The Tesseract Timeline: Where The Cube Has Been In The MCU

The Tesseract Timeline: Where The Cube Has Been In The MCU

Warning: SPOILERS ahead!

When the Marvel Cinematic Universe was created, six singularities were turned into what we now know as the Infinity Stones. While each Stone has its own unique set of abilities, one has received more attention the others over the last decade: the Space Stone, originally identified as the Tesseract. The blue-colored artifact most recently appeared in Captain Marvel, playing a role in Carol Danvers’ origin story.

Because the Tesseract is the Infinity Stone that’s gotten the most screen time, and because of the way the MCU timeline jumped around for Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain Marvel, it can be hard to keep track of all the places it’s been in this franchise. Not to worry, we have you covered, as here are all the places the Tesseract has popped up chronologically within the MCU timeline.

In Tønsberg, Norway

Legends of Norse mythology state that the Tesseract was once the jewel of Odin’s treasure room, but around 965 A.D., it was removed from Asgard and taken to Earth.

It’s unclear why the Asgardians left the Tesseract in Tønsberg, Norway; maybe these beings felt it would be safer hidden on our world, though presumably Earth was already home to the Time Stone (encased within the Eye of Agamotto) at this point. Whatever the reasoning, for over a millennia the Tesseract remained safe and away from the wrong hands, but World War II changed that.

With HYDRA

In 1942, Johann Schmidt, a.k.a. the Red Skull, arrived in Tønsberg to procure the Tesseract from an ancient church. While he initially thought it was located inside the coffin of a long-dead warrior, he soon realized this was a fake and found the real Tesseract hidden in a nearby wall. After killing the church keeper and ordering his men to destroy Tønsberg, Red Skull wasted no time in having Dr. Arnim Zola weaponize the Tesseract’s power, and the results were so effective that he decided to separate HYDRA from the Third Reich so that he could conquer the world.

By 1945, Red Skull siphoned off Tesseract energy to power numerous bombs he intended to drop on various countries, including the United States. Thanks to the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan’s interference, not only did that plan fail, but when Red Skull directly grabbed the Tesseract to use against his arch-nemesis, it transported him to Vormir, where he was forced to spend the following decades looking after the Soul Stone.

With Howard Stark

After Red Skull was transported off Earth, the Tesseract burned its way through the villain’s aircraft and fell to the ocean floor, but it didn’t stay there for long. Howard Stark, who’d already studied some Tesseract energy earlier in Captain America: The First Avenger with explosive results, recovered the cube as World War II ended.

We know Howard studied the Tesseract in the following years, as he had an illustration of it in his notes and it helped him discover a new element, which his son Tony would later synthesize to power the arc reactor keeping his heart going in place of Palladium.

At Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.

Since Howard Stark was one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D., one can surmise that the U.S. government also had access to the Tesseract after World War II. That would explain how by the late 1980s, through some unexplained sequence of events, it ended up at Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. and was studied by Dr. Wendy Lawson. As we learned in Captain Marvel, Lawson was actually a Kree scientist named Mar-Vell who defected from the Kree empire and tried to create a light-speed engine to help the Skrulls under her care find a new home. What powered this engine? Tesseract energy.

After Mar-Vell’s ship was shot down by Starforce and she was killed by Yon-Rogg, Carol Danvers, who had been working with Dr. Wendy Lawson, followed her mentor’s last instructions and destroyed the light speed engine. Carol was bathed in the Tesseract energy released in the explosion, resulting in her gaining her trademark energy powers. Six years later, Carol returned to Earth and recovered her human memories, and with Nick Fury, Maria Rambeau, Talos and Goose, she traveled to Mar-Vell’s base hidden in Earth’s orbit. There they found the Tesseract, and Goose, actually a flerken as opposed to a cat, swallowed the cube so that the Kree couldn’t take it.

With S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sometime after the events of Captain Marvel, Goose, now in Nick Fury’s care, coughed up the Tesseract on his desk. Now in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s care, the spy organization protected the Tesseract while members of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. studied it again, although they had no luck in figuring out how to tap into its unlimited energy.

