Fanboys Anonymous

Today was one blockbuster announcement after another as Marvel Studios rolled out the lineup for the next 5 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The slated films are as follows:

2015 = Avengers: Age of Ultron + Ant-Man

2016 = Captain America: Civil War + Doctor Strange

2017 = Guardians of the Galaxy 2 + Thor: Ragnarok + Black Panther

2018 = Avengers: Infinity War Part I + Captain Marvel + Inhumans

2019 = Avengers: Infinity War Part II

Kevin Feige stands in front of a line graph representing billions of dollars

Also, don't forget about the three television series that will be going on during this time period: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and of course the multiple connective Netflix shows that will all lead to The Defenders and will feature Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.

Wow.

Some information about these movies has been confirmed or damn near been confirmed out of pure logic. What we know so far (or what we can be confident in assuming):

• Age of Ultron—Tony Stark will create Ultron as a means to make up for the lack of S.H.I.E.L.D. due to the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
• At the end of Age of Ultron, the Avengers team will split with Captain America and Iron Man on opposing sides.
• This will lead into Captain America: Civil War, which will pit Steve Rogers and Tony Stark against each other. Somewhere in the mix, Black Panther plays a part.
• Everything is leading up to Thanos kicking ass with the Infinity Gauntlet in Avengers: Infinity War.

So what's going to happen to lead us to Infinity War Part II, and what will happen after that in Phase 4? Fasten your seat belts, 'cause this is going to be a bumpy ride and your brain is going to bounce all over the place.

Let's get some more details out of the way. Andy Serkis is obviously playing Ulysses Klaw in Age of Ultron, which will at least in part feature Wakanda. If he's not, then by all means, rip this post to shreds in the comments, because that will mean all logic has been thrown out the window, including the sheer fact that he looks exactly like the character in more ways than one.

Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaw in Avengers: Age of Ultron

More than likely, when the team splits up and sends various members across the globe, the one who will be sent off to the mission in Wakanda will be Captain America. This will connect him to Black Panther to allow for his presence in Civil War, where T'Challa will probably replace Peter Parker as the middleman between Rogers and Stark before having his solo film later on.

Doctor Strange was mentioned in The Winter Soldier. Woo! Easter eggs! Clearly, he's been a potential threat for a while if he had already been on the radar back then. Marvel has actually even said that Doctor Strange won't be an origin film, so while I'm sure we'll see flashbacks that explain his origins, it won't be done according to the standard operating procedure, where the movie is entirely about his rise to become Sorcerer Supreme. Likely, he'll have already achieved that role by the time the movie starts, or at least he'll be close and achieve it at the end of the film. Magic is going to be explained in the MCU as a manipulation of quantum mechanics, grounding it more in science, similar to how the Thor series has explained Asgard as a dimension, the gods as aliens, and so forth. There is no sequel to Doctor Strange slated, so his inclusion must be more supplemental rather than instrumental in the events that will come. Cameos over the next few years will suffice rather than having another solo film be a necessity.

For that matter, notice how Ant-Man has no sequel. Marvel had sequel plans for Guardians of the Galaxy well in advance because they knew it would be a hit. Clearly, the same confidence is not there for Hank Pym. Oh wait, excuse me, I mean Scott Lang, because Hank Pym's being pushed aside for the lesser character in this clusterfuck of a movie that could be more of a nuisance than a benefit to Marvel. Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 have their detractors, but Ant-Man could be the first true failure if the way things have gone so far are any indication. The only production that has seen as many or more problems in comparison is Fantastic 4, but we'll talk about that later.

An even bigger joke than Captain America: Serpent Society

We know that, unlike the comics, Hank Pym will not be the creator of Ultron. That role is going to Tony Stark, which neuters the purpose of Ant-Man to begin with. If you are a big fan of that series and you were hoping that out of the blue, you'd get an announcement that Pym plays a big part in Age of Ultron and the MCU in general, you're going to be disappointed. The best you can hope for is a decent movie that doesn't get completely pushed aside when the bigger movies dominate it. After all, what the hell is an elderly Hank Pym going to do when the majority of the films coming out are cosmic in nature?

Let's backtrack some more, because we have some non-humans to talk about. In The Avengers, Loki is wielding a staff that has some sort of gem inside it. Fans have been trying to figure out whether this is the Mind Stone or something else ever since. One theory is that it may be a Terrigen Crystal, as it's supposedly used to grant powers to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch on behalf of Hydra as evidenced in The Winter Soldier. In these plans for the next few years, no spinoff was announced for the twins. However, Inhumans was. In the comics, Quicksilver uses the Terrigen Mists to restore his powers. More importantly, the Inhumans race is tied in with the Mutants of Marvel lore because they are an offshoot of homo sapiens as well. Could the twins show up in Inhumans, potentially as the protagonists or at least in a cameo to help establish a connection and get some more screen time out of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen?

In the Q&A from this press event, Kevin Feige was asked how Marvel will introduce the Inhumans without the use of the Fantastic 4, as they aren't under their control. Feige said that there have been seeds planted and that an answer to that will happen sooner than many fans will expect.

Captain Marvel will be the other film along with Inhumans to take place between Part 1 and Part 2 of Infinity War. Current rumors point to Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel herself) showing up in some fashion during Age of Ultron. Since that movie is a few years away, I wouldn't bet on her having her powers at this time. She'll likely be just Carol Danvers and either a former (or current, depending on how you look at it) member of S.H.I.E.L.D. or just thrown in the mix of the Avengers Academy somewhere. We've seen the Kree built up in Guardians of the Galaxy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (if that's truly the direction for where the blue alien and the GH.325 serum that resurrected Coulson is leading).

When I tagged this as "topless", I didn't mean the blonde bombshell Carol Danvers. Sorry.

