Welcome to Thunderdome

*inspired...

Leisher wrote: Most importantly, they were fun. Audiences laughed, cheered, and cried.

What are "serious" films doing that the MCU films didn't do?

I'm not sure about the crying part, but I agree with the rest. The movies are fun. Some were really good. Some were on the "meh" side, but that's any franchise. Few had plots that I could give you a decent synopsis of. The stories were entertaining, but just not that memorable. I ran into the same thing with the Harry Potter franchise. They were entertaining. Just not very impressive story wise. Not bad stories, just kind of standard cookie cutter stuff. Well executed, no doubt.

TBH, I really enjoyed the first Iron Man. The rest of the MCU movies were...kinda dumb. The later trend toward wokeness was also pretty eye-roll-inducing and cringe*. Like the whole BADASS WYMYN SHE-ROES AGAINST THANOS shot. In fact, all the giant CGI battles I found to be monotonous and not at all interesting to watch, and neither side every demonstrated any notion of this crazy thing called "tactics," with the one exception of the first Avengers movie where Cap actually gives the team orders. And...hey wait, you mean Thor can shoot lightning bolts? WTF doesn't he just do that all the time?

*Marvel didn't make this claim but I saw people gushing over Black Panther, that all of Africa could have been Wakanda if not for the Evil White Man. Ok, Boomer.

Here's an interesting video about Spider-Man's rights and the current back and forth between Sony and Marvel (I'll say Marvel, but it's really Disney). Long story short:
-Marvel has offered Sony $5B for Spidey.
-Sony wants $10B.
-Spidey without Marvel is a loser for Sony.
-Marvel without Spidey is fine, but Spidey would be a MASSIVE boost to Marvel. It's not just Spidey, but ALL Spidey characters.

Ok, now here comes the wildcard:
-Apple is sniffing around Sony.
-Without Spidey, Sony's biggest properties are Bond and Jumanji.
-If Apple buys Sony, the rights to Spidey revert to Marvel. That means Marvel would get Spidey for absolutely nothing.

Pretty interesting, no? What would you do if you were Marvel?

https://youtu.be/bTN_p7R_5mU

So this is potentially massive news...

AT&T/WB is reportedly unhappy with DC Comics and is considering ending publishing them. Other plans include licensing or selling the characters to Marvel.

Disney has to be furiously masturbating to this news. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. joining Marvel?

So many thoughts about this news.

What would you do if you ran Marvel and all of a sudden you had this other universe?

I think the #1 rule I'd make is to keep DC separate. Keep it in its own universe. I know the instant reaction is to merge the two, but I think that should be avoided as long as possible.

But here's the thing, it has to happen sooner rather than later. Disney can't buy DC's characters, fly them under the Marvel banner, but still keep them separate. It'd be far too confusing for casual consumers. Even if they did a different line of films for DC, peeps would see Wolverine and Superman together at Disney and be crazy confused.

So how do you merge the universes? Not the story, but do you move Metropolis and Gotham into the Marvel universe? Do you somehow merge the histories? Do you "start over" with both lines combined?

If I was forced, I'd run a massive event and kill off the vast, vast majority of both lines' characters. Retain the top 50 most popular characters (or so) and move forward from there. Dead ones can always be dredged up later if needed.

Back in the day my buddy had a "Superman vs Hulk" crossover. I think they also did some crossovers with Spiderman.

Spiderman vs Batman, or Wolverine vs Batman, would be a big draw.

DC should merge all their cities and just call it New York, like it really is.

And who cares about the continuity...the movies certainly don't.

They have done crossovers in the past. The biggest was DC vs Marvel where fans voted on the winners of fights like Hulk vs Superman, Captain America vs Batman, Wolverine vs Lobo, and so on. That led to the "Amalgam Universe", which was a cool mash up of certain heroes and villains such as Dark Claw and the Hyena.

Superman puts Hulk in the L4 Lagrange Point. Fight over .

That's a fun idea.

Yet another example of why we need Geometry.

Keep an eye on the TV shows, particularly WandaVision. It's being rumored that this show could be how they introduce mutants to the MCU.

Kang the Conqueror will be the next phase's villain and will be introduced in Loki.

What's Kang's deal?

He's a time traveler who is attempting to conquer not only the universe, but the multiverse.

His original appearance was in an issue of Fantastic Four.

Getting it yet?

Not only could he be the way the FF are introduced, but the time travel and multiverse could introduce mutants and...anyone who died in this time line...

I'm also hearing Dr. Doom and Galactus will follow Kang.

Leisher wrote: Another character incoming that women can hypocritically objectify.

Where are all the topless female super heroes?

TheCatt wrote:

Leisher wrote: Another character incoming that women can hypocritically objectify.

Where are all the topless female super heroes?

Maybe you can find a group shot of them?

There is a lot of buzz that the Russos are adapting Secret Wars for the big screen.

That would be a massive, massive project.

Somehow Jamie Foxx's Electro from a universe that no longer exists and isn't canon will be joining the MCU.

The multiverse is alive and well.

Yeah... if "Enter the Spiderverse" hadn't already made it canon, I'd have a problem with it.

I'm hearing Ryan Reynolds is about to sign a massive long term contract with Marvel, meaning lots more Deadpool. I have also heard Deadpool might do the Stan Lee cameos going forward.