Seven MCU Films That Should Come After Avengers 4

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has never been hotter! 20 films later and the franchise is not only the most successful movie series of all time, but the quality today is a testament to the hard work and fun execution of each entry. Where the films do vary in genre, it is clear that it is all connected. While characters like Iron Man, Captain America and Black Panther have become household names, other favourites like Hulk and Spider-Man have also seamlessly weaved themselves into the MCU.

While we countdown to 2019 (or August 3^rd if like me you are in the UK and trying not to get mad at the fact you have to wait for ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ to come out), I want to discuss the Marvel films that need to happen after Avengers 4 closes the Third Phase. Now, I won’t include ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ or ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’ as they are officially in production. But I will use the films that have been heavily rumoured and mention what I think they could be about.

BLACK WIDOW

WHY – Why not! Black Widow is all but confirmed since the supposed appointment of Cate Shortland as the director of the much-anticipated solo film.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – While there are a good few people who would like to see a prequel film showing Natasha Romanoff in her younger days before becoming an Avenger. But I think a film where Black Widow actually disappears following Avengers 4 could be intriguing. Maybe we could see the character go off the grid and become a mercenary. How about she later returns to New York to take on the Kingpin (yes, I will keep Vincent D’Onofrio).

We could see a revenge storyline slash team up film where Natasha, wanting to stay away from her former allies after witnessing some truly horrific sights, will unite with Matt Murdoch in and out of costume as both finding a new calling and a new romantic partner. Maybe get some cameos from Luke Cage, Jessica Jones and Iron Fist for a Defenders 2.0! Maybe!

DOCTOR STRANGE 2

WHY – Doctor Strange was one of the most visually stunning films of recent times. While the character has only been part of the MCU since 2016, he played his part as one of the central characters in Avengers: Infinity War. He actually got more screen time than Cap, Hulk, Black Widow, the majority of the Guardians and even Spider-Man! While viewers of that film may doubt his future, this is one character that still has a lot to give.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – The first film saw the rivalry grow between Strange and Mordo, we can only hope that this expands over the sequel and see more screen time for Wong and maybe introduce Brother Voodoo as another ally.

In terms of plot, Mordo could possibly work with another powerful villain to take on the Sorcerer Supreme. Mephisto is one villain that deserves to be brought in, but this could also be a backdoor way to introduce Ghost Rider to the MCU (not counting Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Mephisto is super evil and could ultimately trick Mordo and attempt to take over the universe. Maybe a Loki-esque redemption story for the powerful antagonist could see him re-join Strange for a final battle. Introduce hell to the cinematic universe? Could make for a great battleground for the heroes and villians.

FANTASTIC FOUR

WHY – How many times can FOX royally screw up Marvel’s first family? Well, hopefully that will not be an obstacle for long. With the imminent purchase of 20^th Century Fox, Disney will finally be able to bring the Fantastic Four into the MCU. We need another team to rival the Avengers in this cinematic world, plus Ant-Man director Peyton Reed wants to make this film a reality…and I would happily let him.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – With the opportunity to introduce Doctor Doom and Galactus to the MCU, we could see two films centred on Reed Richards and his team as they face off Doctor Doom in the first movie (with assistance from Silver Surfer) and then maybe a sequel which goes between Earth and the Cosmos as the Fantastic Four team up with the Surfer to take on Galactus (or maybe save the almighty villain for another Avengers film in a few years).

We could also see the Fantastic Four debut in the very likely Black Panther sequel, seeing as T’Challa originally came from their comic book, it could be a fitting link and brilliant Easter Egg. Also, maybe this first film could see some distortion in the space/time continuum to retcon them into the MCU…it could work!

