Does The Latest Avengers: Endgame Trailer Reveal When The Thanos Rematch Will Happen?

Does The Latest Avengers: Endgame Trailer Reveal When The Thanos Rematch Will Happen?

Yet another trailer has arrived for Avengers: Endgame, and among all the things Marvel is choosing to keep fans in the dark on, it appears there's a pretty big tease for one much-anticipated scene. The rematch with Thanos has been the moment fans have been waiting for ever since the Mad Titan destroyed half of all life in the universe, and there's some breadcrumbs leading me to believe they won't be waiting long to see it.

In fact, it looks as though once the team has a chance to reconnect, get acquainted and collect their thoughts following this massive tragedy, they're going to track down Thanos in order to exact revenge. What makes me so sure? Read through this line delivered by Thanos in the latest look at the movie.

You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me.

It's a curious line, and one that may be a reference to the Avengers' failure to stop Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. The villain seems to relish in the idea that the heroes have found their way back to him, hoping to right their wrongs in defeating him. Man, how can a villain be such a dick, but also so badass at the same time?

Now, if Thanos' snap has happened, that would imply that no time travel has happened at that point of the film. After all, what would be the point in going back in time if not to prevent the events of the present? It's possible this scene takes place before the team meets up with Scott Lang and learns of the Quantum Realm, and this is a mission half founded on stopping further destruction by Thanos, but mostly founded on revenge.

It's worth mentioning at this point that there's evidence to back some of this, and it comes in the form of a footage description (via Heroic Hollywood) of Avengers: Endgame footage that hasn't been released to the public. The footage, which aired for Disney shareholders a couple months ago, contained scenes in which Captain Marvel and the Avengers (plus Nebula, minus Tony) talk of a rematch with Thanos.

A rematch so soon sounds crazy, but it follows the logic of the heroes. After all, Thor was pretty close to killing Thanos on his own, so having everyone together would give them a solid chance even with the Infinity Stones at his disposal. It’s also worth mentioning that, provided Scott Lang and the Quantum Realm aren’t introduced into the story until later, this is really the only way for the Avengers to save the universe.

Going back to the footage description, Nebula reveals she may know where to find her father, and the crew (again, minus Tony) head off in a ship to face the Mad Titan. The description syncs up with a couple scenes shown in the latest trailer, including the one with the Avengers in the space ship with Captain Marvel and Rocket Raccoon at the wheel. According to the footage, this will be the team that heads off to face Thanos.

So if that’s the team that is supposed to go and fight Thanos, what the hell is that battle scene? After all, Tony is explicitly stated in the shareholder footage not to be a part of this action, but he’s seen marching up on Thanos alongside Thor and Captain America. Did Marvel pull the wool over the eyes of its own investors and show fake footage?

That doesn’t seem like a wise move to fool investors, so it’s more likely there’s something screwy with this scene shown to the public. Perhaps Tony isn’t really alongside Thor and Cap in this confrontation with Thanos, or there are three different heroes entirely? That doesn’t seem likely given Cap’s shield tightening scene seems to match up with the back drop of this battle, so the odds of this scene being completely fabricated are unlikely.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially considering what a great homage it is to see Cap, Iron Man, and Thor fight Thanos together. Who better to take on the villain than than these founding Avengers members? It’d be a cool moment to see on screen for sure, but we’re all well aware the Russos aren’t above creating epic footage strictly for trailers and nothing else.

It’s also possible that while Thanos’ speech about failure comes early in the movie, the actual fight footage comes from a showdown later on in the film. After all, Nebula referred to the place Thanos is at as “the garden.” We’ve seen the location in footage before, and it looks like a paradise and definitely not that smoldering pile of metal and ash he’s chilling out in when the heroes walk up on him.

Hey, maybe the garden has always looked like shit and he’s just using the Reality Stone to help him avoid the realization that his master plan didn’t ultimately save humanity? After all, it would suck to live a life that strictly revolved around mass genocide to save the planet only to learn in the end it wasn’t the answer after all. Yeesh, you’d almost have to feel bad for the guy for having to live with that.

So assuming we're right and the Avengers do take on Thanos fairly early on into the film, where do they go from there? Do they defeat the Mad Titan and it changes nothing? Do they fail and are forced to live with another failure? Tony's gray hair in some scenes is likely another sign we're going to see a time jump, so regardless of how things shake out with Thanos, it appears this is a problem that can't be solved through fists alone.

Avengers: Endgame is headed to theaters in late April, and tickets are already being sold at incredible rates. Fans may want to secure theirs before the grand opening, and continue to stick with CinemaBlend for all Marvel analysis and reactions leading up to the premiere and beyond. For example, read up on the various ways Marvel can wrap up Captain America's arc in the upcoming film.

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Dark Phoenix Won’t Have A Stan Lee Cameo, But It Will Have A Tribute

Dark Phoenix Won’t Have A Stan Lee Cameo, But It Will Have A Tribute

As many exciting developments and projects we’ve heard about and seen in the world of comics and comic book movies over the last few months, there is still a persistent feeling of mourning in the community. Stan Lee, one of the great icons of the industry, passed away in mid-November of last year, and since then there has been a constant outpouring of love and appreciation for his legacy.

This most definitely extends to his legendary string of cameos in big screen Marvel projects - which has emotionally continued posthumously. Since November we’ve seen him with pop up roles in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and Captain Marvel, and it’s been reported that there are still a few left that we haven’t seen. Now we can confirm, however, that one of them isn’t featured in Simon Kinberg’s Dark Phoenix.

