Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System: What It Is And How To Use It

Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System: What It Is And How To Use It

There's no place in the world quite like Walt Disney World. With four different theme parks, two water parks, and more hotels, shops and restaurants than you can count, there is so much to do and so much fun to be had. However, to get the most out of your Walt Disney World trip, you need to plan in advance, and that includes using the FastPass+ system to book your wait times early at the theme parks.

Nobody likes to wait in line, and while you probably won't be able to avoid standing in a queue at all, you can severely cut down on your standing around time by using FastPass+ to its full potential. In this guide, we'll be talking how to make the most of your trip using Disney's helpful FastPass+ service.

What Is Disney World’s FastPass+?

FastPass+ is Walt Disney World's system that allows you to skip the line on most of the attractions that you'll find at all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It's linked to your park ticket or MagicBand and allows you to book up to three FastPass+ windows per day of your Walt Disney World vacation in advance of your trip. This means you can schedule when you want to visit certain attractions, and you'll end up in a much shorter line.

What Do You Need To Book FastPass+?

The first thing you need to do to use FastPass+ is sign up for an account on the Walt Disney World website. Each member of your party will need their own registration, but if individuals won't need to access their account themselves, like minor children, their account can be set up so that one person will manage the account, like mom or dad. Once all the accounts are linked together, one person can book FastPasses for the entire group.

Next, each member of the group will need their own theme park ticket linked to their Disney account.

Finally, the third thing you need to consider is optional, but is quite valuable: a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. If you have one, you can sign up for your FastPass+ times 60 days in advance, and you can sign up for every day of your vacation at once. If you're not staying on property, you can only sign up for your FastPass+ times 30 days in advance, and you'll need to sign up for each day of your trip separately.

Some of the most popular attractions like those at Disney's Animal Kingdom's Pandora - The World of Avatar, will see all or most of their FastPasses get snapped up before the 30-day window opens.

How To Sign Up For FastPass+

FastPass+ opens up each day at 7:00 AM eastern time. This means if you live on the west coast, you'll need to get up at 4:00 AM to get the first shot at the best times on the best rides.

On the day that you can sign up for FastPass+, 60 days before the first day your ticket is active if you're staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, 30 days before if not, go to the Walt Disney World website, sign into your account, and then, under the My Disney Experience menu, select GetFastPass+.

Select every person in your party that you want to book a FastPass+ for, then select the date you want to book, then which park you want to book your FastPass+ for. All three of your FastPass+ selections have to be for the same theme park, so if you first book a FastPass+ for the Magic Kingdom, all three FastPasses for that day will have to be there as well.

After you select the park, you'll be shown the list of available attractions and available times. Each attraction will give you a window of time that is one hour long. Simply select the first FastPass+ time that you want on your favorite attraction, confirm it, and then do that two more times.

There's no way to book more than three FastPasses per day before your trip. However, once you've used your three scheduled FastPasses each day, you will be able to book more, one at a time, via either the Disney World app (more on that down below) or via the kiosks located within the Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios parks.

How FastPass+ Works At The Different Parks

Signing up for FastPass+ at Magic Kingdom is easy, because all FastPasses are considered equal, but that's no longer the case at the other three parks. At Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios, attractions are broken up into Tier A and Tier B attractions, and you can only use one of your daily FastPasses on a Tier A attraction when signing up in advance. Here are the Tier A attractions at the three parks, anything not listed is in Tier B. It can get a little complicated, so please make sure you take a look over the list.

Epcot: Frozen Ever After, Test Track, Soarin', Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, Character Meet and Greet

Disney's Animal Kingdom: Avatar Flight of Passage, Na'vi River Journey

Disney's Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania

How Do You Use FastPass+ Best?

FastPass+ can be intimidating, especially if you've never used it before. There are so many options, and if this is your first trip to Walt Disney World or your first trip with FastPass+, it seems impossible to know a month before your vacation just what you're going to want to do. So how do you know what to schedule? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

What to schedule first: Those Tier A FastPasses are all for the most popular rides, so you'll want to be sure to grab those first if they're available. Specifically, grab Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom and Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios as those are the most popular rides at those parks with the longest lines.

