, 2022.

September 9, 2021
Shang-Chi: New Avenger

As we find out in Shang-Chi and The Legend Of The Ten Rings, the titular hero is up to the task. With some help from his sister and the good people of Ta-Lo, a disaster of epic proportions is avoided. When the film wraps up we see Shang-Chi and Katy being picked up by Wong for a trip to the sanctum. What occurs next is a big step for not only the MCU, but Shang-Chi’s development as a new Avenger.

As Wong is explaining to Shang-Chi and Katy the nature of the ten rings, we get a nice surprise. Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner are there via video screen a la Endgame. They’re also advising on the situation. The rings are described as very old and very powerful, as we saw Wenwu use to devastating results in the film. Something in those rings apparently acts as a beacon sending a signal. What that scenario means for the future of the MCU is a great question, but the immediate story here is fascinating: Shang-Chi is an asset to the team.

The Avengers after the events of Endgame are all off dealing with smaller issues. We have plenty of individual stories that have begun to reconnect the larger group: the events happening on Earth, in the multiverse, and eventually space. How all of these things connect to an eventual bigger team up will be quite the undertaking. Seeing Shang-Chi after his first film essentially make his way to the team is our first hint at the future.

Wong’s role in the film as a teacher is another story to watch. It’s clear that Wong in the fight with the Abomination is giving pointers to him like a trainer. Wong then advises Shang-Chi and Katy while also welcoming them to the team. It’s clear that Wong’s MCU role has also expanded. What that might mean for Dr. Strange is quite the topic down the line. Nonetheless, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is more than just an introduction. It’s a sign that things in the MCU are evolving, with new faces and new Avengers.

September 5, 2021
‘DUNE’ Is More Relevant Than Ever And Worth The Wait

Dune is a book legend. Next to Isaac Asimov‘s Foundation and Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dune is the most influential sci-fi book ever written. Social media discourse has repeatedly compared Dune to Star Wars or Game of Thrones, but the truth is that if it were not for the existence of Frank Herbert’s masterpiece, we never would have seen those films. The themes and issues handled by Frank Herbert in his books could be talked about at length, but for now, let’s focus on the debut of the 2021 film adaptation, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The buzz surrounding the movie provides a good opportunity to talk about Frank Herbert‘s Dune and why the upcoming Denis Villeneuve adaption is worth the wait.

Dune is a coming-of-age story of a young man named Paul Atreides who is frightened of leaving Caladan – his home planet full of water and a variety of life. House Atreides is supposed to go Arrakis, also known as Dune, which is a desert planet with a rough ecosystem. However, Dune is full of spice called melange, a psychoactive chemical that is the main natural resource in the entire Empire. Melange enables interstellar travels and without it, the economy of the empire would collapse. As soon as Paul enters the Arrakis’ environment imbued with spice, his powers awaken.

This contrast between Caladan and Dune is very relatable and easy for the audience to identify with. Most of us live in an inhabitable environment. We don’t have to wear special stillsuits to keep us moisturized, and gigantic sandworms aren’t our daily window view. The chaotic environment of Arrakis led Villeneuve to draw some parallels to Earth’s own changing climate:

No matter what you believe, Earth is changing, and we will have to adapt,” he says. That’s why I think that Dune, this book, was written in the 20th century. It was a distant portrait of the reality of oil, capitalism, and exploitation, or even overexploitation, of Earth. Today, things are worse. It’s a coming-of-age story, but also a call for action for the youth.
Behold Dune: An Exclusive Look at Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, and More, May 2020

Dune is a story about self-adapting to the new environment with a metaphysical journey into deep human self-consciousness. It is also a story about teaching society to love the planet and that nature is true power and even a god to humans who must live in symbiosis with it. The next few years in Hollywood will see an increase of films tackling environmental issues and climate changes. Nowadays, we don’t see many tentpole movies addressing these issues and fears of our planet warning us.

Frank Herbert predicted many modern problems such as overexploitation of Earth, the short-termism of capitalism, monopoly, religion interfering in politics, and of course —environmental threats. Dune teaches us how to love our planet and that even the roughest environment has some wonders. Shai-Hulud (the Fremen term for a Sandworm) is the synonym of God, showing that nature is a true god to people, and we can’t interfere with the ecosystem. Naturally, melange is a great analogy to oil, which is the most important resource in our world. Herbert doesn’t hide his anti-colonial statements in his book and shows House Harkonnens as brutal colonizers who murder indigenous peoples for power and resources.