This weekend I had the opportunity to sit down with Kinberg and producer Hutch Parker at WonderCon in Anaheim, California, and it was at the end of the interview that I asked about the presence of Stan Lee in the upcoming blockbuster. In deference for the Marvel legend, the director didn’t play coy with his answer, opting to admit that there isn’t a cameo in Dark Phoenix, but he added that Lee’s presence will be felt when audiences see the film this summer. Said Kinberg,

We don't have a cameo. I'd rather say that than then keep it mysterious, out of respect for Stan. We do have some tribute to him, and it's something that obviously we weren't thinking about when we were making the movie because he was still very much alive. And he's been such a huge part of making these films over the years. He's had cameos; he's had input into the process of making them.

It was actually for the X-Men franchise that Stan Lee did his first ever cameo in a big screen superhero movie, playing a hot dog vendor on a beach who watches Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison) emerge from the ocean in 2000’s X-Men. That was followed by appearances in Spider-Man, Daredevil, Hulk, Spider-Man 2, 2005's Fantastic Four, and more, but he did eventually return to appear alongside some of his mutant creations in X-Men: The Last Stand, Deadpool, and X-Men: Apocalypse.

Simon Kinberg actually specifically cited the X-Men: Apocalypse cameo during the interview, highlighting it as one that was particularly significant for Stan Lee. As while we’ve seen him in all kinds of crazy situations and contexts over the years, his appearance in the 2016 comic book movie was the only one to A) take place at Lee’s actual house, and B) co-star his wife, Joan Lee - who passed away about a year after the film was released. The director told me,

I've spent a lot of time with him. I've been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with him. We went to his house for his cameo in Apocalypse, with him and his wife - which was a really special one because it was with his wife. They were so close, and they were together for, I mean, I think most of their adult lives.

Stan and Joan Lee were actually married for 70 years – betrothed since 1947 – which by itself is really remarkable.

Of the movies in which Stan Lee cameoed, Simon Kinberg was a part of three as a producer and/or writer, and it was clearly an emotional subject for the filmmaker to discuss. He added that he really thinks that all of the feelings surrounding Lee’s death will also ultimately have an impact on the way that audiences view the film – if not partially because of the very real pride that Lee felt in regards to the team of mutant heroes that he created. Kinberg continued,

It was something that we all feel now, and we felt when we were in post-production on this movie. So it already felt like a special film for the X-Men, because it is the culmination of all of these movies in so many ways, and because Dark Phoenix is the ultimate X-Men run. But I think even more so, Stan Lee's passing gives even more weight to this film for us, because X-Men, to me, and I think to a lot of fans, and to Stan in some ways, was his sort of ultimate achievement.

So while we may not get to see Stan Lee in some kind of goofy, weird or even heroic situation in Dark Phoenix, it should still be recognized that the deep love for him is still in the DNA – and surely there will be a wave of chills felt when we get to see the aforementioned tribute that the film has planned.

You can see more of my interview with Simon Kinberg and Hutch Parker, as well as parts from my interviews with Dark Phoenix stars Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Evan Peters, Alexandra Shipp, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, by clicking play on the video below!

The directorial debut of Simon Kinberg, Dark Phoenix takes audiences back to the 1990s, and sees the X-Men, led by Professor X (James McAvoy), in a situation we’ve never seen before: recognized worldwide as true heroes. The mutants are experienced working as a team, called on by governments and large organizations in times of crisis, and they are beloved. When their first mission in outer space winds up going sideways, though, they are left with a perilous situation they never saw coming – specifically Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) getting more and more powerful, and less willing to control her darker impulses. As she gets more dangerous, and people start to get seriously hurt, choices have to be made – choices that risk dividing the team.

Also starring Michael Fassbender, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult, Dark Phoenix will be hitting theaters everywhere on June 7th – and not only will we have more from my interviews with the cast and filmmakers coming your way here on CinemaBlend, but also a whole lot more of my coverage from WonderCon 2019.

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Bill And Ted Face The Music Has Added Another Returning Character

Bill And Ted Face The Music Has Added Another Returning Character

After years stuck in development hell, Bill and Ted Face The Music finally got some good news last week. An announcement from Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter confirmed that the titular duo will be back in a second sequel that will be hitting theaters next year, and revealed that production is underway. Obviously we still have a lot of questions about the project, but one that has now been answered is that actor William Sadler will be reprising his role as Death in the comedy.

Like the aforementioned release date announcement, this news comes to us from the official Bill & Ted 3 Twitter account, which revealed the casting while writing "For those who have been asking, @Wm_Sadler will totally be reprising his role!" No details were offered beyond that, and we still don't know how big his part in the story will be, but we're still giving ourselves licence to be excited.

William Sadler's Death wasn't featured in the first Bill and Ted movie, 1989's Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, but instead was introduced as an antagonist-turned-protagonist in the 1991 sequel Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Over the course of that film he goes from offering to play Bill and Ted in a game in exchange for their souls, to being a key member of the rock band Wyld Stallyns - the greatest band the universe has ever known and the foundation of a Utopian society.

Twenty-eight years is a long time to wait before reprising a role, especially an ageless one like Death. Fortunately, William Sadler has an ally on his side: super heavy makeup. As you can tell from the image above, his face is going to be so covered up that you won't be able to tell if he's 30 or 60.

It's very possible that this won't be the last time we hear about an actor returning to reprise a role in Bill and Ted Face The Music, but, sadly, one character we know won't be showing up is Rufus. Though he was a key part of both Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, George Carlin passed away in 2008, and the new movie has decided not to recast the part. Instead, according to the official Twitter account, his absence will be a big part of the movie thematically:

Based on a script by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, and directed by Dean Parisot, Bill & Ted Face The Music will catch up with the titular characters not as world-class rock stars, but instead as struggling middle-aged dads who can't figure out how to fulfill their destiny. They had been told as teens that they were supposed to write a song that would save the universe, but they simply can't get it together. With the movie now filming, hopefully more details will be coming soon, including more casting announcements.

