Sean Hyams

May 062018
 

 

Yes, ‘Infinity War’ has already earned over a billion dollars at the box office and while I still believe it won’t be the highest grossing movie of all time, it looks like it will make it into the top 3 or 4. But, that’s money which goes into the studios pocket. What about the actors? Think they could have made deals where they got a percentage of the box office earnings of the film?

Highly unlikely given the money- making juggernaut that Marvel Studios has become today. Maybe a few of them negotiated their contracts keeping this in mind. Just imagine how much money they could earn. But, who could have predicted this? With the MCU not existing until Iron Man, and superhero movies not known to become box-office successes, it’s highly unlikely anyone would have opted for a percentage cut instead of a few million up front.

But, enough about that, we’re all here to find out how much each actor earned for the part they played in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ Now, you need to understand that this is probably the biggest lead cast in the history of cinema (at least the biggest I can remember). So, it makes this sense that this is also among the most expensive movies ever made. Director Joe Russo has said that most of the presumed $300-400 million budget has gone towards paying the cast. Maybe all of it did with a separate budget for everything else? But, who gets how much? Let’s take a look:

Captain America – Chris Evans

He’s the leader of the Avengers. But, when it comes to earnings, he’s nowhere near the top. Chris Evans earned around $8 million (reportedly) for his appearance in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ While this is much more than what he earned for ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,’ which was a measly $150,000 (reportedly) it’s still nowhere near as much as what some of his co-stars earned.

Thor – Chris Hemsworth

Fresh off the success of ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ Chris makes another appearance just a few months later in this one. But, while some say he earned in excess of $31 million for his role in that movie, for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ he earned a modest $12 million. If only I could ever see the day when $12 million was a modest figure for me. : (

Black Panther – Chadwick Boseman

‘Black Panther’ was a box office success earning more than $1 billion. Unfortunately for Chadwick, since this was his first lead role as the Black Panther (‘Captain America: Civil War’ was not a lead role) he didn’t earn a huge paycheck. Some reports say he learned less than a million dollars for playing the King of Wakanda. Given the movie’s success, it’s obvious that he would have got a pay bump for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ but it doesn’t look like he would have got more than $2-3 million for his role.

The Hulk – Mark Ruffalo

The green giant is known for causing the most destruction among the Avengers and that may just be the reason he takes home such a small paycheck. Ruffalo as the Hulk doesn’t have a solo movie to his credit (yet), and as much as we hope that changes in the future, it’s highly unlikely. Mark has done a lot of the mo-cap work for the Hulk in these movies. But, the amount of money it takes to bring this Avenger to life on the big screen is unlike any other. While the Hulk may be the most expensive Avenger to put on-screen, Ruffalo doesn’t earn more than a few million for his part, $5-6 million to be precise.

Black Widow – Scarlett Johansson

She’s the highest earning female Avenger. Considering the kind of power the other female Avengers have (Scarlet Witch & Captain Marvel) it would take something special for Scarlett to stand out on the big screen. She does manage to hold her own even when on-screen with many big name superheroes though and that’s perhaps why she has earned a reported $20 million for ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ This would make her the second highest earning Avenger. Wonder what Hawkeye has to say about this…

Doctor Strange – Benedict Cumberbatch

While Benedict Cumberbatch may be perfect for the role of the Sorcerer Supreme it seems highly unlikely that he would have got paid a lot for his first role as Doctor Strange in the movie of the same name. Yes, he was a pretty big name even before they cast him but that’s not reason enough for Marvel to cough up the big bucks. His movie did do well though and that may just be reason enough for Marvel to loosen those purse strings for him this time around. Still, he’s reported to have earned around $5 million for playing the character in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ That’s not too much, is it?

Thanos – Josh Brolin

Thanos has made appearances in post-credit scenes since ‘Avengers’ and has also made an appearance in ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy.’ But, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is the Mad Titan’s first major role in the MCU and Josh Brolin absolutely nailed it. But, does that mean he would get paid a lot? Of course not. He got around $5-6 million and considering he has the most screen time among all the stars you could say he got the least per minute pay.

Loki – Tom Hiddleston

He was the most talked about villain in the MCU till Thanos stole that thunder from him in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ Still, he has earned quite a decent sum over the years and may just end up being the highest paid super villain in the MCU overall. He was, reportedly, paid around $8 million to play the God of Mischief in ‘Infinity War’ and considering how little screen time he has in the movie that makes him one of the highest paid in terms of per minute pay.

Star-Lord – Chris Pratt

Pratt was relatively unknown before ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1’ made him a household name. Yes, he did enjoy some success in ‘Parks & Recreation’ but it was nothing compared to the global stardom he enjoys now. Even ‘Jurassic World’ may have something to do with that but Guardians will always be where it began. Pratt is reported to have been paid $1.5 million for ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1’ and even though it’s been 4 years since that movie racked in millions at the box office, Pratt is rumoured to have earned around $5 million for his role in this one.

