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Black Swan, Natalie Portman's psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky, will soon have a new streaming home. The movie will be available on Hulu from April 1.

Black Swan sees Portman starring as Nina Sayers, a committed ballerina for the New York City Ballet company's production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. As she finds herself struggling to achieve perfection with the leading role as Odette, Nina begins to suffer from stress and soon finds herself losing her grip on reality. Mila Kunis starred opposite Portman as Lily, the Black Swan Odile -- an experienced ballerina who transferred in, with Nina viewing her as an extreme threat.

Other Black Swan cast members include Winona Ryder as a star prima ballerina forced to retire, Sebastian Stan as Andrew and Barbara Hershey as Nina's overprotective mother. The psychological thriller chronicled Nina's instability as she dealt with being on the brink of stardom, with Aronofsky exploring themes of perfectionism,...

Quick LinksMCU Fans Seem Unsure About What They Want After Avengers: EndgameCaptain America: Brave New World Is an Incredibly Fun MovieThe MCU Is a Study In Generational Franchises and the Importance of AbsenceBrave New World and Other MCU Films Have Meaning and Depth, Too

The following contain's spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World currently playing in theaters.

A familiar cycle is playing out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the release of Captain America: Brave New World. It is performing solidly at the box office and the previous Marvel Studios film, Deadpool & Wolverine, grossed over $1 billion. Yet, tepid reviews have inspired people to declare the MCU dead for a myriad of (and contradictory) reasons. Some blame the filmmaking, while others believe Marvel's Disney+ series "killed" the franchise.

There is some value in evaluating the larger MCU, its highs, its lows and everything in between. However, expecting each new story...

Anthony and Joe Russo will be making a hopefully triumphant return to the MCU as the directors of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Although it seemed for a long while that the Marvel Multiverse Saga would be coming to an end without the helmers of one of the most profitable superhero movies of all-time, now they are back with their sights set on one thing – delivering an even bigger and better experience than they did with Avengers: Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame set a high bar for any superhero movie to follow, and for the MCU in particular, it has proven to be a bit of a poisoned chalice. Audience belief that the epic scale and scope of the culmination of ten years of storytelling would be carried over into the movies that followed led to a lot of disappointment. Movies like Black Widow, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Marvels...

The comic book medium has existed for decades at this point. Within that relatively small time frame, there have been characters and storylines of such magnitude that they catapult the medium to unimaginable heights. However, because of its vast history, it can be tough for new readers to come into comics with character(s) with so much history and backstory that it would take a lifelong fan more lifetimes to read it and understand it all than I could count, but don't worry! Bam Smack Pow is here to help.

Today, we're going to look at the essential comics for beginners from the big two comic companies, Marvel and DC! This list takes a look at comics that are classic in their own right and selections from the writer's personal favorites. So come with us true believers on a trip through Comicdom's best!

1. Batman: The Long Halloween

I've mentioned this...

According to The Cosmic Circus, Disney has registered a new production company in the UK - named "Atlas Hall" - for an upcoming Marvel Studios movie. 

They speculate that this could be for an Agents of Atlas-related project or even Thor 5 seeing as Thor: Love and Thunder ended by setting the stage for the God of Thunder to battle Hercules. 

We'll see if more is revealed in the coming months but the site has also shed new light on Shang-Chi's future...and he might just be tied to the mysterious production company mentioned above. 

The character, played by Simu Liu, hasn't been seen since 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. A sequel, tentatively titled Shang-Chi and the Wreckage of Time, was expected to tie into Kang's story but was never officially announced. 

The site has heard that Liu will reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday and...

A gripping Cold War espionage thriller is in the works, with iconic actor and Gladiator star Russell Crowe set to lead a high-stakes true story of secrets, betrayal, and courage.

According to Deadline, Crowe is set to lead Billion Dollar Spy, a Cold War thriller based on David E. Hoffman’s bestselling book. The film, produced by Walden Media and Akiva Goldsman's Weed Road Pictures, tells the true story of Adolf Tolkachev, a Soviet engineer who risks everything to pass classified intelligence to the CIA.

Directed by Amma Asante, the project is currently in pre-production. Harry Lawtey joins Crowe as Tom Lenihan, the CIA operative who forms a bond with Tolkachev as they navigate the dangers of espionage behind the Iron Curtain. The screenplay for Billion Dollar Spy comes from Stephen Gaghan, the Oscar-winning writer of Traffic with Benicio del Toro and Syriana.