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Ron Howard Responds To Solo Sequel Campaigns

Ron Howard Responds To Solo Sequel Campaigns

You may have noticed yesterday that #MakeSolo2Happen was trending on Twitter and wondered what exactly was going on. Well, it all has to do with a fan campaign to get a sequel made to last year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Fans of the film took to social media to express their love for Solo, how deserving it is of a sequel and desire to see that happen. This outpouring of support was so prominent that even director Ron Howard noticed and took the time to respond:

Short and sweet. Ron Howard’s response on Twitter shows that the campaign to make Solo 2 happen spearheaded by Star Wars News Net’s Resistance Broadcast podcast has caught his attention And he can’t help but smile over this show of love for his movie. He doesn’t address whether or not he actually wants to make a sequel himself, but his smiley face response indicates that he supports the campaign and the idea of a sequel overall.

Following Solo: A Star Wars Story’s disappointing box office, Ron Howard said things that made it seem like he was disappointed that more people didn’t see the film in theaters that his cast and crew worked so hard on. He expressed a belief that if more people gave it a chance, they would find that they liked it. It was the kind of thing that made you feel bad for him, whether you liked Solo or not.

It can’t feel good to have audiences not respond to your work, especially if it's not even give it a chance. So this has to make the director proud, seeing that despite what the box office returns might tell you, people did see Solo and many that did really loved it. Solo connected with people in such a way that many are actively supporting the idea of it getting a sequel.

Unfortunately, while this is a cool thing and it’s nice for Ron Howard to get to see how much people loved his movie, the campaign’s hopes for success seem slim.

Ron Howard made the best of a bad situation, taking a production with many behind-the-scenes woes and made a watchable, entertaining movie out of it. Many of the things working against Solo, like marketing, release date and fan discontent over Star Wars: The Last Jedi, were not Solo’s fault, nor Ron Howard’s. It probably deserved a fairer shake. Nevertheless, Disney is a business and Solo underperformed.

A sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story would presumably be way cheaper and have far fewer troubles, but Lucasfilm seems to be moving away from these kind of solo character stories. The future seems to be in fewer films, spread further apart and separate trilogies, versus the Marvel approach of character solo movies.

You can never say never though. Alden Ehrenreich was signed on for more than one movie and the upcoming Disney+ platform would theoretically open up another avenue for this story to continue. Although I still cringe over how Han got his last name, there are still dangling plot threads, like Qi’ra and Darth Maul from Solo: A Star Wars Story that I would be onboard to see explored in a sequel. There is clearly some fan interest, but is it enough?

The next film in a galaxy far, far away is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, in theaters on December 20. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all of this year’s biggest movies and let us know in the poll below if you want a sequel to Solo.

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Shazam! Director Reveals Behind The Scenes Look At His Cameo

Shazam! Director Reveals Behind The Scenes Look At His Cameo

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Shazam!

Big movies will often have fun cameos from their directors and DC’s Shazam! is no different. Director David F. Sandberg did show up in his delightful first foray into superhero moviemaking, but you could be forgiven for not spotting him. While many of Shazam!’s cameos are front and center for the audience to see, David F. Sandberg’s is very well hidden. The director recently revealed his cameo though and the process that went in to making it happen. Check it out:

The way David F. Sandberg presents this behind the scenes is funny, because when you first see him with his head covered in some kind of mold, you start wracking your brain trying to remember the movie and figure out what this cameo could possibly be. Or at least I did. The director was clearly getting fitted for some sort of molded costume and as you scroll through his Instagram pictures, you discover what that costume was.

David F. Sandberg cameoed as one of the Crocodile Men towards the end of the film, and it was clearly quite the involved process to make this cameo happen. Once the molds were made, we see that David F. Sandberg got to wear and test out a remote controlled crocodile head helmet that he could move with and snap its jaws. The prosthetic croc head even had the ability to electronically control the movement of the eyes and the eyelids.

The whole thing honestly looks ridiculous and kind of fun, if not a little stuffy. This also makes it plainly obvious why you could watch Shazam! a thousand times and not spot David F. Sandberg’s cameo without his reveal here. Quite a bit of work went in to making this practical effect and cameo happen, which is admirable considering that it could have just been done with CGI (without the cameo) for what was ultimately a very quick shot.

The cameo occurs towards the end of the movie, when Shazam and his foster siblings are trying to escape from the Rock of Eternity and Doctor Sivana and they come to a cavern filled with many doors to the Seven Realms. They begin opening doors to find a way out and one of those doors had the strange sight of three crocodile men in suits playing cards in it.

As David F. Sandberg shows in his Instagram, this isn’t an invention for the film but an Easter egg that has a basis in the comics. The Crocodile Men of the planet Punkus are villains of Shazam and members of the Monster Society of Evil.

This is quite a cool cameo that doubles as an Easter egg, and also shows how much fun David F. Sandberg wanted to have in this. He could have just shown up in the crowd during the bus scene or at the Christmas carnival at the end of the film but he went all out to do something different. There’s nothing wrong with more traditional cameos but its fitting that the horror director wanted to get a monster costume for his cameo.

David F. Sandberg’s heavily concealed appearance was far from the only cameo in Shazam! The film also featured a host of cameos from actors like Adam Brody as members of the adult Shazam Family, the appearance of which was a well-guarded secret prior to the film’s release. There was also something of a half-cameo by Superman at the end of the film, although it was not Henry Cavill.

Shazam! is now playing. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news.