In Herbert’s books, we don’t also see computers or androids because of an event called Butlerian Jihad, a war between humans and thinking machines. Herbert’s main goal was to show how humans can develop their minds and consciousness over the next 20,000 years into the future. In the Dune universe, human computers named Mentants, serve as war strategists and the rulers’ left-hand. The right-hand is usually occupied by the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood which is the pseudo-religious organization of all-women. Even if Dune presents a patriarchal society, Bene Gesserit is a great example of a feminist view of Herbert. Despite the fact that their idea was always to serve, the truth is they controlled and manipulated the empire over the centuries.

Their goal was to create Kwisatz Haderach – a male Bene Gesserit, who would be able to see the future. They also used religion as a form of defense, seeding their Missionaria Protectiva to a more primitive culture so that the Sisterhood could take advantage of them when those seeds grew to full-fledged legends.

Although no aliens appeared in Dune (they were only hinted at in the encyclopedia), the books feature strange society groups. Such societies include the guild navigators, who resemble human beings in no way, as the large daily portion of melange has turned them into strange, “fish-like” creations. Another such group is, of course, the Bene Tleilaxians, who looked more like vampires than humans.

Their society has isolated itself from the Landsraad and closed itself off from their culture, practicing genetic modifications, which are not necessarily ethical. Then, of course, we have Leto II, who at the end of his life also did not resemble a human being. That, however, is a story for another time. It’s both fascinating but also a little scary that for so many thousands of years humanity never encountered alien civilizations, though they had a plan for a potential form of defense against them). Humanity has evolved to the point where at some point there is no longer any definition of a human being besides passing the Gom Jabbar test.

Moreover, Herbert tackles the problem a criticism of authority and blindly following messianic figures. For the most part, Paul’s journey is very Cambellian but as the storyline progresses, Herbert deconstructs that narrative at the end of the book. Dune is not a white savior story about the chosen one. Herbert’s criticism of messianic figures is addressed to people and society who create their religious myths and legends about their leader.

In the 1960s, there was a group that practiced drug orgies (and more) to unite around the ideology of their “chosen one.” The group even killed in his name: the Manson family. Admittedly, Dune was written before the murder of Sharon Tate on Cielo Drive, but you can see how Herbert foresaw and the attitudes he criticized in his work – not to follow individuals, imposing their religion, ideology on you as the only right and unquestionable one. It just so happened that in 1969, which is when the tragic event in Polanski’s home occurred, Herbert releases Messiah of Dune, which takes on jihad (i.e. religious warfare) and the deaths of billions of people in the universe that resulted from Paul’s actions as the messiah of the Fremen.

The QAnon phenomenon is also connected with the themes of Dune (there’s quite a good docuseries on HBO MAX about that which I recommend). Although QAnon and Paul Atreides don’t have much in common, the cult and religion that surround them do. It points out how dangerous a religious and almost sacred perspective on authorities can be, especially when it’s paired with politics. Even if the Dune: Part One isn’t adapting the whole book but two-thirds, we may see some seeds and of that theme.

Dune is probably one of the last chances for a new and ambitious sci-fi series in Hollywood. Blade Runner 2049 was a box office fiasco and many people have already doomed Dune to the same kind of failure. The pandemic and simultaneous distribution don’t help the overall situation, but Dune being a financial disaster is the last thing I’d like to see. It’s an amazing universe with a great potential for sequels, spin-offs, and prequels. The entire franchise has the opportunity to become something fresh in the mainstream, knowing that Dune isn’t a typical sci-fi story. Seeing all the praise coming from Venice, the only thing I can do is encourage you to go to the cinema or legally stream Dune which will surely be the defining blockbuster of this decade.

Dune will theaters and HBO Max on October 22nd.