After the events of Thor, Fury recruited Dr. Erik Selvig to join Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. on the hope that he could accelerate the Tesseract research. The World Security Council scrapped the Avengers Initiative in favor of Phase 2, the design of weapons that would be powered by the Tesseract that could be used against alien threats, similar to HYDRA’s World War II weaponry. Those plans never came to full fruition thanks to a certain Asgardian trickster.

With Loki

Having struck an agreement with Thanos following his defeat at Thor’s hands and banishment from Asgard, Loki came to Earth armed with a special scepter, revealed in Avengers: Age of Ultron to contain the Mind Stone. In exchange for a Chitauri army with which he could conquer Earth, Loki was supposed to deliver the Tesseract to Thanos. Loki retrieved the Tesseract from Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. with ease at the beginning of The Avengers, and with the help of some brainwashed individuals, including Erik Selvig, he was eventually able to open a portal allowing the Chitauri to come through to New York City.

Unfortunately for Loki, the newly-formed Avengers managed to work through their issues and stand in his way. Even better, though he’d been brainwashed, Erik Selvig managed to insert a flaw allowing for the Mind Stone scepter to break through the force field protecting the Tesseract and close the portal, thus thwarting Loki’s invasion. Now not only did Thanos not receive the Tesseract as promised, he also lost the Mind Stone.

In Asgard

With the Bifrost Bridge still destroyed, Thor, who had been sent back to Earth in The Avengers by Odin’s dark magic, used the Tesseract to transport himself and Loki back to Asgard. Over a thousand years later, the Tesseract was back in Asgard and given a cushy spot in Odin’s vault. It being placed there also led to The Collector being given the Aether, a.k.a. the Reality Stone, as it was deemed unwise to keep two Infinity Stones so close together.

When Hela returned in Thor: Ragnarok and went into Odin’s vault, she declared that most of the objects in there were “fake” or weak. She admitted that the Tesseract wasn’t “bad,” though her true prize was the Eternal Flame. When Asgard was later destroyed by Surtur, it was believed that the Tesseract had been lost, but all was not as it seemed.

With Thanos

After laying waste to Xandar to obtain the Power Stone, Thanos turned his attention to securing the Space Stone next. Detecting it was aboard the Statesman, the ship carrying Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, Hulk, Korg, Miek and the Asgardian survivors, it didn’t take long for Thanos and his forces to slaughter half of those survivors in the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War. The Mad Titan then arrived on the scene and started torturing Thor to get Loki to give up the Tesseract. His hand forced, Loki revealed the glowing cube; he had secretly taken it from Odin’s vault as he was retrieving the Crown of Surtur.

Thanos then smashed the Tesseract, took the Space Stone and inserted in the Infinity Gauntlet next to the Power Stone. With the Space Stone’s power, Thanos could now teleport anywhere he wished across the universe, as well as pull off feats like stopping one of Loki’s daggers, sending Iron Man’s energy blasts back at him and phasing the Hulkbuster armor into a rock wall. However, all that paled in comparison to Thanos using the Space Stone alongside the five other Infinity Stones to unleash The Decimation, which wiped out half of all life in the universe.

And that’s where we currently stand on the Tesseract/Space Stone front. Avengers: Endgame comes out on April 26, and while specific plot details for the movie are still being kept under wraps, you can be sure the Space Stone and the other Infinity Stones will factor in somehow since Thanos still had them when he retired to that serene planet at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. Whether the Space Stone ends up being destroyed or ends up in the hands of another, we’ll be sure to update you on its whereabouts at the end of Phase 3.

Natalie Portman Shares Her Favorite Part About Playing Jane Foster In The MCU

Natalie Portman Shares Her Favorite Part About Playing Jane Foster In The MCU

Hey, Thor, what ever happened to Jane Foster? Okay, so maybe he’s been a bit preoccupied with his franchise redesign in Ragnarok, not going for the head in Infinity War and trying to get Captain Marvel to flinch in a stare down with her in Endgame to break the tough news, so I’ll tell you: the cute MCU couple broke up off screen between The Dark World and Ragnarok. Maybe you couldn’t tell by the hero’s breakup haircut and new space buddies he’s been hanging around with.