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Ryan Reynolds Rick Rolls Pokemon Fans With 'Leaked' Version Of Detective Pikachu

Ryan Reynolds Rick Rolls Pokemon Fans With 'Leaked' Version Of Detective Pikachu

Pokemon is a massive global franchise with a huge fan base. You can be sure that a lot of people are going to be quite excited to see the first live-action adaptation of the franchise Detective Pikachu, when it arrives in theaters on Friday.

People are so excited that they might be tempted to view a pirated version of the film that seemed to hit YouTube recently. Luckily, Ryan Reynolds himself tracked down the illegal file and made the powers that be aware of it. Of course, in doing so he also drew attention to it. I wonder if that was on purpose?

The file is titled Pokemon Detective Pikachu full picture and if you look at it, as I did only for research purposes, you see that it's an hour and 42 minutes long, which makes it long enough to be a feature film.

As you begin to view it you get the opening logos of Warner Bros. and the other companies involved in producing the film as well as a scene that includes Justice Smith which certainly looks to be from the finished film. Everything looks legit, (well, not legit) and in remarkably good quality.

The most interesting thing might be the R. Reynolds watermark in the corner, which would seem to be indicating that this was the actor's copy of the movie that somehow got out.

Of course, we know, there's a punchline coming and if you watch past about the one minute and nine second mark, you see what it is. Pikachu jazzercising, for an hour and 40 minutes. Check it out.

For the record, as somebody who has already seen Detective Pikachu, legally, the brief bit of the actual movie you get isn't even the actual opening scene, but it is from the movie.

My favorite bit has to be the distortion that's been added to the video to make it look like Pikachu dancing is actually from an old VHS tape from the 1980s.

This is pretty much prime Ryan Reynolds. Whether he's promoting a Deadpool movie or a Pikachu movie, he's clearly having a lot of fun with it/ Of course, since Pikachu's voice never appears, it doesn't seem Reynolds had all that much to do with actually creating this video, so praise also goes to the digital artists who created it.

While the dance moves get repeated, there's no obvious looping of the video, which just makes everything here that much more impressive. Some significant work went into a video of making Pikachu dance for over an hour and a half. I have no idea why this exists, but I sort of love that it does.

It's more than a little mesmerizing and the digital music is also hypnotic. Is anybody else watching more of this video than is probably healthy?

While movie piracy is certainly an issue, and Detective Pikachu will probably be no different, most serious fans are probably going to want to check this one out on the big screen anyway.

Detective Pikachu hits theaters Friday.

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Has The Black Widow Movie Started Filming?

Has The Black Widow Movie Started Filming?

It's a very exciting time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Endgame is getting deep into its theatrical run, breaking box office left and right. The blockbuster was an epic adventure that was deeply connected to the previous 21 movies, and it essentially wrapped up the Infinity Saga forever.

The MCU is showing no signs of slowing down, although its plans for the future are currently unclear. Spider-Man: Far From Home is the only upcoming movie with a release date, although there are a variety of projects developing at the studio. Chief among them is the Black Widow solo movie, which will finally give Scarlett Johansson's signature Avenger the spotlight she deserves.

Fans have been eagerly anticipating Black Widow, especially as a strong cast was assembled to join Scarlett Johansson. Now it looks like that movie might already be in production, as a Twitter user revealed a potential shooting location outside Pinewood Studios in Atlanta. So should we expect the solo flick to be one of the first installments in Phase Four?

The future of the MCU is largely a mystery, as Phase Four's slate of films haven't been revealed to the general public. This was done in an effort to guard the secrets of Infinity War and Endgame, a task that grew increasingly difficult in the days leading to their respective releases. But now that Endgame's secrets are out and the spoiler ban has been listed, fans are looking to the future.

Of course, it's important to note that the possible shooting location is not a guarantee that Black Widow is currently filming. In fact, David Harbour previously thought the movie would begin filming in June. So we'll have to wait for an official confirmation.

Related: 10 Times Black Widow Proved Why She Deserves Her Own Solo Movie

The Black Widow movie has been a long time coming, so news that it might be in production is going to make the generations of Marvel fans very happy. Widow has been a supporting character in a whopping seven movie, Natasha Romanoff will finally take center stage in her own flick. But given the events of Endgame, it should be interesting to see how Marvel Studios approaches this project.

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. If you haven't seen it yet, look away!

Black Widow had a strong outing in Avengers: Endgame. Following the time jump, it was revealed that Scarlet Johansson's character was keeping Earth's surviving heroes in communication. She helps devise the plan for the Time Heist after Ant-Man returns from the Quantum Realm, traveling to Vormir with Hawkeye to procure the Soul Stone. Natasha ultimately sacrifices herself to get the Stone, knowing she'll help to bring back the dusted characters back to life.

Widow's death was an emotional gut punch in Endgame, and it should be interesting to see exactly how Black Widow will acknowledge that, and continue the character's story. Smart money says the movie will be a prequel, showing some of the title characters' mysterious backstory and dark life as an assassin. Although since the multi-verse and time travel are also on the table, it seems like anything is possible.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Black Widow, and you can see her in Avengers: Endgame-- in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Anthony Mackie And His Falcon Stunt Double Watched Fans Watch Avengers: Endgame

Anthony Mackie And His Falcon Stunt Double Watched Fans Watch Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is already one of the biggest movies in the world, thanks to a global opening that broke the billion dollar mark. In addition to all of the fans who attended screenings starting Thursday night, at least one Avengers: Endgame star was also in attendance, as Anthony Mackie let everybody know on Thursday that he would be in the audience of one particular showing, so that he could see the movie with a general audience.

Mackie had been to the World Premiere of Endgame a few nights previously, but he said on social media that he wanted to see the movie with a crowd of fans, the general population as he puts it, as well. It's one thing to see a movie in a theater full of those people who helped make it, but the Falcon actor wanted to also see how the serious fans would respond.