The film promises a tense, character-driven narrative,...

From world-changing snaps to jaw-dropping debuts, the Marvel Cinematic Universe delivers magical moments. The storylines aside, none of it would matter without the characters -- the heroes and rogues -- but woof, the worst MCU villains don't do the franchise any favors. In fact, they only add credence to accusations from the likes of Martin Scorsese that superhero movies aren't real cinema. Like a skunk in a perfume store, these antagonists stink up the joint and bring down the value of everything else around them.

Sure, not every swing results in a home run, but these villains are the worst of the worst. Think of Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns from "Captain America: Brave New World" -- he doesn't come across as the scary Leader from "The Incredible Hulk" comics, but more like Ivan Ooze's long-lasting cousin from "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie." Similarly, what a waste of...

Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk was one of the most-anticipated shows of 2022. Revolving around Jennifer Walters, the show follows her court-battles representing superhuman cases, while dealing with her own challenges as the She-Hulk.

Tatiana Maslany plays the titular character in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law | Credits: Marvel Studios

Now, most Marvel series have been underwhelming for the past few years. Similarly, when the show aired, it seemed to be following the same disastrous recipe Marvel has been cooking with for some time according to the majority of fans.

Some, though, maintained that She-Hulk seemed to be a better show among the unfortunate series of disastrous shows MCU has been producing. In any case, the debate is heating up the fan circles again after an intriguing poll divided the fandom in two factions.

Tatiana Maslany’s fans wage war as She-Hulk gets voted to be the worst MCU project in...

Daniel Craig has officially hung up his tuxedo, and the world is left wondering, who’s got the suave, the charm, and the sheer physical presence to fill those polished Oxfords? Two names have been thrown around the most, Henry Cavill and Chris Hemsworth. And let’s be honest, we’re looking at an all-out heavyweight championship here.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre | Credits: Eon Productions

On one side, we have Chris Hemsworth, the mighty Thor himself, with his effortless charisma, Australian swagger, and action-hero credentials. On the other, there’s Henry Cavill, a man who seems genetically engineered to play a suave British spy, polished, powerful, and deeply passionate about every role he takes on. It’s a tough call, but only one can walk away with the coveted license to kill. Let’s break it down.

Chris Hemsworth, the thunderous contender Chris Hemsworth as Thor in...

It began with 2008’s “Iron Man,” a film that introduced the world to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark with the hint that he could be part of something greater. Over 30 films later, the story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still being told, albeit with various tributaries and detours that introduce new characters and new worlds that may or may not cross paths one day. Each film in the MCU stands on its own to some degree, but like building blocks, they all connect as part of one interconnected universe. And in that way, watching the Marvel movies in order tells one grand story.

There are a couple of different ways to watch the Marvel movies in order, but below we run down how to watch the MCU in chronological and release date order. Indeed, some films like “Captain Marvel” and “Captain America: The First Avenger” are full-on prequels...

Avengers Tower is no longer, as Thunderbolts* reveals it has been renamed it, and it is one comic book fans will be equally excited and worried about. Fans were excited when the first trailer for Thunderbolts* finally answered a question MCU fans have had since 2017 — who bought the Avengers Tower? First mentioned in Spider-Man: Homecoming, fan speculation was rampant for years, with theories that it would be purchased by Wilson Fisk / The Kingpin or Norman Osborn / The Green Goblin. Many were certain it would be the location of the Baxter Building for the McU's Fantastic Four before their upcoming film was revealed to take place in another universe.

While the trailers for Thunderbolts* have already revealed that the former Avengers Tower will be a major set piece in the film, Empire Magazine confirms that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, aka Val, purchased the building and renamed it "Watchtower." The Watchtower has a comic book basis,...

HBO's Harry Potter TV series gears up to start shooting later this year. A huge cast reveal has to be somewhere on the horizon and, in the meantime, casting rumours for the cable network's take on author J.K. Rowling's beloved series of novels keep coming in thick and fast. 

The 8-movie franchise grossed over $7.7 billion at the worldwide box office and there's plenty of interest in seeing a new approach to the books that expands on characters and moments there simply wasn't time for in a two-hour movie. 

As we first reported on SFFGazette.com, scooper @MyTimeToShineH brings word today that, "Janet McTeer has been offered the role of Professor McGonagall in the upcoming Harry Potter series."

Deadline has also confirmed that McTeer is in talks and that Paapa Essiedu is pretty much a lock for Professor Severus Snape. 

McTeer has racked up multiple Oscar and Emmy nominations and...

