It's possible that the events of Eternals are the most recent chronologically thus far, I'm sure it will be picked up somewhere down the line.
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IGN: Marvel Needs a Phase 4 Goal, Fast (Spoilers)
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
- Start date
Can't people just enjoy the series as what they are instead of hoping for clues to what comes next?
Everyone could know but it just hasn't come up. I'm sure Hulk or someone is running simulations to figure out what the fuck that was, but everyone can't think of every problem all the time.
Everyone could know but it just hasn't come up. I'm sure Hulk or someone is running simulations to figure out what the fuck that was, but everyone can't think of every problem all the time.
I hate this ideology. It feels like everyone was trained into expecting a Thanos so that's all they're looking for now. Not ever comic issue is contributing to the next big crossover event. Why is it wrong to have characters receive character development and have their own adventures?? This take is so lame to me.
Feel like right now iWar and End game were the high water mark and if you're comparing everything marvel to that you're going to walk away disappointed every time. Additionally, I they're in a weird place where more, and more characters are being introduced. Finally, I think people who were tenuously hanging on are starting to drop off the band wagon and are being curmudgeons about it.
There's nothing wrong with having individual, character focused stories, and not everything needs to be leading directly to a big event.
But I think public sentiment is making it clear that not having a 'central' franchise like the Avengers to look forward to as the big thing leaves some audiences feeling unmoored.
But I think public sentiment is making it clear that not having a 'central' franchise like the Avengers to look forward to as the big thing leaves some audiences feeling unmoored.
This feels more like Phase 1 of a new Saga than a Phase 4 of an ongoing story. Every film/show is introducing new characters that will play a key role in whatever the end goal is but because it's mixed in with ongoing characters that we've been invested in for over a decade, it creates this weird disconnect.
We haven't had that big event team up film yet and I think a lot of people forget Phase 1 didn't really have a clear goal until the end of the Phase with Avengers 1 where we see the team come together and we're teased with the big bad Thanos at the end. Everything was just standalone stories until then like we're getting now.
We haven't had that big event team up film yet and I think a lot of people forget Phase 1 didn't really have a clear goal until the end of the Phase with Avengers 1 where we see the team come together and we're teased with the big bad Thanos at the end. Everything was just standalone stories until then like we're getting now.
I agree (also that MoM and NWH are the best ones so far this phase, though I also liked Shang-Chi well enough).
the issue isn't that there is no goal. The issue is that there is so much coming so fast of varying quality with tons of starting lines and the race hadn't even begun yet. We're stuck watching these movies that are planting tons of seeds and nothing has started to grow.
I would prefer less, higher quality content. Currently they're throwing everything at the wall and it's just not all that great. Many of the shows would have been far more compelling films.
They're also going to find out real quick that their D list really is pretty unexciting. The general public got lucky with Guardians because of an iconic Dan Abnett run, along with the brilliance of James Gunn. Blue Marvel, Sentry, Quesar, etc…good fuckin luck. Not that I don't love some of these guys, but they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel and taking their sweet time with some much better content.
I would prefer less, higher quality content. Currently they're throwing everything at the wall and it's just not all that great. Many of the shows would have been far more compelling films.
They're also going to find out real quick that their D list really is pretty unexciting. The general public got lucky with Guardians because of an iconic Dan Abnett run, along with the brilliance of James Gunn. Blue Marvel, Sentry, Quesar, etc…good fuckin luck. Not that I don't love some of these guys, but they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel and taking their sweet time with some much better content.
I think it's smart not having a singular focus right after Thanos. Introduce the new crew, let them settle in, then go for the next big bad.
The clear goal was The Avengers though. There's a reason Captain America was subtitled 'The First Avenger', the big story of Phase 1 was that they were going to do a crossover. That's what's missing for casuals right now; the feeling that there is a direction to this interconnected project and a reason to keep up with it. It's not about in universe knowledge of what future events will happen, it's about having a movie on the release calender to point to as the reason this style of storytelling is being employed.
I'm willing to bet the end of Wakanda Forever will set up a group with whoever takes the BP mantle, Namor, Strange, maybe Prof X and/or Reed if they're ready to include them, to tackle incursions. Theyll be the 616 Illuminati or Defenders.
Eh, the quality just isn't as consistent. Lack of an "arc" isn't a problem.
