What's Happening With Every Marvel Hero After Avengers: Endgame

What's Happening With Every Marvel Hero After Avengers: Endgame

For Marvel fans, Avengers: Endgame marks the culmination of an era. It all started back in 2008 with Iron Man and a crazy amount of franchise-building ambition, and 11 years and 22 films later we’ve come to the conclusion of what has been dubbed the Infinity Saga. We’ve seen a lot happen in that time, and lots of characters come and go, and it’s entirely reasonable to say that the movies have effectively changed modern pop culture.

Of course, just because the Infinity Saga is over doesn’t mean that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is – and there’s a lot to digest now that we are preparing for the start of Phase 4 (which will follow the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home). Not only have we seen some important arcs come to an end, but we are also seeing some that are just beginning. It’s a complex web, which is why we’ve built this feature to help sort it all out.

On the hero side of things, there are 33 characters who find themselves in interesting places following the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, and we’ve built this piece specifically to analyze where they all currently stand. Obviously that’s a lot to dig into, so let’s dive in…

Iron Man

It goes without saying that the Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn’t be what it is today without Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, but now his time on the big screen has come to an end. While he used to be a selfish asshole, he changed a lot over the course of nine movies, and he made the biggest sacrifice of all in Avengers: Endgame – losing his life after using the Nano Gauntlet to defeat Thanos and his army. We may never see Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony on the big screen again (and if we do it will be years and years from now), but there’s no doubt that he will live on through the memories of his fellow heroes.

Captain America

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Iron Man, Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America began his journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by sacrificing his life – purposefully crashing an aircraft full of explosives into the arctic – but following the events of Avengers: Endgame he managed to actually get his life back. The Avengers thought they were sending their leader on a quick trip back through time to return the Infinity Stones back to their proper places, but he instead decided to stay and live out a full life with his number one gal, Peggy Carter, in the wake of World War II. Steve is now an old man, his superhero days behind him, though that doesn’t mean that the world doesn’t have a Captain America (more on that later).

Thor

Thor’s journey has been quite rough in the last few years, what with losing his mother, his father, his brother, his best friend, his homeworld, half of the Asgardian population, his hammer, his eye, and more. But Avengers: Endgame surprisingly didn’t present him with an end to his journey; instead, he is ready for a new beginning. Previously he was a character with all of his loyalties wrapped up in the fate of Asgard, but he has now given up his crown and is ready to start a brand new life. He began a friendly relationship with the Guardians of the Galaxy during the events of Avengers: Infinity War, and now it looks like he’ll be joining that crew, but exactly what he’ll get up to in the future remains a big question mark waiting for confirmation.

Hulk

As teased by Mark Ruffalo a few years ago, Hulk has been on his own specific journey through the events of Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, and that journey has left him in a very interesting place going forward. While Bruce Banner used to be a man completely terrified of the monster living inside him, the two have now made peace, and Hulk and Banner are now one – commonly referred to by fans as Professor Hulk. It doesn’t seem like this status is going to change any time soon, though it’s worth noting that the events of Endgame did see him incur what’s been referred to as “permanent damage.” He’s still the strongest Avenger, but his right arm will apparently never be the same.

Black Widow

Avengers: Endgame didn’t feature the massive death toll that some fans were expecting, but there definitely were some key lives lost. We already discussed the passing of Tony Stark, but Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow also gave her life so that the Avengers could succeed in their mission to defeat Thanos and return the world to some semblance of normalcy. Within the continuity, Black Widow died back in 2014, falling from a cliff on Vormir so that Hawkeye could retrieve the Soul Stone. This sacrifice definitely isn’t going to be reversed any time soon, but unlike the situation with Robert Downey Jr., fans will be able to see Scarlet Johansson return to the character soon in the character’s upcoming solo film (which will obviously take place in the past).

Hawkeye

Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye experienced some rough years following The Decimation, becoming the vigilante known as Ronin and traveling around the world killing people, but he got a chance for some redemption at the end of Avengers: Endgame by helping the team get the Nano Gauntlet where it needed to be so that Thanos could be defeated. That being said, his superhero days seem to be over… though he apparently won’t be leaving his post without training someone to take his place. While it has yet to be confirmed, reports have said that Jeremy Renner will soon be playing the character once again in his very own Disney+ series, which will be an adaptation of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s beloved comic book run with the character and have him advising up-and-comer Kate Bishop.

War Machine

James Rhodes has been flying around in the War Machine suit ever since Iron Man 2, and while he’s experienced some pretty devastating personal setbacks (most notably being paralyzed from the waist down during the events of Captain America: Civil War) he has continued to fight the good fight. That being said, following Avengers: Endgame it’s not entirely clear where he stands. He’s obviously still alive, but he also lost his best friend – who also happened to be the person to inspire him to suit up in the first place. Don Cheadle’s future with Marvel Studios is not entirely clear at present, and he doesn’t have any confirmed upcoming projects, but the door is wide open for him to appear in future films or television shows.

Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch missed out on five years of her life after being turned to dust by Thanos’ snap at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, but in Avengers: Endgame she not only returned, but is perhaps now stronger than she’s ever been. She’s still in mourning because of the death of her love (we’ll get more into that in a second), but that emotional pain may take her to some interesting places. She is confirmed to next appear in the Disney+ series WandaVision, and there are rumors that the show may be partially inspired by the House of M storyline from the comics, which saw the hero exhibiting powers more extreme than we’ve seen thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Vision

Thanos left many bodies in his wake during his attempt to capture all six of the Infinity Stones, and while many characters returned to life following Hulk’s snap with the Nano Gauntlet, Vision wasn’t one of them. There was an attempt made by Shuri in Avengers: Infinity War to rewire the android so that he could exist without the Mind Stone, but that attempt proved unsuccessful, and he was killed by the Mad Titan when the stone was plucked from his head. Like Scarlet Witch, the character will be back in action for the Disney+ series WandaVision, but exactly how his resurrection will go down remains one of the most significant mysteries in the on-going franchise.