Rocket  Raccoon – Bradley Cooper

There’s only one reason Bradley Cooper is on this list and that’s because he’s one of the two Guardians of the Galaxy who only have voice acting to do. Actually, that’s not the reason, the reason is because I want to point out the disparity between both of them. Cooper doesn’t earn more than a few million for each movie. Why is this relevant? Wait till we get to Vin Diesel/Groot.

Spider-Man – Tom Holland

He’s the youngest superhero who’s a part of the Avengers and also has a solo movie to his credit. After the success of Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and the relative success of Andrew Garfield too, Holland had some seriously big shoes to fill. He made it work, though. Marvel has hit the nail on the head with most casting choices and this one is no different. While surrounded by so many big names, Spider-Man still manages to stand out. Tom Holland has many years of acting ahead of him and given that he’s started out with such a big franchise, the future is bright. He earned around $3 million for his role in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’

Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr.

The man we’ve all been waiting to read about. Let’s face it, most of you are only here to find out how much Robert earned. Again, while we don’t have any official numbers, rumours put his earnings for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ at $50 million. Talk about disparity. Actually, considering the entire MCU would not have taken off without ‘Iron Man’ it’s only fair that Downey gets a huge number for every movie. He is supposed to be the highest paid actor in the MCU. There’s only one other man who can compete. The name will shock you…

Groot – Vin Diesel

Yup, big Vin is reported to have been paid $54 million for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.’ That’s an astounding figure when you think about it. He doesn’t even do the mo-cap for Groot. It’s just his voice that warrants that amount. Sit back and let that sink in for a minute. The only thing we can say in Marvel’s defence is that he was already a pretty successful Hollywood actor before they signed him. While most others tasted success only after their roles in the MCU, Diesel already has ‘xXx’ and the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchises to support him not to mention a number of other box-office successes. Could Marvel have signed someone else to voice Groot at a much lower price? Of course, but then he wouldn’t be Vin. Would he?

(As much as I tried to get confirmed numbers, Disney doesn’t reveal anything in terms of how much their actors are paid. So, must of the numbers here are based on rumours and confirmations from unidentified sources.)

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May 032018
 

Who is Josh Brolin? Exactly! His is a name you probably won’t recognize. But, he’s been a part of the MCU for as long as Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. He’s the guy who plays Thanos. 

Josh Brolin: The One Connection Between 'Avengers: Infinity War' And 'Deadpool 2'© Instagram/Josh Brolin

When you look at that perfect jaw, the first thing that comes to mind is, why cover it all up with CGI and a mo-cap? At least Ruffalo gets a chance to show his face as Bruce Banner. What about Brolin, he’s going to be purple forever? Well, it’s kind of good in a way since it means the world isn’t going to call him Thanos for the rest of his life. Ruffalo, on the other hand, will be called the Hulk forever.

I already know what you’re thinking. How is Brolin/Thanos related to ‘Deadpool 2) ?’ Well, the characters in ‘Deadpool 2’ are also a part of the Marvel Universe but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be seeing Thanos come destroy half the universe there too. How is Brolin involved then?

Well, once you’ve seen what the actor who plays Thanos looks like, I’m sure you’ve realised he bears a shocking resemblance to another character we’re going to be seeing on the big screen soon, Cable. That’s because it’s the same guy. Yeah, Josh Brolin is both Thanos and Cable!

Before you go ballistic in the comments telling me what an idiot I am and why I should stop writing, save your hate for later. I’m not done. Most people wouldn’t have even known that Josh Brolin is playing both characters. No one will blame you since the CGI on Thanos does a pretty good job of covering up what he actually looks like. I bet no one could tell it was Brolin unless they already knew.

Now, this creates a unique problem for Disney. They have two movies releasing around the same time and the same person is playing the bad guy in both. I don’t think this has ever happened in the past. As much as Brolin has helped propel ‘Infinity War’ to new heights in terms of box-office success, he is also going to be the reason ‘Infinity War’ doesn’t become the highest grossing movie ever. Just think about it. Two weeks from now, you want to go watch a movie over the weekend. In an ideal world, there would be nothing cool to watch and you’d go just go watch ‘Infinity ‘War again. But, with ‘Deadpool 2’ coming out on the 16th of May and all the hype that Fox (another Disney company) is undoubtedly going to try and create around it, people will prefer going to watch that wouldn’t you think? What would you do?

How does a movie become the highest grossing ever? By being unlike anything else at the cinema at the time. By running unchallenged for months on end. ‘Infinity War’ clearly won’t be able to do that. It’s not the movie’s fault honestly. It’s just bad timing.