CAPTAIN BRITAIN

WHY – Possibly one of the hardest ones to bring over (his sister is X-Men fave Psylocke), but as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver managed to cross into the established film series with ease, we could also see Brian Braddock join in very soon. Also, as the franchise has been in the US for its majority with odd spells in Africa and Europe, a UK based hero could be a fun change.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – Brian Braddock could be seen as a scientist who is working on a potential cure for a disease that could be alien related, with him receiving the “Amulet Of Right” as payment from Merlyn. Similar to Doctor Strange, we could see Cap (Britain) learn a new side to his own world and Modred The Mystic could be seen as both the antagonist of the film and a long term rival/former ally to Merlyn.

We could also get some great scenes in Maldon, Essex. As this is where the character originates, it would be fun for me at least to see a truly nice place in the UK on the big screen. We could also see Braddock begin to doubt his might as a superhero and see him try to get back to his life as a renowned man of science.

MS. MARVEL

WHY – Since taking the title from Carol Danvers, Kamala Kahn has made a great impression with her own adventures which began in 2013 when the character was exposed to them damn Terrigen Mists and discovered her Inhuman capabilities. As proven with Spider-Man, a youthful perspective is never a bad thing.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – Whereas Peter Parker was a more immature yet grounded character, Kahn could possibly go a bit wackier while also highlighting her struggles in her family and with the Muslim faith. We could also see her get help from Captain Marvel and see her take on The Inventor, who was her first villain in her own comic.

What more could we have in this film? As Ms. Marvel is able to shapeshift, we could see some great scenes that involve the title character to disguise herself to find out information or to have some potentially humourous interactions with the Avengers (imagine if Kamala tried to disguise herself as Captain Marvel?). This could be a movie which has that ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ spirit with a dash of Ant-Man for good measure.

SHE-HULK

WHY – Bruce Banner has unfortunately not seen many of the characters specifically from his comic translate to the MCU. If we didn’t include the 2008 film ‘The Incredible Hulk’, we have only had General Ross and Korg as the standouts. Kevin Fiege has said that there will be more women superheroes, and this one could have the perfect entry. Hulk is likely to stay within the film universe for some time, but it would be good to see his cousin Jennifer enter the frey.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – After receiving a blood transfusion from Bruce Banner, she begins to transform into a milder version of the Hulk. While super strong, Jennifer Walters maintains her personality and intelligence and becomes a powerful ally of The Avengers. We could maybe see She-Hulk and Hulk team up to fight another villain we have almost forgot about…The Leader!

For anyone who saw the 2008 film, there was a small glimpse of Samuel Sterns as he begun to transform into the supervillain with the intelligence to rival the world’s top minds. While Hulk may not be a match for the character on a battle of the brains, She-Hulk could possibly be the one who takes on this almighty foe and give us a conclusion to a long-left plot thread!

ETERNALS

WHY – We have had enhanced Super Soldiers, Inhumans, Asgardians and even a Hulk! But, how about the offshoots of humanity who are near-immortal? These guys have got some great potential to cause a big threat to the universe and could possibly be the next big clash that could come following the final fight with Thanos.

WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT – These beings are super powerful and have been around since the dawn of man, so how about another space epic which shows a clash that goes between Earth in the distant past and the world as we know it today! We could see The Eternals in their war with The Deviants.

With a tale that could go between Earth, Uranus and Titan (yes, the same Titan that Thanos is from…and he is technically an Eternal). We could see a story which establishes how Thanos’ home world fell to the destruction we saw in Infinity War and see a story which would make it look like the Marvel Cinematic Universe had just been fused with the fighters of Dragonball Z! Now that is a film I really want to see!!!!!!

Well that is a selection of the films I really want to see in the MCU, and maybe these will form what Phase Four could be! But what films or characters would you like to see? Are you annoyed I didn’t put Black Panther 2 on the list? (let’s be honest, you all know it is going to happen!). Also, could we see the X-Men join in the action? Well, let me know what you think below.

Written by Jonjo Cosgrove

Captain America: Civil War. “After everything that’s happened, there’s nothing compared to what’s coming!”