Falcon

There has been speculation for a long time regarding the possibility of Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon taking on the mantle of Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – specifically ever since that actually happened in Marvel Comics in 2015 – and now that concept has become a reality. Steve Rogers gives Sam his shield at the end of Avengers: Endgame, and it’s a passing of the torch that we expect will affect the franchise for many years to come. Like many of the other characters mentioned on this list so far, the first place where we will be seeing the aftershocks will be on Disney+, as the character has been confirmed to star in the developing Falcon & Winter Soldier (potential title change pending). Speaking of which…

Winter Soldier

To borrow a quote from Black Widow in The Avengers, Bucky Barnes a.k.a. The Winter Soldier a.k.a. White Wolf still has quite a bit of red in his ledger, as it’s doubtful that he will ever be fully recovered from his dark history as a brainwashed Hydra assassin. That being said, he’s still trying to ultimately leave a positive mark on the world, and as noted above he will continue to operate as a heroic vigilante opposite Captain America in the upcoming Disney+ series Falcon & Winter Soldier. Of course, as shown in Captain America: Civil War, the two heroes don’t exactly have the best relationship ever, so it should be a show filled with funny conflict in addition to real danger.

Spider-Man

A huge thing that made the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man distinct from all previous big screen iterations of the character was his relationship with Tony Stark – but obviously that’s changing in a major way following Avengers: Endgame. Peter’s mentor has died, and while he still has access to the Stark Industries-designed technology that he was given, the loss is most definitely going to have an emotional effect on him (as seen in the most recent trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home). The good news, one could argue, is that the rest of his life should be at least somewhat normal, as it would appear that most of his close friends also turned to dust during The Decimation, meaning that he’s not five years behind his classmates.

Ant-Man

Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man was dealt one of the most significant emotional blows in Avengers: Endgame, given that he was trapped in the Quantum Realm for five years – though not from his perspective – and missed out on some key time in the life of his young daughter, Cassie (a situation only made worse when you think about how much of her life he missed when he was in prison). Fortunately he’s left alive and healthy at the end of the film with his girl and his girlfriend/partner, and one can imagine him not taking a single second of his life for granted going forward. Right now we don’t specifically know what the future holds for the character, but it’s all but guaranteed that he will get another opportunity to shine in a trilogy capper for his big screen solo features.

The Wasp

Of course, the “girlfriend/partner” I’m referring to in the Ant-Man section above is Hope van Dyne a.k.a. The Wasp, who is one of the many characters who returns to life in Avengers: Endgame following the first Nano Gauntlet snap. She winds up having a significant role to play in the battle at the end of the film, but beyond those events she also has an interesting future in store given that she will surely feel even more passionately about spending time with her once long-lost mother, Janet van Dyne, in the aforementioned Ant-Man And The Wasp sequel. We see them briefly together during the funeral at the end of the film, but hopefully we’ll also get to see the two generations of Wasps together on an adventure soon.

Black Panther

Fans were pretty devastated to see T’Challa a.k.a. Black Panther turn to dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, but he makes one hell of a triumphant return in Avengers: Endgame, and also has a seriously significant future ahead of him going into Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only is he going to have the opportunity to settle into his role as king of Wakanda (something he didn’t really have the chance to do prior to now), but within that role he’s also going to take on some seriously important diplomatic missions because of the new open border policies he enacted at the end of his first solo movie. It’s exciting stuff, and we can’t wait to see director Ryan Coogler dig into it all with the developing Black Panther 2.

Shuri

Like her brother, Shuri also makes one hell of an entrance in Avengers: Endgame, and will also have a key role to play in the future of the franchise. We know she’s the smartest person on Earth, but before now the benefits of her intelligence were exclusively available to the people of Wakanda. Now that the country has opened its borders, Shuri can start changing lives on a global scale – and it’s incredibly exciting to think about the potential that exists there. Letitia Wright was a wonderful standout in the first Black Panther movie, and we can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with her in the sequel.

Okoye

We didn’t get to see much of it in Avengers: Endgame, but with both Black Panther and Shuri dusted because of the Decimation, Okoye was surely put in a very powerful position in Wakanda during the five years that followed. Now, however, things are back to normal, and she will presumably return to her role as the leader of the Dora Milaje – the group of elite female warriors who are sworn to protect their king with every fiber of their being. The precise significance of that won’t really be known until we get to see Black Panther 2, but with Wakanda opening itself up to the world, and T’Challa becoming a figure on the global stage, her job will likely be more important than ever.

Captain Marvel

Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel has been away from Earth for a long time, but in the last few years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon she has made vital appearances when needed. First she showed up to join the Avengers in killing post-snap Thanos, and then she appeared to destroy Sanctuary II single-handedly during Avengers: Endgame’s final battle. She stayed long enough on the planet to go to the funeral at the end of the movie, but what’s not known right now is if she’ll actually stick around. She is a character who has responsibilities both on Terra and in the cosmos, so we’ll just have to wait and see what kind of adventure Captain Marvel 2 has in store for her.