To add to their woes, ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ will be coming out just a week after that. There go all the Star Wars fans who have been waiting decades for a movie on Han Solo. No one is going to be watching Avengers by then or care about Thanos. It’s just the world we live in. Preferences change fast. Sometimes, too fast!

So, while Brolin is clearly the main man who carried ‘Infinity War’ on his shoulders, he will probably work just as well in ‘Deadpool 2’ and end up cutting not just the universe but their earnings in half too.

May 012018
 

Marvel is back and thankfully, they’re being their playful, colourful, fun-loving selves again. After missing Ant-Man in the recently released ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and not knowing where he is, we finally get some answers.

Actually, we don’t really know where he is and we definitely don’t know what part of the MCU timeline this movie falls under. The only thing we can know for sure is that it’s definitely before Thanos destroys half the universe because all of our favourite characters from the first movie are back and more.

Check it out:

All the things we loved in the first Ant-Man movie make a come back for this one. And we’re pretty sure no good guys are going to die in this one. There won’t be as many deaths as ‘Infinity War’ for sure.

Here’s a second-by-second break down of what’s happening in the trailer along with my two cents on why I’m ready to forgive Marvel for the tragedy that was the ‘Infinity War’ ending:

0:00 – Starting off with Scott Lang with his daughter. Proving he’s a family man and that’s why he had to take the deal to protect his family in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’

0:03 – No holding back this time around. Giant-Man straight off the bat.

0:13 – Did Marvel actually make cars this size or is this all special effects? I hope it’s the former. Would love to play around that set.

0:23 – Hell yeah he does! He always did!

0:24 – Hello, Evangeline Lilly. Long time no see. Still have a crush on you.

0:28 – Awesome ass-kicking skills!

0:33 – Luis is back. We get a preview of his trademark style of storytelling. Michael Pena is <3.

0:40 – Ghost. What an apt name! 

0:47 – Take over the world. Really? The universe was just at stake. Good thing it’s a preview. 

0:54 – Of course we remember Luis. But, epic nonetheless.

0:57 – Best song choice ever.

1:04 – They could have had a ‘small’ role in Infinity War. Maybe we couldn’t see them?

1:11 – Never seen salt used like that.

1:15 – Hell yeah! An ant playing the drums. Doesn’t get more meta than that.

1:20 – Antony II 😀

1:27 – She’s got a point!

1:39 – Luis is just too good, man!

1:44 – Now that was a crazy move!

1:58 – Laurence Fishburne just crossed over from DC to Marvel. Good for you Morpheus.

2:10 – Love that laugh!

 

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May 012018
 

First, go watch the movie. Read this without watching the movie at your own peril.

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is breaking all sorts of records at the box-office and shows no signs of slowing down. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some glaring problems with the movie. For one, there are some characters who vanished even before Thanos got a chance to snap his fingers. Where did these people go? More importantly, who am I talking about? Let’s see:

Hawkeye & Ant-Man

They are perhaps the only two people who weren’t completely missing like the rest on this list. At least they were referenced by the Avengers. While Captain America, Bruce Banner, and War Machine are having a chat, it is mentioned that Scott Lang and Clint Barton made deals with the government so that they could protect their respective families. Now isn’t that a sad way to exclude a couple of characters from the biggest crossover event in movie history? Well, at least they weren’t totally ignored like the rest on this list.

Korg, Miek & Valkyrie

They were all on the ship with Thor, Hulk, and the Asgardians at the end of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’ What happened next? We start this movie aboard their ship with dead Asgardians all around. Would they really kill these characters off-screen?

Characters That Were Missing From 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Didn’t we just love them in ‘Thor 3?’ Did they run away when Thanos attacked? Doesn’t seem like something they would do. Doesn’t seem like it. So, where are they? Absolutely no idea. Marvel, we want answers!

Nakia & W’Kabi

Both these characters had an important role to play in ‘Black Panther.’ It goes without saying that if ever there was a war in Wakanda, they would be there. Despite Nakia believing she’s a spy more than a soldier, there is no way she would leave T’Challa to fend for himself in a battle of such epic proportions.

Characters That Were Missing From 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

W’Kabi was supposed to be T’Challa’s best friend. Where did he go? He was also Okoye’s boyfriend. Did he stay home with the kids while Okoye went to battle? Of course not. So where is he?

War Rhinos

These beasts of destruction could have really helped Earth in the battle against Thanos. I mean, they have huge horns on their face and are almost unstoppable.

Characters That Were Missing From 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

We just saw them in ‘Black Panther.’ But, where did they go? Did they decide to only use them for domestic purposes under King T’Challa? Why would anyone want to bench such an effective weapon? Makes no sense does it?