Kicking off Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with this explosive, fun and joyous outing, Civil War truly is the best film to come from Marvel so far! By far! This movie does a great job with multiple characters, intriguing story and making both an Avengers movie and a Captain America flick blend together seamlessly. So much good stuff came from this movie, and it really lived up to the expectations I held for it since its announcement in 2014. Also, when you have a movie where the bad guys take the back seat, how does it feel to see the two top MCU heroes go to war and fight each other instead?

Starting off with yet another huge incident, The Avengers, led by Captain America (Chris Evans. The actor, not the radio DJ), are called to a meeting with General Ross…I mean Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (Am I the only one glad to see William Hurt back in this role?)! He proposes to them a system which would keep them in check and stop them being self-funded and independent. While Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is in favour of a more contained Avengers, Steve Rogers is feeling less enthusiastic and sees that many people may be at risk if they can’t help. This brings a huge divide to the team! Then we go into Cap 3 mode when we pick back up on the story of Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier as he is accused of causing a disaster. While Captain America thinks his former friend is innocent, Iron Man just wants to stop the Winter Soldier and bring order back. Without giving too much away, the two factions eventually develop and come face to face with each other. Both seemingly matching each other, this brings possibly one of the greatest sequences ever put to film. Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany is the setting and to see Team Cap and Team Iron Man face off is just…PERFECT! The scene is well crafted, it’s fun, funny, breathless, epic and I really can’t put all my words down for this scene.

It’s not just about THAT scene, but that was probably my highlight overall. We also get to see great introductions for newcomers T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl, who gets to have a deeper role in Civil War than many may be expecting) and, of course, Spider-Man (Tom Holland). There is just so much I want to discuss, but I can’t give anymore away. But you must make note of the relationships that are clearly developed in the team, the enemies who look to do all they can to defeat the Avengers by conflicting these relationships really is the key to Civil War. But, we all know it comes down to Cap and Iron Man as they clash over their ideals and what they believe to be right. It is emotional to see these two clash! Steve Rogers has been good friends with both Howard and Tony Stark and to see their relationship come to this is hard to take in. The film may not be as dark as Batman v Superman from earlier this year, but this film really saw a bigger impact of seeing the two heads bang.

I really don’t want to talk any more about the plot, I want you to see this film and you can see why I find all these points interesting and important. The whole cast really are on top form, and to see the iconic comic book story (even if loosely adapted) come to life on screen was more than we could have ever had hoped for. Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and all the guys we followed through phase one and two of the MCU all put in superb performances. The biggest presence I enjoyed from the already established characters was Scarlet Witch, Elizabeth Olson makes her character stand out and you really do feel sorry for her situation in the movie. It is fair to say her part in AGE OF ULTRON was not exactly top on your list, but to see her really struggle in this world with her powers is certainly gripping. Paul Bettany’s Vision gets some great laughs, as does Paul Rudd continuing as Scott Lang. To pick a favourite between Chadwick’s Black Panther and Tom Holland’s web-slinger is tough. They each provide their own distinct character and Holland really gives Spider-Man the treatment we all wanted. A REAL kid playing a KID! Spider-Man uses his screen time to win people over and you will be begging to see him in Spider-Man: Homecoming next year. And as for Chadwick Boseman? Black Panther really was a great new addition to the cast and brings a new bend to the MCU, as does Spider-Man. Finally, the directors Anthony and Joe Russo yet again give us a brilliant Captain America movie and prove to us these are the perfect candidates to continue making the Avengers movies! They will be tacking Infinity Wars in 2018, and I know this was the perfect way to say they know what they are doing. This film is just the closest to perfect I have seen a superhero movie get to. The laughs are great, the action is enthralling throughout and I can’t wait to see this for a second, third, fourth, twenty-eighth time!

P.S. Stay behind for the two big scenes once the main picture concludes and watch out for Stan Lee!

Final Rating: 10/10

Written by Jonjo Cosgrove

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FILM?

With the film just a few weeks away, I was thinking about where the characters will be when Civil War reaches its end credits (and its two scenes after the film). Be warned, I have not seen the film and this is all speculation based on my theories, fan ideas and glimpses from the released trailers. I will break down what all the characters will be doing following the film.

