Detective Pikachu Has Screened, See What People Are Saying

Detective Pikachu Has Screened, See What People Are Saying

Pokemon is a worldwide phenomenon with millions of fans but up until now, fans have only seen it in an animated form. Now, the first group of people have had a chance to see the new live-action Detective Pikachu and if you thought the film looked cute, funny, and fun, based on the trailers, it seems that the first group of critics is confirming that the entire movie is that way.

Terri Schwartz at IGN says this is the perfect movie for Pokemon fans, as it is a loving recreation of the world of Pokemon, including remarkable creature designs.

I just got out of Detective Pikachu and my first thought is OMG HOW DID THEY MAKE PIKACHU SO CUTE!!! It completely nails the world of Pokémon, and just seeing their amazing live action creature designs is worth the price of admission. If you love Pokémon, you’ll love this movie.

This has to be great news for fans who have been waiting for the Pokemon franchise to receive this kind of treatment. It's probably fair to say that nobody quite expected Pokemon's first live-action movie to be inspired by the video game franchise off shoot Detective Pikachu, or that the title character would be voiced by Ryan Reynolds, but as unusual as that may have seemed, from the first trailer there was a clear charm permeating what we saw.

Collider's Dave Trumbore was also among those who got a chance to see the new film last night, and if given the chance, he's ready to move in.

Just saw Detective Pikachu here in Tokyo and, man, I wish Ryme City was a real place because I really want a Pokémon pal.

The biggest question of Detective Pikachu might be just how popular the franchise is with the general public. While a generation has grown up with the pocket monsters, it might still qualify as a niche property. Of course, if enough of those fans turn out, the movie will still be a massive hit. According to Nerds of Color, those fans will be rewarded because there is plenty of nostalgia to get them excited.

Detective Pikachu is adorably funny & takes you deep into the world of Pokemon, which every Pokemon fan will appreciate. The nostalgia is real. Detective Pikachu will have you laughing & tearing up a bit too. Ryan Reynolds & Justice Smith are golden in this.

Of course, if all you're expecting is awesome Pokemon and action, you might be surprised. It sounds like the movie also has some heart to it, as Nerdist's Dan Casey admitted to getting a little emotional at parts.

Detective Pikachu is a pure joy from start to finish. It’s a heartfelt, relentlessly charming story filled with excellent worldbuilding. Plenty of deep cuts for Pokémon fans. There must’ve been a grass-type in the theater because I got surprisingly misty-eyed in parts.

Pretty much every review from the recent Detective Pikachu event in Japan sounds pretty much the same. The Pokemon are adorable. The movie is funny. Really what else do you need? It sounds like this really is the Pokemon movie that fans have been waiting for. They don't have to wait too much longer, as Detective Pikachu hits theaters May 10.

Stan Lee Has A Few Marvel Cameos Left

Stan Lee Has A Few Marvel Cameos Left

Last November, longtime Marvel Comics heavyweight Stan Lee died at 95, and needless to say it was a heavy blow to the world of comic book media fandom. That said, it didn’t mark the last time we’d see him since months before his passing, Lee filmed/recorded several more of his trademark cameos, including his quick scene in Captain Marvel, which hit theaters this past weekend. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has now clarified that there are still a few Lee cameos left to be shown to the masses. When asked if Lee will appear in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Feige responded:

We'll see. We're heading-- We shot a couple of others, so we're coming up on the last of them, yes.

Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo said shortly after Stan Lee died that the comic book icon did shoot something for Endgame, as it was grouped together with various other MCU cameos that Lee shot during a short period. That said, it’s been unclear if Lee shot anything from Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Feige’s comment to ET is cagey in that regard. That said, an Endgame cameo is definitely on the table, and the fact that Feige said “the last of them” indicates that there’s more than just one cameo to look forward to.

Spider-Man: Far From Home filmed from last July to October in England, New York and several other countries. Stan Lee wasn’t able to travel much in his final years, but as with his other recent cameos, presumably it would have been easy enough to get him to a movie set in California where he could shoot something quick for Far From Home. Nothing’s official yet, but I’m guessing that it’s likelier than not that Lee will have some presence in the next live action Spider-Man movie, whether it’s on screen like all his other past MCU contributions or if he was only able to record a vocal cameo, like what he did for last December’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where he played a shopkeeper who interacted with Miles Morales.

Stan Lee already had an extensive cameo resume even before the MCU launched with Iron Man in 2008, but in that particular franchise, he was a regular fixture, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 revealing that he was actually the same character who was keeping tabs on things around Earth and other areas of the galaxy on behalf of The Watchers. Sadly, all things must come to an end, and either Avengers: Endgame or Spider-Man: Far From Home will mark his last film appearance. That said, future MCU movies could take a cue from the Marvel Netflix shows and include a picture of Lee in tribute to the man who helped make Marvel the powerhouse company it is today.

Warning: SPOILERS for Captain Marvel are ahead!

Along with being his second or third-to-last MCU cameo, Captain Marvel was also special for Stan Lee because he was basically playing himself. While Carol Danvers was aboard a train searching for a disguised Skrull, she passed by Lee, who was practicing his lines for Mallrats, Kevin Smith’s second movie which, where Lee had a small, but important role. That movie came out in 1995, the same year Captain Marvel was set. Danvers studied Lee for a moment and then gave a smirk when she realized that he was 100% human.

But that wasn’t the only way that Captain Marvel paid tribute to Stan Lee. The Marvel Studios intro also replaced artwork and clips of its various superheroes with Stan Lee’s various cameos in this franchise over the last decade. Kevin Feige explained how shortly after Lee died, he and others at Marvel Studios were figuring out how to honor Lee and whether it should be something that’s part of a movie or released online. They eventually decided on the former, and rather than attach something “depressing at the end,” Feige settled on something “touching and rousing up front,” hence that heartwarming intro. Feige continued.

I know that, not specifically but in general, a celebration is what Stan always wanted as opposed to any sort of mournful event. So, it happened very, very quickly soon after we got the unfortunate news.. We put that together and our visual development department, led by Ryan Meinerding, illustrated all those illustrations of him that you see, before we then go into the clips.

We may only have a few more Stan Lee appearances left, but because of what the man accomplished through his long life, his characters will live on for decades more. Although Stan Lee didn’t have a hand in creating Carol Danvers, writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan have that honor), he did co-create (with Colan) her comics predecessor, Mar-Vell, who was portrayed by Annette Bening in the Captain Marvel movie.

Captain Marvel was the first MCU movie of 2019, but there’s a lot more to look forward to this year. In less than two months, Avengers: Endgame will pick up where Avengers: Infinity War left off, with half of all life in the universe being wiped out by Thanos and his Infinity Stones-powered fingers. Marvel is still keeping tight-lipped about specific plot details, but we can at least look forward to the surviving heroes banding together to defeat Thanos and undo his genocide. Carol Danvers will be part of this group, and the Captain Marvel mid-credits scene showed her arriving at New Avengers base questioning where Nick Fury was, as before turning to dust, the former S.H.I.E..L.D. director summoned her using his spruced-up pager.

Then in July, Spider-Man: Far From Home will kick off Phase 4 with Peter Parker traveling to Europe over summer vacation. Unfortunately, Peter won’t get a break from his superhero lifestyle during this trip, as Nick Fury will recruit him to fight the Elementals alongside Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio. Since Spider-Man was arguably Lee’s most famous creation, it would be a shame if Far From Home didn’t involve him in some way, so fingers crossed that gets to be his final cameo.

Don’t forget to read CinemaBlend’s review of Captain Marvel, and stay tuned for more updates on the MCU. Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26 and Spider-Man: Far From Home follows on July 5. You can also find out what non-Marvel movies are coming out this year by looking through our 2019 release schedule.