Doctor Strange

In Avengers: Infinity War, Dr. Stephen Strange made what appeared to be a terrible trade when he gave up the Time Stone in exchange for the life of Tony Stark, but in Avengers: Endgame we finally learned why it was necessary: there was only one path to victory against Thanos, and it was a path that required Tony to sacrifice himself. While it was clearly the right thing to do, that knowledge may still weigh on him for some time to come, and we may see it reflected in his personality and character when we get to see the upcoming Doctor Strange 2. And, of course, being potentially the most powerful sorcerer on Earth, he will continue to have some major responsibilities protecting the planet from fantastical threats.

Wong

In the years following The Decimation, Wong likely had to take on a very important role by becoming the guardian of the New York Sanctum Sanctorum. Of course, he was also very ready to be called into action when the Hulk snap brought him back, and he was one of the key sorcerers battling Thanos during Avengers: Endgame’s massive third act fight. We expect that the next time we see him will be in Doctor Strange 2, and it’s probably fair to assume that he’ll be a key source of support for Doctor Strange in his battle against Karl Mordo (whose villainous turn was teased at the end of the first solo feature).

Valkyrie

As mentioned earlier, Thor will no longer be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s king of Asgard (now located in Tønsberg, Norway), but he didn’t leave the post without finding a proper replacement. That job and all of the responsibility that comes with it now belongs to Valkyrie, who accepts the crown at the end of Avengers: Endgame before the God of Thunder heads off with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Right now there isn’t officially a Thor 4 in the works, so we can’t say for certain when we’ll next see the character, but it seems totally unlikely that we’ve seen the last of her (and her kickass Pegasus).

Korg

Thor fell into a terrible depression following the events of Avengers: Infinity War and the titular team’s first major loss, but part of the reason he was able to get through it is because he had the support of some close friends. Korg, who met the God of Thunder during the events of Thor: Ragnarok did what he could to try and keep his Asgardian pal in a somewhat stable mental state… albeit while arguably enabling some bad habits. We didn’t see him leave with Thor at the end of Avengers: Endgame, so he’s probably still hanging out in New Asgard – but that probably just means that he’ll now have the chance to become Valkyrie’s best friend.

Miek

Of course, Korg wasn’t alone in his efforts being emotional support for Thor, as he also had the assistance of his buddy Miek from Sakaar. Once feared to be dead due to an accidental squishing, Miek managed to escape the Sanctuary II attack on the Asgardian escape vessel – along with Valkyrie and Korg – at the start of Avengers: Infinity War, and has spent the last few years of his life living in New Asgard. While we don’t actually see him at the end of Avengers: Endgame, he is presumably still there when Thor takes off into space with the Guardians, so we’ll just have to wait and see what his next adventure is.

Star-Lord

Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord may have royally screwed up during the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but hopefully fans will be able to forgive him as he moves into the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After all, post-dusting he did help out in a big way during the big battle in Avengers: Endgame, so at the end of the day one could argue that his slate is clean. He’s now back together with his family, best known as the Guardians of the Galaxy, though he is in an interesting position now given that Thor is a new member of his crew. Will he be able to keep the respect of his cohorts now the venerable God of Thunder is on board? Time will tell.

Gamora

Interestingly, Gamora isn’t really the Gamora we know by the time Avengers: Endgame comes to a close. The original Gamora died similarly to Black Widow on Vormir, and the one that currently exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is from an alternate timeline. That’s a big deal, because not only is she nine years younger than she otherwise would have been, but doesn’t have the same kind of relationship with the Guardians of the Galaxy that was established over many years. That being said, her family – and particularly Peter Quill – certainly wants her back, and that will almost certainly have a significant impact on the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Drax

In Avengers: Endgame, Drax sadly didn’t get to accomplish his mission of vengeance and kill Thanos, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t still get a happy ending. Following the final battle, he is back together with the Guardians (most of whom, like him, existed as dust particles for five years), and he seems to still be his fun-loving self. As mentioned earlier, there will perhaps be a question of where his loyalties lie in the future, as he is most definitely an admirer of Thor, but what’s important above all is that he’s happy and healthy.

Rocket

Rocket has actually changed a lot as a character over the years, as he no longer seems to be the asshole intent on pushing away everyone who cares about him. Even when he lost his entire Guardians family he still remained a team player, helping the Avengers maintain order the best that they could following The Decimation. That being said, one has to wonder what he will be like going forward, specifically going into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Clearly he still has some of his trademark edge/cynicism, but he may wind up being so happy that he has his friends back that he actually treats them a bit nicer than before (though that’s admittedly a pretty low bar).

Groot

Because of his temporary status as dust, Groot missed out on some important development time during the five years he was gone, so he still has a lot of growing to do. He’s no longer a baby, but he does remain an adolescent and still has a few stages to go through before becoming a full-fledged adult. Right now we can’t say how old he will be when we catch up with him again in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but hopefully James Gunn has some fun stuff planned with the character (especially within his relationship with a much more mature Rocket).

Nebula

Few characters in pop culture history can say that they shot and killed themselves, and then lived to tell the tale, but that’s the current story of Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She has probably undergone a bigger emotional change than any other member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and it will be interesting to see how that continues when we see her next. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame she is presumably exploring the cosmos with her sister, Gamora, and at some point she’ll have to deal with Peter Quill & Co., as they will presumably want the two of them to join them once again on their misadventures.

Mantis

Like the other Guardians with the exception of Rocket, Mantis was turned to dust following what went down in Avengers: Infinity War, but now she’s back, and having helped save the universe once again she is ready for more cosmic quests. Past her introduction to the Guardians of the Galaxy in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, we weirdly haven’t seen much of how she generally works alongside the rest of the team, so that will certainly be an interesting aspect of the character to explore going forward. One thing is for certain: she definitely seems to be a big fan of Thor.

