Marvel Cinematic Universe - General Thread

[SHIELD Agent 47]

And today upon the reopening of The Allspark is the U.S. theatrical premiere of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Recently there was Black Widow, and soon we will have Eternals and then Spider-Man: No Way Home.

 

[Daith]

I'm waiting until my day off to go see Shang-Chi. I really do hope there is some good fun to be had with a character I barely know about.

 

[SHIELD Agent 47]

I'm waiting until my day off to go see Shang-Chi. I really do hope there is some good fun to be had with a character I barely know about.

I believe many enjoy the performance of Hong Kong's famous Tony Leung Chiu-wai.

 

[Sabrblade]

On Disney+, we've seen the complete release of the first seasons for WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, with What If...? being the current series.

 

[Maruten]

Hearing a lot of good stuff about Shang-Chi which is nice. After a full year of no covid, we're locked down here in our worst outbreak so no cinemas open, but... 45 days til Disney Plus.

 

[Powered Convoy]

Going with some friends to see Shang-Chi today.

 

[Daith]

So what’s people’s reactions to the first 4 What If? Episodes?

Captain Carter

Spoiler

seemed a tad too attached to the original movies narrative with only some tweaks. Could be the fact that we pretty much knew Steve’s role ahead of time but the variations on it seemed minimal until the ending

T’challa as StarLord was great fun.

Spoiler

A bigger cast to play with and not held back by tracing a movies narrative.

The assassination of the Avengers was interesting to see that

Spoiler

Iron Man 2, Incredible Hulk, and Thor all pretty much happened in the span of a week. Can’t be down on the following the movies as it was this time since that was kind of the narrative to go on. A fun murder mystery.

and Doctor Strange losing his heart instead of his hands.

Spoiler

That actually had me thinking Strange was going to have an artificial heart or transplant, but losing his love makes as much sense. But to me it actually feels weird that essentially after the accident that events play out the Dr Strange movie as it was still and then it jumps to the variation. And man that went dark. It was interesting to see that Strange could sense the Watcher and could interact with him at the end.

 

[Stepwise]

T'challa as Star Lord was a lot of fun - I cracked up over all the little in-jokes.
The assassination of the Avengers was a good story, too. Would've been nice to clear up how they arrived at the location in the very last scene, but I liked it overall.

 

[Shadewing]

What If:

Spoiler

Captain Carter: A totally safe episode, imo. Just kinda dull because I feel it doesn't really do that much with the concept and a bit too preoccupied with the pre-Avengers stuff; but I feel like exploring more of the universe could be fun. I wanna see what impact she'd have on the rest of the world, how Hydra Stomper might have effected Stark Industries and Iron Man. Just to me, all the really interesting stuff is in the 'present' right after the episode ends.

T'Challa as Star Lord: Currently the best episode, imo. And definately is sequel baiting us, too bad we'll either not get it or T'Challa will be recast. But I do want to see it go there. It would be really interesting to see how GGvol2 plays out with this new paradigm.

Death of the Avengers: Honestly a mostly dull episode that would have been better either from the villain's POV or actually exploring a world without the Avengers. While Captain Carter was just dull becuase it was "safe", This is dull becuase it honestly lacks focus imo. The other three so far all follow one lead character. This is split between two, with a murder mystery that can't be solved by the viewers making it less engaging imo. Seeing Hank Pym's point of view and really getting in his head would have made the episode more interesting in the same way the Doctor Strange one is; but also seeing how whatever new Avengers Fury assembles tackles Loki's control would also be alot more interesting. Just all the decisons here took the blandest road possible.

Doctor Strange: Second best episode, really goes hard on both the character exploration and the results of their actions. Dark Episode, very classic What If story in that way. So many classic What If stories are essentually "rocks fall, everyone dies" bad ends that I was glad to see them do something like that here. Also enjoyed how Evil Strange's design looks like his classic comicbook design.