Captain America/Steve Rogers

With this film being centrally still on Steve Rogers (apparently, but this will be crowded!), the biggest personal effect I believe will be to the super soldier. From the evidence in the film, it looks like Bucky is still not 100% himself. With what looks like attempts on the lives of Tony Stark and Rhodes/War Machine, it seems fitting that Bucky may finally face his maker after Cap tries his best to save his best friend. My only evidence for this is that Bucky is still warped from his Winter Soldier persona and there seems to be so many people that want to eliminate Bucky. This I believe will result in the big rift lasting till at least the next Avengers film. Captain America will possibly be looking for revenge against Tony as I believe Iron Man will deliver the killing blow to Buck. Steve will be out for blood, but will probably be in the shadows for a while.

Iron Man/Tony Stark

As mentioned, I believe Tony Stark will be in some hot water for killing Bucky. I also reckon that Captain America will be hot on his heels for some time as there is a point in the trailer when Natasha Romanoff says “I’m not the one that needs to watch their back”. This could be near the conclusion of the movie and Iron Man may be deeply considering his actions after what unfolds. If the film is anything like the source material, we will see Iron Man really go to extreme lengths to bring his idea of order to life. Also, I reckon this will see Tony pushed more to the side by his fellow Avengers if he does indeed murder the former war hero. Maybe Stark will hope to redeem himself in the Infinity Wars films?

Hawkeye/Clint Barton

Why mention Hawkeye now? Just because I can, no reason is needed. If I am being honest, Barton is probably going to be one of the least affected characters from this film. Though initially quitting the Avengers at the conclusion of Age Of Ultron, it looks like he will be roped in easily enough. But, with his own family to look after, Hawkeye will probably just want to go back to them and forget what happens. Will the Civil War affect him? Of course it will. But, with many more characters emerging, maybe this could be the true swansong for Barton to go live a quiet life and leave Cap and co!

Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff

Though Black Widow will clearly be fighting with Cap at first in the Avengers 2.0, she will then move to Team Iron Man as the movie progresses. But from the trailer, it looks like she will soon be regretting her choice. Steve and Natasha clearly have a great working history, whether it is in the Avengers films or their fantastic chemistry throughout THE WINTER SOLDIER film, and I reckon this will cause one or two clashes between her and the leaders of the factions. In the end though, I reckon she will go back to being a spy and want no more to do with protecting the world…at least until a certain titan appears and threatens the world.

Scarlet Witch/ Wanda Maximoff

Originally having a hatred for Stark in AGE OF ULTRON, I am sure this carries over to her choice in some way to join Cap. Where she probably is one of the least established characters in the MCU, I wonder where Wanda Maximoff will be once the credits roll. I have this feeling she will probably want to go into the shadows. I doubt she will see a fate the same as her on-screen brother, but I have a feeling she may just disappear once this film is over. I hope I am wrong and I really hope she gets a more prominent arc (maybe the love of The Vision could be worth seeing on the big screen).

The Vision

Speaking of The Vision, we know there will be a definite swing to him staying on Tony’s side as he is partially only alive (robot, alive, something like that) as Stark did create him. The relationship between him and Wanda will be interesting to see as he did save her in AGE OF ULTRON and the new trailer shows them definitely against each other. What I would like to see is The Vision taking a little journey into space to eventually see the…GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY! Maybe he will have a part in the next film after he also abandons Tony and wants a new life. Then he accidently gets caught by Thanos and the infinity stone in his head is ripped out to go to the lovely gauntlet.

Ant-Man/Scott Lang

This is one character we definitely know to a degree where he is going. Scott Lang will be teaming up with Hope Van Dyne as she suits up as The Wasp in 2018. Leaving Civil War, I reckon he will no longer go all fanboy around the heroes as he is bound to see a side or two of what they are really like. I think a more serious and focused Ant-Man will be the result of his part of the film. Maybe he could help out Spider-Man with his start as a hero and help him go down a better path after already seeing prison and conflict. Also, let’s hope we also see Giant-Man too!