Nick Fury

Nick Fury had a very small part to play in Avengers: Endgame, making a dialogue-less appearance during the funeral at the end, but there’s a very good chance that he will be quite active going forward into the future of the franchise. Not only do we know for a fact that he will be playing a significant role in Spider-Man: Far From Home, but it’s worth noting that we haven’t yet seen his very special reunion with Carol Danvers. Could he play as big a role in Captain Marvel 2 as he did in the first solo movie? We’ll have to wait and find out.

Maria Hill

Like Nick Fury, Maria Hill didn’t exactly have a huge impact on Avengers: Endgame, and didn’t give us a proper sense of where she is emotionally following her resurrection – but it won’t be long until we find out. She may have left S.H.I.E.L.D. years ago (taking a job at Stark Industries after the Hydra takeover), but she is still working alongside the former director, and will next be seen kicking ass and taking names in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Pepper Potts

Pepper Potts dedicated many years of her life to her relationship with Tony Stark, starting as his assistant before eventually becoming his wife and the mother of his only daughter, but that era of her life is now over following his sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame. With that in mind, it’s unknown exactly what the future will hold for her. She has her own specially-designed Iron Man suit, which she utilized quite well during the battle against Thanos, but now that she’s a single parent she may not necessarily pursue the superhero life, and instead may just continue running one of the biggest companies in the world.

Which character are you most excited to see in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Hit the comments section below with all of your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and stay tuned for all of the latest franchise news here on CinemaBlend.

Issa Rae May Be Doing a Lot More Projects With Will Packer After Little

Issa Rae May Be Doing a Lot More Projects With Will Packer After Little

Insecure series creator and star Issa Rae is making her leading big-screen debut this weekend alongside Marsai Martin in Big switcheroo, Little. The comedy may be the start of a beautiful partnership between the talent and Will Packer Productions, who has previously given Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish breakout movie roles (Ride Along and Girls Trip) that rocketed them into super-stardom.

Only time will tell if Little is Issa Rae’s, but you can bet Will Packer fell head over heels for Rae’s comedy chops in their first collaboration. In my recent interview with the producer, he couldn’t help gushing about her. In Packer’s words:

I love Issa, I would do a lot with her.

Yes! The actress has made a name for herself on HBO as the voice of her own series that centers on her own awkward experiences (mostly hilarious, sometimes a whole lot of dramatic) living in Los Angeles but more roles on the big screen is certainly the next step for her. Will Packer continued showing his love for Issa Rae by discussing the next he has going with her. Check out what he told me:

We've got another movie that is actually shooting right now. It's a love story called The Photograph and it's her and LaKeith Stanfield, a movie that's written and directed by a young female filmmaker named Stella Meghie. I'm very excited about it. I think that it's going to allow Issa to do something different. She's still going to bring her charm and her charisma. She's got a very unproduced quality about her. She's very natural, straightforward, what you see is what you get quality that I think is relatable to audiences. So she's bringing that to that project. But I just think that she is somebody that is the voice of the millennial generation in a different way than anybody else is doing right now.

This is definitely exciting. We may be witnessing the start of a very successful comedic career for Issa Rae with her work with blockbuster producer Will Packer. The Photograph is her next project that Universal has wasted no time getting up and running as it’s currently in production. According to Variety, the romantic-drama will focus on two intertwining love stories in the past and present and has a release date set for Valentine’s Day in 2020.

Issa Rae will be starring alongside LaKeith Stanfield who recently starred in Sorry to Bother You and Get Out. The actress also just wrapped filming a rom-com with Kumail Nanjiani called The Lovebirds. The film also set for release in early 2020 will be directed by Michael Showalter, who helmed Oscar-nominated rom-com The Big Sick. Issa Rae is also signed on to star in two other comedies in the future called Empress of Serenity and American Princess.

Get ready for a whole lot of more Issa Rae! The actress certainly has a relatable and funny charm that looks to be taking her far. Her new comedy Little is in theaters now.

The New Aladdin Seems To Be A Big Hit With Fans, If Not Critics

The New Aladdin Seems To Be A Big Hit With Fans, If Not Critics

Disney’s second live-action remake of the year has hit theaters, which means both critics and audiences have finally had the chance to journey back into the Cave of Wonders. Turns out, Aladdin is a diamond in the rough that has caused quite the divide between the two groups of moviegoers.

While a vast majority of fans left the theater with their wishes granted concerning the live-action Disney epic, critics felt something to be desired from Aladdin. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score is currently at a near perfect 93%, while the Tomatometer has deemed the film “rotten” at 57%. So while the remake didn’t quite impress reviewers, it’s a big win for those who bought a ticket to go see the Middle East set musical.

Additionally, Aladdin passed with flying colors with its "A" CinemaScore, which measures movie appeal by asking movie theatergoers their opinions on opening night. While one might argue those who went out and saw it on the first night it was out were the most excited and invested group to see it, high anticipation can also place a more critical eye on movies too.

Many critics didn’t hate Aladdin, they just couldn’t help but compare it to the 1992 original and be disappointed. After Will Smith’s Genie previously received flack for his new look, many actually praised Smith as a high point of the film, along with the new Aladdin and Jasmine played by Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott. Perhaps the biggest criticism is toward Guy Ritchie being at the helm and the “notable limit to its creative energy” as CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg pointed out in his 2.5 star review.