Endgame clearly is a movie for the fans. It is a culmination of the franchise to this point, but it's also a celebration of the entire concept of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's something fans have been waiting to see, so of course Anthony Mackie wanted to see just how good a job had been done in their eyes.

For that, you show up to the first screening on Thursday night. That theater will be full of people who could not wait at all to see the film. On the one hand, they're clearly already sold on the MCU, but on the other hand, if there's something they don't like, they're very likely to let you know.

Of course, going to the movies is always more fun when you see a movie with people, and Anthony Mackie didn't go alone. His date for the evening was Aaron Toney, his stunt double in Endgame. Toney has also been the stunt double for Chadwick Boseman in the MCU as well.

Unfortunately, there's no follow up tweet where Anthony Mackie tells us what the experience of watching Avengers: Endgame with a general audience was like, but based on everything we do know, we can guess it went pretty well. Fans and critics alike have been praising Endgame left and right. For a franchise that has built over 20 films in just over 10 years, the film that was designed to end many stories and send the MCU in a new direction people largely agree has done so in a near perfect way.

Considering that the film brought in an estimated $350 million domestically and $1.2 billion worldwide on its opening weekend, it seems quite clear that fans loved the movie. You can bet that many of those ticket sales went to people already seeing the movie for at least a second time. It seems like almost the entire world saw the movie this weekend, the only question now is, are there enough people left to see it in order to send the box office numbers even higher?

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Early Detective Pikachu Reviews Are In, Here's How It's Doing On Rotten Tomatoes

Early Detective Pikachu Reviews Are In, Here's How It's Doing On Rotten Tomatoes

Pokemon is about to make its debut for a mass audience when the first live-action film in the franchise, Detective Pikachu, debuts next week. A handful of critics have already seen the movie, and their reviews are now online. So far, the new film is doing pretty well, while the movie only has 32 reviews as of this writing, the majority of them are positive, as Rotten Tomatoes currently has the film with a solid 75% positive score.

The movie has actually seen something of a boost in the last few hours. When Detective Pikachu first had enough reviews posted on Rotten Tomatoes to calculate a score, it had a 67% score after 21 reviews. Since then, 11 additional reviews have come in, and they've clearly been more positive.

Having said that, the movie has an average rating of 6.26 out of 10, which means that while most of the reviews may think the movie is good, they're not necessarily glowing.

While most seem to be in agreement that Detective Pikachu as a character is adorable as hell, and that the digital effects are impressive, It seems the story might be a bit disjointed and convoluted.

It's certainly going to be interesting to see just how Detective Pikachu does at the box office. The size and passion of the Pokemon fan base cannot be understated. Pokemon is a huge brand globally and it seems to be almost a certainty that overseas this movie is going to do serious business.

Domestically, things might be a little different. If you're not an expert on the hundreds of types of Pokemon that exist, will Detective Pikachu still work? Some of the critics seem to indicate thew answer is no, and as such there's a segment of the potential audience for whom lukewarm reviews might be enough to keep them home.

Still, Ryan Reynolds is incredibly popular and while Pikachiu might not be Deadpool, trailers indicate Reynolds is bringing a very similar style of (more family friendly) humor that could bring in a larger audience.

For those that have been waiting their entire lives for a live-action Pokemon movie, however, this film is almost certainly "critic proof." The only question is just how big that fan base is. Box office estimates currently have the movie looking at a domestic opening weekend of $82 million. In absolute numbers, that's a solid effort, even if it still might mean coming in second to the third weekend of Avengers: Endgame, which is currently still a possibility.

Certainly, there are going to be a lot more critics that are going to be seeing Detective Pikachu before it hits theaters next Friday, and considering how the Rotten Tomatoes score jumped significantly with only 11 reviews, it has the potential to do the same, and in either direction, after many more people file their opinions.

Detective Pikachu hits theaters May 10.

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Disney’s Cruella Movie Is Looking To Add Emma Thompson

Disney’s Cruella Movie Is Looking To Add Emma Thompson

Some of Disney’s recent live action adaptations have been relatively straightforward remakes of their animated predecessors, while others have been taken more drastic creative liberties. The upcoming Cruella movie will fall into the latter category, presumably because we already got a 101 Dalmatians remake in 1996. We’ve know for years that Emma Stone will play a younger version of Cruella de Vil, but it looks like another Emma could join this prequel project, this one having the last name Thompson.

Fresh off Emma Thompson’s Saturday Night Live hosting stint and ahead of the release of her next movie, Late Night, Variety is reporting that the actress is in early talks to star in Cruella. However, details regarding who she would play are being kept under wraps.

Assuming a deal is reached, this would be the latest entry in Emma Thompson’s extensive Disney resume. Back in 2002, she voiced Captain Amelia in Treasure Planet, and in more recent years, she’s played P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks and Mrs. Potts in the live action Beauty and the Beast remake. As far as what else she has coming up, along with Late Night, Thompson can be seen later this year in Men in Black: International and Last Christmas, and beyond 2019, she’s attached to The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle and How to Build a Girl.

All we know about Cruella so far is that it will be an origin story depicting how Cruella de Vil developed her obsession with dog fur, specifically the dalmatian variety, although it still hasn’t been specified where in her timeline this movie will take place. Cruella was voiced in the original One Hundred and One Dalmatians animated movie by Betty Lou Gerson, and Emma Stone would be the third actress to portray the character in a live action on-screen project, following behind Glenn Close, Victoria Smurfit and Wendy Raquel Robinson.