At Magic Kingdom, be sure to grab the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, as that will be the first to go there. At Epcot, you can grab either Test Track, Frozen Ever After, or Soarin,' whichever is the more attractive ride to your party.

Book early in the day, but not too early: It's tempting to book a FastPass+ for right when the park opens, but if you're going to be there at rope drop, the lines will be shorter. Instead of wasting a FastPass+, when the park opens, go straight to something you would use a FastPass for. You'll still have a bit of a line, but it will be shorter than normal and you'll be able to save that FastPass+ for something else.

Having said that, try to book your three FastPasses for as early in the day as you can. Since you can only book additional FastPass+ times after your initial three have been used, the sooner you're done with the them, the more time you have to potentially pick up others. This is also why you probably don't want to waste a Tier A FastPass+ on Illuminations. Since it's an evening show it locks out additional FastPasses for the entire day.

A Pirate's Adventure: There is one way to get a specific FastPass without booking it online. If you find the A Pirate's Adventure building between Adventureland and Frontierland, you can go on a number of different treasure hunts that will take you all over Aventureland. They're full of fun interactive elements and and are a great way to spend down time. If you complete three of the treasure hunts you'll actually be given a FastPass for Pirates of the Caribbean. This way, you don't need to spend one of your precious FastPasses on the attraction, and you have a lot more fun than you would standing in line.

What App To Use With FastPass+?

You'll want to download the My Disney Experience - Walt Disney World app from your smartphone store of choice. From there, you can make and manage your FastPass+ times. It's useful for scheduling additional FastPass+ times after you've used your first three, but it's also good for checking to see what's available at any given moment. People frequently cancel or reschedule their own FastPass+ times, so it's always possible that a FastPass for a particularly popular ride that wasn't available when you made your your initial FastPasses bookings might show up later.

The app is also very convenient for booking your initial FastPass+ times if you live on the west coast so you don't need to get out of bed at 4:00 in the morning, just reach over and grab your phone.

Is Disney’s FastPass+ Worth It?

There is no question that FastPass+ is worth it. It costs nothing and if you don't use it then you're just resigning yourself to standing in lines that are much longer than is absolutely necessary. If you're not staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, it can certainly be a pain to get up for several mornings in a row to book your FastPasses, ( I know) but it's a small price to pay.

The only downside is that using FastPass+ does lock you in on what you're doing on any given day weeks before your trip. If you book your FastPass+ times for Disney's Animal Kingdom on any given day, but then somebody feels tired after three days of running around the parks or just falls unexpectedly ill, or the weather sucks, you can't get those FastPasses back.

Images Courtesy: WDWNews.com/Disney

Natalie Portman Had A Tough Time Dealing With The The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Backlash

Natalie Portman Had A Tough Time Dealing With The The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Backlash

Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises in film history, and is still a behemoth at the box office after so many years in theaters. The galaxy far, far away has enthralled generations of moviegoers, which form its absolutely massive fanbase. But because so much stock is put into George Lucas' space opera, the wrath of the fans can be intense.

Just ask Natalie Portman, who starred as Padme Amidala in the prequel trilogy. George Lucas' second run in the Star Wars franchise has been the subject of some criticism, who took umbrage with excessive green screens, as well as the script and some performances. Portman recently opened up about the backlash to the films, especially as it they were being shot and released.

It was hard. It was a bummer because it felt like people were so excited about new ones and then to have people feel disappointed. Also to be at an age that I didn’t really understand that’s kind of the nature of the beast. When something has that much anticipation it can almost only disappoint.

Natalie Portman was still a teenager when Star Wars: The Phantom Menace arrived in theaters in 1999. It was definitely a breakthrough role for the young actress, but she was also privy to the backlash of the fans. People just don't know how to treat Naboo royalty.