General “Thunderbolt” Ross

After nearly eight years since William Hurt debuted as the very questionable General Ross and showed he was a great rival to one of the most popular characters in Marvel history. While his involvement in Civil War may not be too huge, it would be great to see him take on Bruce Banner once again and see their conflict happen in a future film. With a possible Hulk film maybe still 4 years away at least, it will certainly be worth the wait if we finally get a Hulk movie which will be fun but also see the two actually reach a conclusion to their rivalry.

Black Panther/T’Challa

After getting a peak of the fictional country Wakanda and seeing the villainous Ulysses Klaue (still a weird way of saying Claw!), we have plenty of teases already leading into his own solo film. Black Panther is definitely going to springboard from this movie and T’Challa will be going into a new realm for the MCU. After he has fought for Tony Stark and had a few fights with Cap and Bucky, I am sure we will then see him become the heroic figure we see in the comics when 2018 comes round. What his future holds is not too clear, but more Wakanda and more Klaue is definitely welcome. Maybe a Black Panther tease in the post credit scene(s)?

War Machine/James Rhodes

He isn’t going to die. I don’t know where Rhodey will go after this movie, but he won’t die.

Falcon/Sam Wilson

While Falcon may not have had much of an impact in the 2015 MCU films (but did have some fun cameos), it will be nice to see where he is come Civil War. I want in the distant future to see Falcon eventually take on the Captain America role once Steve Rogers departs (death or otherwise). Anthony Mackie is definitely a fantastic actor and took a D list superhero and made him so cool. But after the Civil War? I just want him to still be kicking arse and maybe being back-up for maybe Black Panther to fill his on-screen gap after this movie.

The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes

Sorry, I think he will die. Unlike Rhodey.

Baron Helmut Zemo

We know almost nothing about this character so far. We know he is supposed to be the main villain of this film. I believe he will be a character more in the shadows in this movie and possibly be setting up some plans that will come up in Civil War and more that will appear later in the MCU. Zemo is a very popular villain and is someone who is known for manipulating people against his enemies, including Cap. I think this is the character we know the least about for a potential future, and the MCU needs another menacing recurring villain to cause trouble in its future.

Agent 13/Sharon Carter

I actually forget Emily VanCamp was in this film. I don’t think we will get a lot of time with Sharon Carter, except it may show her and Cap in some kind of relationship. Her future, I really don’t know!

Crossbones/Brock Rumlow

A former S.H.I.E.L.D. strike team commander, his allegiance to HYDRA was revealed in THE WINTER SOLDIER and he was able to hold his own in a fight or two. Now, he is Crossbones and looks like he can punch you through 10 walls in a row. I think he will be around after this film, but where he will next pop up is not clear. I reckon a move to the MARVEL/NETFLIX side of the MCU would be a great move. How about see him take on Iron Fist? I can’t see a future on the movies is there for the character, but giving him a chance on the small screen could be fun.

Spider-Man/Peter Parker

The character we really wanted the MCU to have Spider-Man, and now is the right time. After AGE OF ULTRON, the film series did need a bit of a refresher. Ant-Man showed that taking risks in the MCU can still pay off and was clearly superior to the ensemble film that came before it. Spider-Man is a truly popular character, he will certainly be a good way to bring new blood into the established world and set up the potential Avengers 3.0 (which I reckon will be after Infinity Wars it shall be Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain America/Falcon, Hulk, Ant-Man, Wasp, Black Widow and maybe Thor because Asgard will be destroyed…maybe!). Spider-Man will go into his own film with a sense of uncertainty after the Civil War events. Peter Parker is certain to maybe be a character in the shadows of New York and only emerge as a hero when the time comes (hopefully it will be against a proper Venom or maybe Doc Ock!). He will not trust his heroes that he grew up seeing and wanted to be like, and I am sure a superior Spider-Man (I apologise for that one) will come to light and set an example of a pure-blooded hero!