Vin Diesel has hinted at a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Groot spin-off film.The 57-year-old actor had played the talking tree in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ trilogy as well as ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, ’Avengers Endgame’ and ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, and has now teased he could be reprising the role for a solo movie.On Instagram, the ‘Fast and Furious’ star wrote: "Disney wants their Planet X! Which some say is Marvel’s most anticipated movie, haha. The film where Groot returns to his home planet."Diesel had starred in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ trilogy - which was directed by James Gunn - with Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff and Dave Bautista.While he seems interested in playing his ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ character again, Diesel's co-star Bautista - who played Drax the Destroyer in the three films - insisted...

Vin Diesel has suggested that he may return as Groot in a new Marvel project separate from the Guardians of the Galaxy series. The actor shared the update in an Instagram post outlining his schedule for 2025.

“Disney wants their Planet X! Which some say is Marvel’s most anticipated movie, haha. The film where Groot returns to his home planet,” Diesel wrote.

His statement has led to speculation about a standalone film focused on Groot’s origins and home world. Planet X, known as the home of the Flora Colossus species, has appeared in Marvel comics but has yet to be explored in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Diesel has voiced Groot since Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), continuing the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). He returned for Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). He also voiced the...

Vin Diesel gave a recap on what he’s working on in 2025 and hinted that he might reprise his role as Groot from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Fast & Furious actor gave a rundown of his work and mentioned a standalone project starring the extraterrestrial sentient tree-like creature.

“Disney wants their Planet X! Which some say is Marvel’s most anticipated movie, haha. The film where Groot returns to his home planet,” Diesel posted on Instagram.

Diesel voiced Groot for 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy and reprised the role in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. The actor also made a cameo in Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet, which was released in 2018.

It was not until 2022 when Diesel voiced the character again for 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder and 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Groot...

As one of the biggest contemporary interdisciplinary artists in the world, it's hard to remember a time when Ariana Grande wasn't a household name. In 2024 alone, she released seventh studio album "Eternal Sunshine" to a red hot commercial reception and solid reviews from critics, before turning in an Academy Award-worthy performance in the blockbuster Universal Pictures musical adaptation "Wicked," which is nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

Grande's rise in popularity over the past decade has indeed been something to behold, given that she was once one of countless child stars struggling to break into the mainstream entertainment industry. After making her Broadway debut in the musical "13," this lifelong theater kid would find success on the Nickelodeon network before breaking out into a solo recording career that would turn her into a global icon virtually overnight. As we await the release of "Wicked: For Good," we've taken...

Captain America: Brave New World might be nearing a $300 million global box office collection, however, it is considered a disaster. Fans should note that the budget of the film is $180 million and the film still has to make it past roughly $350 million to break even.

The film received mixed reviews from viewers, who weren’t convinced of Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the next Captain America after Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers. Fans were divided on the film’s political commentary, story, and characterization. However, Harrison Ford’s performance as the Red Hulk received praise.

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World | Credits: Marvel Studios

Fans consider the movie as a disastrous start to Marvel’s year. They have also scheduled two movies for the year, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, along with a few TV shows including Daredevil: Born Again. A...

With more than 15 years and 30 movies behind it, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still doing alright. Across this cavalcade of almost three dozen movies are a wide variety of iconic superheroes, grand stories, impressive visual tapestries, and the occasional entry that manages to be just “not bad.” We all have our rankings for the very best and the very worst of the Marvel series, but now JoBlo officially has the MCU movies ranked from Iron Man to this year’s Captain America: Brave New World. Here we go, from least to best:

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Director Taika Waititi harnessed the mighty power of Chris Hemsworth’s sense of humor and blended it with his own colorful sensibilities for the hilarious, character-reviving Thor: Ragnarok. All eyes were on the sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder, especially given it would see the return of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster (taking on the mantle of Mighty Thor). Sadly,...

The superheroes of Marvel Comics have been headlining movies for decades. We're not just talking about the last few decades, either, when the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to fruition. The juggernaut franchise, created by Marvel Studios, has broken every box office record there is to break, grossing a collective $31 billion (and counting!) in the years since its 2008 inception with Iron Man. 35 movies into that franchise, it shows no signs of slowing down.

But again, the heroes of Marvel Comics were on our screens long before that, with beloved characters like Spider-Man and the X-Men flying the flag for comic book movies at a time when there weren't all that many. And, before that, Captain America was headlining his own TV movies, while Man-Thing became a horror legend.