No matter what happened between the two, Natalie Portman made it out to the world premiere of Avengers: Endgame in Los Angeles on Monday and gushed about her time in the MCU at Marvel’s red carpet. In her words:

It's been so exciting to get to be part of this whole Marvel universe and get to see all of these incredible new characters be revealed to audiences every year and, of course, to have women in science be front and center is incredible, to spread that culture throughout the world.

Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster was a great addition to the MCU because she was such a driven scientist who played a vital part in the earlier events of the franchise with her fellow “Science Avengers,” Dr. Selvig and Darcy Lewis. Her involvement in the Thor movies was cut short when their story faced a bit of a dead end creatively. Taika Waititi came in and fixed the hero’s franchise right up with a looser, more spacier addition to the character’s story, but that meant Natalie Portman was lost her place within the MCU.

The actress was reportedly not happy with Thor: The Dark World when director Patty Jenkins left the project due to “creative differences” and Alan Taylor took over the sequel. Since Jenkins later went on to helm Wonder Woman, I’ll side with Portman on this one because the DCEU origin was much more memorable than Dark World. (Chris Hemsworth even called the movie “meh” once.)

When asked about her potential return to the MCU, Natalie Portman has showed her openness to come back if asked, but has said that as far as she knows that won’t be happening anytime soon. I wouldn’t count on it either. I just don’t see Jane Foster fitting into Thor’s character arc after his past few appearances; the vision of the franchise with the couple we saw in the beginning has grown apart into something bolder and funnier than a love story.

As indicated by Natalie Portman’s recent comments, the MCU is always shifting, changing and bringing in more exciting characters to expand the universe, such as Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, a new fan favorite in the Thor movies we can’t wait to see keep being badass. Endgame certainly promises to shake up the MCU as it will mark the end of the franchise so far … but Thor 4 may be in the works per recent words from Thompson. You never know who is going to show up in these movies, so maybe that could be a platform for Portman to return.

Godzilla Fan Dies Before Drive-In King Of Monsters Screening Can Be Arranged

Godzilla Fan Dies Before Drive-In King Of Monsters Screening Can Be Arranged

It's a scenario we've seen several times in the last few years. Somebody is a huge fan of a particular movie property, excited to see the next installment that's set to come out. Unfortunately, this fan is terminally ill and may not live until the official release date. Social media then picks up the call to try and make an early screening happen. It's remarkable how frequently these stories have had happy endings. Unfortunately, the most recent example has had no such result. George Root III, who wanted nothing more than to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters, has passed away before having a chance to do so.

It was only within the last couple of days that the story of George Root III broke through the noise of the internet to really get noticed. Root had stage four cancer and was a massive fan of two things, Godzilla and the Transit Drive-In in Lockport, New York. Root was friends with the theater's owner, Rick Cohen and it was Cohen who attempted to get his friend's dying wish to come true and get a screening of the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters to screen at the theater for Root.

Unfortunately, almost as soon as the request began to pick up steam, it was announced that it was already too late. George Root III died Thursday of the cancer he'd been fighting for four years.

Part of what makes this all the more heartbreaking, is that there's a pretty decent chance that if Root had lived, he would have received his wish. This is far from the first time that a terminally ill person has made a request like this and frequently, those requests have been granted. Disney has granted personal screenings of both Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame to under similar circumstances. Studios have been remarkably willing to accommodate these requests so there's no reason to believe this one would have been any different.

Yesterday Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty retweeted a post referencing George Root's struggle, after he had passed, which means the director had been made aware of the situation. Things really might have worked out if only the timing hadn't been so tight.

Considering that we're dealing with terminally ill patients, it's actually remarkable just how often these stories have happy endings. Of course, that makes it all the sadder that this one does not.

Still, those that picked up the call for George Root III aren't done simply because he's gone. According to the Buffalo News, those that were once campaigning to get him a screening are now campaigning to get him added to the credits of Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It would certainly be nice to see a dedication or "In memory of" added to the beginning or end of the film. Such a tribute would probably mean the world to the loved ones he left behind.