September 4, 2021
How ‘SHANG-CHI’ Reinvented the MCU Origin Story

With the introduction of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ titular character, now is a good time to explore the way that the MCU has been gradually replacing the classic superhero origin story historically used for the film introduction of all-new superheroes. Shang-Chi was a triumphant departure from this device, but it is hardly the first time the MCU has experimented with it. With Phase 4 ramping up, it is becoming more and more clear that Marvel plans to update its creative vision to give us new characters that aren’t weighed down by what often felt like obligatory narratives all cut from the same cloth.

Because scrapping traditional origin plot lines will give any film more room to run, what Marvel has in store for us and its characters in the future will surely be marked by even more innovative, vibrant, and accelerated storytelling that opens the door for stronger MCU-wide connections between properties.

The proverbial hero’s journey has pervaded nearly every film in the superhero genre at large—no studio, no property, no character was immune from this model of storytelling. In the very simplest of terms, the common template of the hero’s journey sees the ordinary protagonist receive a call to adventure, experience fear or uncertainty, meet a mentor, cross the threshold to embrace this new adventure, go through trials or challenges and reach rock bottom before utilizing the lessons learned along the way to transform into a better version of themselves.

Giving credit where credit is due, the hero’s journey template is a tried and true storytelling technique, which is obvious from the fact that superhero movies have been genuinely loved for decades. The problem rears its head when a large number of films of the superhero genre start to saturate the movie landscape and the origins start to feel like they simply repeat themselves over and over again.

Shang-Chi just represented a different way to approach a character’s introduction. Instead of being an ordinary guy who has to discover, learn, and conquer what it is that makes him “super”, Shang-Chi is already established. While he is brought back into Wenwu’s Ten Rings empire, his backstory is generally accepted to be just that—his backstory. While flashbacks were heavily influential as to weaving enough history in as to complement and supplement the ongoing surface story, the real narrative was of an already expertly trained martial artist drawn back into the family he escaped.

The result is a film that doesn’t merely explore, “Who is Shang-Chi and why is he Shang-Chi?” but instead a story that was just as much an epic of the legacies of his parents as it was his journey to find himself within that stage. If anything, the film shifted its focus away from its titular character more than expected. So, overall, instead of another hero’s journey, we ended up with a multi-level mythical action flick that incidentally added another leading superhero to our repertoire.

While it is a masterful example, Shang-Chi is by no means the first MCU film to experiment with how to introduce new characters without the classic narrative constraints. It arguably started with Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it has not let up much since. Homecoming, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and of course, Shang-Chi have all had the privilege of telling their titular character’s story in a more inventive way. Homecoming itself is a useful illustration that highlights two major ways that the MCU is reconfiguring the origin story model.

First, giving the character a soft introduction in Captain America: Civil War bypassed a lot of the forced introductory periods in origin movies. In Homecoming, it was pretty remarkable that we had a Spider-Man movie without the very well-known spider bite and Uncle Ben origin. At the time, it was a refreshing break from the seemingly constant resting and retelling of the character, and it gave Peter a leg up in terms of how expansive the solo story could be. The character of T’Challa and Black Panther also benefitted from the Civil War school of fun-size introductions of major, major players. Instead of Black Panther needing to use up time to explain Wakanda and the concept of the Black Panther, the film was eager to virtually start from any place it chose.

Like Shang-Chi, Black Panther was able to weave a story far more complex and expansive, spiritual, familial, and cultural than one that would have only focused T’Challa and his beginnings. The new Disney+ series are clearly also using the platform to lay enough foundation for the characters before they introduce or re-introduce them into the film slate. Who could argue that the upcoming Captain America 4 won’t dramatically benefit from having already watched Sam’s journey to wearing the stars and stripe in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Or that Kang’s (re)introduction in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania won’t be so much more anticipated and meaningful?

The second way that Marvel is reinvigorating the origin story is by taking advantage of the extensive universe of characters and concepts that it has now spent well over a decade building. Allowing new characters to immediately build off of existing characters or existing but unexplored story arcs is a gamechanger. That luxury is obvious in all of the big “team up” films including the entire Avengers collection and Civil War, but it also plays a subtler role in bolstering the backstory and available stories of new characters. Not only that—while not as flashy as the final “Avengers Assemble” moment in Endgame—this strategy applied to origin characters can strike efficiently and relatively unnoticed, so that a smooth “nontraditional” solo film can come to life.