Did Return Of The Jedi Really Redeem Darth Vader?

Did Return Of The Jedi Really Redeem Darth Vader?

As the Skywalker Saga will be drawing to a close with Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker, now's as good a time as ever to revisit some of the major plot points of the prior films. As the world wonders the meaning of the title, it may be worth revisiting the life of Anakin Skywalker, specifically his final adventure in the saga.

I'm talking, of course, about Return of the Jedi, in which Darth Vader thwarts the Emperor and kills him in order to save Luke's life. He and Luke share a touching moment, and he dies. Luke burns his body down on Endor and Anakin is later seen alongside Obi-Wan and Yoda as a Force ghost. It's a nice scene, but after all the things we've learned about Vader since that scene was originally written, was he really redeemed?

Consider for a moment what happened. Vader killed Emperor Palpatine not because he was disillusioned with the dark side or its plans, but rather to protect his son Luke. It's a cool thing to do, but did saving his son necessarily mean he was suddenly one of the good guys? Are we suddenly supposed to believe his goals for world domination and his anger at the Jedi way instantly went out the window?

Let's not forget that only minutes before, he was trying to bait Luke into turning to the dark side and declaring that he'd turn Leia to the dark side. It's also worth mentioning that Vader was only really paying forward a favor Luke already did in not killing him at the Emperor's request. Had Vader gotten the upper hand in that duel, it doesn't feel like Luke would've gotten off so easy.

Canon supplemental material has only made this plot point more muddy, as its been revealed Darth Vader had harbored aggressive feelings towards Emperor Palpatine for some time. He eventually discovered that he was manipulated into turning on everyone he loved, and that he was not responsible for Padme's death. Obviously knowing that would've made killing Palpatine easier, even if it meant sacrificing his own life to defeat him.

As much as one may want to believe Anakin became a good person again in that sweeping moment, it just doesn't make sense that he would. In a hypothetical situation where Anakin survived, what would've been his next move? Would he have resigned to the punishment for the multitude of crimes he committed against the Republic, or would he fight and continue to shape the world under his ideal vision?

Anakin seems more inclined to continue to try and rule the galaxy. Additionally, he made a very concerted effort to fully eradicate the Jedi even after Order 66, so he probably wouldn't be cool with Luke recruiting more Jedi if they were to be trained under Obi Wan and Yoda's teachings. Given all that we know about Vader, he'd probably go right back into tempting his son into finding a way away form the Jedi, much like Kylo tried with Rey.

And yet, Anakin's place alongside Yoda and Obi-Wan doesn't imply any of that in the slightest. His one act of saving Luke seemingly positioned him as a Jedi worthy of a spot among two of the most prestigious light side users in Star Wars canon. In a world that's so black and white, one would think the universe would recognize that one good act wasn't nearly enough for redemption or negate the scores of misdeeds he carried out over the years.

Those misdeeds go beyond mercilessly hunting the Jedi. There's literally too many to count, but keep in mind he's choked many officers (some to death) simply because they irritated him. Even before Darth Vader, Anakin was very much unable to reconcile his emotions, and his anger led him to do some incredibly over-the top-things. He even went so far as to slaughter younglings which, regardless of his intention to save Padme by serving the emperor, is irredeemable.

The good news is the expanded material still does justice to the ending of Return of the Jedi, regardless of whether Vader is redeemed. After all, Anakin aligned with the Emperor to effectively protect his family, so it makes sense that protecting Luke would ultimately overrule the allegiance he has to Palpatine. It still doesn't explain why Obi-Wan and Yoda were cool with him being around in the Force ghost afterlife, but perhaps stuff like that gets brushed aside in death.

So why is it so important we know Anakin's headspace and whether he was redeemed following Return of the Jedi? Well, with a title like Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker on the horizon and Vader's helmet appearing once again, one has to think that Darth Vader will play into the plot in some way. At least, one can assume that's true for Kylo Ren, who famously told his grandfather he would "finish what he started."

We're all well aware of what Anakin Skywalker started, but now it's a valid question to ask whether he still intended to finish his plan. Anakin may have turned his back on the Empire and being his servant, but that didn't necessarily mean he didn't wish to shape the world in an image. Had things gone right, and had Padme been saved, would things have gone differently?

Remember, these are questions that characters could get an answer to in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It could be through flashbacks of Luke reconciling with who his father was outside of that one moment, or it could be Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Anakin to appear as a Force ghost to Rey or Kylo Ren. Should a conversation take place, would he push embracing the Dark Side, looking towards the light or maybe present a third option?

This is just one of the things to ponder as the countdown to Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker ticks ever closer day by day. Do you think Return of the Jedi redeemed Anakin and he's forever changed following the event, or was his act a small bright spot overshadowed by all of his past wrongdoings? Let us know by voting in the poll below, and feel free to elaborate in the comments.

Robert Downey Jr. Shares Behind The Scenes Photo Of Avengers: Endgame With Spider-Man

Robert Downey Jr. Shares Behind The Scenes Photo Of Avengers: Endgame With Spider-Man

Among the most heartbreaking deaths in Avengers: Infinity War, and certainly the most meme’d, was Peter Parker's, who didn’t feel so good and faded to dust in Tony Stark’s arms. Given that, we are especially eager to see Peter Parker brought back to life and reunited with his mentor once more in Avengers: Endgame. While we wait for that emotional moment, Robert Downey Jr. has shard a behind the scenes look from the film of himself with Spider-Man. Take a look:

One of the best things about the MCU is the fun pairings of actors and their characters, and although Iron Man and Spider-Man is one of the newer ones, first coming in Captain America: Civil War, it is easily one of the most entertaining. We see their great dynamic here, as Tony Stark is attempting to be his normal snarky self with Robert Downey Jr. sarcastically saying how stoked he is to be in the photo.

But he can’t help but smirk next to his mentee, Tom Holland’s overly enthusiastic Peter Parker, who is genuinely stoked to be standing next to ‘Mr. Stark.’ The upside down internship certificate is a nice touch too. What a fantastic duo these two are and if Robert Downey Jr. leaves the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers: Endgame, more of this pairing will be one of the top things we’ll have to lament.

This picture is a cool behind-the-scenes look at a shot from the most recent Avengers: Endgame trailer where Tony is holding a photo of himself and Peter Parker with the internship certificate. Every hero seems to have one person in particular who was snapped away that most affected them, and with Pepper alive, for Tony, that’s Peter Parker. You can the image of this scene from the teaser below:

This scene reminds us how Tony Stark at times attempted to use Spider-Man and provide some guidance to Peter Parker, while pretending not to care and not being overly affectionate towards the kid. But it’s clear now that Tony Stark does care about Peter Parker very much, and he’s the person he most wants to avenge and bring back. That makes their potential reunion all the more anticipated.

As Tony Stark hashtags in his Instagram post, the reunion of these two characters can heal the internet, which has spent the last year laughing through the pain at poor Peter Parker who didn’t want to go. To do that though, they’ll have to heal the divisions in the team and band together to topple Thanos for good.

Avengers: Endgame closes out The Infinity Saga when it opens on April 26. Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies.

Letitia Wright Found Out About Shuri’s Infinity War Fate Just Like The Rest Of Us

Letitia Wright Found Out About Shuri’s Infinity War Fate Just Like The Rest Of Us

It's a very exciting week for Marvel fans, as Avengers: Endgame is finally arriving in theaters. It's been a long year of waiting since Infinity War hit theaters, and shocked moviegoers by having Thanos win over the good guys. Audiences were left to watch in horror as countless characters faded to dust before our eyes, in a twist ending no one was expecting.