The prequel trilogy has become more widely accepted in the years following its conclusion, but things started off very rocky. The Phantom Menace was noticeably more kid friendly, and the addition of the clownish Jar Jar Binks didn't resonate well with the adult audience. And considering it was this demographic that made the original trio of films so massive, that approval was key.

Related: Natalie Portman Shoots Down Star Wars 9 Rumor About Padme’s Return

The prequels seemed to improve as they went on, but there are some cringeworthy and often meme-d moments that consider to plague it. But with Disney continuing the franchise and producing subversive projects like The Last Jedi, the prequel has been getting more attention and love-- especially as the time before A New Hope is explored with standalone films.

In her same conversation with Empire, Natalie Portman addressed the love the prequels have gotten in more recent years, saying:

With the perspective of time, it’s been re-evaluated by a lot of people who actually really love them now. There’s a very avid group of people who think they’re the best ones now! I don’t have enough perspective to weigh in.

Natalie Portman may have played Padme through three movies, but she's always made it clear that she doesn't really follow up on the latest Star Wars news. She did manage to visit the set of The Last Jedi with her sons, so there are still some perks to being Queen.

It should be interesting to see how the prequel trilogy ends up factoring into future Star Wars projects. J.J. Arbams' The Rise of Skywalker will end the current trilogy and Skywalker Saga forever, and there are a few mysterious projects brewing at Lucasfilm. Will Rian Johnson's trilogy or D.B. Weiss and David Benioff's developing movies transport us back? We'll have to see.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will arrive on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

9 Stephen King Movies As Bone Chilling As Pet Sematary And IT

9 Stephen King Movies As Bone Chilling As Pet Sematary And IT

Stephen King is an undisputed master of American literature, especially when it comes to the worlds of horror and suspense. When you get to his level of prolific fright making, the scares can come pretty fast and furiously, as evidenced in King’s very own portfolio of masterworks. As one might guess, that leads to a lot of potential for film adaptations to bring some of these iconic moments from King’s pages to proper life on the silver screen.

With last weekend’s unveiling of Pet Sematary, as well as this September’s return to Derry for IT: Chapter 2, it seems like a good time to revisit some of the most notable versions of Stephen King’s work hitting the big screen. While they span the realms of reality, as well as that of the supernatural, they all have one thing in common: each one of them is absolutely bone chilling, and ready to creep you out.

The Shining

It’s true that Stephen King has gone on record more than once as to not being a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of The Shining. But what’s interesting about this particular case of an author disregarding the movie version of one of their books is the fact that fans still pretty much rally behind this film. While it may not be the note-for-note story that King had in mind, it’s still a film that speaks to the darker sensibilities of the author and his work. And with an adaptation of the sequel, Doctor Sleep, heading our way in September, this will be required viewing for anyone who wants a good scare, and the background needed to get even more into the continuing adventures of Danny Torrance.

Gerald’s Game

Netflix seems to be a good place to find the latest and greatest in horror in the streaming realm, and the streaming service has even gotten a couple of Stephen King adaptations to prove it! The first one we’ll mention is director Mike Flanagan’s Gerald’s Game, which stars Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood. With the titular Gerald dropping dead of a heart attack, the film focuses mostly on his wife, Jessie, who is handcuffed to the bed of their secluded cabin. What was supposed to be a harmless sex game turns into a battle of sanity and survival, and Flanagan jumps between the worlds of reality and fantasy in such a way that they blend into a cohesive and very mind-bending whole.

Misery

Within the heart of director Rob Reiner’s films from the 1990s is one of Stephen King’s most frightening stories grounded in reality: Misery. It’s Reiner’s hand that guided Kathy Bates to her Academy Award win for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, the antagonist at the heart of the film, and just on her performance alone this film has quite a head of steam. But when taking the full picture into account, including James Caan’s frightened captive, and the suspense surrounding whether or not he’ll escape his the clutches of his biggest/most obsessed fan, it’s clearly a fantastic adaptation of a nightmare that only King could dream up on the page. Either way, the folks behind Season 2 of Castle Rock may want to revisit this one, just to make sure they nail Annie's origin story in the new season.