What do you think will happen to the characters? Who will survive (apart from those who have got their own films still to come in Phase Three)?

Captain America: Civil War is out 29^th April 2016 in the UK and 6^th May in the US.

Written by Jonjo Cosgrove

Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe

With Captain America: Civil War just a couple of months away, the start of Phase Three will see some huge changes come to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With favourites such as Captain Marvel, Black Panther and Spider-Man about to debut in the world, there is plenty of excitement growing for the upcoming movies. But, we should not forget the past. The 12 films in the series so far have proved just how far the series has come. With a great majority of films doing a splendid job, tight casting and some of the most memorable scenes in cinema through the 21^st century. The MCU is definitely going to leave a huge mark on cinema history forever. Let’s see how the films so far rank from worst to best…

12. Iron Man 2

Maybe the obvious choice, but it had to be. First off, we get Mickey Rourke after he wowed in The Wrestler and Sin City being given very little in terms of character development and being made to look too much like a slimmed down Iron Monger suit. We finally get Samuel L Jackson making his first full appearance as Nick Fury, but where exactly does he go for a majority of the film? Then we had Terrance Howard being replaced (though I did grow to like Don Cheadle a lot more from Iron Man 3 onwards). Though not a bad movie on its own, it is certainly misguided.

11. Thor: The Dark World

Now, in my defence I think this film is very funny and the chemistry between the cast was great. It definitely gave us a better look at Asgard and was the first MCU film to really feature alien planets prominently. Though, the lack of menace from Christopher Eccleston’s Malekith and the story was almost non-existant. It did seem the film was just throwing ideas at a wall, hoping something would stick. Though seeing Stellan Skarsgard running around in the nude at Stonehenge is definitely something fun and unexpected, it couldn’t save the film.

10. The Incredible Hulk

Don’t make Edward Norton angry…oh, they did! Clearly a huge improvement on the unrelated 2003 ‘Hulk’ by Ang Lee, this film still had a lot to prove. Luckily, the biggest improvement was the actors who stepped up. While Edward Norton may not be the favourite Hulk anymore, he certainly made a good attempt at being Dr Bruce Banner. With Liv Tyler being the heart, Tim Roth proving to be a top villain and William Hurt giving us the true General Ross, what could go wrong? Well not much, but from this film we could see it seemed almost unrelated to the MCU, save for that little post-credit scene which I still believe is a flash-forward to ‘Captain America: Civil War’.

9. Iron Man 3

After The Avengers did the best job possible for superhero movies, it was then left to Robert Downey Jr. and his friends since 2008 to somehow continue after this peak. While it was not as good as the 2012 team-up, it certainly did keep the entertainment levels up. Breaking the previous formula slightly from the first two films, we see Tony Stark go against someone with powers. The extremis-powered Killian was certainly a good match for strength and proved to be a greater danger and a better villain than some that came before.

8. Thor

We get to meet Thor, God of Thunder and our first true “alien” for the Avengers. But also, we get to meet Loki. Possibly the best villain the MCU has shown, Loki really gets to have fun and he really gets to show his descent into evil with emotional consequences. The fight between the “brothers” is certainly a highlight for the MCU and to see the legendary Sir Anthony Hopkins take the part of Odin was too great to be true. The film may not be perfect, but it is a fun piece and will be regarded as taking a huge step in the development of the MCU.

7. Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Bringing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together for the second time was no easy task, and the ripples of it still resonate nearly a year later. Joss Whedon had previously done so much for the MCU from taking on The Avengers and giving his touch to phase 2 overall. Though Whedon has said about his struggles with the movie, he certainly did give 110% and maybe put in a bit too much into the runtime of the movie. Setting up many elements for phase three, bombarding many characters into the film and not giving them the necessary breathing space, it was a huge task. Though the film is great, I am sure we could have had a few changes. Ultron was great though!