 

[Sabrblade]

The Doctor Strange What If had me thinking the whole time that it

Spoiler

was going to serve as a sort of prequel to the movie itself, explaining how and why Christine gets to live in the movie when this episode makes her death out to be some grand multiversal necessity. Like, if the Watcher or somebody would have stepped in at the end and made it so that Christine can only live if Strange suffers an equal-sized loss, which would turn out to be his losing the use of his hands in the movie. And yet, the episode didn't do that at all. It just made a big fuss over something that wasn't a thing in the movie. Still pretty good on its own, though.

 

[Shadewing]

It just made a big fuss over something that wasn't a thing in the movie.

You're new to whole 'What If' thing. Kinda what they do.

 

[Noideaforaname]

Captain Carter

Spoiler

really distracted me how they completely re-wrote the 'divergent point' to boost the sexism angle and to prevent Steve from becoming a supersoldier.

Starlord T'Challa

Spoiler

was boring. My mind went nuts trying to figure out the premise and concocted this crazy story of the Queen of Wakanda having an affair with a planet, resulting in an exiled illegitimate prince who ends up being the straight man in a group of goofy unrepentant assholes..... but it turned out T'Challa just fixed everything and everyone loves him and they will remind us of this every chance they get.

Whodunnit

Spoiler

I actually liked this one. The murders captivated me, the answer lying with the most forgettable MCU entry was kinda hilarious (and brought to mind Endgame theories), and we got Proper Loki again!

Doctor Strange

Spoiler

...I haven't watch yet

 

[Powered Convoy]

Shang-Chi was a lot of fun for a character I knew nothing about. Makes me want the 10 rings.

Spoiler

Glad to see Wong, Captain Marvel, and Bruce Banner. What's up with him by the way.

 

[Sabrblade]

You're new to whole 'What If' thing. Kinda what they do.

On a multiversal scale? They were treating it as if it absolutely must be an outcome that needs to happen in all possible realities, and the whole time I'm going "No, it really isn't."

 

[Xellos]

Shang-Chi was a lot of fun for a character I knew nothing about. Makes me want the 10 rings.

Spoiler

Glad to see Wong, Captain Marvel, and Bruce Banner. What's up with him by the way.

Spoiler

I cannot be 100% Sure, but judging by her hair and Banner not being Hulk, it may have taken place between Infinity War and Endgame. I remember them mentioning the snap, but it also did not look very unpopulated, so not sure.

 

[Powered Convoy]

Spoiler

I cannot be 100% Sure, but judging by her hair and Banner not being Hulk, it may have taken place between Infinity War and Endgame. I remember them mentioning the snap, but it also did not look very unpopulated, so not sure.

Spoiler

Banner had his arm in a sling. Definitely post Endgame.

 

[Daith]

I found Shang Chi to be a fun flick. Loved it's connection to the rest of the MCU being present while setting up it's own place within it. I'll admit Awkwafina's character is a tad grating at times but I warmed up to her eventually. As to timeline placement.

Spoiler

It's definitely post Endgame as the aforementioned sling with Banner and there was poster ads placed with Blip as part of their name. And with Wong doing his own thing here and the trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" showing him stepping out it could be assumed that it and Shang Chi happen somewhat concurrently. Was a tad surprised with the post credits return confirmation. I mean it's not far fetched to see Xialing take the lead role in the organization after WenWu's demise, but to confirm the Ten Rings for later makes me wonder what is planned.

 

[Telly]

over the past week, ive pretty much caught up with the mcu. watched wandavision (very good show. so much i binged it in one night! and i love her new costume. and i thought casting foxes quicksilver was brilliant), loki and falcon and winter soldier. only things i havent seen are black widow, shang chi, runaways, cloak and dagger and what if.

not so excited for widow or shang chi, but ill be there for the new doctor strange and spider man

 

[Daith]

If anything, going into Shang-Chi with lower expectations might be all the better. I had no idea what to expect really and I feel that probably helped me enjoy the movie all the more.

 

[Xellos]

Spoiler

Banner had his arm in a sling. Definitely post Endgame.

Spoiler

Yep, you are absolutely right, the arm was confusing me and what made me think it may be in-between. Completely forgor his arm was messed up after using the Gauntlet. I also really did like little interaction between Abomb and Wong after their fight.