The Mist

Sometimes, in rare cases like writer/director Frank Darabont’s adaptation of The Mist, an ending presents itself that ties things together even better than the source material did. So it was a surprise to even Stephen King himself when Darabont not only crafted a movie that captured the dire straits of the characters who find themselves facing creatures of Lovecraftian proportions, it also gave the pre-existing story a more modern context of fear. Then, in the final five minutes, everything was nailed shut with one of the most jaw-dropping endings ever seen on film, sealing this film’s fate as a storied adaptation for the ages.

1922

If you’re looking for the source of a particular menace in the Stephen King universe, there are two places you can usually look to find the root: the delusions of humanity, or the supernatural forces trying to control them. Both seem to have a place at the table in Netflix's 1922, which is drawn from the novella of the same name in King’s Full Dark, No Stars collection of tales. What starts as a murder in the name of self-preservation for Thomas Jane’s Wilfred James and his son Henry quickly turns into a spiraling chain of events that seem to be guided by the icy hands of fate, leading to one darker twist of the plot after the other.

Carrie

Anyone's high school years could probably qualify as their own personal hell. But very few have experienced the actual hell that Carrie White went through while dealing with the pressures of both adolescence and telekinesis. A slow burn with a sympathetic protagonist that only breaks bad towards the end of her story, Carrie has the prom to end all proms in its third act. If you only know this Brian DePalma film for that particular bloodbath, you only know part of the story. Seeing this young girl learn how to use her powers and eventually turn them against all who tormented her takes such a natural path to the more fantastical elements of its conclusion that it's just as chilling today as it was when it came out.

The Dead Zone

There are quite a few creatures and otherworldly powers that Stephen King has dabbled with endowing his characters with. But in terms of The Dead Zone, King runs with an old favorite when it comes to main character Johnny Smith’s particular abilities. Given the power to see into the future, Christopher Walken’s protagonist starts off as a crime fighter helping out with the solving of local crimes. But as time goes on, and Johnny begins to curse his gifts, the stakes raise once he stumbles upon something so frightening, he’s shocked into action. The very future that director David Cronenberg’s film shows as disaster Johnny is trying to avoid is still referenced to this day as one of the most frightening scenarios that scares viewers to this very day.

Cujo

Scary animals are definitely a specialty in the world of Stephen King, as Pet Sematary seems to have left its mark on the world twice over, thanks to Church the Cat’s demonic presence. However, there’s an even more menacing pet in the King pantheon, and his name is Cujo. A St. Bernard that starts as a cuddly, adorable furball, Cujo turns into a mad killing machine one he’s infected by a rabies carrying bat. Unfortunately for the Trenton family, by the time they move into the town of Castle Rock, that more murderous side of the pooch rears its ugly head, terrorizing them with a relentless bloodlust. You might want to think about staying away from dogs for a couple of days after watching this one.

Apt Pupil

Throughout this entire catalog of fear through the eyes of Stephen King, even the most grounded examples have had a supernatural tint to their story. But in our final example, Apt Pupil, the only evil present is that of humanity itself. Specifically, the story of Ian McKellen’s Nazi neighbor in hiding, and the young man obsessed with his deeds during the war. With the late Brad Renfro’s performance as teen instigator Todd complimenting McKellen’s slow descent into old, sinister habits, the film explores the very real evils that took place during the reign of the Third Reich, and the threat they pose to any future generations who forget the lessons they taught the world. It’s a very human message, in a very horrifying movie.

While these are the best examples of chilling Stephen King films we can think of at the moment, there are bound to be a couple we may have missed. If you're so inclined, please share with us what you feel are the creepiest and most unsettling movies from King's library that didn't make the cut. You just might scare us with the results! And before you go, check out our list of upcoming Stephen King films that just might be frightening audiences in the future. It'd be scary if you missed any of the fun to come.