For now, I’m guessing that Emma Thompson is being eyed to play Cruella de Vil’s mentor in this prequel. Unless Cruella was just born with the impulse to want to turn dogs into clothing, she had to have absorbed such malevolence from someone, and that’s where Thompson’s character would fit into the picture. Alternatively, maybe Thompson could be playing a fashion mogul that the younger Cruella clashes with during this story.

Originally Mozart in the Jungle co-creator Alex Timbers was set to direct Cruella, but due to scheduling conflicts he later dropped out and now I, Tonya’s Craig Gillespie is helming the picture. Tony McNamara penned the most recent draft of the script.

Cruella is set for release on December 23, 2020, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the movie as pre-production continues. If you’re curious about what other live action Disney offerings are coming down the pipeline, look through our handy guide.

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Minions Sequel Gets A Title, May Actually Be An Origin Story

Minions Sequel Gets A Title, May Actually Be An Origin Story

The Despicable Me movies have always been a hit with fans and brought in serious box office dollars, but the first film in the franchise to cross the $1 billion mark was actually the spinoff title, Minions, which focused on the little yellow creatures that work as henchman for Despicable Me's Gru.

It looks like the forthcoming sequel to Minions, will bring things around full circle and also act as an origin story for the Steve Carell voiced "bad guy", as, according to Deadline, the movie now has an official title, Minions: The Rise of Gru.

The first Minions movie ended with the yellow freak shows first being introduced to a much younger Gru. Since Minions apparently live to serve bad guys, they decide that Gru is the leader they need. It appears, based strictly on the title, that the new movie will pick up right where the last one left off and watch Gru grow from small time thug to moon stealing supervillain.

It seems the idea here is for the new film to be both a Minions sequel as well as a Despicable Me prequel, though one assumes that this one will be told from the perspective of the Minions.

Based on the title, one assumes Steve Carell will be returning to voice Gru in what will be a significant part, though it's possible he could spend most of the movie in the background and the story will instead focus on what the Minions are doing behind the scenes into order to make Gru a success.

Based on the box office success of the franchise as a whole, and the first Minions movie specifically, it's actually the highest grossing animated film franchise ever, it would seem that there is an audience that is going to be very excited for this new movie.

Beyond the title we know essentially nothing about what the new movie will actually be about. The project was easily green lit following the stellar box office success of the first film, but this is the first real news we've received about it.

Illumination is about to drop another sequel to a popular franchise. The Secret Life of Pets 2 will hit next month. Once that happens, one assumes we'll start to get more info about the Minions sequel as Minions: The Rse of Gru is the animation studio's next project, set for a July 3, 2020 opening. A sequel to Sing is also one the way a year after that.

It's even possible we could see a teaser trailer for the movie in front of Pets 2. With the film being just over a year away there is probably enough work done to put something together to start to get fans excited.

I'd by lying if I said I was one of the people who was excited for Minions: The Rise of Gru. I've never found the franchise to be particularly engaging, but there are certainly those that feel differently and good for them. I'm glad they're happy that we'll be up to our neck in Minions come next July.

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Avengers Infinity War Cast List: All The Confirmed Marvel Heroes And Villains

Avengers Infinity War Cast List: All The Confirmed Marvel Heroes And Villains

There's no denying it: Avengers: Infinity War will feature the largest cast for a Marvel movie yet. Building off everything that's happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since it launched in 2008, the movie will see the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and more to fight the threat this franchise has been teasing for half a decade: Thanos. He's one of the greatest villains in the Marvel comics, and he'll finally prove why he's so formidable on the silver screen.

There's still a lot that hasn't been revealed yet about Avengers: Infinity War, including how it connects to 2019's Avengers 4. Fortunately, one area where there's plenty of information is castings. While Marvel is remaining tight-lipped on the new characters who will appear (including who Peter Dinklage and Terry Notary are playing), there have been numerous confirmations about characters who will be returning. Let's take a look at all the MCU heroes and villains who will definitely be back for Avengers: Infinity War.

Thanos

Thanos stayed on the sidelines for five years now, but in 2018, he'll finally prove why he's the overarching antagonist of the MCU. After several of his minions failed to retrieve the Infinity Stones on his behalf, the Mad Titan decided at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron to take his Infinity Gauntlet out of the vault and secure them himself. If he succeeds, Thanos will be able rewrite all of reality, and like his comic book counterpart, he may be doing this to court Death.

Iron Man

Iron Man has been part of the MCU since the beginning, so it would be weird if he didn't participate in Avengers: Infinity War. Tony Stark has been through a lot over nearly a decade, from becoming a superhero and walking away from war profiteering to working with the government on registering enhanced individuals. Tony is still continuing his Iron Man duties and trying to keep the world safe, so bet on him being at the front lines and breaking out his best tech yet to fight Thanos.

Captain America

Captain America has been one of the MCU's most cherished heroes for decades, but as of Captain America: Civil War, Steve Rogers has abandoned his patriotic mantle and is on the run due to his anti-registration activities. Despite his current predicament, Steve is still someone who will do the right thing no matter what. So when Thanos comes to Earth, he'll jump back into action to keep the innocent safe, which hopefully means picking up his vibranium shield again.

Thor

Even though he hasn't been involved with the Avengers for a while, Thor's been keeping himself busy. Along with departing Earth at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron to learn about the Infinity Stones, he also has to deal with what's coming up in Thor: Ragnarok, which includes finding Odin, surviving Sakaar and preventing Hela from destroying all of Asgardian civilization. The God of Thunder will be put through the ringer this fall, but rest assured, he'll be ready for battle during Avengers: Infinity War.