Since Captain Marvel's powers are Kree-based, less work needs to be done to set these events into motion. In fact, there may be a lot of ties between Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Captain Marvel, considering the use of Ronan as the villain in the first film. Perhaps GOTG 2 will not only feature Adam Warlock, but will also establish more about the Kree Empire in preparation for Captain Marvel and even be the vessel-film for Carol to get her powers. Kevin Feige made it a point to reiterate that although Carol's powers are alien based, she still has roots to Earth. A plotline going on in the Guardians of the Galaxy series is Peter Quill's father and the connection between alien heritage/environments versus Earthbound origins. You can see where I'm going with this.

Then again, that's not the only film that balances Earth and the extraterrestrial. Thor: Ragnarok is obviously going to take place at least partially on Earth. Ragnarok is the end of all things (or at least the gods) and there are three villains that everyone should bet on seeing:

Loki—Obviously, Loki will be a villain in this story. If you didn't see what happened at the end of Thor: The Dark World, then what are you doing reading this article?! Loki usurped Odin's throne and, as much as fans love him, the people within the MCU aren't friendly with him. He's an evil, manipulative force who will undoubtedly be the driving force of the events in this movie as a puppeteer to the following two names.

Surtur—There aren't too many primary Thor villains who we haven't seen yet. The Wrecking Crew is a low-level threat. Ulik the troll…please. Amora the Enchantress and Skurge the Executioner are cool, but they haven't had a purpose yet.

When it comes to a character that is a necessity with the Ragnarok storyline, Surtur is at the top of the list. He is the ruler of Muspelheim, which we have really yet to see outside of some quick glimpses here and there. For those who don't know, Muspelheim, while not the underworld itself (which would be Hel), is basically what everyone pictures as Hell with endless caverns of fire and brimstone.

If you have Ragnarok, you have Surtur, because there isn't much more that signifies the end than a big-ass fire demon. Look at this mother fucker! Look at that sword that he's carrying!

No wonder he is instrumental in "the time when you should shit yourself because you and I and everyone else are totally screwed."

Jormungand—Also known as the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent, this enemy is inextricably tied into Thor's fate. A prophecy states that Thor will battle this creature during the events of Ragnarok. He will be successful in killing Jormungand, but after the fact, Thor will walk nine steps and then die from his wounds and the deadly poison from the Midgard Serpent.

Not your average garden snake

All of the events of the MCU as far as Thor is concerned have been leading to his rise to become king. At the beginning of Thor, he reveled in the idea that he would take the throne, before learning humility. By the end of the movie, he knows that he's not ready to rule, but Odin reassures him that he will be a wise king eventually. During Thor: The Dark World, Thor actively circumnavigates attaining the position and gives it up willingly to spend more time on Earth, but that results in Loki being able to take Odin out of commission. With Frigga's death and Thor on Earth, nobody is there to stop him. Thus Thor will be forced to man up and put an end to Loki's scheme, stop Ragnarok, and become the true ruler of the Asgardian realm at the end of Thor: Ragnarok. His new position as one of the most powerful beings in the universe will come into play heavily for Infinity War. Not only will his responsibilities be magnified, but who's to say that this changing of the guard isn't itself a catalyst for some of the bad events coming to the MCU? Any time the regime changes, there are plenty of risks. The new people are confused and not sure what to do while they're adjusting to their positions, which is a vulnerability Thanos can exploit if not just to break into Odin's vault and steal the Infinity Gauntlet.

Odin and Thanos love their bling

Speaking of rulers, we are dangerously close to The Illuminati in the MCU as well. While we don't have a representative for the Mutant race in either Professor X or Beast, that's okay, because they don't exist in this series and the films have never attempted to be direct adaptations. We're missing Reed Richards and Namor (at least for now), but we'll have Black Bolt, Tony Stark, T'Challa, Stephen Strange, and we could easily throw Thor in there to represent Asgard due to his position of power at the end of Thor: Ragnarok. These are the people that are responsible for overseeing the Infinity Gems in the comics. Coincidence?

Except...you know...screw Professor X, Namor, and Reed Richards

By the end of Infinity War Part II, we'll see an absolutely enormous cast of characters interacting with one another. Naturally, the Illuminati will be overseeing the convergence amongst this giant team. Assuming none of them perish in the process, we could have a lineup of these heroes, if not more:

Original Avengers: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury, Maria Hill

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Phil Coulson, Skye, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Melinda May, and the rest of the cast of the television series

The Defenders: Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist

Guardians of the Galaxy:  Star Lord, Gamora, Groot, Rocket Racoon, Drax, Adam Warlock, plus the entire Nova Corps

New Avengers from Phase 2 & Phase 3: War Machine, Falcon, Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, The Vision, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, The Inhumans (a team?), Doctor Strange, and possibly even Wasp

…all against Thanos. The most fun thing about this? They're still horribly outmatched when fighting the Mad Titan!

Let's just emphasize the holy shit scope of this once again. All of these movies and all of these television shows are interconnected. Agent Carter is a prequel that will help set up the back story for certain plot elements we've already seen, such as the butler version of Jarvis showing up as the inspiration for the J.A.R.V.I.S. system, which of course becomes The Vision in Age of Ultron. Obviously, events that transpire in something like Jessica Jones aren't going to be the biggest factors for Infinity War, but the presence of The Defenders will no doubt have implications on the Superhero Registration Act in Civil War. Everything matters. Everything. Tony Stark says in Age of Ultron that it is the end of the path that he set them on, but this goes well beyond the events of Iron Man. Chronologically, this goes back even further than Captain America: The First Avenger or even the beginning flashback of Thor. This all started with the Celestials as seen in Guardians of the Galaxy. We are dealing with threats not just to Earth, not just to the galaxy, but to the entire universe when Thanos wields the strongest sources of power in existence—unless, of course, Marvel decides to toss the Heart of the Universe into things, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

Translation: fucked.

That's all assuming that this is it and we're not getting anything else.