The quality of the output (film and tv) lately varies pretty wildly not only from project to project but within the runtime of the individual project sometimes lately.
The quality of the output (film and tv) lately varies pretty wildly not only from project to project but within the runtime of the individual project sometimes lately.
Or written like actual series not long movies
It's jarring comparing superhero shit like Peacemaker, Boys, Invincible etc where it feels like a series and paced appropriately then watching the mcu shows where besides Loki and WandaVision felt like a long directors cut
They have a Phase 4 goal, its just not as exciting as Thanos is coming.
They are setting up the Multiverse, the New Avengers line up, Young Avengers and the Thunderbolts, Kang/Immortus, and the upcoming threat of Multiversal Incursions.
Its basically Phase One times again. The seeds are being planted all over the place right now.
Thor Love and Thunder felt a lot more self contained than Dr. Strange 2.
They are setting up the Multiverse, the New Avengers line up, Young Avengers and the Thunderbolts, Kang/Immortus, and the upcoming threat of Multiversal Incursions.
Its basically Phase One times again. The seeds are being planted all over the place right now.
Thor Love and Thunder felt a lot more self contained than Dr. Strange 2.
They need to take care on their movies , scary amount of their movies this phase have no rewatchability or good scripts imo.
No way Home falls apart on a second watch
The less said about MoM the better
I'll be seeing Thor in 2 hrs and I hope it is at least semi entertaining.
No way Home falls apart on a second watch
The less said about MoM the better
I'll be seeing Thor in 2 hrs and I hope it is at least semi entertaining.
I do not agree. After the massive build-up and payoff to Infinity War and Endgame I am happy they are keeping things a bit simpler for a while. If they immediately headed into the next huge event I would likely get fatigued.
They already are setting some things up anyway...
They already are setting some things up anyway...
"Why can't MCU movies just be standalones?! They should get directors that show off their respective styles instead of looking and feeling the same"
"Oh wait but not like that"
"Oh wait but not like that"
A long time complaint was "MCU movies are nothing but commercials for the next one"
Now the complaint is "Why isn't this MCU movie a commercial for the next one?"
Now the complaint is "Why isn't this MCU movie a commercial for the next one?"
There's a reason people are hyped for Sand Diego Comic Con. People want to see what all this is leading towards.
Basically. They just watching for events
There's many angles they can go yet mofos expect it all to become clear in the first phase after a 3 phase buildup to Thanos.
I haven't seen all of phase 4 yet but they are absolutely building towards stuff.
Kang, the multiverse, whatever team Julia Louis Dreyfus is putting together. There are ongoing threads through the movies and shows.
I think a lot of people just want to get right to the next Thanos/Infinity Stones but it's nice Marvel is taking their time with it.
Kang, the multiverse, whatever team Julia Louis Dreyfus is putting together. There are ongoing threads through the movies and shows.
I think a lot of people just want to get right to the next Thanos/Infinity Stones but it's nice Marvel is taking their time with it.
This Thor movie does nothing to explain multiverse and the timeline issues from Loki, MoM and NWH does it?
They've established the multiverse and how it works, and established that the big heroic victory of Endgame didn't feel like a victory to a significant chunk of the population. They've introduced Kang, who can play with probability and timelines at will, and is the Big Bad in Ant-Man 3. They've also brought in a new, younger generation of heroes and established that Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is building a team of state-sponsored Avengers stand-ins that comic fans will recognize as the Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts angle. It's a slow burn but it's not hard to see where they're going.
I dont really mind the lack of big goal and I dont think anything in the mcu phase 4 has been truly awful. I feel like everything so far is alright just not really that interesting. Personnaly I just wish the mcu villain would be given more time and more developpement. They always have those great casting when it comes to villain but they end up not doing much. It wouldnt be an issue if those movie where only their introduction, but most of the time its also the last one they appear in. Im honestly worried about doctor doom. I basically expect the casting for him to be amazing only for doom to not do much and die.
A lot of people need to look back at Phase 2 again because Phase 4 is in a very similar position. Phase 2 did not have a major overarching arc leading into an Avengers finale. They didn't even hint at or build Ultron up until the Age of Ultron. Marvel spent all of Phase 2 just building up to Phase 3. Let's look at each film:
Iron Man 3 - Sets up Tony thinking he can give up being Iron Man and his hero/savior complex which are major arcs for him in Phase 3.