Everett Ross

He was central to the plot in ‘Black Panther.’ He even made sure the Wakandan ships didn’t leave the country.

Characters That Were Missing From 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

So where did he go all of a sudden? General Ross was in the movie and so was Nick Fury. So, why not the Director of the CIA? Is he not important enough? Did Martin Atkinson have a scheduling conflict? We have no idea.

If there are more characters that should have been here which they left out or if you want to chat with me about anything else, get in touch @seanhyams on Instagram or Twitter.

May 012018
 

We got to see almost every character in the MCU in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ Just like in the numerous Marvel movies before this there were a number of references and easter eggs in this movie too. Here are 5 which most fans would have missed. It goes without saying that there are spoilers ahead:

Morgan Stark

Tony asked Pepper if they were having a baby. He suggested they’d call him Morgan. Even though Pepper told him she wasn’t pregnant this is a call back to Morgan Stark from the comics who is Tony’s cousin. He has tried to take over Stark Industries a number of times in the comics. Why would Tony want to call his child Morgan? Don’t do it, man!

The Mark L

In the comics, Tony Stark already has already upgraded his armor more times than we can count. But, in the movies, it just gets one upgrade per film. This time around, we get to see a suit of armor that uses nanoparticles.

Easter Eggs Marvel Fans May Have Missed In 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Gone are the days of having to carry around suitcases or wait for the armor to arrive from his home. This is armor number 50 for Iron Man and hence it’s called the Mark L. What kind of armor can we expect next? Armour embedded in his bones? Bleeding Edge? *wink* *wink*

Thanos’ Powers

We all noticed how Thanos used the Reality Stone to turn Drax to stone and Mantis into a pile of ribbons. Pretty neat trick. But, what people don’t know is that this is a direct call back to ‘The Infinity Gauntlet’ comic series. Here, while trying to impress Death, Thanos turns Nebula into a ribbon and his brother, Starfox, into a bunch of rocks.

The Red Skull

Okay, some fans would have recognized him. Others would have wondered who this death-esque creature was.

Easter Eggs Marvel Fans May Have Missed In 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The reason they got the Red Skull to cover his face and float around while dressed up in a cloak was to make him look like Death. In the comics, Thanos is infatuated with the embodiment of Death and is willing to do anything to win her love. Death didn’t make it into ‘Infinity War’ but at least we got a cool easter egg.

Stormbreaker

Yeah, Thor’s new axe. Even though it kind of nullifies everything Odin told Thor in ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ you have got to admit the axe is really cool. We finally get to see an overpowered Thor defeat Thanos, even if it was just for a few seconds.

Easter Eggs Marvel Fans May Have Missed In 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

What you probably didn’t know is that this axe was originally given to Beta Ray Bill in the comics after he defeated Thor. We did get to see Beta Ray’s statue on Sakaar so we know he exists in the MCU. Will we be seeing him on screen any time soon? Don’t think so.

Post-Credits Scene

Who did Nick Fury message in the post-credits scene of ‘Avengers: Infinity War?’ Who the hell still uses a pager?

Easter Eggs Marvel Fans May Have Missed In 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

If you didn’t already know, that symbol you saw at the end was Captain Marvel’s. Brie Larson is slated to play the female superhero in an upcoming movie of the same name and is undoubtedly going to have a part to play in ‘Avengers 4.’

If you want to have a discussion about any of these easter eggs feel free to connect with me on Twitter or Instagram @seanhyams.

Apr 302018
 

Avengers: Infinity War ends on a very sad note. I’ve been told it’s mandatory to inform you that there will be spoilers beyond this point. So, if you haven’t seen ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ yet, books your tickets and go watch it. Spoilers ahead.

Thanos killed off half the universe. It’s quite evident that this would include a lot of our favourite characters. But, the big question on all our minds is, how many of these deaths are permanent? In some cases, it is pretty obvious. In others, we can’t say for sure. Still, here’s a list of everyone who died on–screen in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and whether or not they will be brought back to life:

Loki

Loki was the most complex villain in the MCU till ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ The mantle has now passed on to Thanos. Marvel didn’t waste any time showing us this was a different kind of movie by killing Loki off within the first 10 minutes. He’s been the character we love to hate from Day 1. This is mostly because of Tom Hiddleston’s epic portrayal of the God of Mischief. He did ‘die’ in ‘Thor: The Dark World’ but this time it feels different. It doesn’t look like he’s going to be coming back. Will he be in ‘Avengers 4?’ Yes. But, it will only be in flashbacks and alternate realities.

Gamora

With news of ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’ floating all over the internet, we know that the Guardians are going to return at least once more. That being said, Gamora was given a special death unlike some others who simply disintegrated. Even though it was a sacrifice by Thanos to get his hands on the Soul Stone it may just get reversed. The only question here is, if the Time Stone could be used to prevent Gamora from dying, why didn’t Thanos use it the moment he had all 6 Stones considering he loved her so much? The Guardians may just have to handle Vol. 3 without the most dangerous woman in the universe.