Even in today's day and age, Marvel Studios doesn't make all of the movies involving Marvel characters. 20th Century Fox produced the Fantastic Four...

Working for months on a movie often makes the cast and crew feel like family… and sometimes actors are actually related! MEGAKiefer Sutherland and Dad Donald – 'Forsaken'mega

It took 30 years for them to appear on screen together in roles that were apropos — Kiefer Sutherland and his father, Donald, played estranged son and father in the Western film … and their dynamic was clear to see.

Blake Likely and Dad Ernie – 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants'mega

If Blake Lively was at all nervous about making her film debut, experienced actor and acting coach Ernie Lively was there to help settle her down as he played her father.

Chris Hemsworth and Daughter India Rose – 'Thor: Love and Thunder' Mega

Playing father and daughter came naturally for dad-of-three Chris Hemsworth and India Rose, but costars Natalie Portman and Christian Bale also had children in the superhero flick!

Chris Pine and Dad...

Marred by a mixed audience reception, “Captain America: Brave New World” has become the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to fall well short of the high standard the franchise set for itself during its cultural domination of the 2010s.

Sinking 68% from its opening weekend, “Brave New World” has a two-weekend total of $145 million domestic and $294 million global, the latter standing 20% behind the global $363 million two-weekend total of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in February 2023. There is still a possibility that “Brave New World” could leg out better in the weeks ahead than “Quantumania,” but that would mostly be because of a lack of significant March releases for theaters like “Creed III,” which hastened the decline of “Ant-Man 3” two years ago.

That an MCU film needs the field cleared of major competition for a chance to salvage its theatrical run shows just how far Disney’s biggest moneymaker...

Chris Prattwill always be known for his role as Andy Dwyer in the popular sitcom Parks & Recreation, but before the final season of the show premiered, he also made his MCU debut as the character that would go on to define the second stage of his career. Pratt features as Star-Lord in all three Guardians of the Galaxy movies from James Gunn, as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and even Thor: Love and Thunder. The final card in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 appears with the words “The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return” before fading to black, but now that Gunn has departed Marvel and is working exclusively for DC, the Guardians future has been uncertain. However, while speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Pratt confirmed that the message won’t be ignored:...

“Captain America: Brave New World” fell at the box office with a 68% drop in its second weekend, marking the third biggest drop of the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far after flops like “The Marvels” (78% drop) and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (69% drop). “Deadpool” creator Rob Liefeld reacted to the news with a blunt statement on X about the president of Marvel Studios: “Get [Kevin] Feige off the mound. He’s spent.”

Liefeld announced earlier this month that he is cutting ties with Marvel after he and his family weren’t invited to Disney’s afterparty at last July’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” premiere. He said on his podcast at the time that Disney’s decision was “meant to embarrass, diminish and defeat me.” Liefeld has also called out other issues he has with Marvel, including what he perceives to be a lack of respect from Feige. Disney and Marvel Studios declined to comment.

Denis Villeneuve recently revealed that he does not intend on helming a different film first, and his adaptation of Dune: Messiah (though the movie will likely end up being titled Dune: Part 3) will be his next project. Production is expected to get underway later this year, and we now have word on the return of a certain character from the first movie.

Though this won't come as a surprise to anyone who has read Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi saga, here's your Spoiler warning just in case.

Jason Momoa's Duncan Idaho was killed off towards the end of Dune: Part One, but Jeff Sneider has now confirmed that the Aquaman star will reprise the role for the third film.

How does Duncan return after what looked like such a definitive death? Well, in the Dune universe, an artificial copy (not exactly a clone) of a deceased person known as...

Captain America: Brave New Worldnot only makes Sam Wilson the undebatable new Captain America, but it also sets up the long-awaited return of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Separated after the Superhero Civil War nearly a decade ago, the Avengers have only been loosely connected since, only uniting when the world needed them most. After his latest adventure, Sam is determined to bring Earth's Mightiest Heroes together before the horrifying future foreseen by the Leader finally comes to pass.

Captain America's New Avengers will finally return during the events of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but their next roster has yet to be officially confirmed. Sam has plenty of heroes to choose from when assembling his team, including several original members and a plethora of promising newcomers. These are the heroes that Cap can't afford to leave out of his New Avengers in the Multiverse Saga.

RelatedCaptain...