We'll have to wait and see if anything like that happens. Godzilla: King of the Monsters will be in theaters May 31.

Everything You Need To Remember About John Wick Before Chapter 3

Everything You Need To Remember About John Wick Before Chapter 3

The original John Wick was a big surprise when it landed in 2014, not just because of its insanely awesome, remarkably audacious action choreography, but also because of its adept world-building. The universe may look like our own, but it also has its own specific set of rules that influence how the characters all operate within it. This particular aspect of the franchise expanded wonderfully in 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2, and now audiences are preparing for another dose with John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

There is one potential drawback with detailed world-building, however, and it’s the complexity that it invites. Every new chapter told within the universe means the creation of more rules, and that means each one becomes exponentially denser – which can make them challenging to watch for new audiences or casual fans. Fortunately, we’re here to help.

With John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum now just a few days away from heading towards a theater near you, we’ve put together this handy, spoiler-free guide about the John Wick universe and all of its most important characters and intricacies. Need a refresher course? Do yourself a favor and read on!

John Wick

Also known by his nickname Baba Yaga (which has the tendency to strike fear in the hearts of even the toughest men and women), John Wick is the most skilled killer that the world has ever seen. Not much is known about how exactly he acquired his deadly talents, but what has been made perfectly clear is that he has the capacity to end a person’s life with pretty much any instrument – a pencil most definitely being the most notorious.

Because of his intense abilities, he spent much of his adult life as a gifted assassin, but at one point he made the decision to try and walk away from the game for good. He was given what was thought to be an impossible task, the completion of which would lead to his freedom, and much to the surprise of everyone he actually succeeded. Sadly for him, however, he was pulled back into the world when the son of a powerful Russian Mafioso killed his dog and stole his car – leading him on a blood-thirsty quest for vengeance.

Winston

Played by the venerable Ian McShane, Winston is one of the most important characters in the John Wick franchise, and a key ally of the titular hero. He lives in New York, and is the owner of the hotel The Continental – though exactly how he acquired the establishment has not yet been revealed (we’ll get more into the details of The Continental later on). He is a very influential figure in the assassination world, and has displayed very little patience for most individuals not willing to play by the rules.

That being said, his personal history with John Wick does lead Winston to offer some leniency towards him – most notably demonstrated in John Wick: Chapter 2. At the end of that movie Winston has every right to try and kill the franchise protagonist – for reasons that will be discussed further down – but instead he offers him an hour to try and get his affairs in order.

Charon

The name Charon is likely familiar to those who know their Greek mythology, as he is the ferryman of Hades who leads souls of the deceased across the river Styx to what will be their final destination. In the John Wick universe, however, the character isn’t quite the same ominous figure. Instead, he is best recognized as the helpful concierge at The Continental, and is a long-time employee of Winston’s.

Also a friend of John Wick’s, he operates as basically any concierge at a hotel does – both checking clients into their respective rooms, and taking on tasks that are within his purview. Of course, his jobs tend to be a bit more “heightened” given the exclusive clientele that The Continental services.

The Bowery King

In the John Wick universe, it often feels like most people aren’t what they seem, and that extends to the homeless people living on the streets of New York. Rather than being simple vagrants, they are actually part of a vast network that reports to a single leader: The Bowery King. It’s through these individuals and his use of carrier pigeons that The Bowery King is able to keep entirely up-to-date with the goings on in his city – often learning about developments far faster than anyone else.

Like many, he has a complicated relationship with John Wick, though it is mostly positive. Years before his retirement, Wick spared The Bowery King’s life during a mission, so there is a certain sense of obligation that is felt. That being said, the highest priority for The Bowery King is still his network, and he doesn’t let anything threaten it.

Helen

There is exactly one reason why John Wick tried to get out of the assassin game, and her name was Helen. The notorious killer fell in love, and his desire to live a normal life with her as his wife resulted in him successfully achieving the impossible. Sadly, though, it’s a story with a tragic ending, as she wound up getting cancer and died.