Jordan Peele Explains How Audiences Will Relate To Us

Jordan Peele Explains How Audiences Will Relate To Us

Following his Oscar winning hit, Get Out, Jordan Peele has created a movie that, from the trailers alone, looks to be more of a pure, traditional horror movie than his previous endeavor. Of course, the man bringing us a brand new version of The Twilight Zone actually has a lot more going on in his new film, Us. Recently, the director spoke about what exactly it is his new film is trying to say and how he hopes audiences will relate to it. According to Peele...

I have a very clear meaning and commentary I’m trying to strike with this film. I’m also trying to design a film that’s very personal for every individual. On the broader strokes of things, this movie is about this country. When I decided to write this movie I was stricken by the fact that we’re in a time where we fear The Other — whether it’s the mysterious invader we think is going to come and kill us or take our jobs, or the faction we don’t live near that voted a different way than us. We’re all about pointing the finger. I wanted to suggest maybe the monster we really need to look at has our face. Maybe the evil is us.

It's not exactly news to say that the nation feels quite divided these days. Jordan Peele has made a career, in both comedy and horror, out of pointing out many of those divisions. In fact, that's part of what makes Peele's work so interesting in my opinion. It's remarkable how much a movie like Get Out has in common with a sketch from Key and Peele. They just use different emotions to get across a similar message.

It seems that Us will do very much the same thing, based on what Jordan Peele said at SXSW (via EW). It wants the audience to take a look at themselves, and question their own perspectives, motives, and beliefs. In this case, it's being done quite literally on screen with a group of characters battling themselves.

While there might still be an important commentary being made in Us, that doesn't change the fact that it also looks to be an absolutely terrifying horror movie in a very traditional sense. A family finds themselves being stalked by dark and twisted versions of themselves. There might be a metaphor being created there, but there's also a movie monster that will likely just make your skin crawl.

Based on the early reaction, it looks like Jordan Peele may have another massive hit on his hands. Us premiered over the weekend at SXSW and the reactions from those that were lucky enough to see it have been overwhelmingly positive. If there was any worry that Jordan Peele was going to be a one hit wonder (there wasn't) it's certainly been removed now.

I have to say there's something about the trailer for Us that absolute chills me. There hasn't been a movie in recent memory that I've been so excited to see while also being a little afraid to see it. The fact that there's another layer to the story, that is likely to only make me feel that much more uncomfortable, has only amplified both feelings.

Us opens nationwide March 22.

Twilight Alum Dakota Fanning Thinks Robert Pattinson As Batman Is 'Awesome'

Twilight Alum Dakota Fanning Thinks Robert Pattinson As Batman Is 'Awesome'

Despite his other work and serious roles in indie films from auteurs like David Cronenberg, actor Robert Pattinson is still best known for playing sparkly vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise. That perception is likely part of the backlash to the reports that he is in talks to play the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ Batman film. That aversion to his casting is not shared by fellow Twilight alum Dakota Fanning, who supports Robert Pattinson in the role, as she explained:

I think it's awesome. I love Rob, and he's great, and he's great in whatever he does.

While speaking with Variety at the Cannes Film Festival where her new film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is premiering, Dakota Fanning expressed real confidence in the talents of Robert Pattinson to be great in whatever role he takes on. That includes Batman, and Dakota Fanning seemed to be genuinely excited and happy for her fellow Twilight alum.

Although I wouldn’t expect Dakota Fanning to boo the casting of her former co-star or advocate people sign a silly petition (those always work) to have him removed from the role, it is nice to hear that she has positive feelings about him and what he can do. And she would know. The actress starred in three Twilight movies as Jane, a member of the villainous Volturi coven set against Robert Pattinson’s Edward and Kristen Stewart’s Bella.

So she has gotten to know him and seen his acting in person on set, giving her greater insight into his abilities. It’s also possible that she’s actually seen him in more than just the Twilight movies and has a better knowledge of his work and range as an actor and that informs her faith in him playing Batman.