Quick LinksLove and Romance in the Marvel Cinematic UniverseRomance Is Both Smart Storytelling and a Good Business DecisionSome of Marvel's Biggest Multiverse Saga Hits Have Had Strong RomanceRomance Stories Could Help Marvel Regain Audiences BackWays the MCU Can Correct This

As someone who is a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is one issue I have with the franchise that has been growing over the years: where is the romance? This mainly came to my mind while watching the latest MCU movie, Captain America: Brave New World. One of the new supporting characters in the film, Leila Taylor, portrayed by Xosha Roquemore, is one of Sam Wilson's romantic interests in Marvel Comics. Sam Wilson describes her as a friend, and the movie paints it as nothing more, not an ounce of romantic tension.

Meanwhile, actress Rosa Salazar was cast as the Serpent Society member Diamondback but was later cut from the film.

“Captain America: Brave New World” is losing momentum at the box office, even during a muted winter weekend with hardly any competition.

After a strong $100 million start over the extended Presidents Day holiday frame, Disney and Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” crumbed by 68% in its second weekend with $28.3 million from 4,105 North American theaters. The Anthony Mackie-led superhero adventure, which remained in first place on box office charts, has generated $141 million domestically and $289.4 worldwide to date. “Captain America” cost north of $180 million before marketing, making the production budget slightly less expensive than other Marvel tentpoles.

It’s not uncommon for comic book tentpoles on the scale of “Captain America” to significantly slide in subsequent weekends. Yet this film, saddled with negative reviews and poor word-of-mouth, fell on the steeper side with a drop closer to 2023’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania” (down 70% after a $106 million debut) than “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3...

NBC's new Sunday lineup begins tonight, Sunday, Feb. 23. Take a look at everything on broadcast TV tonight.

Whether you want to watch a new TV series or you’re interested in a movie, there is plenty to watch across the broadcast networks tonight. Of course, NBC’s new lineup is the thing most people are talking about.

Grosse Pointe Garden Society, Watson, and more

For those in the mood for something new, you’ll want to turn your attention to NBC. There’s a full night of new content, starting with The Americas. This series is narrated by Tom Hanks, and it certainly has a Blue Planet feel to it. The series will take us across the American continents, delving into the wildlife and the forestry in the area, along with much more.

Then it’s followed by the Suits spin-off series Suits: LA, before ending with the new...

Quick LinksMarvel Needs to Return to Special PresentationsWhat Special Presentations Should Marvel Make Next?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had its fair share of ups and downs since the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019. The release of the fourth Avengers film came at the height of the McU's popularity, capping off the unanimously-praised Phase 3 and bringing an end to the Infinity Saga. However, Marvel has struggled to maintain the same level of success in its new Multiverse Saga. While certain films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine have achieved widespread success, others have proven to be decidedly less victorious. Marvel fans seem to be swinging back and forth between great projects and mediocre ones, leaving the general feeling of the MCU to be uneven and troubled.

The last few years have seen numerous suggestions for how Marvel Studios can save the MCU. While many of these suggestions could prove to be enormously helpful,...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had its major ups and downs over the course of more than a decade in theaters. Although the critical responses to recent films have seemed faulty, the world can't ignore just how major of a box office draw it has been. Its characters, from Iron Man to Loki, have all become iconic heroes and villains in pop culture. With the story so well-known and the characters so popular, fans might be surprised to learn that some of their favorite characters were meant to be killed off sooner than they were.

Whether in early versions of scripts or alternate cuts of movies, the story has the opportunity to change vastly before it officially debuts. As of now, with 35 films and 13 television shows, there were many different ideas and possibilities for when the audience's favorite characters could've bitten the dust. Although many of these characters have not...

Love or hate it, Rotten Tomatoes remains incredibly important when it comes to whether moviegoers decide to check out the latest releases in theaters. These days, it's not uncommon for studios to tout scores as proudly as star ratings.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered hit after hit since Iron Man was released in 2008, the Multiverse Saga has proven not even Marvel Studios is immune from the wrath of critics. That's apparent from this Saga delivering not one, not two, but three "Rotten" movies. 

Is the Multiverse Saga really as bad as some would have you believe? It's been a tad inconsistent, yes, but how does this era of storytelling stack up in terms of those all-important percentage scores on Rotten Tomatoes? With Captain America: Brave New World now in theaters, that's what we're taking a closer look at today.

To see how they compare, all you need to...