Heimdall

We didn’t get to spend much time with Heimdall in any of the first 16 films of the MCU. He did have a bit to do in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ but was missing, as expected, from ‘Black Panther.’ I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Idris Elba has been utterly wasted in the MCU. Now that Thor can use the Stormbreaker to summon the Bifrost at will, Heimdall’s main use in the movies is kind of over. He’s most likely not coming back in ‘Avenger 4.’

Vision

The only character to be killed twice in the same movie, Vision’s story is as complex as it is short. He didn’t put up much of a fight in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ which is weird considering what a formidable force he proved to be in previous movies. It’s not just phasing. Come on, Vision is about much more than that! There was a part in ‘Infinity War’ when Bruce Banner talks about how Vision is much more than just the Mind Stone too. They were even trying to separate it from him. This may just be an indication that he’s coming back. In fact, he’s most certainly coming back in Avengers 4. No one wants an emotionally unstable Scarlet Witch (yes, she will return) on Earth. Trust me!

Bucky Barnes

The Winter Soldier wasn’t integral to the plot in this one like the last two Captain America movies. But, that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt when Bucky disintegrated at the end. For everyone who was thinking Bucky was going to be the next Captain America, this is a huge curve ball. Steve Rogers survived and Bucky died. Talk about expectation subversion! That being said will Bucky return in the next one? Of course he will. Marvel is not going to leave Cap without his best friend. Falling to his death of a train in freezing temperatures couldn’t kill Bucky Barnes. Nothing will.

Guardians Of The Galaxy

All the Guardians except Rocket Raccoon are now dead. Just because Rocket became the self-proclaimed leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy doesn’t mean he is going to get a solo run in Vol. 3. We’ve already mentioned how it looks unlikely Gamora will return. This means the rest of the Guardians are sure to return. Chris Pratt certainly will. So will Groot and Drax. That leaves us with Mantis and considering how she’s barely a Guardian of the Galaxy yet let’s just say her return is inconsequential.

Black Panther

This one we know for sure. ‘Black Panther 2’ has already been announced. As much as we know that the movie would still be great without T’Challa, there’s no way Marvel is going to kill off a character that just earned them over a billion dollars at the box office. In the words of the great HHH, ‘that’s not good for business.’ There’s no doubt in our mind T’Challa will be returning in Avengers 4.

Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch disintegrated while she was crying over the lifeless body of Vision. Not a fitting way to go for someone many people would say is the strongest Avenger. She even went toe-to-toe with a nearly fully-powered Thanos, Infinity Stones and all. She did it one handed too while destroying the Mind Stone with her other hand. If that isn’t epic power then I don’t know what is. Yes, they are planning on introducing Captain Marvel in ‘Avengers 4’ but that, in no way, means Scarlet Witch’s time is up.

Falcon

Sam Wilson was introduced to us in the Captain America movies because Cap didn’t have a sidekick after Bucky. But, now that Bucky is back, Sam is no longer needed. That being said, Falcon has managed to make himself an integral part of the Avengers despite being one of only 4 humans without superpowers on the team. (Yes, Ant-Man is not yet an Avenger.) Will Falcon return, though? I don’t think so.

Doctor Strange

‘Doctor Strange 2’ is already in the works which means the Master of the Mystic Arts is sure to make a comeback. He is the one who came up with the plan to defeat Thanos too. It would be a shame for him to not be there at the end to enjoy the victory. While we did get to see that he isn’t afraid to take huge risks in order to protect the Earth, just like the last time, he should survive and come back in ‘Avengers 4.’

Spider-Man

Again, ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming 2’ has been announced for release on 5th of July 2019. I doubt Marvel plans to have Ned put on the Spider suit for that one. We hardly got to see Peter use the Iron-Spider to its full potential in this one either. With so many other spider suits yet to be revealed and Tom Holland being just 21 it’s highly unlikely that Marvel will give up on the character or the actor just yet.

Maria Hill

Maria Hill has never been able to come to the fore in the movies mainly because she’s always been considered a lamer version of Black Widow. She has had her moments but in all honesty you can’t imagine her being a part of the Avengers like a certain other Red (*cough* blonde) haired woman. This is in no way an indication of how good or bad Cobie Smulders is as an actor. But, it doesn’t look like Hill will be returning in ‘Avengers 4’ simply because no one would miss her if she didn’t.

Nick Fury

The glue that held the Avengers together, Nick Fury, had a very small role to play in this movie, only being there to disintegrate and introduce Captain Marvel. Since the MCU just introduced a whole new cast of African-American’s in Black Panther there’s no reason to have Fury hang around anymore. But, it is Samuel L. Jackson we’re talking about here. So, you never know. But, as much as we would like to see him return, it’s highly unlikely.