Audiences were much more forgiving of Aladdin recycling from its previous iteration, and the film did bring plenty of new aspects for them to judge. The movie has an entirely new cast of actors, the live-action flair, new musical numbers, and laugh-out-loud improv scenes. The original film is almost 30 years old and may have benefited from its updating - such as Princess Jasmine’s new empowering song from the songwriters of La La Land and The Greatest Showman.

When you compare the Rotten Tomatoes score of the first film, the audience score is comparable at 92%, while the Tomatometer is just as complementary at 94%. The difference here being when Aladdin came out it was something much more original. Robin Williams’ iconic performance wasn’t a common occurrence in animation films and Disney was in the middle of a “Renaissance” that would also produce favorites including Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.

The new Aladdin is a bit more divisive between audiences and critics than 2017’s Beauty and the Beast, even though both films recreated a beloved Disney musical with some similar methods. Beauty's Tomatometer score is 71% while its audience score is 80%. Perhaps critics have since grown tired of Disney’s repeated live-action remake formula since then?

You can check out Aladdin in theaters now and decide for yourself, then vote in our poll below. Don't forget that The Lion King is adding itself to this Disney list soon, with a potentially huge box office opening that may top Beauty and the Beast's record take.

Mysterio’s Spider-Man: Far From Home Was Influenced By Iron Man And Black Panther

Mysterio’s Spider-Man: Far From Home Was Influenced By Iron Man And Black Panther

It's a fascinating time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Endgame has been in theaters for weeks, and is making a ton of money in the process. The Russo Brothers crafted a blockbuster that was intimately connected to the preceding 21 movies, and it exceeded any fan expectations or theories. But there's still one more installment in left in Phase Three-- Spider-Man: Far From Home, which will pick up the narrative following Thanos' defeat.

Spider-Man: Far From Home has a ton of pressure associated with it, as the generations of Marvel fans will use the upcoming sequel will see the post-Endgame world through Peter's perspective. The movie will also introduce the multiverse through Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, who is surprisingly not being advertised as a villain, but an ally. And looks like his suit was directly influenced by Marvel greats, as costume designer Michael Mooney explained during the Far From Home set visit that CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell attended:

There was references to try to keep it in the Marvel world. So we’re going to get influences from Thor and from Iron Man — we had some Black Panther in there. Just to keep it all in the same realm, to say, ‘this little superhero lives in the same world with the rest.’

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a very specific look about it, as costume designers adapt comic book outfits for a more realistic world. While characters like Iron Man and Spider-Man are direct adaptations, making suits for villains and other MCU characters can be a bit of a challenge.

From what we've seen in the brief Spider-Man: Far From Home trailers, Michael Mooney's comments to Sean O'Connell and the rest of the press at the film's set visit certainly hold up. While Mysterio seemingly gets his powers from magic, his suit bears quite the resemblance to one of Tony Stark's Iron Man armor. The cape is no doubt influenced by Thor's appearance, while Black Panther will likely factor in through different technological abilities. Although what the suit is capable of remains to be seen.

Related: Tom Holland Warns Of A Spider-Man: Far From Home Scene That Will Be An Emotional Punch In The Face

Overall, it's clear that we should expect the unexpected when it comes to Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio. From the moment he appeared in the film's first trailer, it was clear that it was not the Mysterio fans know from the comics. He is shown fighting off the film's elemental villains, and is far more powerful than the illusionist and hypnotist that Quentin Beck typically is on the page. Add in the high concept of the multiverse, and we should expect Marvel Studios to keep the fans guessing once again.

Spider-Man: Far From Home will arrive in theaters on July 2nd. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The Battle For SPECTRE - The Rights War That Complicated James Bond For Decades

The Battle For SPECTRE - The Rights War That Complicated James Bond For Decades

Time and time again, we’ve seen issues surrounding intellectual property rights complicate everything from a film’s production to its theatrical release. But some cases are so complicated that they don’t simply go away after the cameras are packed and the posters are removed. And in the case of most other areas of his expertise, nobody does complicated rights better than James Bond.

What started as an idea for a film became a flashpoint of massive legal proportions that, until recently, left the 007 franchise without the usage of one of its most iconic bodies of villainy for quite some time. With the resolution of this conflict still pretty fresh in recent history, and Bond 25 currently in production, the battle for SPECTRE’s very place in the series’ canon is a vital piece of history to revisit.

What Is SPECTRE?

In the history of the film adaptations to Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, the most formidable threat to the world was the SPecial Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion. Known as SPECTRE for short, it was the one stop shop for villainous personalities like Dr. Joseph No, Auric Goldfinger, and most notably Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the leader and “Number One” in charge of SPECTRE’s operations.

SPECTRE and its personnel were used in the films intermittently, starting with 1962’s series starter Dr. No, with 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever marking the supposed end of the organization and the one true death of Ernst Stavro Blofeld. It wasn’t until 2015’s Spectre that the James Bond series would reintroduce both that character (through the casting of Christoph Waltz), as the rights issues surrounding the creation and implementation the man and his legacy were subject to legal challenges that weren’t easily circumvented.

The Movie That (Almost) Started It All

When author Ian Fleming looked towards turning his literary franchise into a box office hit, Thunderball was originally considered to be the first film to do so. The eighth novel in his series, his 1961 book was a creation that drew on a rather controversial source: an original screenplay that was written between himself and screenwriters Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham in the late 1950s. While Fleming eventually decided to distance himself from the writing process, McClory and Whittingham would finish the screenplay, which eventually got its title from Ian Fleming himself.