Spider-Man is in a weird position. While I personally thought The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was a fun film (albeit flawed in several ways), audiences did not gravitate to it as Sony had expected. Now, the movie that had originally been intended to set in motion a series of spinoffs including Venom, Sinister Six, possibly a Black Cat film and of course The Amazing Spider-Man 3, may be going a different route. Speculation has been running rampant for weeks that Sony is retooling their plans or possibly even getting rid of them entirely. There's more talk than ever that Spider-Man could end up back in the possession of Marvel Studios, which would be absolutely huge.

Don't forget about Fantastic 4, either. As rough of a time as Spider-Man is going through right now, Marvel's first family has it even worse. The previous two films were heavily chastised for being just awful, requiring a reboot for this new film to distance itself as much as possible. However, Fox seems to be distancing itself from more than just those two movies. This new film has been criticized for the entire cast—not especially Michael B. Jordan, which annoyed many fans who don't like the dynamics of the team being changed up by not having Johnny Storm and Susan Storm as full-blooded siblings. On top of that, there have been so many missteps in promotion that it's hard to find any positives about this project. Remember when people were stating that the comics have almost no influence on the material in the film? That's how you win back those fans who are mad that you're changing things. Everything from the tone of the movie to the rushed production spells disaster, and it doesn't help that Marvel itself has essentially washed its hands of it within the comics industry. Even the blind can see that this movie is being killed off before it makes its way to theaters.

The biggest problem with Spider-Man and Fantastic 4 being tossed into the mix is that there is no room for them. Marvel has enough balls in the air to juggle, and if the box office receipts are any indication, those two entities are not needed for Marvel Studios to succeed. On top of this, how do you add them into the continuity without causing too many problems?

That is where this whole post is leading, and I applaud you for battling through it to this point.


The comic book industry is no stranger to flexible continuity. Every couple of years, a new event takes place that changes certain elements. It's a necessity to keep things going. Tony Stark used to be tied to the Vietnam War as opposed to being captured in Afghanistan. Captain America was originally able to go through the Cold War, but in the MCU continuity, he had to be thawed out well beyond that. How many times have people been killed and brought back to life (other than Uncle Ben)?

With the Infinity Gauntlet, there is an opportunity for Marvel to do a soft reboot of sorts. Marvel would be stupid to stop the stories after Infinity War Part II, but by that time, so many of the actors are going to be too old to continue playing their roles. They've recast characters in the past, but this will be a chance to do a big sweeping change. We'll have the proper deus ex machina to allow people to alter the events of the MCU within the continuity itself by reshaping elements of the plotline to fit into whatever scenario is necessary for Phase 4 to move along. Marvel has said in the past that while they have no plans to change the actors any time soon, they're looking at the characters in the same way the James Bond franchise operates, where you can recast and you don't have to fully reboot. The MCU has more connectivity than the 007 franchise, sure, but that doesn't matter. What happened when Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard as Rhodey in Iron Man 2? Nothing. The stories just kept being told. An even better indication of what could happen is how Marvel handled The Incredible Hulk, which could be described as a "requel" to Ang Lee's Hulk film. It did not keep the same continuity by being directly tied to that movie, but it did work under the assumption that fans had already seen it. Instead of redoing the birth of the Hulk character, some quick flashbacks reestablished that the basic idea of the first Hulk film happened, but only certain elements.

No movies have been announced for the point beyond Avengers: Infinity War Part II in 2019, despite Marvel releasing three films per year. That is because by the time that movie comes out, it will have been 11 years in the making. That's more than enough of a reason to take a breath of fresh air and reset things a bit.

Don't be scared—this doesn't mean that the next film would have to start all over again. On the contrary, there are plenty of stories left to tell. Thor can fight Amora the Enchantress and Skurge, or even Ulik or the Wrecking Crew. Red Skull was obviously teleported instead of killed in The First Avenger, so he could show up, or maybe Cap faces the Serpent Society as was playfully joked about during this press conference. Hell, maybe he fights Flag Smasher? Red Hulk hasn't been on screen yet, nor has Madame Masque or MODOK or a multitude of other characters.

On second thought...let's not do MODOK

In the comics, Thanos actually sort of wins both times he's in a position of power. It's a rare situation where the heroes are completely outmatched and do indeed fail to an extent. In particular, what happens when Thanos merges with the Heart of the Universe? He realizes that there is a fundamental flaw in the universe and the only way to repair it is to destroy the universe and reconstruct it. In the emptiness of nothingness, Thanos contemplates that The One Above All (Marvel's version of God) orchestrated the entire event to fix this flaw as he sacrifices himself to restore the universe.

While it may not go down exactly like that in Infinity War Part II, that does sound like quite an epic ending and a perfect means to do a soft reboot of the films, does it not? From then on, new actors can play the parts that have been associated with Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., and so forth for a decade. Minor continuity problems can be fixed by having been erased from the timeline (such as the Fake Mandarin fiasco). And maybe—just maybe—by this time, Marvel will have acquired the rights to Spider-Man, Fantastic 4, and possibly even the X-Men characters. One can hope, right?

Even if Kevin Feige, Joss Whedon, and everyone else in charge of the MCU don't currently have a plan for what to do after the events of Infinity War are over with, they will figure one out eventually, and it will be marvelous.

Marvel Studios' Phase Three lineup has been revealed and it's as mind-blowingly awesome as you
could have imagined. Full story after the jump!

I think I just died and went to Heaven.

After letting Warner Brothers' DC film properties have their day in the sun following the release of their slate of films less than two weeks ago, Marvel Studios returned fire today at Hollywood's El Capitan Theater with the announcement of its Phase Three roster. A week of heavy rumors and murmurings regarding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been largely confirmed, complete with a few welcome surprises. Previously empty release dates have been filled with their long-awaited titles and official studio logos, as pictured below.