6. Ant-Man

Funny name? Think it’s a gimmick? Well, it isn’t. Many didn’t know that Ant-Man actually came to comics before many of the Avengers you may know, and it was a worthy wait to see him finally come into the MCU. Bringing a huge amount of humour and truly creating a different character for the screen, it was indeed a lot of fun to finally explore the world from a different perspective. Plus, how many comic actors can really make a character who is a thief become a popular film hero? Paul Rudd really made this character his own, and I am sure Civil War will see him shine again!

5. Captain America: The First Avenger

We had Iron Man, we had Hulk and we also just had Thor. To complete The Avengers, we needed the super soldier from the 1940’s. Going back in time, we get a few ties to the other avengers in regards to the serum which would later be adapted and create the Hulk, or even Howard Stark meeting Cap before his son would by 70 years. Also, we get to see a character that possibly is the most vulnerable of all the heroes we had seen so far. Plus, the iconic Red Skull is well achieved by Hugo Weaving, and we need Red Skull back! Plus we got Peggy Carter, and she is awesome!

4. Iron Man

Iron Man kicked off the MCU, and he made the Marvel world cool again. The bad taste of Spider-Man 3, X-Men: The Last Stand and Fantastic Four made the mid-2000’s a bit dull for comic adaptations. Iron Man though, proved you could be fun and serious. Robert Downey Jr. made himself the coolest guy in Hollywood by taking this B-list Marvel character and making him challenge and better many heroes that came before. Also, it showed that big stars wanted to be in superhero movies, a trend which still continues today.

3. The Avengers

The results of years of work paid off in a huge way. The highest-earning superhero movie of all time, and for a great reason, and some of the greatest fun I have ever had at the cinema. Seeing the return of Loki, we saw the god come to earth to claim it as his own. The Avengers then assemble and bring everyone on their A-game to make a brilliant work of art. Also, who knew that a superhero movie could be that funny, and the biggest laughs coming from the Hulk of all characters? Definitely a spectacle in cinema.

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The film which many people apparently dreaded (many people felt mixed on Cap, and few were originally interested in his next solo outing). Coming out in the UK in MARCH! Yes, that is MARCH. It seemed too early of a date to become a blockbuster, but we was wrong. Captain America came back on fighting form and within minutes, proved himself to be one of the most popular characters in cinema today. Chris Evans took the superhero to new heights and brought in “The Dark Knight” of the MCU. It was gritty, intelligent, tough, fun and had heart throughout. The reveal of Bucky may have been obvious from day one, but nobody cares when you leave that film thinking “Captain America is F***ING AWESOME!”. He may not fly, have weapons coming out of his arms or can turn green, but he certainly knew how to fight his critics.

1. Guardians Of The Galaxy

Where do we begin? This film was almost doomed from the start. An unknown group of heroes, a director known more from Slither and the live-action Scooby Doo films (Yep, he wrote them. No joke!) and how about the idea of a sentient tree and talking raccoon being friends? Well, you was wrong! This film was just incredible. It was a hug punch of adrenaline into the mainstream and showed that risks should still be taken in Hollywood. The film was just a delight for the eyes, the music from the 1970’s was a perfect complement to the visual treat and the acting was second to none! James Gunn is currently making the sequel, due to be released next year. If it is half as good as this movie, I will be very happy indeed.

Written by Jonjo Cosgrove

Avengers: Age Of Ultron. “Right, don’t mention puny Banner…”

Well, Hulk vs Iron Man provides this line, but there is more!

Age Of Ultron gives us twins with powers, a synthetic android, the six heroes who saved New York from the Chitauri and a bat-s**t crazy AI whom is bent on destroying all mankind for not wanting to change. The Avengers are back and the action is almost instantly flying at you. Viewers of Captain America: The Winter Soldier will know that Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch) are on their way. This gives a huge set piece which only leads to an even grander scale situation when we first meet “Ultron”. An AI worked on by Tony Stark to help The Avengers and protect the world. Using technology not of this world, the villainous robot is born and Ultron takes little time to assemble himself and look to destroy his enemy The Avengers. The action is huge, taking in many locations around the world. We get a more global adventure than in the 2012 Avengers. But, do make sure you know details from the previous movies as a few times you may be a bit stuck with what is happening.