Though not without criticism, Spider-Man’s close relationship to Iron Man in Homecoming no doubt provided a more detailed and creative story for the young web-slinger that we haven’t quite seen over the course of the constant Spider-Man film release since 2002. Captain Marvel clearly benefitted from creating a lasting connection with the foundational MCU character, Nicky Fury. Shang-Chi placed itself within the pre-existing Ten Rings backdrop and also used Doctor Strange’s Wong to tie the film to the greater film universe. These movies were able to bypass the tempting template they had at thier disposal for a superhero origin film, and they were able to feel either somewhat like an origin’s sequel or an extended back-half of a “traditional” origin film, filled with more plot substance and action.

With the ability to create so many crossovers and connections throughout any movie, there also comes pressure to not fracture the well-woven existing MCU by producing classic origin films that feel isolated from everything else that MCU moviegoers are exited for. Some thought that Shang-Chi would be too unconnected from the MCU and wouldn’t be up to Phase 4 expectations. They were wrong on several levels. But, by soft introducing characters and utilizing the vast and vibrant connections already formed in the MCU, new characters can be more delicately and strategically placed within the existing universe and feel at home in it almost from the very beginnings of the character.

The legacy of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten MCU Origin Stories (this works, I counted) is the MCU’s evolution in terms of innovative and creative ways to approach superhero origin or introduction films. Overall, the result is a stronger and more cohesive universe, with new characters being delicately placed within it ready to go. The nature of superhero movies is evolving along with the MCU, and the MCU is never immune to the current and arguable over-saturation of superhero entertainment. The fact that Marvel Studios is choosing to be imaginative and explore new ways of telling stories that have long found success being told in the same way is a good sign of the new characters and their solo films to come. Right now, we can all enjoy the studio’s spectacular work on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

September 4, 2021
4 Comic Influences That The ‘NO WAY HOME’ Trailer Teased

If you’ve been living above a rock for the past few months, you would know there are few things the internet wanted more than a teaser trailer for Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home. To the delight of the insatiable, the trailer finally made its grand debut earlier this week and was met with uproarious approval by fans. From a major identity crisis to multiversal shenanigans, the sneak peek was chock-full of things that even the most die-hard Spidey enthusiasts never thought would make it to the big screen. However, that doesn’t mean these events have no basis in the pages of Marvel’s vast comic universe.

Most of what we were shown in the trailer’s nearly three-minute runtime can be traced back to a collection of moments from famous comic arcs. While not all of the source material is universally loved, it does make for a rather intriguing mass of inspiration. As such, I’ve taken the time to break it all down and present you with a guide to the origins of the trailer’s biggest moments, in case anyone should want to do a little reading before No Way Home drops in December.

The War at Home

That’s right, it looks like Marvel Studios isn’t done pulling from Mark Millar’s Civil War comic just yet. The big, unforgettable surprise at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home was the worldwide revelation that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. While there had been concerns from fans that No Way Home might brush this plotline aside, the trailer made sure to highlight that it would actually be a major driving aspect of the third film’s story.

Peter Parker has had his identity outed more than once in the comics, but the occasion with the most staying power was undoubtedly the one from 2006’s popular event series. The major difference between page and screen is that comic Peter took the mask off himself, while MCU Peter was mortified when Mysterio dropped his big secret from beyond the grave. A more comic-accurate depiction from the teaser was the shots of Peter being hounded by the media and law enforcement, which bring to mind the events of the Civil War tie-in arc, The War at Home.

Taking place in The Amazing Spider-Man #532-538, written by J. Michael Straczynski, the arc deals with the fallout of Peter’s identity going public and the way it affects the life of those around him. The story also features Peter revolting against the Registration Act, which places him on the wrong side of the law and in the sights of multiple government-sponsored supervillains.

One More Day & One Moment in Time

Maybe the most controversial Spider-Man arc ever written, the influence of J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada‘s One More Day is ever-present in the first half of No Way Home‘s trailer. It may need no introduction for most, but for the few who missed that particular boat, One More Day is the infamous story in which Peter Parker makes a deal with the devil. To save a dying Aunt May, Peter makes an agreement with Mephisto that trades away his entire history with Mary Jane Watson. It’s a bold, rash move, and its spirit can be felt in the trailer moment when Peter asks Doctor Strange to hide his identity from the world without realizing what that means for his time with Zendaya‘s MJ.