But there were a few characters whose fate was left vague, as they weren't seen being dusted in the Wakandan field. Chief among them is T'Challa's sister Shuri, playing by Letitia Wright. Shuri was confirmed to be dusted when Endgame's character posters hit the internet, leaving fans disappointed about the genius princess. It turns out that Wright found out about Shuri the same way, recently saying:

It was surprising. I saw everybody in the colored photos, you know the colored posters, and then I saw myself in grey. And I was like, 'I just died out of nowhere!' I think the whole of Twitter was pretty upset so I kind of logged off and didn't log back on. So I'm waiting to see how that came together and how that panned out tonight.

Same, Letitia Wright. Same.

Letitia Wright's comments to Marvel Entertainment come from the Avengers: Endgame purple carpet at last night's premiere. And they're likely going to surprise many fans, who thought that the actors at least knew whether they lived or died. But Wright was kept in the dark like everyone else, which just shows how tight security is at Marvel Studios. Especially when it comes to Endgame.

When we last saw Shuri, she was attempting to separate Vision's consciousness from the Mind Stone. She warned it wold be a long process, but the Black Order brought massive forces that eventually put Shuri in the fray. She briefly faced off against Corvus Glaive with her Gauntlets, before he and Vision came to blows and flew out the window. Letitia Wright's character wasn't seen again, and wasn't shown turning to dust alongside the rest of the Avengers and Guardians.

Related: Infinity War Theory Claims Shuri Might Have Saved Vision

The first Avengers: Endgame trailer showed Shuri among the fallen characters, but some fans thought this might be a red herring. The Russo Brothers have already admitted to putting fake footage into trailers, allowing moviegoers to be truly surprised by the film's contents. But once the movie's character posters arrived last month, Shuri's fate was sealed. She was one of the many characters to get a black and white poster, meaning she was dusted as a result of The Decimation

With both Shuri and T'Challa gone, Wakanda is without a ruler. What happened to the technologically advanced society after half the population vanished?

Answers will come when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Why Patty Jenkins Is Now Frustrated By Wonder Woman 1984's Release Date Change

Why Patty Jenkins Is Now Frustrated By Wonder Woman 1984's Release Date Change

Be careful what you wish for! DC's Wonder Woman follow-up, Wonder Woman 1984, was originally set to come out this November 1. That was pushed back to June 5, 2020 -- which is exactly what director Patty Jenkins wanted. Then. Now? She wants her ex back.

I can't wait! I can't believe -- it's so funny, for all the entire time that we were making the movie, I was lobbying. They were wanting to move it up much earlier. And I was like 'You guys, it’s got to be the summer of 2020, like it’s got to be!' And that was what I always wanted. And now, I’ve just screened a version of the film and I’m like 'Oh my God, can we move it back up again?' I’m dying to release this film! But of course it's good and it's fine, but it's frustrating to have to wait.

So Patty Jenkins is now frustrated, but in a good way because she doesn't want to have to wait for the movie to hit theaters. It sounds like this early screening went well, which is great news. If only Wonder Woman could find a way to sneak into the June 2019 schedule.

When the word first came down that Wonder Woman 1984 was pushed back seven months, there was concern that there were production issues or other problems behind-the-scenes. Instead, Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, tweeted excitement that they were able to move the Wonder Woman sequel "back to its rightful home" in June 2020, three years after the June 2017 release of Wonder Woman.

Patty Jenkins also expressed excitement, at the time, about the new June 2020 release. But now that production is in the rear-view mirror she's understandably eager to just get the movie out in front of the audience.

Check out her excitement in the new interview clip:

One of Wonder Woman 1984's producers, Charles Roven, previously explained the film's delay from the vantage point of Warner Bros. and the production schedule:

We always wanted the date that we are on right now. The studio felt that until their slate for the year before came together -- and they had an amazing end of 2018 -- that they needed to have a big what I call aircraft carrier, a ‘tentpole’, in [2019]. We had a very rushed pre-production because Patty also did the TNT show and we had a very rushed post-production schedule in order to make the date that we were on, which was November 1, 2019. We were doing it because the studio said they really needed it, and then at a certain point they came to us and they said, ‘You know what, you guys are right. Let’s go back to the month that you guys released Wonder Woman 1 in, and take the extra time.’

Gal Gadot wrapped her role in Wonder Woman 1984 back at the end of December 2018, gushing over her fantastic experience making the movie. That month, DC got its first billion dollar baby in star Jason Momoa's Aquaman. In April, Gal Gadot congratulated the DCEU's newest recruit, Zachary Levi, on the (more modest, but still) success of Shazam! at the box office.

Wonder Woman 1984 will be set in the 1980s, bringing back not only Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, but also Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, and Robin Wright as Antiope. Newcomers include Kristen Wiig as Barbara Ann Minerva/Cheetah and Pedro Pascal's as-yet-unnamed mystery character.

Next up for the DCEU is Birds of Prey, which is coming out February 7, 2020. Then Wonder Woman 1984 will arrive on June 5, 2020 ... unless Warner Bros. decides to move the release date. Keep up with the 2019 release dates with our handy guide.

The Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer Just Revealed A Game-Changing Truth About Mysterio

The Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer Just Revealed A Game-Changing Truth About Mysterio

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

With Avengers: Endgame in its second weekend of release, the veil on spoilers has dropped and the public can now discuss the finer points of what happened in what might be the biggest movie of all time. In addition to being able to talk out what happened in the past, we’re now being given a chance to discuss the future, as the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer just dropped a pretty big clue as to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe may tackle next.

As seen in the trailer, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio is from another dimension, and you can thank Thanos for that little twist of fate. While we're still a little skeptical about whether this is the truth or not, we're going to treat it as if the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home is being on the level with us. Which, to be totally honest, is exciting as hell; Mysterio's truth could mean a lot for the Spider-Man franchise, as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Let's dive into what we've got so far.

The Truth About Mysterio: He Comes From Another Dimension

During the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home, we learn from Nick Fury that while Thanos’ snap with the Infinity Gauntlet in Avengers: Infinity War wiped out half of all life in the galaxy, it also did something worse. It tore a hole in the dimensional fabric of our world, which means that Mysterio has somehow bled over from his Earth into ours. This version of Mysterio, also known as Quentin Beck, seems to be a legitimate superhero with powers that can fight the so called Elementals that are wreaking havoc on our world.

It’s because of his abilities, and knowledge of these creatures, that Nick Fury has drafted Mysterio into the fight. But he also wants Spider-Man to be involved as well, more than likely due to his scientific mind and the fact that a lot of the other Avengers are indisposed at the moment. Not to mention, even Quentin knows that Peter's abilities are useful, lamenting in the trailer that someone like him would be handy to have on his world.

How Other Dimensions Could Affect Spider-Man: Far From Home

So right there, a minor implication can be discussed for Mysterio and his role in Spider-Man: Far From Home. While the world is used to the man with the giant fishbowl on his head being a villainous presence in Spidey’s life, we’ve been told that in this film he’s actually a hero. It looks like we have our explanation for why this twist came about, because in another world Quentin Beck is probably a nicer guy who works on saving the world, and is probably a legitimate spell-caster.

Rather than present Mysterio as the illusionist/special effects master he’s always been known as, it looks as if we’re seeing an alternate version of Mr. Beck that shows him as a legitimate hero/role model for Peter Parker. Even better is the fact that this new wrinkle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could potentially open the rest of the world up to a new and exciting possibility in Phase 4 and beyond: interdimensional worldbuilding.

How Mysterio's Story Could Affect The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Much like Sony’s last Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the Marvel Cinematic Universe now seems to be playing with the theory of alternate versions of characters we already know and love. Marvel sort of played around with that possibility in Avengers: Endgame, as we now have another Gamora who’s traveled through time into the modern day, and has none of the memories/experiences of the one we lost in Avengers: Infinity War.