Hulk

Like Thor, Hulk's been out of the game for a little bit, but moviegoers will reunite with him in Thor: Ragnarok, where he'll battle Thor on Sakaar and then team up with the God of Thunder. Then he'll take part in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4, which, according to Mark Ruffalo, form with Ragnarok to make a standalone Hulk story. That's fine and dandy, but no doubt what many Marvel fans want most from the Green Goliath in this tale is for him to go mano a mano with Thanos.

Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a still new to the MCU, but his decades-long popularity has ensured that he's already a major player in the MCU. After being recruited by Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker is returning in Spider-Man: Homecoming to put his technologically-enhanced Spider-suit to good use and a gang of thieves with their own special tech, led by The Vulture. We don't know yet how that story will play out, but it certainly looks like it will strengthen Peter's character, making him a more effective superhero for when Avengers: Infinity War rolls around.

Star-Lord

Peter Quill was taken from Earth almost 30 years ago, and although he's led a life of excitement since then, he still hasn't returned to home. With two adventures under his belt with the other Guardians of the Galaxy, the self-named Star-Lord will finally have to head back to Earth in Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos starts wreaking havoc. Since he's been gone for so long, it will be interesting to see how Peter reacts to modern day pop culture, like learning how the Zune isn't the most popular music player like he was led to believe.

Gamora

Gamora was the first of Thanos' "children" to leave his side, and it's a good thing she did, because now she's putting her skills to good use as a Guardian of the Galaxy. Because of her time with the Mad Titan, Gamora will prove invaluable in fighting him and his forces during Avengers: Infinity War. Of course, since she was also Thanos' favorite daughter, that makes her betrayal sting even more for him, so if they cross paths, you can bet that "daddy" is going to have some words for Gamora, to put it as lightly as possible.

Drax

Drax the Destroyer helped with destroying Ronan, the Kree fanatic who killed his wife and daughter. However, Drax told Gamora at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy that Ronan was just a pawn, and for his vengeance to truly be carried out, he would need to kill Thanos. Drax's desire for revenge wasn't mentioned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but you can bet that if sees Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, he'll try his hardest to eliminate the intergalactic warlord.

Nebula

It took Nebula a little longer to leave Thanos' side, and even longer for her to work out her issues with Gamora. Fortunately the sisters were on good terms by the time Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 concluded, but rather than stick with the Guardians, Nebula departed to begin her quest to kill Thanos. She'll have to contend with Drax trying to fulfill that same objective, but at least we can count on Nebula being an ally during Avengers: Infinity War rather than trying to hurt the other Guardians.

Rocket

Rocket is arguably the biggest smart-ass in the MCU. Yes, dare I say it, even more so than Tony Stark. But after two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, he finally seems to realize that his connections to his fellow Guardians aren't easily broken. Now that his relationship fears have been dealt with, we can count on him providing his weaponry expertise in the showdown against Thanos. There's also concept art of Rocket fighting alongside Thor, so expect him to insult the God of Thunder's hair, or something along those lines.

Groot

It was fun seeing Baby Groot in action during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but one of the sequel's mid-credits scenes showed that the walking and talking tree is still growing and currently in his teenage phase. Groot will still be in his adolescent phase during Avengers: Infinity War, though perhaps something in either this movie or Avengers 4 will trigger a growth spurt. In any case, if we're lucky, maybe we can see him and Hulk battling some of Thanos' goons side by side, though so far the only other Marvel hero seen alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy in this movie is Thor.

Mantis

Mantis spent most of her life being forced to serve Ego, but now that Peter Quill's father is no more, she has joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. It's unclear if her empathic abilities will come in handy during Avengers: Infinity War, but at least she can now help other with her power rather than serve a sinister Celestial. We also don't have to worry about her being killed off, as she'll be back with the other Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

The Collector

Thanos isn't the only one who wants to gather the six Infinity Stones together. Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. The Collector, has also been eagerly seeking those powerful artifacts, and even though he lost the Orb, a.k.a. Power Stone, when his collection was destroyed, he presumably still has the Aether, a.k.a. the Reality Stone, which he received in Thor: The Dark World. So far, we've only seen The Collector as an eccentric alien who enjoys gathering things for his museum, but maybe we'll see him show off some of his incredible powers in Avengers: Infinity War.

Vision

Vision is one of the newer superheroes in the MCU, but as far as Thanos is concerned, he's arguably the most important Avenger. Vision was born in Avengers: Age of Ultron when the Mind Stone was implanted in the synthetic body that contained J.A.R.V.I.S.'s programming. It's thanks to the Mind Stone that he's so powerful, but it also means that Thanos will immediately seek Vision out to rip the Stone from his forehead. One would assume this would kill Vision, but we won't know for sure until next year.

Loki

Loki struck an alliance with Thanos in The Avengers to secure the Tesseract, a.k.a. the Space Stone, in exchange for the Chitauri army conquering Earth for him. Not only did the Asgardian God of Mischief fail to deliver the Tesseract to the Mad Titan, his invasion was vanquished and he lost the Mind Stone in the process. Since then, Loki has taken over the Asgardian throne in Thor: The Dark World and will play an integral role in Thor: Ragnarok, but we don't know yet how he'll fit into Avengers: Infinity War.

Doctor Strange

Most of the special abilities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have stemmed from science or cosmic forces, but Doctor Strange fully pulled back the curtain on magic and mysticism. Now that he's the master of New York's Sanctum Sanctorum, Stephen Strange has been keeping track of individuals who could threaten Earth, and Thanos is likely at the top of the list. The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy certainly aren't lacking for brute force, but maybe Doctor Strange's magic could be integral to defeating the Mad Titan.

Black Panther

T'Challa inherited the Black Panther mantle after his father was killed in Captain America: Civil War, and now that T'Chaka's murderer (Helmut Zemo) is in prison, the prince has gone back to his homeland, Wakanda. The Black Panther movie will follow T'Challa as he battles sinister forces aiming to bring down the Wakandan kingdom, but he won't have long to rest after afterwards, because he'll be participating in Avengers: Infinity War only a few months later.