Robert Pattinson has Dakota Fanning in his corner, but as is seemingly the case with every big time superhero casting, he’ll have to prove himself to many fans. Rightly or wrong, he is still known mainly for Twilight-- even though he has proven to be much more than that in plenty of other films. But even if fans acknowledge he is a good actor, they may still not see him as Batman.

That’s understandable and like Ben Affleck before him in the role or Heath Ledger as Joker or Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, it will take time if that acceptance is to happen at all. Now may be the right time for him to take on the role though, with DC trying new things and the details about Matt Reeves’ exact vision for his movie The Batman still under wraps.

It's also important to note that we also still don’t know with 100% certainty that Robert Pattinson will be Bruce Wayne in The Batman. That seems to be the way things are trending but until the deal is final it’s not final and other reports say that Nicholas Hoult is still in the running for the part. Whoever gets it, he’ll be possibly be facing off with Penguin and Catwoman, two of the film’s reported villains.

The Batman is scheduled for release on June 25, 2021. While we await that, there are plenty of other movies hitting theaters this summer, check them out in our 2019 Release Schedule.

5 Questions About Captain Marvel We Want Answered In Avengers: Endgame

5 Questions About Captain Marvel We Want Answered In Avengers: Endgame

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Captain Marvel**.**

Captain Marvel is finally here, and that means we’ve had a chance to finally see the hero that we all expect is going to be the key to victory in the forthcoming Avengers: Endgame. While the movie did answer a few interesting questions that we’ve had about the MCU, like what happened to Nick Fury’s eye, it also created a bunch of new questions for us to ponder.

On the plus side, we don’t necessarily have to wait too long to get answers to those questions because Avengers: Endgame is only a few short weeks away, but while that movie may be focused on saving half of all life in the galaxy, we certainly hope it leaves time to answer these burning questions about the movie we just saw.

Where The Hell Has Captain Marvel Been?

At the end of the movie, our hero leaves Earth with apparently two major goals in mind. She plans to help the Skrulls find a new home where they can live in peace, and to take the fight to the Kree, with her eye on ending the galactic control the Kree have been attempting. And then, as far as we know, she’s never seen again on Earth until post-Decimation.

Now certainly, fighting a one-woman war against the Kree is going to be a time consuming endeavor, but it’s been two decades since the events of Captain Marvel, and not only has Carol Danvers not returned to Earth, she’s been so far off the radar that nobody knows anything about her. We see Ronan the Accuser take a particular interest in Danvers, but when we see Ronan later in Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s focusing on entirely different things, when clearly he hasn’t killed Captain Marvel yet. When Ronan attacks Xandar, where the hell is the lady who made it her mission to defeat the Kree?

Did Captain Marvel Cause The Kree/Xandarian Peace Treaty?

There is one possible answer to the above question, but if true, it also raises other questions. Is Captain Marvel the ultimate reason that Roan the Accuser goes rogue in Guardians of the Galaxy and works works with Thanos. When we first meet Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy, we learn that he's no longer part of the Kree collective, but is instead working alone. The Kree and the planet Xandar have signed a peace treaty, but Ronan doesn't agree with it. The war between these two has apparently raged for generations, causing the deaths of many in Ronan's family. It's never made clear why the Kree have made peace now, based on the way we see them in Captain Marvel, they don't seem like a race that makes peace easily.

However, if the Nova Corps were to get some additional assistance by somebody like Captain Marvel, it's possible that could have thrown the balance of the war off in such a way that the Kree had no choice but to make peace. Of course, if all this were true, it wouldn't explain why Carol Danvers didn't show up to help at the end of that movie when Ronan attacked Xandar.

What Happened To Maria And Monica?

One of the biggest questions we had after Avengers: Infinity War involved taking stock of the MCU and figuring out who might still be alive following The Snap. Anybody that we didn’t see on screen in the final minutes of that movie has no clear fate, and that’s a lot of people that fans care about. Captain Marvel added two more, Maria and Monica Rambeau. Carol Danvers' friend and fellow pilot was one of the highlights of the new movie, and her daughter was also instantly endearing.