Of course now it’s a whole new ballgame with other dimensions coming into play, because as we saw in last year’s big animated hit, new dimensions mean more complications than just removing someone from time. The truths of one universe don’t always map up with those of another. So, not only does this mean that Spider-Man: Far From Home’s Mysterio could totally be a hero, but it also means that the villainous Mysterio might still be active in this particular dimension.

Also, it should be noted that in the traditional Marvel Comics canon, the Fantastic Four have been known to mess around with interdimensional travel. So if you’ve been holding out hope for the first family of Marvel’s return, this just brought your wildest dreams a little closer to reality.

What This Might Mean For Future Spider-Man Movies

Spider-Man has always played around with big scientific concepts that change the world we live in. So Spider-Man: Far From Home would be the perfect place to start laying down the multiverse theory. With all of the cosmic power behind The Decimation, it wouldn’t be surprising at all that the fabric of the cosmos has been torn. And with that event, we could see the mother of all crossovers.

With Sony also working on a Spider-Man multiverse after Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, there’s a possibility that if the studio really wanted to, the world of the animated and the world of live-action could overlap. Meaning -- and I may be fan-boying out here -- we could see Miles Morales team up with yet another Peter Parker, albeit one who is younger and more alive than the ones he’s previously teamed up with.

Is Mysterio Telling The Truth?

Of course, all of these theories are predicated on the “truth” that Mysterio/Quentin Beck is actually telling the truth about being a hero. With that particular character being known as a liar and a flim-flam man, via his special effects prowess and some scientific tomfoolery, there’s always a chance that Mysterio is a bad guy.

But at the very least, if the part about Mysterio coming from another universe holds true, we’re possibly seeing the very turning point in the MCU that could change so much. Which would make the traditional supervillain’s lies a little easier to handle, but wouldn’t make him any less of a monster.

The possibility definitely exists that Quentin Beck is lying through his teeth to Nick Fury, Peter Parker, and everyone that’ll listen in Spider-Man: Far From Home. So while we’ll trust that this new development is the truth for the time being, we’re still very skeptical of just what might be happening underneath the surface.

Which makes it a good time for you, the audience, to re-watch the trailer to Spider-Man: Far From Home, in order to see if you can pick up any further clues about what may or may not be actual, hard won truth:

Spider-Man: Far From Home takes us on a super-powered school trip to Europe on July 2. Meanwhile, Avengers: Endgame is setting up the future of the MCU a little more immediately, as it plays out in theaters now.

Clark Gregg Calls Captain Marvel Trolls ‘Butthurt’

Clark Gregg Calls Captain Marvel Trolls ‘Butthurt’

It's a very exciting time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phase Three will come to an end next month with Avengers: Endgame, one year after audiences were left mouths agape at the horrifying twist ending of Infinity War. But before that we have Captain Marvel, the 90's set origin story which flew into theaters this weekend, making a ton of money in the process. In addition to introducing Carol Danvers, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Marvel blockbuster included plenty of familiar faces including Nick Fury, Korath, Ronan, and Phil Coulson.

Clark Gregg is back on the silver screen playing a younger Phil Coulson, who is still a rookie at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Ahead of its release, Captain Marvel fell victim to online trolling, including the film's Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes pages. While measures were made to fix this issue, Gregg had some choice words for those trolls and haters. He recently spoke to the trolling situation, saying:

I don’t know if the expression is butthurt about seeing someone else get a hero that looks like them, but that’s because they’ve always had heroes that looked like them.

Just when you thought you'd heard it all, there's Agent Coulson using the expression "butthurt". But Captain Marvel haters do seem to have a certain axe to grind, with the anger directed at Brie Larson specifically, especially from white men who took umbrage with her previous comments about diversity in the press.

Early into the press tour for Captain Marvel, Brie Larson expressed her disappointment that reviewers and film journalists she'd run into were primary white males. While encouraging inclusion in all aspects of the film world, she majorly ticked off certain fans who felt like she was trying to exclude them from the upcoming blockbuster. Those naysayers took to the internet to explain their issues, and Captain Marvel's reviews and scores ahead of its release plummeted.

In his same conversation with Nerdist, Clark Gregg went on to explain how futile the resistance against Captain Marvel and other female-led properties ultimately is, As he describes it,

There are people that get very bent out of shape about the fact that she’s a woman, and that Brie’s a woman, and wants to see women moving into an equal place in humanity to men. It’s sad. It must be sad to be that kind of dinosaur wandering towards the tar pits.

Phil Coulson isn't here for Captain Marvel trolls, and he's making his feelings known. While some actors have been known to curb their language about haters, Clark Gregg went so far as to call the haters butthurt dinosaurs. So yeah, he's not exactly holding back much regarding the naysayers for the newest Marvel blockbuster.

You can see Clark Gregg's conversation about Captain Marvel below, dinosaurs and all.

Clark Gregg has spent a great number of years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, on both the small and silver screen. As such, he's got a particular level of investment. So when trolling begins, he responded in an honest way.

The backlash for Captain Marvel started back in June of 2018, when Brie Larson was accepting an award at the Crystal + Lucy Awards. While discussing the call for inclusion both in front and behind the camera, Larson discussed how diversity also needed to be reflected in the press. Her original comments read:

[Audiences] are not allowed enough chances to read public discourse on these films by the people that the films were made for. I do not need a 40-year-old white dude to tell me what didn’t work for him about [A] Wrinkle in Time. It wasn’t made for him. I want to know what it meant to women of color, to biracial women, to teen women of color, to teens that are biracial.

While uttered many months ago, Brie Larson's comments citing a 40-year-old white dude ended up being the catalyst for online Captain Marvel hatred. Websites like Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango saw a ton of negative comments about the Marvel blockbuster, weeks before it actually arrived in theaters this past weekend. The trolling specifically cited Larson's speech, with white men claiming to boycott the blockbusters in response.

Brie Larson eventually clarified her comments during the press junket for Captain Marvel. Reelblend co-host Kevin McCarthy discussed the controversy with Larson shortly before the movie arrived in in theaters. The Oscar winner had this to say:

What I’m looking for is to bring more seats up to the table. No one is getting their chair taken away. There’s not less seats at the table, there’s just more seats at the table.

While Brie Larson got the chance to expand her comment, there was still plenty of trolling heading to Captain Marvel in the days before it finally arrived. But that controversy doesn't seem to have negatively affected the blockbuster. Brie Larson's Marvel debut made a whopping $153 million domestically during its opening weekend, with pre-sales among the MCU's biggest. The movie has also made $303,285,175 internationally, so Marvel Studios is really raking in the dough with Captain Marvel.

It should be interesting to see if/when the Captain Marvel the trolling ceases, especially as the title character becomes a bigger presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's expected to have a meaty role in Avengers: Endgame, as the surviving heroes will need all the help they can get in order to face off against Thanos and hopefully reverse the affects of The Snap. Carol Danvers is the strongest hero in the entire shared universe, so it should be especially exciting if she lays the smack down on Josh Brolin's big purple villain sometime during the upcoming blockbuster.

As for Phil Coulson, it's unclear if he'll get another silver screen appearance. While the character is the focus of the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers still believe him to have died at the hands of Loki. But with the future of the MCU after Endgame largely a mystery, it seems anything is possible.