Alongside One More Day came a companion piece from Quesada titled One Moment in Time. This short arc detailed the exact changes made by Mephisto in erasing Peter’s marriage to MJ. The most surprising retcon comes when it’s revealed that Mephisto did not restore Peter’s secret identity as previously believed. Instead, it’s shown that Parker had gone to Doctor Strange to fix his identity crisis, and even had a moment of weakness during the spell casting where he begged for Mary Jane to still remember his identity. This additional storytelling helped reset the Spider-Man status quo going forward in the comics, albeit with some forewarned dire consequences.

Happy Birthday

Of all the trailer inspiration, the one fans may have least expected to see was a loose adaptation of Straczynski‘s centennial Happy Birthday arc. Beginning in The Amazing Spider-Man #57 and concluding in the re-numbered #500 issue, the surprisingly emotional plot concerns Spider-Man teaming up with Doctor Strange, and a few other heroes, to stop Dormammu and the Mindless Ones from taking over the world. Unfortunately for Spidey and that ‘ole Parker luck, his attempts to aid Strange actually interfere with the complicated spell being cast.

As a result, Peter is sent flying outside of time and reality, forced to confront a multitude of enemies from his past and witness a tragic potential future for himself. As previously mentioned, the No Way Home teaser makes a concerted effort to hint at Peter’s involvement with Strange’s spell bringing in more than a couple of villains from (a version of) his past. And who knows, the movie may even give him that glimpse at an older Parker by the time the credits roll.

August 25, 2021
Exploring Spider-Man’s Future Beyond ‘NO WAY HOME’

After a long wait, the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer has finally arrived. Not only that, but it also gave us our first look at the return of Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus and a tease of Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin. Of course, it continues to build the existence of other Spider-Man Variants making their appearance even if they got denied in the past. Sony even gave their new franchise a brand new name with Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. In a way, that new branding might offer a glimpse into where the franchise is heading and could hint at what the future holds for Spider-Man beyond his third entry in the latest franchise.

The first that seems curious about the naming is that they didn’t go with the Spiderverse moniker. It’s not only strongly connected to the character but also adds to the multiversal storyline introduced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Yet, they went out of their way to make sure we know that this is Sony’s Spider-Man. They even left out any mention of Marvel, as the original name was Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters.

No Way Home introducing multiple versions of the same character could give both Marvel and Sony a way to create their franchises separately. Tom Holland‘s version of the character can continue his journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony, on the other hand, can take a different route by introducing a new version of the character that is unique to their universe or even bring back a legacy actor. The Spider-Verse animated film introduces multiple versions of Peter Parker and Sony isn’t dependent on a specific one. So, there are quite a few options on how they can tackle their new Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

There have been no hints at Venom having connections to the current version of the character. In the film, we see the Daily Bugle as a newspaper while the MCU introduced it as an Info Wars parody. Plus, Morbius combined multiple elements adding a sense of confusion as to what exactly is in continuity or not. There’s always the chance they change these elements in the final film, as some effects work for trailers get rushed out, but it still opens up more questions about Sony’s plans. They don’t unveil their master plan as Marvel Studios does. So, we mostly can only guess based on what little information we are given.

The most present version of Spider-Man’s mythos in Sony’s extended franchises is the Sam Raimi version. It just seems unlikely Tobey Maguire would return to acting as a recurring character in Sony’s various films. Yet, if they introduce him as an older mentor figure, they could take the route of Miles Morales becoming that franchise’s version of the character. We might learn he was going to pass on the torch before the return of his old enemies draw him back into the spandex suit. Whatever direction they are taking, there’s a good chance the ending of No Way Home will finally confirm if we can expect more of Tom Holland in the MCU.

August 24, 2021
Exploring the Eternals’ Cosmic and Earth-based Future in the MCU

The final trailer for Marvel Studios’ Eternals gives us a closer look at the titular alien race, the Deviants, and even the Celestials. Yet many fans are not only intrigued by the main cast but also how they might fit into the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are many questions the trailer still leaves us with, but also some intriguing hints that could be built upon. So using comic runs and promotional materials let’s guess as to where the Eternals might go next.