After reading the finished novel before publication, McClory felt that Ian Fleming had plagiarized the screenplay of Thunderball for his novel. Even with some differences separating the two projects, one such difference being the alleged creation of SPECTRE to stand as the villains, Kevin McClory tried to stop the book from being published. While that tactic failed, McClory eventually pursued further legal action that granted him the literary and film rights to Thunderball, leaving Ian Fleming with the rights to the novel he wrote from its screenplay.

The End Of SPECTRE

With Kevin McClory owning the rights to Thunderball, this kind of threw the question of who created SPECTRE into the air, with McClory and Ian Fleming being the two parties the issue landed in-between. In the end, while the matter wasn’t officially resolved, Ernst Stavro Blofeld would make his final appearance in Diamonds Are Forever, with SPECTRE not even being named in the film at all. While there were intentions to use Blofeld and his criminal enterprise in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, McClory was ready with another injunction to prevent this from happening.

Instead of fighting another court battle to continue, the film was altered to omit the organization and its leader, opting instead for an original character, shipping magnate Karl Stromberg, as its villain. Though turnabout was fair play at that same point in Bond history, as Kevin McClory and Sean Connery had worked on a story entitled Warhead, which would be the first of several attempts to revive Thunderball in his own image. With the rights firmly in his hands, it was only a matter of time before he tried again.

The Remakes That Stoked The Fires

Sure enough, Kevin McClory would go on to two more attempts at remaking Thunderball in his own way image. The first was 1983’s Never Say Never Again, in which James Bond and Ernst Stavro Blofeld fought for custody of two nuclear warheads yet again. And oddly enough, Sean Connery was convinced to play the character of 007 yet again, after famously saying he’d never return after Diamonds Are Forever. With this film being released in the same year as the official Bond series’ Octopussy, there was obviously a competition between the two films. Ian Fleming’s estate attempted to prevent such a race, but lost their bid to stop the film’s release. In the end, the two films only saw a $27.5 million difference in their grosses, with Roger Moore’s official James Bond movie winning out.

The second, and final, time that Kevin McClory would try to remake his intellectual property was with the film known as Warhead 2000 A.D. With Sony spurring him on in hopes it could create further competition with its own James Bond franchise. But, much as McClory prevented MGM from using SPECTRE and Blofeld for The Spy Who Loved Me, the studio was able to successfully prevent Kevin McClory from achieving his goal, through a deal with Sony. If the film had progressed, there would have been a chance that either Timothy Dalton or Liam Neeson would have played the role of Bond. But alas, it was never meant to be.

Reuniting Bond and SPECTRE

It seemed that the true James Bond series would never see SPECTRE again in its lifetime. Even Albert Broccoli and EON Productions, the parties that practically ran the show with MGM, thought it to be so. Nowhere was that clearer than in the bold statement they made in the prologue to For Your Eyes Only. With a huge action sequence that saw Bond tormented by and dispatching of a bald man sitting in a wheelchair with a white cat in a smokestack, the message was clear: that contractually complex character is dead, and they didn’t need him anymore.

While the series would eventually move on for decades without official use of SPECTRE or its main villain, circumstances eventually saw those rights landing with MGM and EON Productions once more. After Kevin McClory passed away in 2006, his family would move on to the point where they sold the rights to the intellectual property he held onto through the rest of his life back to the studio. So it came to pass that in 2013, SPECTRE became a part of the official 007 playground once again, just in time to tie the organization in with its modern counterpart, Quantum, in the 2015 film named for this shadowy group of newly restored evil.

At this point, the only way that Ernst Stavro Blofeld won’t return would be due to Christoph Waltz not wanting to portray the character again. Though if the history of Blofeld has taught us anything, it’s that he can always be rewritten for a new actor through cosmetic surgery. It’s worked for him in the past, though if the casting of Rami Malek goes through, it seems unlikely that this route is going to be taken. But at the very least, SPECTRE will be around for any future villain to take their place in, ready to use its apparatus to make James Bond’s life a living hell.

James Bond will return in Bond 25, when it hits theaters on April 8, 2020.

Albus Dumbledore's Backstory: What You Need To Know About The Powerful Harry Potter And Fantastic Beasts' Character

Albus Dumbledore's Backstory: What You Need To Know About The Powerful Harry Potter And Fantastic Beasts' Character

Millions of fans know the name of Harrry Potter and how he was the Boy Who Lived. He's the main character of one of the most successful book and film franchises ever written, after all. There's no shortage of memorable supporting characters in the world that J.K. Rowling created, but one of the most well-known has to be Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore -- or Dumbledore for short. The old, whimsical wizard was a mentor and father figure to Harry throughout the series, but he lived a long life full of failure and accomplishments long before Harry entered the picture.

While Dumbledore's life and backstory went largely untapped until the final installment in the series, a young Dumbledore is currently a major player in the Fantastic Beasts prequel series. Fans are sure to learn more about Dumbledore than they ever have before, but it's not like Rowling didn't leave us something to work with. We actually know a lot about Dumbledore's younger years and how they shaped one of the most powerful wizards of all time. Here are some highlights from Dumbledore's 116 year-long life.

Dumbledore's A Gryffindor Alum

Like almost every other major good guy in Harry Potter, Dumbledore was sorted into Gryffindor back when he first arrived at Hogwarts in 1892. Considering his massive spell-casting powers as an adult, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Dumbledore was an exceptional student. He was said to be the most brilliant student to ever attend Hogwarts, and obtained a number of titles and awards.