You can see a digitally de-aged Phil Coulson in Captain Marvel, which is in theaters now. Carol Danvers will return to the MCU with Avengers: Endgame on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Tony Todd Will Make It Into The Candyman Reboot After All

Tony Todd Will Make It Into The Candyman Reboot After All

There’s a swarm of horror remakes on the way, and Get Out and Us filmmaker Jordan Peele has summoned Candyman to be among them. The “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 classic has been in development for months ahead of its 2020 release date. Now, it looks like the film has eyed the actor at the center of the original franchise: Tony Todd.

While Tony Todd was at Nickel City Con in New York, he disclosed some exciting details about his role in the upcoming film with these words:

Out of the blue I got a phone call from Jordan Peele. We’re still waiting for the contract, but the way he explained it to me was that it’s gonna be applause-worthy moments. That’s his words. No matter what happens with that, it’s gonna just put renewed attention on the original.

This is exciting!! Almost 30 years after first appearing as Candyman in the ‘90s horror film, Tony Todd will in fact be returning to the franchise this time under Jordan Peele’s vision. In addition to Peele being a producer and co-writer on the film, Little Woods’ Nia DaCosta is tapped to direct and Aquaman’s Black Manta, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, has been cast in the lead role.

Tony Todd’s words to Sofa King Cool Magazine emphasize “applause-worthy moments,” which could be taken many ways, but my best guess is he’ll have a nostalgic part in the movie. Considering Jordan Peele’s previous work with the genre, he likes to offer original horror entries.

Additionally, the filmmaker is big on fan service, often hiding in easter eggs to other classics and developing stories to get people talking. For those who loved the original, it’s a natural choice for Peele to bring in Tony Todd back.

Candyman is a film that Jordan Peele attributes as an influence to his love of horror and his own filmmaking, and the movie certainly has components that fit right into his wheelhouse as well. The movie follows Helen Lyle, a grad student who is researching a myth of the Candyman when she accidentally summons him by saying his name into a mirror five times.

Tony Todd plays the movie’s villain, who was previously the son of a slave in love with a white woman. His lover’s father set a lynch mob upon him who brutally cut off his hand, replaced it with a hook and smeared honey on him, attracting hundreds of bees who sting him to death. Once Helen summons him, he haunts the Cabrini-Green housing project in Chicago.

The upcoming film will be set in the same neighborhood, but it has since become gentrified. Tony Todd has previously showed his support for Peele being a part of the remake, expressing how he feels he has the intelligence to tell the story dripping with racial commentary. The actor is also excited to see the original get additional attention as the new film sparks interest when it hits theaters on June 12, 2020.

Jeremy Renner Reflects On Big Scene With Black Widow In Avengers: Endgame

Jeremy Renner Reflects On Big Scene With Black Widow In Avengers: Endgame

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

Although they had occasional differences and spats over the years, Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, and Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, remained good friends throughout the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So when it came time in Avengers: Endgame for someone to give up their life on Vormir so that the other could obtain the Soul Stone, both heroes fought to sacrifice themselves and make sure the other survived, and ultimately Black Widow was the one who fell off that cliff, leaving Hawkeye to grieve for his lost friend.

This was one of Avengers: Endgame most emotional scenes, and as you might have expected, Jeremy Renner had a tough time filming this moment, as he revealed on social media:

Having costarred in four MCU movies together, one would imagine that Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner formed a close bond, so it makes sense why he would find shooting Black Widow’s death scene difficult. However, as Renner also noted in his Instagram post, this also ended up being one of his best days during Avengers: Endgame’s shoot, with Johansson’s company enhancing the experience.

Although the beginning of Avengers: Endgame explored how those who survived the Thanos snap at the end of Avenger: Infinity War struggling to move on with their lives following half of all life in the universe being erased, Black Widow marked the first major casualty in the movie. Clint was willing to make the sacrifice for the Soul Stone so that his family would return and to atone for all the carnage he caused as Ronin in the previous five years, but Black Widow foiled his efforts, and Clint returned back to 2023 with the Soul Stone in hand and having to break the tragic news to his other teammates.

While Avengers: Endgame marked the end of Black Widow’s journey in the MCU, it doesn’t mark the last time we’ll see her on the big screen. A Black Widow standalone movie is on the way, and while Marvel hasn’t officially commented on this yet, we can logically assume that the reports about it being a prequel were correct. Joining Scarlett Johansson on that movie are Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz. Cate Shortland is directing and Ned Benson wrote the latest draft of the script.

As for Jeremy Renner, while this hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, the actor is reportedly reprising Clint Barton for a Hawkeye series on Disney+, which we’ll see Clint training Kate Bishop to be the new Hawkeye. It’s unclear if he’ll ever reunite with his Avengers teammates on the big screen again, but it might be cool to see a younger Clint appear at the end of the Black Widow movie to recruit Natasha into S.H.I.E.L.D.

Avengers: Endgame is still playing in theaters, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on its box office performance and other coverage about the movie. Those of you looking to the future of the MCU can find out what’s coming down the pipeline in our Marvel movies guide.

Chris Hemsworth Fought For Thor’s Avengers: Endgame Transformation To Be Permanent

Chris Hemsworth Fought For Thor’s Avengers: Endgame Transformation To Be Permanent

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame

The Russo Brothers did the impossible with Avengers: Endgame, producing a movie even more ambitious and heart-wrenching than Infinity War. The latest Marvel blockbuster put an extra emphasis on the original team of Avengers, paying tribute to the characters that started it all. Chief among them was Chris Hemsworth's Thor, who struggled with a deep depression in the wake of Thanos' snap.

That depression manifested by Thor depending on alcohol, and a physical transformation that saw the God of Thunder pack on a few pounds during his time on New Asgard. And it turns out that Endgame originally saw Thor return to his typical physical pique, before Chris Hemsworth insisted that he stay the same weigh during the final battle against Thanos. As Hemsworth recently explained:

I enjoyed that version of Thor. It was so different than any other way I played the character. And then it took on a life of its own.

Chris Hemsworth's signature Marvel character is known for his physical presence, as each Thor movie usually contains a gratuitous shirtless scene or two. Avengers: Endgame followed suit, and Thor's weight gain was one of the first plot twists in the film's second act.

Chris Hemsworth's comments to Variety show how strong the collaboration between The Russo Brothers and the cast of Avengers: Endgame was. The co-directors meticulously crafted their complicated narrative, including the super ambitious Time Heist. But they still left conversation open with the powers that be within the studio, as well as the actors themselves.

Avengers: Endgame marks Chris Hemsworth's whopping seventh appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so its safe to say that he knows the character of Thor Odinson quite well. So when he had the instinct to keep the character's body transformation until the end of the massively popular blockbuster, Joe and Anthony Russo were kind enough to allow the 35 year-old actor to have that control.

Related: Jack Black Attempted To Do Chris Hemsworth's Intense Workout, And There's Hilarious Video

Thor has a really fascinating arc in Avengers: Endgame, as the God of Thunder was drowning in self-loathing following the death of Thanos. Thor's appearance was a constant reminder of the character's mental state, and he didn't have almost any scenes in the blockbuster without chugging the nearest alcoholic beverage. Overall Thor was at his most emotionally vulnerable in Endgame, and it was a character arc that really resonated with audiences.

Thor's body was actual the subject of conversation during Avengers: Infinity War, no doubt teasing his eventual weight gain in the following movie. When the Guardians took him aboard The Benatar, Gamora admired how his muscles looked like they were made out of metal. And in retrospect, The Russo Brothers were likely setting up Thor's weight gain during that brief scene.

It should be interesting to see if Thor's body goes through more changes in Phase Four. Chris Hemsworth's contract may have been up with Avengers: Endgame, but the blockbuster also teased that he might be heading to space with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Will he maintain his imperfect body during this adventure? We'll just have to wait and see.