Unlike many villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you almost feel for Ultron, even though he desires nothing more than to destroy all humans (sounding like Bender from Futurama, though with more actual killing). He seems to only want to do what he feels is right, he wants the world to be safe and move on to a new stage of evolution. While we see Ultron look to perfect himself, we see The Avengers deteriorate before our eyes as friction between the team grows. Iron Man and Captain America show some animosity between each other, which will only fuel 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Thor goes on his own side quest, but all becomes clear when he returns to make a necessary assist (and possibly tease Ragnarok). Black Widow and Hulk seem to be a bit more than friends in this movie, am I the only one who remembers Betty Ross? You know, the woman that Bruce Banner apparently was so in love with that he was willing to take on her vindictive father? Just me then! All these characters seem troubled and fragile, especially when they get to see what fear is within them. Though I must say Hawkeye is probably getting out in the best condition on the team, luckily he is kept with his own mind this time throughout. The story is not the strongest, though the quips and character portrayals certainly are gripping and entertaining. We get an almost full circle with the film beginning and almost ending in the same place, though the actual end gives a lot to look forward to going ahead to Phase Three of the MCU.

So, let’s have an analysis. This film has loads of characters, so many named characters old and new. Think Game Of Thrones blended with superheroes. Highlight characters include Hawkeye, whom Jeremy Renner seems to really make good use of and even at times makes joking references to his character’s portrayal in the first film and gets some of the funnier lines. Scarlett Johansson gets to reveal more about the past of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow as we find out more about how she became the assassin we know. Mark Ruffalo laps up the screen effortlessly with every appearance, either with his brooding and haunting gaze as Dr Banner and when he is tearing up a city as The Hulk. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen shine as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, though I must say that Scarlet Witch is the one who is probably a more revolutionary character and the one to look out for in the future. Paul Bettany gets to bring two characters out to Avengers: Age Of Ultron and does so brilliantly. With J.A.R.V.I.S. he continues to be the obedient AI for his creator Tony Stark, but as The Vision he really gets to have a life of his own and glows as this new creation. Finally, James Spader did a superb job as Ultron. Clearly the best villain of Phase Two, he offers a very grounded and brutal performance which only has so far been matched by Jeff Bridges Obadiah Stane and topped by Tom Hiddleston’s  Loki. A villain who you will hate, but not as much as you should.

You will find yourself laugh at one time or another because of all of the characters. The humour and wit you recognise Joss Whedon for is still here. Where the first time it seemed almost unexpected, this movie you are guaranteed some laughs at some of the least likely areas of the two hour plus running time. This is a great movie; you will be hard pressed to find a dull moment. Though, the saturation of so many characters (though most of them we know) is a bit of a stretch to get in with such little time for them all. Maybe one or two could have been dropped, but we must anticipate a similar situation when Captain America: Civil War arrives (check out who is supposed to be in this one, you will see what I mean). Great lines, top action and a filling experience for all but maybe far too many set-ups for Phase Three of the MCU and too much going on. It shall be difficult to find many comic book films that can top movie. You can’t stop The Avengers!

Final Rating: 8.5/10

Written by Jonjo Cosgrove

Avengers: Age Of Ultron. New Trailer!

Friday 24th April is when the UK will receive the release of the epic blockbuster ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’. Within the last few hours, a brand new trailer has been released and features ever more footage from the movie and teases us further. When Tony Stark looks to boot up a peace-keeping program, he inadvertently releases the being Ultron, an AI who is set on bringing the end to all human existance. The Avengers must team up to take on their greatest challenge yet, while at the same time survive being in each others company.

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, James Spader and many other cast members! You do not want to miss this very exciting event for 2015!

Written by Jonjo Cosgrove