During his school years, Dumbledore won the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting, became the British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot and received the Gold Medal for Ground-Breaking Contribution to the International Alchemical Conference. He was basically a prototype Hermione Granger, only he wasn't a stranger to mischief every now and again. He once set the curtains in the Gryffindor dorm on fire.

Dumbledore Had A Troubled Family Life

While Dumbledore may had led an enchanted school life, his home life was anything but smooth. The Dumbledore's were plagued with tragedy and misfortune that began when Albus' sister, Ariana, was caught doing magic by some Muggle boys. Frightened, the boys attacked her, mentally and emotionally scarring her. Ariana's powers were broken and would randomly manifest in violent and destructive ways. (It's rumored that she became an Obscurial). Albus' father attacked the boys and he was sentenced to Azkaban, where he later died.

That left Albus' mother to raise himself, Ariana, and his younger brother Aberforth, and Albus rarely ever spoke of his family to anyone. After graduation, on the evening that he was all set to embark on a tour of the world, Albus' mother was accidentally killed by Ariana, and he was forced to return home to raise his siblings. Albus was bitter and full of resentment for his situation, which paved the way for some difficult times in his life. We have no idea how Credence, revealed to be related to Albus in Crimes of Grindelwald, factors into all this.

He Was In Love With Grindelwald

Dumbledore raised his siblings in Godric's Hollow (where a baby Harry Potter would one day be orphaned by Voldemort), where he would eventually meet a young, brilliant wizard named Gellert Grindelwald. Dumbledore and Grindelwald shared much in common and the two of them eventually became close friends, bonding over their intellect and shared enthusiasm of the Deathly Hallows.

Friendship turned to romance, and while Dumbledore loved Grindelwald, it was only recently that Rowling confirmed the two of them shared an intense sexual relationship. However, Grindelwald was not a good influence, and he began to turn Dumbledore to an anti-Muggle point of view. In fact, Dumbledore began to agree with Grindelwald's idea of wizard domination and helped him plan the early stages of his "revolution." Dumbledore ignored Grindelwald's obvious darkness and he would soon pay for it dearly.

Ariana Died In A Duel Gone Wrong

When Aberforth returned from Hogwarts, he was not pleased to find that his brother had been neglecting his responsibilities to Ariana in favor of planning a revolution with Grindelwald. Aberforth angrily confronted Dumbledore, telling him that any plans for a revolution would mean dragging Ariana with him. Realizing how misguided he was, Dumbledore snapped back to reality, and a furious Grindelwald attacked Aberforth, but Dumbledore moved to defend his brother.

The three engaged in a violent duel, which Ariana tried to stop. However, her powers were erratic and she was hit with a stray curse and died. Grindelwald fled, leaving the two brothers to grieve. Aberforth blamed Dumbledore for the death of their sister (so did Dumbledore), and the relationship between the two brothers was strained for the rest of their lives. No one knew who had fired the curse that killed Ariana, but Dumbledore always feared that it was him.

He Taught Two Different Subjects At Hogwarts

Following the death of Ariana, Dumbledore eventually found his way back to Hogwarts, having always enjoyed the idea of teaching. He became the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, in part to prepare the future generation for the war he knew was coming. Dumbledore was beloved by his students, but he was under the suspicious eye of the Ministry of Magic, who were mistrustful of him after his time with Grindelwald.

It's quite possible that Dumbledore might have been one of the last great Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, because the position would eventually be cursed by Voldemort so that the job couldn't be held for longer than one year. Sometime in or before 1943, Dumbledore became the Professor of Transfiguration, which is basically changing the shape of people and things. From there, he was on track to become Headmaster, the position he held for most of the series.

The Hero Who Ended The Global Wizarding War

As Dumbledore spent his time teaching, Grindelwald was amassing power and followers. Grindelwald's For The Greater Good revolution was causing terror and devastation on a global scale, but Dumbledore, perhaps the only wizard who could defeat Grindelwald, resisted joining the fight. We see some of this play out in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and while there's still a lot of this story left to be revealed, we know the ending. Dumbledore eventually can't turn a blind eye and confronts Grindelwald in 1945.

The two of them engaged in what is wildly considered to be the greatest duel between two wizards. Dumbledore eventually triumphed and Grindelwald was sentenced to life in Nurmengard, a prison that he built himself. For his part ending the war, Dumbledore was awarded the Order of Merlin (First Class), which is kind of like the Nobel Peace Prize for magic people. Now a legendary hero, Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts, but was afraid of holding power and declined positions in the Ministry of Magic.

He Possessed The Elder Wand

In their youth, Dumbledore and Grindelwald were obsessed with finding the Deathly Hallows. Grindelwald would eventually find one of the Hallows, the Elder Wand, which made him one of the deadliest wizards on the planet. But he wasn't deadly enough because even with the most powerful wand ever built, Grindelwald was unable to defeat Dumbledore.

Per the rules of dueling, the wand of any disarmed wizard automatically belongs to the winner. Thus, Dumbledore became the owner of the Elder Wand and rather than destroy it, he kept it and used it as his main wand until his death years later.

Muggle Candies Are His Passwords

Despite his old age and tragic backstory, Dumbledore is young at heart and has quite the sweet tooth. Specifically, he loves sherbet lemons and acid pops, both of which were used as passwords to enter his office.

That doesn't sound incredibly secure, but I think that password protection hasn't ever really hit the wizarding community. Additionally, Dumbledore had a lot of hobbies and loved singing, thick woollen socks, silly words, his phoenix Fawkes and knitting patterns.

