Tag Archives: Marvel
Daredevil Born Again: A Reality Check for Disney+
Daredevil Born Again was supposed to be the show that brought back the Netflix-era magic of Marvel’s most beloved street-level hero. But now? It’s struggling to even match Agatha All Along in viewership numbers.
Disney+ was once an unstoppable force, delivering hit after hit, but those days are gone. Shows like Loki, WandaVision, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier had intrigue, but Daredevil had something more—an existing, passionate fanbase. After all, the Netflix Daredevil series is widely considered one of the best superhero shows ever made.
Yet, Daredevil Born Again premiered with only 7.5 million views in its first five days, compared to Agatha All Along’s 9.3 million and Loki Season 2’s 10.9 million. That’s an embarrassingly low number for a franchise that once dominated. Even The Acolyte, which Disney immediately canceled, had better numbers.
So, what went wrong?
Disney promised a fresh start, a return to form after scrapping their initial episodes and hiring new talent. Yet, signs of forced messaging and political themes crept back in. The leaked plot about corrupt cops tattooing The Punisher’s symbol had already turned fans off before release. And when the actual show confirmed those fears, many fans checked out.
The biggest issue? Fans simply don’t care anymore. After years of letdowns, Disney burned through goodwill, and now even a Daredevil revival can’t reignite interest.
One of the Greatest Mysteries of Our Time: Vulture in Morbius
Michael Keaton recently admitted that even he doesn’t understand his cameo as Vulture in Morbius. And honestly, who does? This post-credits scene is one of the most confusing in cinematic history.
Let’s break it down:
- In Spider-Man: No Way Home, villains who knew Peter Parker’s identity were transported back to their original universes.
- But for some reason, Vulture—a villain from Tom Holland’s universe—was transported into the Morbius universe instead.
- Somehow, he also got his high-tech flight suit back… even though it was created using alien tech from The Avengers battle in New York.
- And despite all this, Vulture immediately decides that Spider-Man is responsible for his situation and randomly seeks out Morbius, even though Morbius was just a doctor-turned-vampire with no major presence in the city.
None of this makes sense.
Michael Keaton himself admitted he had “no idea” what was happening, and that Sony just pitched him a vague idea, probably alongside a big paycheck. Sony clearly wanted to set up a Sinister Six team-up, but they had no plan. Now, years later, there’s still no follow-up, leaving this scene as nothing more than a bizarre cliffhanger with no resolution.
Was Morbius hinting at something bigger? Or was this just another example of Sony scrambling to connect a universe that doesn’t actually fit together?
Rey the Robot? The Star Wars Script That Almost Was
In the ever-evolving world of Star Wars lore, there are always surprising revelations and intriguing what-ifs that keep fans buzzing. One of the more astonishing tidbits involves a script for the sequel trilogy where Rey was not just the scavenger-turned-Jedi we know, but a robot. Yes, you read that correctly – a robot.
One of the writers for the Star Wars sequel trilogy apparently penned a script where Rey was revealed to be a robot. This revelation might leave you scratching your head, much like it did me. According to sources, including Jenny Nicholson, this script envisioned Rey as a secret robot throughout the events of The Force Awakens. This concept, however, was ultimately shelved and reimagined, leading to the Rise of Skywalker we saw in theaters.
Imagining Rey as a robot certainly adds a new layer of complexity to the storyline. How would it have changed the dynamics between characters? Would it have provided a more logical explanation for her incredible abilities? Some argue that it might have made more sense than the infamous “Somehow, Palpatine returned” plot point. A Rey created in a lab, infused with midi-chlorians, could have offered a more grounded rationale for her rapid ascent as a Jedi.
The concept of Rey as a robot has received mixed reactions from the fan community. Some believe it could have provided a richer, more cohesive narrative, especially considering the somewhat divisive reception of the sequel trilogy. Others feel that it might have detracted from the human element that Rey brought to the story – her struggle, her growth, and her ultimate victory.
As always, the success of such a bold narrative choice would hinge on the execution. A good writer has the power to turn even the most outlandish ideas into compelling stories. The key is in crafting a plot that resonates with audiences and stays true to the essence of the characters and the universe they inhabit. Unfortunately, if handled poorly, it could easily have been dismissed as “the one where Rey was a robot.”
While we will never see this version of the story on the big screen, it’s an intriguing thought experiment. Could Rey as a robot have been the key to a more universally acclaimed sequel trilogy? Or would it have been another controversial decision in a saga that has seen its fair share of highs and lows?
In the end, the idea of Rey as a robot is one of those fascinating “what ifs” that keep the Star Wars fandom alive with speculation and debate. It’s a testament to the enduring allure of the galaxy far, far away that even the unrealized scripts can spark such interest and discussion. Whether you think it’s a brilliant missed opportunity or a dodged bullet, it’s clear that the world of Star Wars will never stop surprising us.
What are your thoughts on this potential storyline? Would Rey as a robot have made for a better trilogy, or are you glad it remained just a script? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Video Discussion https://youtu.be/-odomSnPKL4
World War Joe
Captain America 4: A $400 Million Dollar Dumpster Fire?
In the latest episode of cinematic chaos, Captain America: Brave New World has captured headlines for all the wrong reasons. With a reported budget of $350 to $375 million, fans and critics alike are left wondering: what in the world did they spend all that money on? This staggering figure makes Captain America 4 one of the most expensive films in Marvel’s history, but the early signs point to a potential box office disaster.