If you want to have a discussion about any of these people and whether they will return feel free to connect with me on Twitter or Instagram @seanhyams.

Apr 302018
 

If you are part of the 20 people on this planet who haven’t seen ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ yet, what are you doing with your life? Bookmark this story, go watch it and then come back here so that the spoilers below don’t ruin your experience. You have been warned.

I’m going to assume that everyone who continues reading has watched the movie.

After Thanos has killed half the universe we see him living in a small hut on an unknown planet watching the sunrise just like he said he was going to. While this has got to be one of the saddest endings to a movie in the MCU (probably the saddest) there is an ‘Avengers 4’ slated for release on the 3rd of May 2019. That movie has a lot riding on it. It needs to fix everything that went wrong in this movie while also ensuring it’s not just a master reset on all the events of ‘Infinity War’ making it pointless.

There is one thing we do know, though. How the Avengers managed to defeat Thanos in the comics. There was even an animated TV series where the Avengers fought Thanos. Here’s what happened in both those story arcs and whether or not they are possible in the MCU:

First, the comics:

The comic series we’re talking about is ‘The Infinity Gauntlet’ which released in 1991 and was written by Jim Starlin. The story goes something like this…

The main motivation behind Thanos getting the Infinity Stones is so that he can impress Death by destroying half the universe and creating balance. There is no showdown between the Avengers and Thanos, no Infinity War. Thanos gets the Stones (Gems) and wipes out half the universe.

The rest of the story is all about how the remaining characters including Adam Warlock, the Silver Surfer, Nebula, Captain America, Doctor Strange and a few more band together to right this monumental wrong. Nebula is the one who takes the gauntlet off Thanos’ hand and then proceeds to wear it herself. Thanos eventually convinces her to rewind time to before he started using the gauntlet and in the ensuing chaos, Adam Warlock gets a hold of the Gauntlet and Thanos ends up as a farmer on an unnamed planet having given up.

Why can’t this happen in the MCU? Well, even though Disney now owns both Fox and Marvel, the chance of us seeing the Silver Surfer in ‘Avengers 4’ is highly unlikely. As for Adam Warlock, he isn’t going to be making an appearance before ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’. At least he isn’t planned to make one. Nebula is still alive but Doctor Strange isn’t. So, while it is possible we’ll see Nebula wear the Infinity Gauntlet at some point in ‘Avengers 4’, it’s not going to go down exactly like in the comics. That’s for sure. Also, Josh Brolin is not going to end up as a farmer on an unknown planet. It won’t be fair!

Now, on to the animated TV series:

In a TV show called ‘Avengers: Assemble’ Thanos took on Earth’s mightiest heroes with the full power of the Infinity Stones at his disposal. While I don’t remember the moments leading up to the battle clearly, I do remember how the Avengers managed to defeat the Mad Titan. They use Thanos’ ego against him. They challenge him to try and defeat them using just one Stone at a time. Thanos accepts the challenge.

He starts off with the Time Stone. He ages all the superheroes to the point where they are nothing but ash. But, as for Thor, he only grows stronger with age. He reverses the Time Stone beam and it hits Thanos leaving him very old and frail. He then resets everything he did bringing back all the superheroes.

Next up, he uses the Mind Stone to make all of them start fighting each other. The only Avenger who is used to being filled with rage all the time, The Hulk, convinces everyone to stop fighting each other and focus their rage on Thanos instead. Just like that, his plan is thwarted once more.

Thanos then uses the Space Stone to teleport and attack each of the Avengers. Hawkeye and Black Widow pick up his pattern quickly and counter him.

The Avengers then capture Thanos and everything seems to be going well until Captain America has a hunch that things are going too well. That’s when they realise Thanos is using the Reality Stone to influence their thoughts. They, subsequently, break free from his mind control.

Thanos then turns to the Power Stone to try and defeat them. But, the Avengers restrain him with the help of the Hulk who only gets angrier the more Thanos attacks him. This is when Thanos reactivates all the Stones, breaks free and destroys Iron Man. They then learn that Tony Stark has been back on Earth all this time working on Arsenal.

Thanos transports him to the moon along with his laboratory. Tony activates Arsenal and he easily defeats Thanos with some help from the rest of the Avengers. Arsenal then turns out to be Ultron and this leads to a whole new war.

There’s just one loophole here, there is no mention of Arsenal anywhere in the MCU yet. Arsenal was Howard Stark’s robot improved by Tony Stark. You never know, it may just be the Hail Mary solution ‘Avengers 4’ needs. All the heroes that need to be alive for this story to come true are alive so we don’t know. But, if they do go down this path, the introduction of Captain Marvel in the post-credits scene will end up being pointless. We would love to see Ultron come back, though just for James Spader’s voice.