He Recruited Tom Riddle For Hogwarts

Even worse than Grindelwald, Voldemort is the most powerful and evil dark wizard to ever lived, having nearly brought the world to its knees twice. Dumbledore was a key part in ending Voldemort's war, but he also sort of helped him become a problem in the first place. Much like how Hagrid came to Harry, Dumbledore visited a young Tom Riddle to bring him to Hogwarts.

However, Dumbledore could tell that there was clearly something wrong with this kid and kept an eye on him during his tenure at the school. Dumbledore was the only teacher that Tom couldn't charm, and it led him to have a fear of the powerful wizard. Still, Dumbledore's suspicions never stopped Tom from becoming Voldemort and all the deaths that would follow.

He Led The First Resistance Against Voldemort

Dumbledore has always seemed to prefer acting through agents than taking an active role, but he took a direct approach when it came to Voldemort. He never hunted down the dark wizard, but Dumbledore did form a resistance to help fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

This organization was called The Order of the Phoenix, and it consisted of several characters and prominent wizards throughout the course of the series. They disbanded after Voldemort's first defeat, but reformed after he returned in order to protect Harry and ensure that a prophecy about Voldemort's death would come to pass.

Dumbledore Was One Of The Most Powerful Wizards Of His Lifetime

Over the course of his life, Dumbledore earned quite the reputation as a powerful wizard, and he might have been one of the strongest to ever exist. He accomplished several incredible feats in his lifetime, such as defeating Grindelwald in one-on-one combat and being strong enough to withstand the curse of a Horcrux long after others would have died.

His numerous titles and awards from his school days also lend credence to his skills with a wand. Dumbledore was the only wizard that Voldemort ever feared and his mere presence was enough to ensure the safety of every student in Hogwarts.

If you live to be 116 years old, then you will have lived long enough to have some accomplished things. Dumbledore was one of the most prominent wizards to have lived, and while he made several mistakes and miscalculations, he was ultimately a force for good. Fans are likely to learn much more about Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts movies, as some of the most important years of his life will hopefully gain some elaboration. The last film finally teased that Dumbledore was entering the fray, and while I think we're still a long way from Dumbledore v. Grindelwald, there's still plenty more left to see until then.

Avengers: Endgame Proved We Should Stop Worrying About Toy Spoilers

Avengers: Endgame Proved We Should Stop Worrying About Toy Spoilers

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. Look away if you haven't seen Marvel's latest

After a long year of waiting, Avengers: Endgame is finally in theaters. The Russo Brothers' (last?) MCU blockbuster held no punches, wrapping up a narrative that has spanned 22 movies and over a decade of filmmaking. Endgame is breaking all types of box office records, and really delivering for the hardcore fans who have spent countless hours and dollars to follow along with every new Marvel release.

Ahead of Endgame's release, the public was largely kept in the dark regarding the film's mysterious contents. The Russo Brothers urged the fans to keep the film's secrets and see Endgame on opening weekend to get the full theatrical experience. The film's marketing primarily used footage from the film's first 15 minutes, but potential spoilers came in the form of merchandise.

Toys have become a common source of spoilers over that past few years, arriving in shelves prior to major movies' releases. As such, fans have looked to merchandise like Lego sets to learn upcoming film's contents. Endgame's lego sets were no exception, but after Avengers: Endgame arrived in theaters, it became clear that that fans had been (literally) sold a false bill of goods.

Just look at this Lego set as proof. Following Hulkbuster's reappearance in Avengers: Infinity War, fans were delighted to see that War Machine would be getting his own massive robot in Endgame. The War Machine Buster lego set teased that Rhodey's armor would be getting a serious upgrade, and that he'd working alongside Paul Rudd's Ant-Man in the process.

Of course, none of these things happened. War Machine never got his own Hulkbuster armor, and he wasn't paired with Ant-Man on Endgame's big time heist. So while the Lego sets might be cool, they're ultimately not based off of anything from the film. Bummer.

One of the biggest Lego sets that ties into Avengers: Endgame is the Ultimate Quinjet. The set teases a big group of Avengers getting into their matching Quantum Suits, and jet setting on a mission to battle Thanos. The play set features the likes of Hawkeye, Rocket, Black Widow, and Thor, and shows them battling some Chitauri.

Of course, this is another scene that simply is never in Avengers: Endgame. The survivors never actually go anywhere with their Quantum Suits, instead using them within the Avengers Compound to travel through time and space. What's more, the Quinjet barely makes an appearance in the blockbuster, save for a few brief scenes.

In the end, only one set from Lego's Avengers: Endgame merchandise actually ended up coming to fruition in the film. That is the biggest and most expensive set, which depicts the Avengers Compound Battle. It shows Thanos and his forces attacking the good guys' hideout, with characters like Hulk, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, and Nebula fighting off the Mad Titan.

And this scene did in fact happen, albeit differently than depicted in the Lego version. The Avengers Compound was all but leveled when Thanos came knocking, and it seemed like he could take another victory. Ultimately the biggest Marvel battle occurred and the good guys won, but the compound and a few characters fell in the process.

Related: 11 Times Toys Did Spoil Movies

What's clear from Avengers: Endgame's Lego sets is that Marvel Studios is cognizant of toys being potential spoilers. While still able to make money on merchandise, the studio is keeping its secrets at all costs. As such, we should probably stop worrying so much about potential toy-related spoilers, at least as far as the MCU is concerned. The Lego sets for Spider-Man: Far From Home have already hit shelves, but smart money says that they've also got some red herrings regarding the upcoming blockbuster's plot.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and noticeably missing the events shown in the film's merchandise. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.