Did one or both of them fall victim to Thanos or are they still with us? While the post-credits scene of Captain Marvel showed us Carol Danvers hasn’t aged much, likely due to her powers, Maria and Monica would be 20 years older, meaning Monica is now an adult. As comic book fans know, she potentially has a superhero life in front of her as well, so the question of their fate, both now and in the future, is potentially important.

Is Goose Still Around?

If there’s one thing that pretty much everybody who saw Captain Marvel can agree on, it’s that Goose is just the best. Say what you will about the movie itself, but Goose the cat is getting rave reviews from every corner, and so we have to wonder, is the little guy still around?

Goose would be something over 20 years old, which is damn old for a cat and would mean that’s unlikely, but as we know, Goose isn’t actually a cat. He's an alien called a flerken that simply resembles a cat. Exactly what the lifespan of the flerken is, we don’t really know. It appears that Nick Fury has kept Goose around, which isn’t good news since Fury is now gone. Who’s going to feed Goose? Even if the little fuzzball has survived this long, he may have been dusted himself, which is just too heartbreaking to think about.

How Did Mar-Vell Get The Tesseract?

We know more about the history of the Tesseract, a.k.a. the Space Stone, then we do any of the other Infinity Stones. We know it was being hidden in Norway in the 1940s when the Red Skull obtained it. Captain America then defeated the Skull and the stone was lost, along with Cap himself, but Howard Stark recovered the Tesseract while looking for Steve Rogers. The next time we saw it, it was in the hands of SHIELD, so it appeared that Stark handed it over to his bosses at the SSR, which later became SHIELD, and they'd had it all this time.

But now Captain Marvel has revealed that may not actually be the case. Somehow, Mar-Vell got her hands on the Tesseract and used it to create a lightspeed engine. By the end of the film, the Tesseract is in the hands of SHIELD, or at least Nick Fury, but exactly how Mar-Vell got it is still a mystery, Did Mar-Vell get it, or take it, from Howard Stark at some point in the past? Did she steal it from the SSR/SHIELD? At this point we don't know.

At this point, we have no idea what's next for the MCU after this year's films wrap up, which means we have no clue when we might get an answer to any of these questions unless they're actually part of Avengers: Endgame. Could we have to wait multiple years to learn what happened to Goose? Please don't let that be so.

Shazam! 2 Will Likely Follow This Cool Comic Storyline

Shazam! 2 Will Likely Follow This Cool Comic Storyline

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Shazam! are ahead!

With all the money it’s made at the box office so far and the amount of positive reception it’s earned, it’s safe to say that Shazam! is another hit for Warner Bros and DC. It’s likelier than not that a sequel will move forward, and producer Peter Safran acknowledged that Shazam! 2 will have to come together quickly since the young cast members are quickly growing up.

Fortunately, like many superhero movie’s before it, Shazam! used its mid/post-credits scene to foreshadow set up what’s to come. Assuming a misdirect isn’t in the cards, it looks like this upcoming story will be based on the currently-running Shazam comic book by writer Geoff Johns and artist Dale Eaglesham, which hasn’t even wrapped up its first story arc yet!

For those who need a refresher on Shazam!’s mid-credits scene, Mark Strong’s Thaddeus Sivana was seen obsessively scratching ancient runes on the walls of his prison cell, desperately trying to get back to the Rock of Eternity so he can reclaim his last power. Suddenly, a nearby voice tells him that there are other ways to obtain powers, and by the forming alliance, Sivana and these two can conquer the “seven realms.”

We soon see that this voice doesn’t come from a giant, foreboding figure, but from a tiny, yet still unnerving, super intelligent caterpillar named Mister Mind. He was first seen in Shazam! trapped in a glass case when the adolescent Sivana was brought to the Rock of Eternity, but had managed to escape confinement by the time Billy Batson showed up at the wizard Shazam’s lair.