Captain America: Civil War, May 6, 2016


The rumors of a Marvel: Civil War adaptation, which began two weeks ago after news of Robert Downey Jr.'s involvement in Cap 3 leaked were confirmed today. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige had this to say: "Events of the whole cinematic universe will make all governments in the world want regulation. Not so much about secret identity, but about who reports to who."

The Civil War story arc pits Iron Man against Captain America in a battle of ideologies, as events on the home front lead the former to favor government mandated registration of all superhumans and the latter to rebel against it as an encroachment of civil liberties tantamount to fascism. The rift created in Captain America: Civil War will no doubt carry over and drive the connective narrative of the Marvel characters throughout Phase Three.

Doctor Strange, November 4, 2016


According to a Deadline report released yesterday, Star Trek Into Darkness and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is in "final negotiations" to play Dr. Stephen Strange, the egotistical neurosurgeon turned Sorcerer Supreme. Casting was still shrouded in secrecy today, as Feige stated, "If [Doctor Strange casting] was confirmed, we would have announced it today."

Guardians of the Galaxy 2, May 5, 2017


No details revealed. My guess is that this is likely a working title. Following the watershed success that came with last summer's surprise hit, a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy is a no-brainer. I'm looking forward to jamming out to Star-Lord's Awesome Mix Vol. 2!

Thor: Ragnarok, July 28, 2017


The third installment of the lucrative Thor franchise will more than likely tell Walt Simonson's 1980s classic of the Norse End of Days. "This is a very important movie for us in Phase Three," declared Feige. "We plan on taking Thor to another level. It picks up where we leave Thor in Avengers: Age of Ultron and impacts everything that comes after."

Black Panther, November 3, 2017


My personal favorite bit of news released at Marvel's conference was the announcement of the highly anticipated Black Panther movie. Chadwick Boseman, who has cultivated a celebrated career of depicting seminal African Americans on film, has been cast as who is arguably the most important Black superhero, T'Challa, better known as the Black Panther. I think Boseman is an inspired choice and can't wait to see him in action, especially after seeing this just released concept art of the Panther's MCU costume:

I found my Halloween costume.

Captain Marvel, July 6, 2018

Somewhere, Scarlett Johansson is crying.

Black Panther was one of two major announcements indicating a shift towards Marvel Studios embracing more diversity in its films. Marvel revealed their plans to add super-heroine Captain Marvel—formerly known as "Ms. Marvel" before being re-branded in 2012—to its growing roster of good guys (gals?). Since a whopping 46.67% of all comic fans are female, it's a wonder that this film wasn't announced sooner. Could it be that today's official announcements of the Black Panther and Captain Marvel properties were prompted in part by DC Comics' Cyborg and Wonder Woman films, which respectively star Black and female characters in the title roles?


Inhumans, November 2, 2018



Not much has been revealed about the Inhumans film other than Feige's fervent excitement over the project's source material. In what has been said will be a response to 20th Century Fox's X-Men film franchise, Inhumans centers on a royal family in the deep corners of the galaxy that gains superhuman abilities after journeying into the mutating Terrigen Mists.

Avengers: Infinity War Part I, May 2018 and Part II, May 2019



By far the biggest announcement of the day was that the third installment of the wildly successful Avengers franchise will chronicle the Infinity Wars which Phase One and Two have been leading up to. The threequel will be divided into two parts, each debuting on the coveted first opening weekend of May: May 4, 2018 and May 3, 2019, respectively. Marvel released an image of Josh Brolin as their "big bad," the Mad Titan Thanos—glimpsed briefly at the end of the first Avengers and who had a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy—brandishing the famed Infinity Gauntlet—a weapon that will unite the Infinity Stones of the past Marvel movies into one massive existential threat.


It's a good day to be a comics geek! Let me know what you think about this massive reveal. Do you like where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading? Is there a storyline or character you have yet to see make it to the big screen? Share your thoughts with me below!

It's official: Marvel will not only be giving us Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet, but it won't just be a single film that deals with this. Instead, the third Avengers crossover will be split up in two parts with Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet Part I coming May 2018 and Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet Part II coming May 2019.

This follows the recent trend of the final film of a franchise being split up to help maximize revenue, as was done with Twilight, Harry Potter, and is now happening with The Hunger Games. But according to Marvel executives, this is not just a cash-grab. Instead, this is a way to get the full story out there without compromising, because it's just so goddamn huge that it calls for it.

We've always had a plan since Nick Fury broke into Tony Stark's house and told him he's part of a bigger universe.

Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 is the beginning of the culmination of everything that has come before.

- Kevin Feige

I would assume that this means the first part will not in fact revolve entirely around Thanos causing destruction with the Infinity Gauntlet, but that he will probably achieve his goal at the end to help set up Part II, where all hell will break loose.

Thanos wields the Infinity Gauntlet in Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War Part I & Part II

This does raise a question, though. If there is an entire year between these two movies, how does that not cause a continuity issue? How can there be other films that take place after Part I that don't make it seem like too much time is passing before Part II happens? The two films that are set to come after Part I are Captain Marvel and Inhumans—both of which take place outside the normal realm of Earth's relatively tame setting. Does this mean Thanos will have a presence in both of them to help tie things together?

I don't know about any of you, but if this all ends with Captain America holding his shield in one hand and Mjolnir in another, ready to sacrifice himself by standing up to Thanos when all hope is lost, and winning to save the day and restore balance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the Mad Titan destroys everything....I think I'll explode with Fanboy joy.

Marvel has hit fans with a ton of Black Panther news today, as a solo film has been announced with a release date of November 3, 2017, but that's not all!

In addition to having his own Black Panther film, the character of T'Challa will also be appearing in Captain America: Civil War.

For the hat trick of announcements, Marvel has also revealed who will be playing the part and the casting decision should delight fans. Long rumored to be a contender to play the King of Wakanda, Chadwick Boseman will indeed be putting on the suit.