Thor's weight gain in Avengers: Endgame was fodder for a variety of comedic beats in the movie, especially his first scene after the five year time jump. Seeing the God of Thunder chugging beer and playing Fortnite with Korg was not what anyone expected from Chris Hemsworth's character. Neither was seeing just how traumatized Thor was of Thanos-- unable to even utter the Mad Titan's name.

But the decision to give Thor a dad bod hasn't been universally accepted by the film world, as some moviegoers and advocates have taken umbrage with the creative choice. Making Thor's weight a punch line rubbed some people the wrong way, as it has the potential to reinforce stereotypes around shape. And while the MCU is putting women and people of color in the public eye, most of the shared universe's heroes have near-perfect bodies.

The Russo Brothers have since explained this plot device, and now it's revealed that Chris Hemsworth fought to keep Thor's imperfect body in Avengers: Endgame's bonkers final battle. And the OG Avenger was still able to kick ass and takes names, facing off against Thanos directly. So his size didn't make him any less of a hero, despite it being used as a moment of levity. I mean, Frigga literally told her son to eat a salad in the middle of the time heist.

Now the question is: will Thor go back to his typical svelte figure for his next appearance in the MCU? Chris Hemsworth revealed the suit he wore that showed off Thor's body weighed a whopping 90 pounds, so it might not be a sustainable choice for the character. Than again, maintaining a full figured superhero would no doubt do wonders to quell the naysayers out there. But we'll just have to wait and see what Kevin Feige and the MCU has in store for the future.

With Chris Hemsworth's contract with Marvel Studios up, the 35 year-old actor has the opportunity to make a major payday with any future appearances as Thor. Since he's no under contract, Hemsworth will be able to negotiate for more money if/when he pops back up. And considering just how much money Avengers: Endgame is continuing to make in theaters, the studio should have the funds available.

But what's next for Thor? The God of Thunder has given up his royal titles, and gave Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie the ability to rule New Asgard. As such, it seems possible that another Thor movie might not end up happening. That is, unless Valkyrie takes on the mantle to become a female Thor.

Thor was last seen back on The Benatar with the Guardians of the Galaxy (Asguardians?), so it seems like he might be officially joining the team. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is already highly anticipated, but it would blow fans' minds to see Thor as an official member. But we'll just have to wait, as Marvel Studios hasn't revealed its plans for Phase Four.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

James Gunn's Return To Disney Goes Beyond Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn's Return To Disney Goes Beyond Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

When big news hits, as you might imagine, things at CinemaBlend go a little bonkers. Everybody goes slightly crazy as we all try to make sure we have all our bases covered. Things went crazy like that last summer when the word came down that Disney had dropped James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and they went that way again just now as the news came out that he's back. While this news is huge for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fact is that Gunn's involvement with these characters went beyond two, and now one day, three movies. James Gunn's return is going to be very good news for Disney's theme park business as well, because the Guardians of the Galaxy are a big part of that.

James Gunn was directly involved in the development of Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout, the first marvel themed attraction at a Disney theme park. In fact, he directed the video sequences of the ride while he was in production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Right now, a major new E-ticket attraction is under construction at Epcot at Walt Disney World. It's a Guardians of the Galaxy themed roller coaster. While most of the details of the experience itself have yet to be confirmed, beyond some cool technical stuff, we fully expect the MCU versions of these characters to feature prominently. The initial indication was that James Gunn and the Guardians actors would film whatever sequences were required for the attraction while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was in production. When Gunn left the job and the movie was put on indefinite hold, it was far from clear what that meant for the theme park attraction.

The ride has something of a hard deadline. While no official opening date has been given, the ride has been promised to be open in time for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary, which will be in 2021.

While we have no idea at this point when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be going into production, we do know that it will happen sometime after The Suicide Squad aka Suicide Squad 2 is completed. With that film looking at a summer 2021 release date, Gunn might not even get around to Guardians 3 until the end of 2021 or so.

Still, I would fully expect James Gunn to spearhead whatever production is necessary for the new Epcot attraction. This means that Gunn's first work back with Disney might not actually be Guardians of the Galaxy 3, it could actually be whatever theme park work is required. It likely can't wait until the movie goes into full production and will probably be handled separately.

The Guardians of the Galaxy are an important part of Disney's plans for Marvel, as the team is one of the few parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that Disney can use freely due to old agreements Marvel made with Universal theme parks before the company was purchased by Disney. At the same time, no part of the MCU is as closely tied to a single creator as the Guardians are to James Gunn.

One of the nice things about Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout is that the structure of the experience allows for new content to be filmed and added to the ride over time. This is now that much more likely happen now that Guardians 3 is back on and Gunn is back involved. This will give the attraction the ability to stay relevant for a longer period of time, and keep guests going back.

What the future holds for the Guardians of the Galaxy at Disney Parks is far from clear, but there is now a brighter future to be sure.

Avengers 4: What We Know So Far About Endgame

Avengers 4: What We Know So Far About Endgame

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong since it launched in 2008 with Iron Man, and while movies like Spider-Man: Far From Home, Black Widow, Black Panther 2, and more will keep the franchise going into its Phase Four and beyond, the end of an era is approaching. Avengers: Endgame will conclude not just Phase Three of the MCU, but also wrap up numerous plot threads. While Avengers: Infinity War was long advertised as the biggest Marvel movie yet, rest assured that its follow-up will be just as important, if not more so.

Because Avengers: Endgame is such a big deal for the franchise, Marvel Studios is, understandably, keeping details for Earth's Mightiest Heroes' fourth epic tale close to the chest. However, there is a fair amount of information that's already available to the public, including a teaser trailer, so read on to find out what we know about the movie so far. Be warned, though. This guide is filled with SPOILERS both mild and extreme about Infinity War and Ant-Man and The Wasp, so proceed with caution if you haven't seen either film yet!

What Have We Seen From Avengers: Endgame?

Given that Avengers: Endgame is going to be one of the biggest movies of all time, the marketing team behind the movie hadn't exactly been super active - though the good news is that they have now released several trailers and teasers to get us even more pumped for the film. The first preview from the blockbuster dropped online and in theaters in December 2018, and fans have been rewatching it over and over trying to squeeze out as many details as they can (something which will probably be evident as you continue reading this guide).

While another trailer dropped during the Super Bowl, it was more of an extended TV spot than a full preview. But, of all the recent teases we've gotten of footage from the film, though, the biggest reveal may have been in the form of a series of posters which seem to confirm a lot of living and dead characters, including ones we didn't get to witness from Avengers: Infinity War.

What Is The Avengers: Endgame Release Date?

Unlike the previous three year gaps between Avengers movies, Avengers: Engame will be released only a year after Avengers: Infinity War, on April 26, 2019. Its principal photography began in late summer of 2017, only a few weeks after Infinity War wrapped shooting. Avengers: Endgame was previously known as Avengers: Infinity War Part II, but, in 2016, that title was removed to make it clear that the film will have its own specific story to tell rather than just being the second half of its predecessor. Of course, the movies will obviously be linked because of the way in which it will deal with the fallout from Thanos' snap.

What Is The Avengers: Endgame Rating?

Movies aren't given ratings from the MPAA until the film is basically completed and ready for release, but like the rest of the MCU movies you can guarantee Avengers: Endgame will head into theaters with a PG-13 rating so that it can be accessible to both adults and younger moviegoers (but not too young). The reasons for being PG-13 will likely include having "extended/intense sequences of violence, action and destruction," along with some "suggestive comments" and language. These are nothing out of the ordinary, although keep in mind that Avengers: Endgame will probably ratchet up the intensity to an 11, so remember that if you're bringing kids along to the theater.