Last year, after receiving overwhelmingly negative test scores and leaving Marvel executives underwhelmed by an early cut of the film, the release of Captain America: Brave New World was delayed to February 2025. The film, which had already amassed a budget of $275 million before any reshoots, needed extensive additional filming. The reshoots reportedly cost Disney and Marvel an extra $75 to $100 million, bringing the total budget to an eye-watering amount. Essentially, it seems like they are almost shooting a brand new movie. Comparatively, “Godzilla Minus One,” (one of my favorite movies of all time) was produced on a budget of just $12 to $15 million.
Given these developments, Captain America 4 is shaping up to be one of the biggest box office flops in Marvel’s history. This comes on the heels of “The Marvels,” another recent Marvel release that also floundered financially and critically. The once unshakeable Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) now appears to be struggling, with two potential major flops within a few months of each other.
A significant part of the controversy revolves around the character of Sam Wilson. Initially introduced as a normal guy with Falcon wings and machine guns, fighting alongside iconic heroes like Captain America, Wilson’s character development has been divisive. Many fans were thrilled when he was handed the Captain America shield at the end of “Endgame,” but the subsequent Disney+ series, “Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” left a lot to be desired.
The series saw Wilson grappling with the mantle of Captain America, only to relinquish the shield and then struggle throughout the show. Fans criticized the portrayal of Wilson, arguing that he had been diminished in a role that should have showcased his evolution into a new hero.
The problems with Captain America 4 run deeper than just character issues. The extensive reshoots, which involved redoing three major action sequences, indicate that the initial vision for the movie was deeply flawed. Despite having nearly $100 million poured into reshoots, there’s skepticism about whether these efforts will be enough to salvage the film.
Moreover, the fact that a film with such a significant budget and the backing of Marvel Studios could face such a troubled production process is alarming. It raises concerns about the decision-making and creative direction at Marvel, which was once lauded for its almost flawless execution of the MCU.
As it stands, Captain America: Brave New World looks poised to become a case study in how not to manage a blockbuster franchise. With a bloated budget, negative early reviews, and a narrative that has already alienated a portion of its fan base, the future of this film looks bleak.
In the end, the only question that remains is whether the movie can overcome these immense hurdles and surprise us all. Can the extensive reshoots and additional budget save Captain America 4, or is it destined to become a cautionary tale in the annals of Hollywood history?
What do you think about the state of Captain America 4 and the broader MCU? Is there any hope left for this beleaguered franchise? Let us know in the comments below!
Echo Prediction: A Smallpox Mess of a Show
Wonderman is Alive?
My apologies everyone. I was under the impression that the Wonderman TV show was canceled during the Hollywood strike, but now that the strike is over, it has been reported that it will start production around Thanksgiving.
Wonderman and many other MCU shows will be part of the “Spotlight” section of the MCU, which means they aren’t part of the larger MCU continuity. Ok, let me see if I get this right. Marvel is now making shows and potential movies that won’t interact with the bigger world ending and Avenger Level Threats…and this is a good idea?
Which tells me one thing. The writers realized that added too many chaotic things to the franchise and there is no way to tell such stories in a logia manner anymore. Maybe having multiverse incursions, Celestial beings, Soul Eating Dragons, and a million Skrulls may have jumped the shark in the logical department.
For note, I wrote about how the Punisher wouldn’t be able to be in the MCU because why would he care about drug deals and gangsters when an alien invasion happened? But back to Wonderman, it’ll flop. This is more of a vanity project now than adding a new and exciting character to the MCU.
World War Joe
Why Wasn’t Heimdall Soul Stone?
Here is Google’s explanation of Heimdall’s all-seeing eyes:
“Heimdall sees and hears, all thanks to his extrasensory capabilities. His sight can extend across all Nine Realms and from the Bifrost Observatory, he can see 10 trillion souls”
So, he can see 10 trillion souls, and his eyes are orange, so why not make him the Soul Stone? Does that make more sense than flying to a distant planet, killing something you love, and then somehow ending up with the stone in your hand?
The Vormir concept still makes no sense, and is Thanos has some kind of Infinity Stone detector, attacking the ship that Heimdall was on makes sense. On that note, how did Thanos know where all the stones were? He just was flying through infinite space to somehow interact with the ship that Loki was on with the Space Stone? And then he just parks a block away from Dr. Strange’s house to get the Time Stone. But I’m getting off track here.
Long story short, Heimdall made the most sense as the keeper or the vessel of the Soul Stone and not Vormir, were the Red Skull was just watching over for some reason.
World War Joe
March To The Twitter Drum
Loki the Skeptic Loki the Believer
Remember that sad emotional scene where Loki watches his future and becomes a better person from it? He sees himself and Thor becoming friends, getting along, seeing that he is the reason his mother was killed in Thor 2, ultimately sees himself die at the hands of Thanos and realizes this is his fate if he doesn’t change. Yet when He Who Remains shows Loki the script of what’s about to happen, he says “It’s a parlor trick”.
Ummm what?
Loki watched a montage of his future, took it as gospel, became a better person from it and now, all of a sudden, after he’s gone on this massive journey, now you’re a skeptic.
It reminds me of one of my favorite and most hated movies The Polar Express, where a child who doesn’t believe in Santa goes on a magical train ride, meets elves, sees Santa’s workshop yet when he finally sees Santa in person he doesn’t know if he believes.
That’s what happens when you try to shoe horn 3 movies of character development into one montage and then all of a sudden make the lead character go through actual moments of doubt.
World War Joe 