Chris Evans, Chadwick Boseman, and Robert Downey Jr.

It has been speculated that the character Andy Serkis is playing in Avengers: Age of Ultron is Ulysses Klaw, a longtime archenemy of T'Challa. With various reports talking about Wakanda making an appearance in the movie, along with Andy Serkis definitely resembling the character, and now all of these announcements connecting Black Panther and Captain America: Civil War (which is set to derive straight from the plot of Avengers: Age of Ultron), it seems like a guarantee that the rumors are true.

Black Panther Concept Art for Marvel Cinematic Universe

The third installment of the Thor franchise has been announced for July 28, 2017, with confirmation of the rumored title Thor: Ragnarok.

After the events of the last film, Loki has usurped Odin's throne and taken over Asgard. Speculation about this movie's plot surrounds the idea that Thor's journey may take him to the realm of Muspelheim to battle Surtur while Loki enacts his plan to bring about Ragnarok itself—the war that will end with the destruction of all the Norse Gods. We can assume that Earth will get caught in the crossfire, so there may even be a battle with the Midgard Serpent if Marvel is really willing to pull out all the stops. Fans of the mythology will know that if that enemy does indeed show up, it spells some bad times for Thor…

As if the announcements from earlier weren't enough, Marvel has also confirmed another rumored upcoming film, Inhumans, with a release date of November 2, 2018.

Fans have expected the Inhumans to pop up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for quite some time, possibly even as an explanation for how Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver get their powers.

While that detail has not been confirmed, the idea is a sound one, considering the ties between Mutants and Inhumans in the Marvel storyline. Plus, considering how there has not been a spinoff announced for Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, we may see them show up in this film either as the protagonists or in some kind of cameo. It would make sense, as Quicksilver has used the Terrigen Mist in the comics to restore his powers in the past. There is always a chance that Loki's staff has been using a Terrigen Crystal this whole time as opposed to the Mind Stone.

Another announcement from Marvel Studios today that continues to prove recent rumors correct is news that a Captain Marvel movie is coming our way July 6, 2018.

No official announcements regarding casting have been mentioned, but there has been speculation that Carol Danvers will be showing up at some point in Avengers: Age of Ultron, so we may have some news about that sooner than expected.

Who should play Carol Danvers in this film? Should Captain Marvel NOT be Carol Danvers and instead be someone else? What are you most excited to see in the movie?

Perhaps as a result of the recent onslaught of news announced by DC and Warner Bros., Marvel has fired shots back by announcing a ton of plans for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe today at their event in Los Angeles.

At first, it was teased that the third Captain America film would be Captain America: Serpent Society, but it was then confirmed that the speculation and rumors as of late were correct:

May 6, 2016 will be the date when Captain America and Iron Man square off against each other in a story influenced by one of the biggest events in Marvel history.

For those who are not aware, the Civil War storyline featured Tony Stark as the head of a Superhero Registration Act that Steve Rogers was adamantly against. While the man stuck in the middle was Peter Parker and we can assume Spider-Man will play absolutely no role in this adaptation, nor will this event be inspired by the Stamford incident from the comics as opposed to Avengers: Age of Ultron, we should all definitely keep our eyes peeled for references to the comic book storyline.

Update: It has been announced that Chadwick Boseman will be playing Black Panther AND that he will appear in this movie before having a solo outing!

Lots of news from the Marvel camp today, and the latest announcement is that Guardians of the Galaxy will be indeed getting a sequel, coming May 5, 2017—2 months earlier than the previously intended release date of July 28, 2017.

What are you most excited about to see in the sequel? More Groot? The identity of Star Lord's father? What songs are on the soundtrack?

For the longest time, whenever I told someone I was setting out to be a journalist, their immediate concerns were of covering wars or national disasters and how safe I'd be as a part of the press. It never would have crossed my mind that after college I would soon land in the most hostile war zone of geek media where I'm not alone in the fear of being doxxed (publishing private information on the Internet with malicious intent) or harassed for joining the conversation about #GamerGate.

The very much real-life #GamerGate war is a battleground that is tough to pass through, primarily because there is so much confusion as to what #GamerGate actually is. The massive controversy around #Gamergate conflicts with the two sides that don't even agree to what it is they're really fighting for.

Many would say #GamerGate is a debate about the perceived lack of journalism ethics by many game reviewers after game developer Zoe Quinn was outed for having intimate relations with a gaming journalist in exchange for positive coverage of her game, but the disturbing facts that have recently been coming out of #GamerGate pushed media focus more on the wave of misogynistic harassment.

It's not fair to denounce the entire movement because of one section of it being Internet trolls hiding behind a hashtag that was meant for something else, as #GamerGate members seemed just as outraged and condemn personal threats and harassment. According to /r/KotakuInAction on Reddit, "GamerGate is a consumer revolt triggered by overt politicization, ethical misconduct, and unprecedented amounts of censorship targeted at gamers." The main issue they are attempting to address is the unbalanced view of the industry by the media that project their political ideas as facts in their articles.

"We can't control what anyone says or does in the name of GamerGate, but we can send a clear message that we don't stand for it," Redditor "rhoark" said in a thread he started. "It does not represent us. If anyone feels unsafe about talking to gamers, it is because Gawker crafted that narrative."

But the ugly half of #GamerGate supporters—hellbent on the destruction of the traditional gamer lifestyle—are hiding behind the hashtag, sending death threats and doxxing anti-#GamerGate supporters, though they insist they aren't targeting women even if it seems that they are.

Threats of the "deadliest school shooting in American history" were sent to game critic Anita Sarkeesian prior to her scheduled speech on women in video games at Utah State University, prompting her to cancel the event. Others, like 28-year-old #GamerGate supporter, Erik Foreman, said he received an e-mail that included his home address and a threat to mutilate his body and attack his family, according to The Washington Post.