Captain America: Brave New World may not be the sure-fire hit Marvel Studios has been hoping for, but it made a splash during its four-day opening weekend at the box office. Despite its detractors, the MCU sequel made $100 million over the holiday weekend, taking advantage of Presidents' Day on Monday. It's not record-breaking by any means, especially by Marvel's ridiculously high standards, but it was a solid theatrical debut for Anthony Mackie's Captain America. However, most movies are judged at the box office according to their saying power in subsequent weeks, and it seems Brave New World might be plummeting down to earth soon.

According to Deadline, early estimates for the second weekend at the box office for Captain America: Brave New World are at just over $30 million. Unless there is a major upset, it will remain at the top of the domestic box office, beating out Neon's horror comedy The Monkey,...

Most of Marvel Studios’s films are the cinematic equivalent of breadcrumbs, which have been dropped into theaters strategically so as to keep one looking for the next sequel or crossover, when the endless televisual exposition will eventually, theoretically yield an event of actual consequence. Occasionally, however, a Marvel film transcends this impersonality and justifies one’s patience. Weird, stylish, and surprisingly lyrical, Ant-Man, Iron Man 3, and Doctor Strange attest to the benefits of the old Hollywood-style studio system that Marvel has resurrected: Under the umbrella of structure and quota is security, which can bequeath qualified freedom. On the occasion of the release of Captain America: Brave New World, here’s a ranking of every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to date. Chuck Bowen

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on April 25, 2018.

35. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The aesthetic dexterity and psychological depth of Ang Lee’s...

Chris Hemsworth Son Superman (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Chris Hemsworth might wield Mjolnir on screen, but at home, he faced a tiny but mighty superhero preference crisis. The Thor: Love and Thunder star recently shared an amusing Instagram post revealing that his seven-year-old son doesn’t see the God of Thunder as the ultimate hero. Instead, he has his sights set on DC’s caped crusader.

“Holding my little man’s hand and asking him the age-old question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’” Hemsworth wrote. “‘Dad, I wanna be Superman.’ Lucky I have two other kids.”

The post featured a cute pic of Hemsworth walking with his son, who proudly donned Superman’s signature red cape. Judging by Hemsworth’s long locks and casual set attire, the pic appeared to be taken on the set of Thor: Love and Thunder, filmed in Australia.

Trending When Camille Vasquez...

Dave Bautista played Drax the Destroyer across the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is open to reprising his Guardians of the Galaxy role if James Gunn asks.

In a new interview, the former WWE star said he thinks the Marvel character “ran its course” but would like the opportunity to play another comic book-based character.

“Drax is completely closed to me. Unless James Gunn called me and asked if I would do something as Drax again, I just wouldn’t be interested,” Bautista told ComicBook. “If James called me, which obviously is not gonna happen. He’s doing okay, he’s gone a different route.”

Gunn is now the co-head of DC Studios, making a fourth installment of Guardians of the Galaxy movie unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, Bautista is open to taking on a different character at Marvel or DC.

“I do wanna be in that world, I’m a fan of that world,...

John Malkovich had to wait for the right circumstances to join the MCU, meaning the right director and the right paycheck.

Malkovich told GQ that he turned down working in the Disney franchise for years prior to making his Marvel debut with “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” The undisclosed role reunites him with director Matt Shaman, whom directed Malkovich in 2014 film “Cut Bank.”

Malkovich explained that “First Steps” was “not that dissimilar to doing theater” because “you imagine a bunch of stuff that isn’t there and do your little play” — but the film still had a “grueling” production, he said.

“The reason I didn’t do them [before] had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever,” Malkovich said. “I didn’t like the deals they made, at all. These films are quite grueling to make… If you’re going to hang from a crane in front of a green screen for six months,...

Though they are now most associated with massive blockbusters, superheroes were politically-minded creations from the start, and the early heroes were more subversive than we give them credit for. Wonder Woman was created by psychologist William Moulton Marston, who lived together with two women some think were also romantically involved with each other. He explicitly created Wonder Woman to teach girls and boys about the importance of feminism and was inspired by first-wave activists and artists.

On the cover of the first issue of "Captain America Comics," the titular hero is shown punching Hitler in the face. Creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created the character as an anti-Nazi figure, as Simon strongly opposed non-interventionism during World War II and wanted the hero to reflect these views. That continues today, as many have also read Marvel's "Civil War" series as a direct commentary on the Patriot Act.

Indeed, superheroes began...

Let's cut to the chase: "Captain America: Brave New World" is bad. The story is paper-thin, the action is repetitive and too reminiscent of previous "Captain America" movies, and the villain's plot is uninspired. The worst sin this movie commits is being safe and forgettable, having nothing to say despite plenty of opportunities to be topical.