What will they do? We’ll just have to wait and see.

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Apr 292018
 

 

Since you’re here, I’m going to take it for granted that you’ve seen Avengers: Infinity War and not worry about giving out spoilers. If you still haven’t seen it, this is your last warning. Major spoilers ahead.

What’s the first thing you felt when the movie finished? Confusion, right? What just happened, man? Finally, Marvel gave us something to do while waiting for the post-credit scene. A thousand questions and no answers. Well, we’re going to try and fix that.

First, the deaths. Heimdall, Loki, Gamora and Vision are the ones who died before Thanos had all 6 Infinity Stones. After snapping his fingers, the ones who disintegrated on-screen are The Winter Soldier, Black Panther, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Star-Lord, Drax, Groot, Mantis, Dr. Strange, Spider-Man, and if you stuck around for the post-credits scene (Who didn’t!?!) Maria Hill and Nick Fury.

Why have I listed the deaths separately? Well, because it’s most likely Marvel is going to treat them separately. This is speculation, though.

So, what happened? Well, the moment Thanos got all six Infinity Stones Thor attacked him with the Stormbreaker and then stabbed him in the chest. That’s when Thanos said, “you should have gone for the head.” A few seconds later, he snapped his fingers and teleported away.

That’s when people started disintegrating left, right and center. Exactly half the universe to be precise. That’s what his master plan was all along. To kill off half the universe so that the other half would prosper. Kind of anticlimactic isn’t it? There’s no war, no resistance, no anticipation, no nothing. Just snap and gone.

One of the biggest problems some people are having with this ending is that there’s no ex-machina moment. There’s no superhero saves the day moment. There’s no happy ending. Yeah, it may not be happy, but it’s apt.

Now, that you know what just happened, let’s address another big problem that Marvel just created for itself. How does Marvel fix all this in Avengers 4? They only have two options from the looks of it. First, they will go the way of the comics and everyone comes back to life. The problem here is that if they do that then ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ becomes one giant waste of time. It will be like everything that happened in this movie is inconsequential. What’s the point of the movie then except being a giant cash grab? This is why there is a need for an option two.

Let’s look at some real world problems now. Hollywood is not like the minds of a comic book writer. They still have the freedom to do whatever they want with the characters, but the actors playing them? Not that simple. Chris Evans looks like he’s happy leaving Captain America behind and there’s no news on whether Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Hemsworth have new contracts. On the flip side, we already know that there’s news of a Spider-Man 2, Guardians Of The Galaxy 3, Black Panther 2 and Dr. Strange 2 floating around irrespective of how much Marvel tries to keep things under wraps till Avengers 4. So, while they can ask us to expect the unexpected, there are a few things we kind of already know.

As for option 2, it will need to be something we’ve never seen before. We know that Captain Marvel is going to get thrown into the mix. Even Adam Warlock might have a role to play. The characters getting solo movies after Avengers 4 will have to be brought back and as for the rest, they could either be replaced or given a hero’s send-off. It will be painful to see an MCU without Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. either way.

Will Avengers 4 prove that Infinity War was nothing but filler before we get the main movie or will it tie every loose end up neatly? We’ll just have to wait and see.

 

Apr 272018
 

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ just hit theatres all across the country (and the world). The reviews are in and everyone only has good things to say about it. Still, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be the highest grossing movie ever. In fact, it may not even be the highest grossing Marvel movie ever. Don’t agree with us? Here are 5 reasons that may change your mind:

Too Many Characters

What was supposed to be the biggest pull of this movie has ended up becoming one of the reasons it’s not going to go on and become the highest grossing movie of all time. Let me ask you a simple question. Who is the protagonist in the movie? Iron Man? Spider-man? Dr. Strange? Thor? Captain America? I honestly can’t tell.

Again, and I can’t stress this enough, I am not saying it’s a bad movie. But, what I am saying is you know Thanos is the bad guy! Who’s the good guy? Where’s the good vs. evil we’ve grown so accustomed to? Marvel has taken a huge risk by being completely different from any other movie they’ve made and while it will still earn a billion dollars, it’s not going straight to the top.

Expectation Subversion

‘Expect the unexpected.’ That’s what Benedict Cumberbatch said when we asked him what fans could look forward to in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. We walked into the movie with such high expectations that it was going to be a very difficult job to keep everyone happy.

That’s exactly what happened. By the end of the movie, we were left feeling empty. It’s like when you ask for a space grey iPhone 8 and get a gold one instead. It’s the same phone but a different colour. They made an Avengers movie but in a different colour. So, while most people are expecting a Marvel movie, they better be ready for disappointment. But, once again, this certainly doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie. You better watch it!