"There has been so much hate. So many angry words, so many accusations, over…what? Video games? Women in video games? People who write about video games? It would be absurd if it hadn't forced people out of their homes for fear of their personal safety," Kotaku's Luke Plunkett wrote.

The reason #GamerGate has received so much controversy is because it lacks formal leadership and denounces any harassment as not being carried out by "true" #GamerGate members, but members of the group have been tainted.

An analysis by Newsweek discovered that Twitter denizens using the #GamerGate hashtag have directed negative tweets at critics of gaming more than they do at the journalists who supposedly lack the integrity they are seeking to uphold.

In August, Kotaku writer Nathan Grayson, one of the "five guys" who were accused of having a sexual relationship with Quinn, received less than a thousand tweets using the #GamerGate hashtag as opposed to Quinn who received over 10,000 tweets in the same period. Even after it was proven that Grayson never wrote more than one sentence mentioning the game before their relationship even started, ethical issues in gaming journalism continued to grow after disclosures rose that some game journalists supported crowd-funding campaigns for games, but this is where it gets confusing.

To say #GamerGate is about journalistic integrity while female game developers like Quinn or Brianna Wu receive more outraged tweets than the male journalist is contradictory. If Chris Kluwe can write a profanity-filled tirade against #GamerGate without so much as a blink, yet Felicia Day is doxxed almost immediately for speaking up about it, the weight of the movement is no longer viable. As a journalist, I'm all for a movement to better the integrity of those in the field, but this is an irrational way of going about it.

It doesn't make sense to outright attack a non-journalist in a movement about the ethics in journalism, but after #GamerGate members convinced advertisers such as Intel to pull their ads from a gaming website after running a piece that argued video games are for everyone, it only further dilutes their core. However, thinking #GamerGate is about harassing women is far from the truth when many vocal voices of the group are women, and the #Notyourshield tag on Twitter will produce more posts from women that prove this isn't just male gamers talking about #GamerGate. Additionally, HuffPost Live held a #GamerGate conversation with three female gamers to get their views on the movement.

If #GamerGate's true mission is to convince game critics to adopt the same standards as "real journalists," they must make that a clear and concise initiative by focusing on the journalists themselves. The Society of Professional Journalists has been protecting journalism since 1909, outlining the Code of Ethics that all professional journalists, student journalists, and even bloggers should follow. It is the official code that is taught in journalism programs and enforced in the newsrooms of major media.

"GamerGate believes that journalistic ethics are important and we want nothing to do with journalists or publications who do not agree on those points," Gurney Halleck wrote on the website dedicated to #GamerGate. "We want transparency, we want to trust our news sources, and we want to make sure that a small and vocal minority of the gaming press will not try to smear their readers because we are demanding this."

However convoluted #GamerGate is, misogyny in gaming is fully prevalent, whether it is attached to this movement or not. I recently wrote an article about the harassment and bullying of females in comics and at conventions, and while those communities have made great strides in improving acceptance for fangirls, the gaming industry has taken a few steps back.

When Felicia Day finally spoke out against #GamerGate on Wednesday night after remaining silent for "self-protection and fear," just 50 minutes later she was doxxed by the username "gamerg8" with her address and personal email posted in the comments.

So seeing another gamer on the street used to be an auto-smile opportunity, or an entry into a conversation starting with, "Hey, dude! I love that game too!" Me and that stranger automatically had something in common: A love for something unconventional. Outsiders in arms. We had an auto-stepping stone to hurtle over human-introduction-awkwardness, into talking about something we loved together. Instant connection!

But for the first time maybe in my life, on that Saturday afternoon, I walked towards that pair of gamers and I didn't smile. I didn't say hello. In fact, I crossed the street so I wouldn't walk by them. Because after all the years of gamer love and inclusiveness, something had changed in me. A small voice of doubt in my brain now suspected that those guys and I might not be comrades after all. That they might not greet me with reflected friendliness, but contempt.

I went home and was totally, utterly depressed.

It is a familiar feeling that I know all too well. I grew up playing video games and reading comics and never felt unaccepted by those who shared in the same interests. But when I got to college, I realized exactly how females are treated in geek culture.

My college had a comic book club and gamer guild that was one of the reasons I chose it over a top university I was also accepted to that didn't have much of anything past Division I sports teams. At the orientation, the speaker went over the list of clubs, and I could easily see among the crowd of newcomers that I was the only one that cared. I went home and wrote on Tumblr my excitement about coming to a college with such a tight-knit community of people just like me—but they weren't like me. Almost instantly, before I officially became a member of the community, I started a war. Members from each group questioned my credibility in a heated debate over whether I was a "real geek" and if I "should be trusted" while others went so far as to find me on Facebook to quiz me on geek topics. And for what? Voicing my excitement of a few clubs where I can discuss comics and gaming and make new friends? I felt nothing but ostracized and unwelcome to a college I barely started at, and I graduated feeling almost the same.

I can't say my experience is unique, because it's not. Policing women and questioning their credibly to push them out and preserve male dominance is a phenomenon that happens all too often because females are no longer hiding that they're fangirls—and we shouldn't. We play video games. We read comic books. We are every part of the conversation that men are.

Felicia Day is right—it is depressing. To fear being harassed or doxxed for merely typing the words "Gamer Gate" is not what the gaming community is about, and it surely isn't what #GamerGate is truly about because any negativity stemming from #GamerGate has been torn down as the work of an anonymous troll. I will never put my controller down because of #GamerGate, and neither should you.

What are your opinions on #GamerGate? Are you for or against it? Let us know in the comments below.

All-New X-Men 32 Cover by Sara Pichelli

Last time we left off with the All-New X-Men, they had just been transported to the Ultimate universe by a newly fledged mutant unable to control her powers.

The unexpected trip landed each of the team members alone in different locations. Some are more fortunate than others in this respect, but each faces challenges in his or her circumstances. It is at this point that we can begin to speculate how this turn of events may play out in the face of the recent NYCC announcements regarding Marvel's "Secret Wars."