The reason why John Wick was so obsessive about getting revenge for his murdered dog and his stolen car was because of their connection to Helen – as the former was a final gift from her that helped lift him out of despair, and the latter contained a birthday card and photograph that he held precious. She is the only reason he wishes to keep living, as he wants to keep the memory of her alive.

The Continental

If you haven’t figured it out by now, The Continental is a hotel that serves as a home base and neutral ground for those in the assassin game. It’s actually a global franchise, with establishments in major cities all around the world, and each one provides its clients with specific services catered towards their craft (including weaponry and specialty tailoring). The golden rule that must never be broken is that “business” must never be carried out on the grounds, and the punishment for violating this rule is death. Unfortunately, John Wick just can’t help himself following the events of John Wick: Chapter 2 – which is what catapults him into the main plot of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

The High Table

Like in any career field, there is a hierarchy in the assassin game, and sitting at the tippy-top of the ladder in the John Wick universe is The High Table. It’s a shadowy organization made up of the leaders of the most powerful crime bosses in the world, and they call all the shots and basically make all of the rules that every killer must follow. Thus far the most significant member of this group that we’ve met is Santino D’Antonio, who hired John Wick to kill his sister, Gianna, so that he could take her place. Unfortunately for him, he followed his ascension up by putting a hit on Wick’s head (big mistake) – which was a favor that the protagonist returned by putting a bullet in his head in the middle of The Continental dining room.

Markers

Remember that impossible task that John Wick accomplished in order to get out of the assassin game? It wouldn’t have been possible without the utilization of a marker – which is essentially a blood oath in physical form. When a killer needs a massive favor from somebody for any reason, they give the other person a marker, which looks like a palm-sized coin with a small door in the middle. Behind this door is a surface split in two, and the person requesting the favor leaves a bloody thumb print on one side – signifying that they will return the favor upon request (the penalty for failing to do so is death). The exchange of markers is monitored by The Continental, which has a ledger tracking debts that are both owed and paid.

Gold Coins

Because fiat money is both volatile in value and traceable, the assassin community tends not to use it. Instead, the way that killers pay for things is with specially made gold coins. They are used as payment for both items and services rendered, though their exact worth isn’t precisely determined in any of the John Wick movies thus far. One gold coin is the price for basically anything and everything, with haggling never being a thing.

“Excommunicado”

“Excommunicado” is the status that John Wick finds himself saddled with at the start of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and it essentially translates to “open season.” Wick earns it because of his inability to resist killing Santino D’Antonio on the grounds of The Continental, and it leads to every killer in the world aiming at a target on his back (with the reward for getting the job done being $14 million). As mentioned, Winston gives Wick a bit of leeway by giving him a full hour to prepare for the onslaught, but there’s only so much you can do when assassins all around you are getting text messages notifying them of an irresistible bounty.

Do you feel like you're fully prepared now for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum? We certainly hope so! Be sure to check out the film when it hits theaters this weekend, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for a whole lot more of our coverage of the movie in the coming days and weeks.

Why Superhero Movies Are So Popular, According To The Shazam! Filmmakers

Why Superhero Movies Are So Popular, According To The Shazam! Filmmakers

Whether you love superhero movies or your name is James Cameron and you're waiting for "Avenger fatigue" to set in, there's no question superhero movies are more popular than ever. Sure, they can fail sometimes, just ask Fantastic Four. But more often than not, superheroes win and they win big. DC's Shazam! just joined the ranks of the winners with a solid #1 opening weekend at the box office.

Shazam! follows the $1 billion success of DC's Aquaman and the $1 billion success of Marvel's Captain Marvel, and precedes the probably $2+ billion success of Avengers: Endgame -- which itself follows the $2 billion success of Avengers: Infinity War. Phew! If you follow the money, it leads right to Marvel and DC.

But why? Why are comic book superheroes so popular right now? It's a question many have been asking, and Shazam! director David F. Sandberg and producer Peter Safran shared their takes:

David F. Sandberg: Partly I think it's the wish fulfillment. And that's why I love Shazam! so much, because it's kind of the ultimate wish fulfillment with this kid getting to be a superhero.