Release Date

How can the release date be a reason ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is not going to earn the big bucks? It’s released around the same time the first two Avengers movies released, in perfect summer blockbuster fashion. The only problem this time around is what’s releasing in May.

First up, you have the merc with a mouth on the 16th of May hoping to cash in on the huge success that was Deadpool. Then you have Solo: A Star Wars Story releasing just one week later. That means Infinity War has just 2 weeks to rake in as much dough as it can. That’s not enough time to earn enough to make it the highest grossing Marvel movie ever. If only Marvel execs had a real time stone.

There Are Better Marvel Movies

Now, on to the point that’s going to garner the most hate here. You could try to fool yourself but this is the truth. Avengers: Infinity War isn’t the best Marvel movie out there. If you ask me to rank it, I’d go as far as saying it’s at the 5th spot. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers, Thor: Ragnarok and Iron Man were all better movies. I’d even go as far as saying Black Panther was a better movie.

When it isn’t even the best Marvel movie, how can you expect Infinity War to compete with the likes of Avatar, Titanic, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Jurassic World? You simply can’t. 

It’s Missing That Certain ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’

I don’t know what. That’s exactly what the movie is missing. When you’re done watching it, you won’t feel happiness, sadness, anger, fear or regret. What you will feel is emptiness. I don’t know about you but that’s not a feeling I’m accustomed to after watching what’s supposed to be the biggest movie of the year.

I know this is not something you’d expect from a Marvel movie. Not in a million years some would say. Reach out to me @seanhyams on Twitter or Instagram and we can debate. Just make sure you watch the movie first so you can do your part in getting the movie closer to a billion dollars. Also, it’s always easier to debate when both people have watched the reference material, right?

Apr 262018
 

It’s 2 am and I just got home from Avengers: Infinity War. Is it a masterclass in filmmaking? Yes. Is it worth a watch? Of course. Is it a Marvel movie? Hell no!

Now, you’ve probably already booked your tickets (if you haven’t, come on man, do it already) and I don’t want this review to influence your decision whether to watch this movie or not. So, before you read any further, if you haven’t already, book your damn tickets!

With so many people to satisfy, Avengers: Infinity War was in danger of becoming a movie that tried pleasing too many people while ending up pleasing none. Luckily, it ended up pleasing us in the most dastardly way possible.

Okay now, in terms of what to expect. Just like you would from any Marvel movie, you want some main characters, a few sub plots here and there and a bad guy with an evil plan. But no, Marvel fan! That’s not what you’re getting here. While every Marvel movie to date has been made to, sort of, pander to the audience, Avengers: Infinity War doesn’t. Not one bit. In fact, you will walk out of the cinema hall wondering if the movie you just saw was indeed a Marvel movie.

There’s no easy way of putting this folks, Marvel just ripped everyone off. They didn’t deliver what was expected of them. I didn’t walk out with a huge smile plastered on my face. I didn’t feel the rush of adrenaline. Where was it? Did I do something wrong? What’s missing? And then it hit me. Hope.

Yeah, the one word I can use to describe everything that’s wrong with Avengers: Infinity War is, hope. How do you know a movie is a huge success? When it earns a billion dollars? No, it’s when it breaks free from the monotonous happy ending we are accustomed to getting at the end and offers something much darker instead. A world where there is no hope.

When was the last time you watched a brilliant movie yet felt absolutely nothing at the end of it? I can’t think of an emotion that could aptly describe the way I feel right now. No, I don’t hate Marvel. This is a brilliant movie. But, I guess that’s its biggest flaw too.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I cried tears of joy when I watched the final trailer for the movie. But, I didn’t shed a single tear throughout the movie.  Didn’t even come close. Was it because not enough characters die? Was it because no on consequential dies? Was it because we’re too detached from the plot to care? No. It’s simply because we were sent so deep down the rabbit hole we ended up face to face with the sad truth, everything is finite. All good things must, eventually, come to an end.

Yes, Marvel fan. They may be talking about a Phase IV and all the cool stuff that they’re going to be doing over the next few years. But, if this is any indication of what’s to come, get ready for a universe where happy endings are as scarce as the hair on Homer Simpson’s head.

There’s no need to start questioning whether booking those tickets was a mistake. Avengers: Infinity War is a must watch for any person who has invested the last 10 years of their life into this series. Hell, you may even have a totally different opinion about it.

Am I going to watch every other Marvel movie ever made? Of course. Will I rewatch Avengers: Infinity War? Yeah, I’m going on Saturday. Is it the greatest crossover event in history? Yup. But, and I ask this question again, is it a Marvel movie? No.

Feel free to share your thoughts with the author on Twitter or Instagram @seanhyams.