Thor: The Dark World - It's a Thor side story that introduces the Infinity Stones for Phase 3 along with Loki taking over Asgard.
Cap: The Winter Soldier - Sets up Cap's distrust in government oversight we see in Civil War. Introduces the concept of secret organizations controlling everything that Phase 3 and 4 have relied on.
Guardians - Has no attachment to Age of Ultron. Introduces the cosmic universe to general audiences. Officially introduces Thanos, but hardly sets up his motivations. Reveals another Infinity Stone.
Age of Ultron - Basically a 2 and a half hour trailer for Phase 3. Sets up:
-Cap and Tony's animosity for Civil War.
-Multiple Infinity Stones and Thano's interest in them.
-Thor's journey into Ragnarok.
-Vision and Wanda who are essential to Infinity War.
-Wakanda and Black Panther's future involvement.
-Plants seeds for the core Avenger's Phase 3 arcs.
Ant-Man - Introduces the concept of new heroes. Introduces the Quantum Realm which has significant importance in Endgame.
Phase 4 is very similar in that it's introducing new heroes, new concepts like the multiverse and incursions, and planting character arcs while not having a specific goal or villain at the Phase's end. But Phase 4 has set up Kang and Valentina which is more than Phase 2 did.
Iron Man 3 - Sets up Tony thinking he can give up being Iron Man and his hero/savior complex which are major arcs for him in Phase 3.
Thor: The Dark World - It's a Thor side story that introduces the Infinity Stones for Phase 3 along with Loki taking over Asgard.
Cap: The Winter Soldier - Sets up Cap's distrust in government oversight we see in Civil War. Introduces the concept of secret organizations controlling everything that Phase 3 and 4 have relied on.
Guardians - Has no attachment to Age of Ultron. Introduces the cosmic universe to general audiences. Officially introduces Thanos, but hardly sets up his motivations. Reveals another Infinity Stone.
Age of Ultron - Basically a 2 and a half hour trailer for Phase 3. Sets up:
-Cap and Tony's animosity for Civil War.
-Multiple Infinity Stones and Thano's interest in them.
-Thor's journey into Ragnarok.
-Vision and Wanda who are essential to Infinity War.
-Wakanda and Black Panther's future involvement.
-Plants seeds for the core Avenger's Phase 3 arcs.
Ant-Man - Introduces the concept of new heroes. Introduces the Quantum Realm which has significant importance in Endgame.
Phase 4 is very similar in that it's introducing new heroes, new concepts like the multiverse and incursions, and planting character arcs while not having a specific goal or villain at the Phase's end. But Phase 4 has set up Kang and Valentina which is more than Phase 2 did.
Hopefully, these new movies and shows are so drab. No reason to get excited for mediocre movies when they don't seem to at least be building towards anything.
Not sure why people are saying phase one had no goal. The first film in phase one ends with Tony Stark talking about the Avengers initiative. That's what it was building towards. Then Thanos was introduced at the end of phase one.
It's true phase 4 is unfocused, and it doesn't help that most of it has been mediocre. Stuff has been introduced but nothing has been developed. Kang only appeared once, no one seems to mention what they saw at the end of Eternals, etc.
It's true phase 4 is unfocused, and it doesn't help that most of it has been mediocre. Stuff has been introduced but nothing has been developed. Kang only appeared once, no one seems to mention what they saw at the end of Eternals, etc.
I was pretty content with the MCU after Avengers Endgame. It was a finale.
They should be taking a relaxed approach after that. See what stories they want to tell outside of building to the next film and introduce concepts without a clear roadmap.
They'll get around to setting up Secret Wars, but they can let the in-universe stakes rest for a little bit.
They should be taking a relaxed approach after that. See what stories they want to tell outside of building to the next film and introduce concepts without a clear roadmap.
They'll get around to setting up Secret Wars, but they can let the in-universe stakes rest for a little bit.
Yeah all of this. I'm not convinced we need quite this many characters all at once either. We're going to end up with enough characters for 4 or 5 team rosters and that's just exhausting to even think about.
I ultimately enjoy the movies still but I'm not hyped up to see them like I used to be due to the constant drip of new content. My kid feels the same.
no they don't
and they do have goals, the marketing department just isn't telling you outright what is coming yet
and they do have goals, the marketing department just isn't telling you outright what is coming yet