Peter Safran: And I think it's really about the great characters that populate a lot of the superhero movies. Each superhero movie is different than the other superhero movies. It's a large genre, but within it you have heist movies, you have comedies, you have pure action. So I think there's a lot of room.

I especially like Peter Safran's take to Collider. Because it's true, it's almost like Superhero has become its own genre like Comedy or Drama and there are subgenres within that go in many different directions. I also think good superhero movies inspire and elevate others -- competition is good for the market (until it isn't).

Hollywood is notorious for wanting to just copy what works, and right now superhero movies just work -- they not only make tons of money, they tend to be crowd and sometimes even critic pleasers. That leads to repeat viewing in theaters and also at home, which brings even more money.

David F. Sandberg has a background in horror, and CinemaBlend's own Mike Reyes recently asked him why he thinks horror directors make such good superhero films. After all, Shazam! is following in the footsteps of The Conjuring king James Wan's Aquaman, which is the highest-grossing DC Comics film yet. Sandberg had a pretty good answer on that.

Not everyone is thrilled with superhero movies flooding theaters, often pushing away anything that isn't Marvel or DC related. That could be an issue in the next couple of months, especially when theaters are going to want to have as many showings of Avenges: Endgame as possible.

What will that mean for any film not named Avengers: Endgame? Hopefully there's room for everyone, from superhero movies and other action blockbuster sequels (Star Wars: Episode IX, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, John Wick 3) to Disney's 9 million live-action remakes (see you soon, The Lion King and Aladdin) right down to original non-sequel movies. Like Us.

Speaking of horror directors and superhero movies, though, is there any way to drag Jordan Peele into the DC or Marvel universes? Or would it be better if steered clear?

For more Shazam! points to ponder, listen to ReelBlend's recent interview with David F. Sandberg and Peter Safran. The DCEU movie is now playing in theaters as one of the many movies to try and keep up with in 2019.

Captain Marvel Doesn't Necessarily Disprove A Popular Phase 4 Theory

Captain Marvel Doesn't Necessarily Disprove A Popular Phase 4 Theory

Warning! SPOILERS ahead. Read at your own risk!

As viewers experience Captain Marvel for the first time, no doubt they're analyzing the character's story and wondering how it will play into the future of the MCU. Carol Danvers is already confirmed to be an important player in Avengers: Endgame, but some might assume that other theories proposed ahead of the film are now invalid after seeing Captain Marvel. Specifically, we're referring to the representation of Skrulls as villains in the Marvel universe.

It's easy to think otherwise after watching, as the species was portrayed to be nothing more than frightened refugees seeking safety from the vigilant Kree and their desire to eradicate the species. The Skrulls weren't the bad guys this time around, but that doesn't mean the MCU isn't planning on working in the Skrulls to be major aggressors in Phase 4. There are some clues that point to Captain Marvel's Skrulls being outliers as opposed to the norm.

All credit to Marvel Studios for subverting hardcore fan expectations, as using Talos was a perfect way to throw them off the trail. He's one of the more brutal and notable Skrull characters in Marvel Comics, so it was easy to expect that even if the Kree weren't the "heroes" Carol assumed they were, the Skrulls were just as nasty, if not a little worse.

The lack of evil wasn't the only thing different about Talos either, as the character was also known for being a Skrull who lacked the ability to shape shift. Talos touted himself in Captain Marvel as being one of the best at shapeshifting, which stuck out to me as an oddly specific line given the character's origin. Talos might be a great shape-shifter in the '90s, but could he have lost his ability in the years since?

If that happened, it may have been the result of an incident that's changed his attitude on many things since. It's one of those things that screams as a catalyst into making a likable character a villain, and also making him closer to the version in Marvel's canon. Plus seeing Talos transition from grateful ally of Captain Marvel to fearsome foe would be quite the story arc.

That's just one character, however, and as many know, the Marvel universe is not lacking for evil Skrulls. Just because Talos and his crew were good doesn't mean there aren't some other Skrulls lurking about intent on infiltrating cultures and dominating societies. After all, every species in the MCU has a few bad eggs. It would be weird if the Skrulls were the sole exception to that rule.