The film follows Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as he finds himself in the middle of an international incident where he must unravel a conspiracy to start an international war and discover the President's secrets before he unleashes a red monster on the world.

There is, however, one aspect of the film that's good: Harrison Ford's President Thaddeus Ross. Despite the trailers already spoiling the big, red, hulking surprise of the film, it doesn't diminish the fact that Ross is a complex and interesting character, the Red Hulk transformation is thrilling, and his fight scenes are well-executed,...

Dune and Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has stated that he has no intention of helming any more movies in the franchise after his planned Dune: Messiah adaptation, but that doesn't mean Warner Bros. will stop after three!

According to scooper Daniel Richtman, the studio is planning to move forward with at least one more Dune movie, and they might be looking at Gareth Edwards to take the helm.

The scooper believes that there's interest in Edwards - who also has Jurassic World Rebirth coming out later this year - stepping in to direct, but isn't sure if he's actually in talks.

The first two movies were big successes, but a fourth chapter would still be somewhat surprising given the direction Frank Herbert's saga goes in after the second book. Villeneuve has shown little interest in adapting the later novels, Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune,...

Up until 2019, the Og Avengers stood side-by-side during battle and faced whatever the universe threw at them together. Then, Avengers: Endgame came along and the dream team disbanded. While Iron Man and Black Widow met their heartbreaking demise, Steve Rogers left the superhero world behind for a life with his one true love and returned as an old man. As for Hawkeye, while he survived the battle with Thanos, his Disney+ show revealed that he had passed his bow and arrow to Kate Bishop and retired from the job. This really only leaves us with Hulk and Thor.

The Avengers (2012) | Marvel Studios

So, the question is, when new threats loom over the world, who do we turn to? Well, the Og Avengers may be long gone but it left behind a place for a new team to form. Let’s take a look at who might be eligible to be...

Captain America: Brave New World took the number one spot at the box office in its opening weekend, bringing in an impressive $88 million in its three-day opening weekend, with the four-day Presidents' Day total being $100 million. Worldwide, the movie has already grossed $192 million, showing that audiences were certainly hungry for a new MCU movie and were excited to see Captain America fight the Red Hulk. Opening weekend isn't the end of the box office story, though. With MCU movies being rather costly, how much does Captain America: Brave New World need to gross to not be considered a flop?

Deadline is reporting that Captain America: Brave New Worldneeds to gross $425 million at the global box office to break even. This is based on the report that the movie's production budget cost $180 million, while the print and advertising budget for the film is currently unknown. That means any money grossed beyond...

The greatest mystery of our time -- and perhaps cinematic history itself -- has finally been answered. After months of speculation over what, exactly, Christopher Nolan's next movie would even be, with rumors ranging from a vampire film to a blockbuster somehow involving "aerial helicopter pilots", the answer arrived in the form of a new retelling of Homer's epic Greek poem "The Odyssey." With one mystery solved, the buzz instantly moved on to which stars in the A-list ensemble will portray each famous figure. Zendaya as Athena? Our favorite weirdo Robert Pattinson as the Cyclops? Tom Holland as Odysseus himself? Well, we now know the leading man who'll be tasked with portraying the most homesick man ever depicted in literature.

In a surprise social media post on X (formerly and forever known as Twitter), the official Universal Pictures account just ... tweeted it out. Matt Damon, who last collaborated...

“Captain America: Brave New World” proves that Marvel hasn’t lost its mojo. The fourth “Captain America” installment, and first in which Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson takes up the star-spangled shield, delivered a mighty $100 million in its domestic debut over the extended Presidents Day weekend. The film added another $92.4 million overseas for a $192.4 million global tally, easily the best start of the (nascent) year.

Yet opening weekends are rarely a problem for Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. To wit: All 35 films in the sprawling comic book franchise have launched to No. 1, even the ones described by critics as a “pile of dirt.” So in the case of “Captain America: Brave New World,” all eyes will be on the staying power — industry parlance for how a movie’s ticket sales hold (or don’t) in the subsequent weekends on the big screen. That’s of paramount concern because the all-powerful...

Valentine's Day is here again, and even if you're not too pushed and plan on spending it like any other Friday night, you could do worse than sticking on one of these movies - and who knows, you may even feel the icicles around your heart begin to melt away by the end of it!

Most superhero films feature some kind of central romantic relationship, of course, but that doesn't mean they're always successful. In fact, more often than not, the "love interest" feels tacked-on or underdeveloped, and winds up being one of the worst aspects of the story.