So far, during the All-New X-Men series Brian Michael Bendis has taken us from one challenge to the next as the group adjusts to the lasting effects of time travel. They have faced this admirably and, with the understandable exception of young Scott (Cyclops), the group has stayed together. Now we get to see the All-New X-Men group face a new and uncertain test as individuals.

Of particular interest to audiences will be the plot dealing with mutants on the Ultimate universe. The reaction to Laura (X-23) when it is discovered she is a mutant is intriguing. Bendis has already hinted elsewhere that this will be an important twist in the narrative, and we will have to wait to see how it plays out. Given the divergent threads and characters to follow in All-New X-Men there may be some mileage yet available for Bendis to lengthen out the story details.

The art by Mahmud Asrar in All-New X-Men 32 looks stronger than the previous issue. The lines seem more certain and play well with the use of shading and light that Marte Gracia employs. The way that Asrar draws faces and imbues them with emotion and expression is fantastic. This element brings the story to life through its characters. We can see the uncertainty in Jean Grey or the fear and confusion in young Iceman. The effort from the artists extends to some specific notable pages, such as the double page splash of Miles Morales as his mind is read by Jean Grey.

Miles Morales has an out of body experience.

The All-New X-Men end up separated in some strange places.

There certainly seems to be a lot of art for your money's worth. The number of panels used between the writer and artists is on average 8 per page, with the most being 18 across the double-page spread. The diversity of environments and scenes, due to the scattered characters, also means we get to see a depth of ability used to bring each scenario to life. From what we have seen so far in the series, it is clear why Asrar has been put under the spotlight as one of the new Marvel Young Guns.

All-New X-Men #32 provides a nice next step in a strong series. It is an engaging story, and the art is great to see. I continue to wait each week, hoping for the next issue to turn join my mailbox, and can't wait for the next issue.

So what do you think of All-New X-Men?

Make sure you leave your thoughts about the series or this issue and comment below.

The last time we saw Samurai Warriors hit a major console, it was for the Wii back in 2010. The title was received with major backlash toward Koei, which had not been seen since their blunder in what was the lackluster Dynasty Warriors 6. Since then, Dynasty Warriors has won back its fan base with back-to-back terrific releases of Dynasty Warriors 7 and 8. The question that remains is, did Samurai Warriors 4 accomplish the same thing?

GAMEPLAY

I have been playing the various Warriors titles from Koei ever since the release of Dynasty Warriors 3 for the PlayStation 2. I found myself extremely disappointed when Samurai Warriors made the transition to the Wii; the controls were clunky on a Wii remote, even when I swapped it out for one of the various alternatives, such as the Gamecube controller. The buttons were just too ass backward in several areas; I just couldn't get used to it. To sum it up: it was a mess!

With Samurai Warriors 4, they have hit the nail on the head. One of the biggest criticisms of the prequels was that they were more of the same. To some extent, the same can be said about the newest title. The raw combat mechanics are pretty much the same; you juggle light attacks with strong ones to create some fast and crazy combos. However, several added features to this game have not only created a more difficult and fun experience but also given Samurai Warriors 4 its own identity and feel.

First, the new hyper attack system has changed my gaming experience (for the better). In the past, hitting the triangle button would create a standard charge attack that didn't do much but stun the opposition. Now it's become a way of destroying large groups of enemies. By hitting triangle, you glide foreward and crush huge groups of enemies, string together various other combos after, and can easily charge up your special attack. The only catch is that enemy officers are pretty much unaffected by this new assault.

As for special attacks, better known as "Musou," they've been upgraded from just holding circle down until your bar is depleted, to a fun one-button press spectacle that has your character strike an epic pose before crushing your enemy. If you've played Dynasty Warriors 7 or 8, it's pretty much the same thing that's been done there.

All in all, everything is much smoother and in many cases provides you with much more of a challenge than the previous titles. Throw in the ability to change to another character in real time, and the chaos that ensues is just amazing. Plus it's so convenient to switch to a character who is nearer the target you're after.

As for the game modes, they are split in two:

Story Mode, in which you follow the story of bulky roster of Samurai and Ninas and watch history unfold, and

Chronicle Mode, where you create your own character and travel across Japan, meeting, greeting, battling, and more with the warriors you from Story Mode. Chronicle Mode seems more of a fun passtime than it does the meat of the game, but the character creation is definitely most welcome and quite in-depth compared with previous attempts. Samurai Warriors has never failed to deliver with Story Mode, and it continues that trend here. Its over-the-top spin on things never ceases to keep me interested and researching the history of the Sengoku period of Japan.

PRESENTATION

Samurai Warriors 4 is by far the best looking game in any of the Warriors series, which is quite the upgrade considering Samurai Warriors 3 was the most ugly, by far. Although the art style is a little more "cartoony" than, say, Dynasty Warriors, it fits with the Japanese culture, creating something that's pleasing to the eyes.

The opening to the game shows clips of various storylines that you will play in Story Mode and highlights the poster boy of series, Yukimura Sanada, and his brother, Nobuyuki Sanada. Now, while the video package was well put together and had me excited for the game, I couldn't help but notice from the get-go that all of the voice actors were Japanese.

Many people in the past have played with the Japanese voice actors because in previous titles the English ones have not been up to the expected standard. I can appreciate that, but during actual game play there is too much going on at once. I don't have time to read, plus hack and slash at the same time. Thus I'm constantly missing what the characters are saying. I'm not sure if Koei was hesitant to put more money into the game due to the last title, but this has hurt my overall experience more than I thought it would.

Putting the voice acting aside, the game sounds great, the music is well produced and fits the mood of the battle, whether it's Tadakatsu Honda charging the battle field or an action-packed chase to a retreat point, Samurai Warriors 4 gets it right every time.