Again, imagine all the things that could've happened in the last 20 years. The Skrulls could've found a new home, re-grew its numbers and could be seeking revenge on the Kree, especially now that adversaries like Ronan The Accuser are gone. It's also possible there were some Skrulls on Earth unaffiliated with Talos and his crew, and are slowly working their way up the chain of power to make a big play on behalf of Skrulls everywhere.

In typical Skrull fashion, this could be done by disguising themselves as authority figures. People like Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross, who have bounced back into the MCU like nothing happened after being gone for so long. Captain Marvel showed the perks of a Skrull positioning themselves in a position of power, and Ross has been in a pretty sweet power position threatening heroes with the power of the United States government. I'm not saying Ross is for sure a Skrull in disguise, but I won't be surprised if he is.

Plus, it doesn't seem like Marvel Studios to go to such lengths to introduce the Skrulls, and then immediately erase any chance for a "Secret Invasion" adaptation. Skrulls slowly taking over the identities of notable heroes was an exciting event in the comics, and could make for some really mind-blowing twists in the MCU in Phase 4. It's a story line that could slowly develop during Avengers: Endgame and serve as an explanation behind some actors' high profile exits.

It's also a big MCU event substantial enough to shoulder another major Marvel ensemble feature, which is something the studio will need going forward. After Thanos' defeat, the bar has been set to work towards the next major threat to the universe. Sure, Galactus, Annihilus and Cronus might be more intimidating, but what the Skrulls lack in god-like powers, they more than make up for with their ability to surprise audiences again and again.

Let's be honest, if putting the most powerful villain available as the head of a major feature was always the right call, X-Men: Apocalypse would've been a slam dunk. Marvel may not have the vision to tackle massive foes like Galactus just yet, and could use a Skrull invasion in the meantime without doing a massive amount of work to explain why that could happen.

Of course a secret invasion wouldn't exactly be easy, but Captain Marvel already got a bulk of the exposition on Skrulls out of the way. We know they can shape shift to make themselves look like anyone, and can only retain recent memories. That's more than enough to start laying some eggs, and it's enough even for Carol to potentially out an Avengers character as a secret Skrull during Avengers: Endgame.

Put simply, a few good Skrulls doesn't mean the race won't be a major player in Phase 4 and an aggressor towards a future lineup of heroes. Whether it's The Avengers, Guardians, or some other upcoming hero group that will be introduced in Phase 4, we shouldn't assume the MCU will keep the Skrulls as a race solely comprised of pacifists. With that said, things might be a little bit easier on Earth's Mightiest Heroes if they stay that way.

We won't know for sure what's happening with the Skrulls until Avengers: Endgame at the earliest, so keep checking with CinemaBlend in the weeks leading up to and after its release for more details. For more on Captain Marvel, read up on its box office debut and how it's killing it in its first week.

In The Heights Movie, An Updated Cast List

In The Heights Movie, An Updated Cast List

Movie musicals have always been a tried and true genre in the film world, and there have been quite a few major hits over the years. It's a genre with a penchant for awards attention, with movies like Chicago, La La Land, and Les Miserables all able to pick up Oscars. In the world of musical theater, there's currently no name quite as famous as Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the writer/actor is currently developing the film adaptation of his first Broadway hit, In The Heights.

In The Heights broke new ground by bringing hip hop to Broadway, and a movie has been slowly developing for a number of years. But things appear to be moving forward, as Lin-Manuel Miranda and company have begun assembling the movie adaptation's cast. And there's some impressive talent attached.

Anthony Ramos (Usnavi)

Hamilton star Anthony Ramos is playing the lead role of Usnavi in In The Heights, after taking a run as the character in the Kennedy Center Production. Following the wild success of Hamilton, Ramos began getting more film work, and you might recognize his face from certain high profile projects. After starring in Spike Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It and a recurring role in Will & Grace, Ramos co-starred alongside Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born as Ally's best friend Ramon.