Although the Shazam! movie drew from all across Shazam’s comic book history, it was primarily based off the New 52 origin story written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Gary Frank. That story also ended with Mister Mind proposing an alliance to Dr. Sivana, although in this instance, the two of them met when Dr. Sivana tried to break back into the Rock of Eternity following Black Adam’s defeat, with Mister Mind trapped inside of a glass case. In this case, though, Dr. Sivana was desperate for magical power to “save his family,” hence why he’d entertain working with a sinister caterpillar.

Five years after Shazam’s New 52 origin story concluded, DC finally debuted an ongoing Shazam comic book series starring these new incarnations of the Shazam family. At the time of this writing, only four issues have been released, with issue #5 coming out on May 8.

However, Shazam!’s tease of Sivana and Mister Mind working together, Mind’s “seven realms” comment and some weirdness Billy Batson and his adoptive siblings deal with in the Rock of Eternity indicates that Shazam! 2 will be based off the tale that Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham are currently delivering on the printed page.

In the current Shazam comic book, Billy and his siblings discover a passage way in the Rock of Eternity that leads to a old fashioned-looking train station providing transportation to other corners of the Magiclands, which is comprised of seven magical realms: the Earthlands (a.k.a. our reality), the Funlands, the Gamelands, the Wildlands, the Monsterlands, the Woznerlands and the Darklands. Thus far, the latter three realms haven’t been shown yet, but the others are all kinds of weird.

There wasn’t a train station to be seen in Shazam!’s version of the Rock of Eternity, but it does have its own gateways to other worlds. While Billy and the kids were trying to escape Sivana, they came across a cavern filled with countless doors. One of them led to a room where three crocodile-men (modeled off the kinds of creatures that Shazam/Captain Marvel has battled numerous times in the comics) were playing cards, another door containing a tentacle creature resembling the Demogoron from Stranger Things, and a third door that just tried to suck in everyone.

Aside from visits to the Rock of Eternity, Shazam! only took place on Earth, but these doorways and Mister Mind aspiring for multi-dimensional domination foreshadow that Shazam! 2 will likely have the Shazam family visiting other magical realms. Whether or not these realms will directly resemble the Magiclands from the comics remains to be seen, although the presence of these crocodile men and the prospect of bringing the anthropomorphic tiger Tawky Tawny, a longtime member of the Shazam mythos (who was subtly referenced in Shazam! via a stuffed tiger toy), suggest that the Wildlands could at least appear.

Oh, and it’s also worth mentioning that Dr. Sivana and Mister Mind are involved in the current Shazam comic book. Thus far the full extent of their machinations hasn’t been revealed yet, but they’re definitely up to no good, as Mind instructed Sivana to kill a doctor because the “tongue of a medicine man” is required for a spell they’re casting.

We also learned how Mind is believed to have originated from the Wildlands and nearly destroyed the Council of Eternity. Perhaps this backstory will be retained for Shazam! 2, especially given that Mind was imprisoned at the Rock of Eternity for an untold period of time.

Assuming that Shazam! 2 is based off of Geoff Johns’ current Shazam arc, it would be just another way the writer’s work has influenced the DCEU. Justice League was based off of the opening issues of his New 52 Justice League run, and Aquaman drew from his acclaimed New 52 Aquaman run, as well as incorporated elements of his scrapped "Rise of the Seven Seas" event. Johns had previously helped guide the DCEU as DC Entertainment president, but he stepped down from that role and Chief Creative Officer last year to focus on comic book writing and producing more projects.

Shazam! hasn’t even been theaters for a week, so it may be a while before we hear any specific information about what’s in store for Shazam! 2. Still, much like how Aquaman set the stage for a Black Manta/Stephen Shin team-up in Aquaman 2, Shazam! showed audiences that Mister Mind is work with Dr. Sivana, and it’s a good bet that whatever they have planned will require the Shazam gang to venture out into the magical beyond.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on Shazam! 2, which will be written by the man who penned the first movie, Henry Gayden. But for now, you can pick up the Shazam comic book series digitally or at your local comic book store to get a sense of what might be depicted on the big screen, and don’t forget to look through our handy guide to learn what else the DCEU has coming up.