Created in 1976 by Jack Kirby, the Eternals are tied to the cosmos and Earth. They are a result of Celestial experiments on archaic humanity. Despite being immortals the “minds [of the Eternals] remained all too human” as noted in Avengers #361 Vol 1. This is perhaps where, as Thena suggests in the trailer, their love of humans comes from amidst their long-standing watch over them. As they are pulled in opposing directions between being amongst humanity and learning more about their Celestial creators in the cosmos, we might see our group of ten Eternals split between those different overarching stories of the MCU going forward. This is perhaps even more likely if the film follows some elements of Neil Gaiman‘s (Vol 3, 2006) and Kieron Gillen‘s (Vol 5, 2021) comic runs. What made these two stories stand out was that there’s a betrayer amongst them.

Sersi’s fondness for humans and her romance with Dane Whitman seems to suggest she might be amongst the top candidates to stay on Earth. Sersi was a member of the Avengers between issues #314 (Vol 1, 1990) and #375 (Vol 1, 1994) along with Dane Whitman. It suggests she might have a role to play alongside the cinematic version of Earth’s mightiest heroes. In the trailers, we’ve seen Kingo enjoying life as a famous Bollywood star, meaning he might not have any interest in the isolation of space. It’s not too hard to imagine him being a famous hero on Earth once the Eternals reveal themselves.

Sprite as the Eternal trickster child, who wants to experience fun amongst humans as she does in the 2006 Gaiman run, seems bound to the planet as well. Similarly, Makkari is repeatedly seen saving humans and Phastos’ home setup seems to suggest he has a human family, indicating each of them having a preference for being rooted where they are, regardless of whether they join a team of adventurers or not.

One of the leading candidates for space adventures is Ikaris. Although he volunteers to lead the Avengers in the teaser trailer, it’s also clear that his relationship with Sersi might be changing. Although it has been teased before, thanks to the update that Sersi and Dane are dating in the modern era rather than the past, perhaps might motivate Ikaris to head out into space. He has sometimes shown more reticence than other Eternals to help humans and join the Avengers in the comics. So, it’ll be curious to see whether that translates into the film or whether he goes in search of the Celestials or even others of their race.

In the most recent comic run by Gillen, Druig is another Eternal who has come under suspicion of being a traitor. In the trailer, it looks like he might be running some kind of a cult in a forest, suggesting he disagrees with how other Eternals have interacted with humans, as earlier character descriptions have suggested. Perhaps his disdain toward humanity might lead to a mission to get involved in the cosmic politics soon to engulf various planets and races of the universe.

There are some Eternals whose destinations are less foreseen. Ajak has often performed the role of the communicator with the Celestials in the various comic runs. Whether she stays on Earth to protect humanity or goes off into space to find out more about their otherworldly masters is an open question. The trailer teases a connection with Ikaris, which might hint at a joint journey. Thena and Gilgamesh have complicated comic histories. She’s been involved with the Deviant leader Kro and even bore him twin children in the comics, while Gilgamesh has been an on-off Avenger. In the trailer, he seems bound to Thena in some way. They are still hiding quite a bit of detail to really pinpoint these character’s future journeys.

Even if any of Eternals die, as they have done a myriad times, The Machine, the narrator of the recent Kieron Gillen run, is their resurrection protocol in the comics. It is an artificial intelligence that is composed of and thinks of itself as Earth. This is particularly interesting as EW recently noted that Chloe Zhao “loved the idea of treating the Earth itself as an 11th character in the film.” Fully introducing The Machine as a disembodied voice for a character could be an intriguing prospect for an antagonist in a sequel.

Another aspect could be how the various other hosts of Eternals that might be on different planets similar to Titan, Thanos’ planet could factor into a sequel. Perhaps we might even see some other Eternals in Thor: Love & Thunder, as Gorr The God Butcher goes on a tour of destruction. Drawing the Eternals team back together again seems like it will again represent a tension between planetary and cosmic conflict.

There are plenty of different places for the Eternals to join various overarching stories on the streets, across the globe, and beyond the stars. Whether it’s keeping to themselves and trying not to interfere again, saving people on street corners, joining The Avengers, or going in search of the Celestials, there are plenty of opportunities for each of them to go in different directions before coming back together for a sequel.

Source: EW

August 19, 2021