The Avengers: Endgame Writers And Directors

Avengers: Endgame is keeping the same creative team that guided Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War , and Avengers: Infinity War to success. Just like with those movies, Joe and Anthony Russo will be sitting in the directors chairs, while Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (who also wrote Captain America: The First Avenger) have penned the script. As the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," and by keeping these creative teams intact fans can look forward to a degree of familiarity.

Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. helped kick off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man in 2008, and he's maintained a consistent presence in the franchise since then. However, with Avengers: Endgame ending both the MCU's Phase Three and wrapping up what the franchise has been building to for a decade, it's certainly possible that this will be the last time we see Downey's Stark. After 10 appearances, one wouldn't blame the man for wanting to retire from his Iron Man life and fully focus on other projects. For Tony Stark, this could mean anything, from dying in battle to simply leaving his superhero activities behind. All we know for certain is that at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, he was still stranded on Titan, one of the only two superheroes remaining on the dead planet after Thanos' snap. From the trailer it looks like he was able to leave Titan on a ship so that he could try and to get back to Earth, but he'll need a miracle to survive the actual journey (something tells us that he'll be getting one, though).

Captain America

Like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans' future after Avengers: Endgame remains uncertain. Evans was originally contracted for six Captain America appearances, but he extended it for one movie so he could participate in Avengers: Endgame. That being said, there has been some implication that he will be departing the MCU after the blockbuster - though that has yet to be confirmed. In any case, rather than suiting up as Nomad as previously rumored, Steve Rogers will be reverting back to his clean shaven look and a more traditional Captain America costume for Avengers: Endgame, where he'll reportedly have a bigger role as he tries to save the lives of half the entities in existence, and reunites with his trusty shield. Beyond that, we don't know what's in store for him, though we hope that the movie will also find some way to resolve the conflict that he's had with Tony Stark since the end of Captain America: Civil War.

Thor And Loki

The ultimate fate of Asgard and most of its inhabitants was sealed once Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War were released, but one thing we do know is that Thor will live on to fight in Avengers: Endgame. The God of Thunder has lost a whole hell of a lot in recent features, including his brother, Loki; his best friend, Heimdall; his father, Odin; most of his people; his homeworld; and even his eye - but that's not going to stop him from continuing to fight the good fight. To no one's surprise, Thor, played once again by Chris Hemsworth, will be continuing his heroic duties and fighting alongside his fellow Avengers in the fourth chapter of the team-up series, and we can bet that the weight of all his pain will be heavy for the God of Thunder (not to mention insane regret for not going for Thanos' head with Stormbreaker). And while Loki has always been a wild card, and there has been speculation that he could still be alive, it would seem that this time his death is permanent.

Hulk

Thanks to Thor: Ragnarok, we know that Hulk had been spending the last few years killing it in the gladiator ring on Sakaar, but because of events during the opening of Avengers Infinity War he found himself back on Earth to help try and pummel Thanos and his minions. It ended up being Bruce Banner in one of Tony's Hulkbuster suits who ended up doing the fighting, however, as the green monster refused to come back out after his beatdown from the Mad Titan. Mark Ruffalo has said that Hulk/Bruce Banner's has a specific arc that's playing out across Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and the idea is that together the story will feel like a standalone movie for the character (who hasn't been gifted with a solo movie since The Incredible Hulk in 2008). Avengers: Endgame will also be the culmination of the "huge change" Hulk will go through starting in Thor: Ragnarok, meaning that we will likely see a lot more cooperation between Bruce and Hulk by the time the film is over. Could we finally see Banner and Hulk melding into one super-strong, highly intelligent individual a.k.a. Professor Hulk?

Thanos

Ever since he smirked at the camera in The Avengers mid-credits scene, Thanos has been lurking in the background of the MCU, but in Avengers: Infinity War he finally stepped into the light when he and his Black Order minions secured all six Infinity Stones so that he could obliterate half of all life in the universe. The Mad Titan's involvement in Avengers: Endgame, on the other hand, is shrouded in mystery. Josh Brolin had said that Thanos might not get all the Infinity Stones by the time Infinity War ended, and we now know that to have been a careful misdirect. We'll go into the 2019 blockbuster with the character being a god-like entity, but beyond that we have no idea what the film has in store for him.

Guardians Of The Galaxy

With the exception of Yondu, who gave his life to save Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, all the Guardians of the Galaxy returned for Avengers: Infinity War. Unfortunately, due to the events of that film, we'll go into Avengers: Endgame with Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon and Karen Gillan's Nebula as the only members to survive Thanos' snap. That makes it a particularly big challenge to predict what they'll be up to when we get to see the characters next (though it was originally thought that Nebula just abandoned Tony Stark on Titan and didn't take a position in whether or not he should live or die, the new teaser that was released seems to suggest that she will end up helping him). It's worth noting that if Thanos does end up dying in Avengers: Endgame, we shouldn't count out either a somehow reconstituted Drax the Destroyer or Nebula being responsible for his demise, as they're both heroes with serious vendettas against the intergalactic warlord. As we know, though, they may have to stand in a long line to get their shot at that now.

Doctor Strange

We watched Doctor Strange begin his superhero journey in late 2016, and by the time of Avengers: Infinity War his magical abilities were most beneficial to his new allies... until they weren't, anyway. While we can't predict what we'll see from the neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer in Avengers: Endgame without knowing how the good doctor will come back into the fold, keep in mind that even with his considerable talent, Doctor Strange isn't invincible, so he may still be going through a learning curve when we see him again in the 2019 film. Still, let's not forget that before he was dusted Doctor Strange used the Time Stone to look at the all the alternate futures concerning the coming conflict with Thanos, and in only one of them were he and his allies victorious. Strange knew ahead of time how things needed to proceed, and Avengers: Endgame will see those pieces finally fall into place.

Spider-Man

From traveling to Germany to fight other superheroes, to defeating a gang of thieves armed with enhanced weaponry, Peter Parker's life as Spider-Man hasn't been lacking in excitement so far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Avengers: Infinity War he put his arachnid-themed abilities to good use on a cosmic scale, and in an even more teched-out suit Tony Stark designed for him. None of his powers or technology were able to help him at the end of the movie, though, young Peter's demise at the end of that film being one of the most heart-breaking moments ever in a superhero movie. It's worth noting that Spider-Man: Far From Home will begin only minutes after Avengers: Endgame, so moviegoers will reunite with Peter immediately in the aftermath of this event and might get to watch him continue to deal with the effects of whatever brought him back to the known world.

Black Widow

Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow has been a key figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the franchise's third movie, and while we won't be seeing her first solo film until we're getting deeper into Phase 4, we know that she will be back and playing a crucial role in Avengers: Endgame. She is one of the few Avengers who successfully survived Thanos' snap, and going by the first trailer for the movie it looks like the upcoming blockbuster will catch up with her as she is working with Captain America to find a fix to the whole situation. Plus, she'll be reuniting with an old colleague, who we will be discussing more in a minute...

Black Panther

At the end of Black Panther, King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) decided to open Wakanda up to the world, but he probably didn't expect that months later the African nation would have to repel an alien invasion. When Steve Rogers and his allies showed up asking for help protecting Vision and retrieving the Mind Stone, however, the royal superhero let them in and provided a battlefield against the deadly Outriders. Earth's Mightiest Heroes technically emerged victorious in that fight, but soon after T'Challa turned to dust thanks to Thanos' snap, and Okoye watched on in horror. Since Black Panther 2 is happening, we know T'Challa will eventually return. The question, like with all the other disappeared heroes, is how.