There are a few exceptions, however.

Below, you'll find our rundown of superhero movies that actually succeed in making us care about their central pairings and the romances that blossom from them. Not all of 'em end particularly well, but hey, love hurts!

Batman Returns

Batman and Catwoman have always had...

While January very rarely sees blockbuster releases, February can sometimes become a month to capitalize on people going to the movies for Valentine’s Day. The first big movie of the year has dropped and Captain America: Brave New World has finally hit screens after a long delay. The film seemingly has an uphill battle since there have been a lot of stories about how the film was plagued by many rounds of reshoots, while there’s been a noticeable lack of enthusiasm around Sam Wilson’s big-screen debut as Cap. However, the trailers suggest that Brave New World aims to emulate the grit of one of the highest-rated entries, The Winter Soldier.

Deadline is now reporting that Captain America: Brave New World is off to a solid start with an early Thursday total of $12 million at the box office. While it does not quite match up Marvel’s last February release,...

Dave Bautista is ready to join James Gunn's DC Universe. The actor recently revealed that he has told Gunn, who is co-ceo of DC Studios, to keep him in mind for future roles in the new shared universe.

During a chat with ComicBook.com to promote his new movie In the Lost Lands, Bautista shared that he is unlikely to return as Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe unless Gunn asked him to reprise the role. However, the actor shared that he is still open to appearing in future comic book movies, stating that he does "wanna be in that world, I’m a fan of that world, I’m a fan of comic books and that whole universe." Bautista revealed that he has "made that known to James, I made that known to the [Avengers directors] Russo brothers. Personally, I talked to them, all of them, and told them, 'Don’t count me out.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was once an unchallenged contender in the film industry. Under the leadership of Kevin Feige and other talented individuals, the studio built an empire that culminated in the success of Avengers: Endgame.

Kevin Feige | New York Film Academy / YouTube

The movie closed a decade-long saga and also established Feige as the mastermind who orchestrated Marvel’s golden age. However, in recent years, the MCU has not maintained its level of excellence, and there have been many misfires in the current phase.

The post-endgame slump: Underwhelming results and fading hype Brie Larson in a still from The Marvels | Marvel Studios

Kevin Feige’s influence was once considered the X-factor for making any Marvel film a box-office juggernaut, but now it seems that many projects have faltered critically and commercially. So, fans are left with the question of whether or not Feige should be allowed to continue,...

Dave Bautista's time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is likely over. The Guardians of the Galaxy actor recently stated that there is only one way he'd consider coming back to the universe as Drax the Destroyer.

Bautista likely disappointed more than a few MCU fans when he told ComicBook.com earlier this week that "Drax is completely closed to me." The actor, who was promoting his new movie In the Lost Lands, shared that the only way he would even consider reprising the Guardians character would be if James Gunn, who wrote and directed all three installments, asked him to come back. "Unless James Gunn called me and asked if I would do something as Drax again, I just wouldn’t be interested. If James called me, which obviously is not gonna happen. He’s doing okay, he’s gone a different route," he explained, referencing Gunn's move to...

As fans await the upcoming phase of the MCU set to kickstart with Captain America: Brave New World, a range of other projects have also been forming in the background. A huge shakeup due to the Jonathan Majors controversy apart, familiar heroes such as Spider-Man and Thor will be returning with their standalone movies.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder | Marvel Studios

While not much is known about the direction Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 will take, a range of updates about the upcoming Thor 5 have been revealed. According to journalist Alex Perez, Thor 5 will see the introduction of multiple god-level characters, in the form of Ares and Hercules.

Alex Perez reveals Thor 5 will include Hercules and Ares Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster in Valhalla in Thor: Love and Thunder

The Cosmic Circus’ Alex Perez recently sat for a Q&a session which ended up revealing a...

Quick LinksThor: The Dark World is By No Means PerfectThe Dark World Captured Everything Classic About ThorYears Later, Thor: The Dark World Deserves Another Chance

The years, unfortunately, haven't been kind to certain characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While characters like Sam Wilson and Peter Parker have soared to new heights, others like Bruce Banner have been heavily tampered with in ways that make it a long journey for them to get back to a semblance of recognition to what they are in the comics. However, the one that has teetered on both sides has been Thor, the God of Thunder and powerhouse in the MCU that fans have loved since his debut in 2011. That said, I think one of his most controversial outings captured everything great about his character, and the hate surrounding it kept fans from noticing.

Thor: The Dark World was considered the first failure for...