FINAL VERDICT

If you have not liked the Dynasty Warriors or the Samurai Warriors series in the past, then this game just isn't for you. It's not going to have changed enough to make you think otherwise. In the end, that's the biggest problem in any Warriors title; it's evolved, but not enough to make a huge difference to the casual audience.

If you have been a fan of the previous titles, or are new to this genre and want to give it a try, then Samurai Warriors 4 is definitely for you. It's the most complete, polished, and fun game in any of the Warriors series. As a Warriors fan who has been jerked around by Koei a few too many times, my final verdict is…

RATING: 7/10 — I'd love to give it an 8, but without an option to have English voice acting, I'm definitely not getting the full experience that I think anyone who purchased the piece of trash known as Samurai Warriors 3 deserves.

Are you going to purchase Samurai Warriors 4? If you have already, do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments below!

Uncanny X-Men #26 cover bv Chris Bachalo

"To me, my X-Men, one last time…"

The words of Charles Xavier ring in the air as Cyclops, Wolverine, and the other X-Men continue to deal with the effects of hearing their former mentor, leader, and teacher confess to doing the exact opposite of what he had always taught his students to do.

Uncanny X-Men #26 picks up the search for Matthew Malloy, the dangerous mutant, whose powers Xavier had been trying to inhibit for most of the former's life. With Xavier now gone, the psychic blocks holding Mallow back have fallen, with devastating results. Enter Maria Hill and S.H.I.E.L.D.—as so often is the case in this series—to step up to the mutant menace.

Hill has been constantly battling the threat posed by various groups or individuals but has been prominent in this and previous arcs of Uncanny X-Men. It is nice to see Brian Bendis using this in a constructive manner in #26, as Hill reaches out to the X-Men once she realizes Malloy is a mutant. This is a nice contrast to Hill's previous attitude and builds on the incidents at the Jean Grey School in Uncanny X-Men issues #21 and #22 and the outcome of the Battle of the Atom event.


Xavier's teaching for Cyclops was a lie.

As we progress through #26, it is nice to see some collaboration between Cyclops and Wolverine as they attempt to fulfill Xavier's last wishes. However, this is not without some understandable confrontation from Cyclops, who resents his old teacher's revelations and still shows guilt for unwittingly killing him. Storm and Wolverine quickly quell the obtuse excuses Cyclops rants about, but it is the surprising turn of Iceman, who shows a rather vindictive streak, that provides the most satisfaction here.

Bendis is big on characterization, on seeing the development of characters beyond what they appear, building weaknesses into strengths, and exploring unique ways of having them react to new situations. For Iceman, we see one of the original X-Men declare his hatred of Cyclops for killing Xavier. Iceman is often seen as a comic relief for some of the other more serious undertones of the world of the X-Men, so this approach is refreshing.

Besides the above-mentioned characters, the story seems to be progressing, but the pace is not extremely quick. This is not necessarily a drawback, as it feels like Bendis is building this up again. We get glimpses of what Malloy is now capable of, and other pieces such as the X-Men and S.H.I.E.L.D. collaboration begin to take shape. This is a nice way to lead into issue #27 of Uncanny X-Men.

Maria Hill realizes her nightmare about mutants has come true.

One of the most fascinating developments out of issue #26 is the training scene at the new Xavier School for Cyclops' students. As Triage challenges the status quo for the group's moral compass and tries to understand his and the other students' place in the wider mutant agenda, we start to see splinter, hairline cracks forming in the group that could lead to some great stories in the future. Also a highlight is Goldballs actually using his name as a catchphrase during his training; this was a great moment in which the artists lift the seriousness of the series as it currently stands.

Kris Anka is on art duty this time around, and his more simple, expressive take on faces lets us digest the more straightforward emotions of the characters in this issue. Anka has a clean line style, but it is on a second viewing of the art that you can see his emphasis on clearly and concisely telling the story that he wants to achieve. The colors Anka uses are another great cue to enhance his storytelling; the limited use of colors mirrors the emotions or tone of any particular panel or series of panels throughout the issue. For example, the action set pieces, with confrontation between Cyclops and the other X-Men or those panels involving S.H.I.E.L.D., are mostly reds and yellows, whereas the training environment and student debate about being good or bad are in softer purple hues.

The X-Men leave to fulfill Xavier's last wishes.

As a creative endeavor, Uncanny X-Men aims to set a different standard from other Marvel comics. It is a part of the publisher's flagship titles for the mutant side of their universe but deals with some more mature themes and questions. Given this, it is great to see a real difference in art and storytelling used to set the series apart. Long may this continue.

To wrap things up for this issue, don't forget to let us know what you think of Uncanny X-Men by leaving your thoughts or a comment below, or send us a tweet or Facebook comment.

The first trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron has leaked online a little earlier than originally planned, so take advantage of it while you can and check it out below!

Marvel Studios presents Avengers: Age of Ultron, the epic follow-up to the biggest superhero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jump start a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry, and Earth’s mightiest heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released in theaters May 1, 2015.

With the recent release of the Master Quest DLC Pack for the Wii U exclusive Hyrule Warriors, Andrew and Tam of the Press Start crew decide to test their mettle with the new content!

The Hyrule Warriors Master Quest DLC Pack features a new weapon for Link (his trusty steed, Epona. Yes, she's a weapon), a new Adventure Mode map with all-new challenges, a new story campaign for the villains, and new costumes for every character. The game also had a free patch update on the day of the DLC's release allowing players to use the three villains featured in the main story campaign (Cia, Volga and Wizzro).

Hyrule Warriors is available now exclusively for the Wii U. The Master Quest Pack DLC is available now and is the first pack to be released with another three on the way.


Have you gotten the chance to play this brand new content? What are your thoughts on this Zelda-Dynasty Warriors crossover? Let us know in the comments below!

Press Start films weekly and can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.