Jimmy Smits (Kevin Rosario)

Another big name attached to In the Heights is Jimmy Smits, who has had a long career in film and TV. Smits is known for his roles in Dexter, Star Wars, as well as Sons of Anarchy. Smits is playing Kevin Rosario in the In The Heights movie, the patriarch of the Rosario family. Smits isn't necessarily known for his singing, and it should be interesting to see if he ends up getting belt out Kevin's big number "Inútil".

Daphne Rubin-Vega (Carla)

While not exactly a household name for her work in film, Daphne Rubin-Vega is a name that any self-respecting Broadway fan knows well. Rubin-Vega originated the role of Mimi in RENT on Broadway, and can be heard on the cast recording. She's one of two original cast members didn't appear in the film version, with Rosario Dawson taking on the mantle of Mimi. Aside from her continued work on the stage, Rubin-Vega was seen in NBC's Smash, and the Sex and the City movie. She'll play Carla, owner of the neighborhood salon.

Corey Hawkins (Benny)

Corey Hawkins' star power has been growing over the past few years, due to his work in both television and movies. On the small screen, he had brief stint on The Walking Dead, he lead the ill-fated 24 reboot. And in movies, Hawkins had roles in BlackKklansman and Straight Outta Compton. Hawkins is playing Benny, one of the few non-latin characters in the cast. He's got In the Heights' main love story on his shoulders, and should be belting out a variety of iconic songs.

Dascha Polanco (Cuca)

Dascha Polanco is best known for her leading role as Daya in Netflix's Orange is the New Black. She's also had roles in Joy and American Crime Story, but In The Heights should be a major moment for her career. There's just one question: who is she playing? Polanco was announced to be playing Cuca, but she's not a character in the stage play. Will she work in Carla's salon? We'll just have to wait for more information.

Olga Merediz (Abuela Claudia)

Olga Merediz is another In The Heights cast member who audiences should recognize, but might not be able to figure out where. She's also another Orange is the New Black alum, as Merediz has a recurring character in Lourdes, Gloria Mendoza's Aunt. Merediz will be playing Abuela Claudia, the adoptive grandmother of not only Anthony Ramos' Usnavi, but the entire barrio.

Stephanie Beatriz (Carla)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz is heading back to theaters with In The Heights, and should be lending her speaking and singing voice to the role of Carla. Beatriz has played Rosa Diaz in B99 for a whopping 130 episodes, and clearly has the comedic chops and experience to play Carla. In the stage version of In The Heights, Carla is Daniela's dimwitted best friend who has a passion for neighborhood gossip.

Gregory Diaz (Sonny)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is presumably going to make some changes to the characters and plot of In The Heights, to best adapt the Tony Award winning musical onto the silver screen. One of these changes can be seen with the casting of Gregory Diaz as Sonny. Sonny is Usnavi's younger cousin, although he's usually at least high school aged, and helping to run the convenience store with Usnavi. But he's going to be much younger in the movie version, and it should be interesting to see how Diaz balances Sonny's comedic beats with his penchant or social justice.

Melissa Barrera (Vanessa)

Vanessa is the subject of Usnavi's affection, and should be equal parts ambitious bombshell and caring member of the community. The In The Heights movie has cast Melissa Barrera in the role. Barrera is best known for starring in Starz's LatinX drama Vida, which is set to debut it second season shortly. Vanessa also belts out some crazy high notes, so the actress should probably start warming up now.

Leslie Grace (Nina Rosario)

Nina and Benny have the main love story of In The Heights, so casting for the ingenue was very important. Ultimately Lin-Manuel Miranda and company landed on Leslie Grace to play the college student who returns home for hard lesson. While not a film star, Grace is a recording artist who is also a New York City native. Starring in the In The Heights movie has the potential to be a major moment in Grace's career, and possibly herald in a film career. One thing is clear: she's not going to have any problem singing.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's In The Heights cast is coming together, making the upcoming movie finally feel real. And while Hamilton may be a bigger title at this point, bringing Usnavi and The Barrio to the silver screen will allow casual fans who appreciate his other Broadway musical. In The Heights was no sleeper hit either, as it won the Tony for Best Musical, and was even nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.