Hawkeye

Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton sat out Avengers: Infinity War due to being under house arrest, but rest assured that when Avengers: Endgame rolls around he'll be back in action. It's been confirmed that when we reunite with him in Avengers: Endgame he'll be known as Ronin, the identity he briefly donned in the comics following his resurrection. Why the identity change? Supposedly the events of Infinity War will leave Clint in a "very dark place," with the going theory that most, if not all, of his family was wiped out by the Thanos Snap. That would certainly put most people in the darkest of places. Exactly what his contribution to the fight against the Mad Titan will be isn't entirely clear right now, but he should be a useful tool if only just because he is chock full of motivation.

Ant-Man And The Wasp

While Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) were initially expected to appear in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, we actually didn't get to see them until their recent solo sequel Ant-Man and The Wasp. If you've seen that movie, you know that things did not end particularly well for Scott Lang and his allies following The Decimation. Thanos' snap went down as Scott was in the Quantum Realm, and it erased all traces of not only Hope van Dyne, but also Michael Douglas' Hank Pym and Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne. Somehow he'll make it back to Earth in Avengers: Endgame, as seen in the trailer, and and there are already theories on how the Quantum Realm plays into this gargantuan story, but otherwise, we're in the dark on how Scott fits into the proceedings.

Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel's involvement in the MCU has been one of the franchise's biggest question marks, as Brie Larson's debut as Carol Danvers arrived just a couple months before Avengers: Endgame. Her whereabouts in the present day haven't been revealed yet, but Carol has been officially confirmed to appear in the Phase Three capstone project, presumably having her first opportunity to interact with the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy. And, some are so excited by her appearance in Endgame, that they're even theorizing that she was digitally removed from some scenes of the new teaser to keep her time in the film a secret. Her existence was teased in Avengers: Infinity War's final moment when Nick Fury activated a suped-up pager right before disappearing that displayed Carol's insignia. Whatever the reason for her absence, her planet-moving powers will be most welcome when she finally returns to Earth.

Other Superheroes

Along with the previously mentioned superheroes, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Falcon and Winter Soldier are all confirmed to return for Avengers: Endgame (yes, even the ones who were dusted by the Thanos Snap at the end of Infinity War). Then there's The Vision, who was especially important to Avengers: Infinity War given that he was powered by the Mind Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones that Thanos craved. And, like many of those other heroes, we have no indication what will happen to Vision in Avengers: Endgame, or how the destroyed android might be brought back to life.

The Supporting Characters

Avengers: Endgame already has a stacked lineup of superheroes, but there will still be a number of other characters filling out the cast. In the supporting character category, only Iron Man mainstays Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, as well as Doctor Strange's most trusted magical ally Wong, have been confirmed to appear, though you can bet that plenty of other familiar faces from the heroes' personal lives will be back as well. One of those will probably be Samuel L. Jackson's super spy Nick Fury (even though, yup, he got dusted), who's been absent in the present day MCU since Avengers: Age of Ultron. As far as new faces go, The Wolverine actor Hiroyuki Sanada has been cast in an undisclosed role, along with 13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford, and they likely won't be the only new players thrown into the mix.

We only have a few hours left until Avengers: Endgame finally hits theaters, so be sure to check back with this guide for all the updated info on the blockbuster!

Avengers: Endgame Passes The Force Awakens As Fandango’s Biggest Pre-Seller

Avengers: Endgame Passes The Force Awakens As Fandango’s Biggest Pre-Seller

Despite the fact that it's only coming out this weekend, Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame has been breaking box office records for weeks now. It started about a month ago when tickets first went on sale, as it set the new high bar for most pre-sale tickets sold in a single day (overloading ticket purchase websites in the process), and just a couple weeks ago Atom Tickets reported that it was officially their best pre-seller of all time.

Now Fandango is saying that the Marvel Studios blockbuster has set a new record on their site as well, as Avengers: Endgame has officially sold more pre-release tickets than the previous #1, J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

According to the company, more than 8,000 showtimes have been sold out across the United States, and theaters are being forced to add more and more showtimes in order to keep up with demand. The pace at which tickets have been selling for the film is extraordinary, as the blockbuster apparently sold five times as many tickets in its first week than the number of passes that were sold for Avengers: Infinity War this time last year.

Fandango has posted their new Top 5 rankings following this news, and you'll notice that it's entirely dominated by the world's two biggest franchises:

1. “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)

2. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

3. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017)

4. “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

5. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

The big question that is still lingering is exactly how well Avengers: Endgame will be able to do in its opening weekend, and if it will be able to surpass the massive numbers that were generated by the last Avengers movie. Avengers: Infinity War was a crazy success when it was released in April 2018, not only setting a new high water mark for a domestic release in its first three days ($257.7 million), but also the same record internationally ($640.5 million). It also currently stands as the movie that took the least amount of time to hit $1 billion globally, successfully making that much money in just 11 days, and it's also the highest grossing superhero release of all time, with a total of $2.048 billion.

But just how well can Avengers: Endgame really do? After all, there are only so many theaters that can show the film, and only so much time in the day to host screenings. One important factor that must be considered is the fact that it's more than three hours long, which will ultimately effect the number of times that it can be shown in a single 24 hour period. There are many prognosticators out there wondering if a $300 million domestic release is on the table, but it might not actually be possible. It's presumably a math equation that we'll get the answer to this weekend.

Regardless, what isn't in question is that Avengers: Endgame is going to be a massive success this weekend - and we'll be following its progress very closely here on CinemaBlend.

Jordan Peele Isn't Too Worried About Us Spoilers

Jordan Peele Isn't Too Worried About Us Spoilers

Although not quite as critical as something like The Sixth Sense, Jordan Peele’s Get Out is one of those movies that you really didn’t want spoiled for you. The writer/director’s follow-up Us seems very much cut from a similar cloth, with the early word indicating that there are reveals aplenty in this film. Plus, the marketing campaign is even employing the hashtag #KeepItBetweenUs. That said, Jordan Peele isn’t too worried about Us spoilers, as he explained:

People want to keep the secrets. Also, if you spoil something, your friend probably punches you in the shoulder or something. I think we've developed into a culture that respects the idea that spoilers are no fun.

Jordan Peele seems of the belief that spoilers will not be a major problem for Us, not because the film can’t be spoiled, but because audiences will do the right thing and keep the film’s secrets so that other people can enjoy it. Basically, he thinks that people know better and all you’d be doing by spoiling the film is making people angry and opening yourself up to some friendly retaliation.

In his comments to Digital Spy, Jordan Peele actually raises quite an interesting point about the culture around spoilers. With the rise of social media, the ability to spoil movies has increased exponentially. B concurrently (and perhaps consequently) a taboo has also risen about spoilers. People now generally agree that spoilers suck. Spoiling a movie for someone else is really poor form and a pretty crappy thing to do, so most people try not to do it.

Jordan Peele also mentioned that this taboo around spoilers makes it fun to have seen a movie and to know its secrets. When you do and refuse to spoil it for someone else, that lends the film an air of mystery that gets other people excited to see it as well, building the buzz and enhancing the experience.

Because of this culture around spoilers, Jordan Peele doesn’t see them as being a big issue for his sophomore film. With any luck, he’s right. If so and people adhere to common decency and wait for everyone to see Us before discussing it in spoiler-ific detail, especially in a public forum, then there is nothing to worry about and audiences can enjoy the film and have the purest way possible.

By the early reactions out of SXSW, the movie is quite the experience too. Unlike Get Out, Us is true horror movie that will have people watching through their fingers and will give people plenty to discuss when the film ends.

Us is currently enjoying a perfect 100% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes in advance of this weekend’s opening so the buzz is definitely high here that this is a good movie showing that Get Out was no fluke. The film is tracking at a $40-$45 million opening weekend.

Us opens in theaters on March 22. Stay frosty and beware of spoilers and check out our 2019 Release Schedule for all the other big movies that should be on your radar this year.