Black Widow

Black Widow has been one of the MCU's most popular superheroes since being introduced in Iron Man 2, and while she still hasn't been given her own solo movie yet, she remains an important character in these ensemble pieces. When we last saw Natasha Romanoff, she'd gone on the run after helping Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes escape. Black Widow is skilled at staying hidden, but we suspect that when Thanos arrives on Earth, she'll return to help her comrades.

Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful humans on Earth, but she was still captured during Captain America: Civil War's airport battle. Thankfully, Steve Rogers freed her and the other anti-registration supporters from The Raft. It's unclear whether Wanda Maximoff accompanied Steve and Bucky Barnes to Wakanda, or decided to avoid the authorities solo, but when Avengers: Infinity War unfolds, hopefully her psionic abilities will help even the playing field in this epic battle.

Falcon

Falcon has been loyal to Steve Rogers ever since they met in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so it was no surprise to see the winged hero fight by the Star Spangled Avenger's side in Captain America: Civil War. Now that Sam Wilson is no longer imprisoned on The Raft, it's likely he's continuing to fight the good fight with Captain America in secret, but you can count on Sam busting out his wings and Redwing drone to battle Thanos' minions.

Winter Soldier

At the end of Captain America: Civil War, Bucky Barnes was still on the run from the world's governments for his past crimes as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. Seeking refuge in Wakanda with Steve Rogers, Bucky decided to go back into cold storage until the Wakandan scientists could figure out how to overwrite HYDRA's lingering programming. While there's been some fan speculation that Bucky could reawaken during the Black Panther movie, it's more likely he'll be thawed sometime during Avengers: Infinity War.

Nick Fury

Even though he's no longer S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Nick Fury has been continuing his spy activities following Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He reemerged in Avengers: Age of Ultron to help evacuate Sokovia, but his whereabout since then haven't been revealed. Hopefully Avengers: Infinity War will shed light on what he's been up to, but at the very least, it will be good to see him reunited with the superhero group he recruited years ago.

Maria Hill

After S.H.I.E.L.D. fell apart (well, on the big screen, at least), Maria Hill went to work for Tony Stark, and she was seen aiding Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Despite helping set up the team's new base in New York, Maria was nowhere to be see in Captain America: Civil War, so it's unclear if she's still working with them, focusing solely on Stark Industries business or is operating elsewhere. In any case, her secret agent skills may prove valuable during the big event.

Wong

Wong was one of Stephen Strange's three mentors in Doctor Strange, and with The Ancient One dead and Karl Mordo taking power away from sorcerers, Kamar-Taj's librarian is now the former surgeon's closest magical ally. Wong is also familiar with the Infinity Stones, as he identified the Eye of Agamotto as being one of them (the Time Stone) to Stephen. With the Eye back in its resting place, perhaps Wong will be the one defending it when Thanos tries to steal it.

M'Baku

In the comics, M'Baku, better known as Man-Ape, is one of Black Panther's chief villains. All that's been revealed about the MCU's M'Baku is that he's the leader of a rival Wakandan tribe, so it remains to be seen if he'll be an antagonist in the Black Panther movie (like Erik Killmonger and Ulysses Klaue) or merely have differing views from the hero. In any case, we can expect him back for Avengers: Infinity War, and if we're lucky, he'll put aside his differences with T'Challa and defend Wakanda from Thanos' army.

Okoye

We learned a little bit about the Dora Milaje in Captain America: Civil War, and all indications are that we'll learn even more about them when Ryan Coogler opens the doors to Wakanda in his Black Panther movie. As that happens, we'll get closer to Okoye, the leader of this military group and a fiercely loyal supporter of King T'Challa. If the battle against Thanos works its way to Wakanda (as is expected), then Okoye will fight alongside Black Panther and the rest of the Avengers -- as it has recently been confirmed that actress Danai Gurira will, in fact, be part of the Avengers: Infinity War cast.

Proxima Midnight

Thanos is the ultimate big bad that the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy will have to face-off against in The Avengers: Infinity War - but the Mad Titan isn't totally alone in his quest to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet. Rather, he actually has a group known as the Black Order that is dedicated to helping him take over the universe. Proxima Midnight is one member of this four-person team and is not only an immensely skilled warrior, but can do some serious damage with the powerful spear that she likes to chuck around.

Corvus Glaive

Corvus Glaive is the second member of Thanos' Black Order, and is actually the husband of Proxima Midnight. He is considered the leader of the Mad Titan's subordinates, and serves as the purple alien's right-hand man. His name actually comes from the weapon he wields - a glaive - and just by itself it makes him a seriously scary threat. As you can see in the image above, it has the power to cut through anything, including Vision's head, presumably allowing him access to the precious Mind Stone.

Ebony Maw

Another member of the Black Order, Ebony Maw is admittedly not much of a physical threat, As you can see, he's not exactly super ripped. That, however, should not make you underestimate just how powerful he is. He may not have giant muscles, but what he does possess is a special power of persuasion - able to whisper in ears and get things done. So while Iron Man or Captain America could just punch him in the face to knock him out, they are in serious trouble if he successfully sneaks up on them and starts telling them what to do.

Black Dwarf

Also known as Cull Obsidian, Black Dwarf is the fourth and final member of the Black Order - and kind of the opposite of Ebony Maw. He is by far the biggest of Thanos' minions, and able to throw a seriously hefty punch that even Hulk would be affected by. With his might combined with his teammates' combined strength, the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are definitely in trouble.

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New Shazam! Video References Superman And Justice League

New Shazam! Video References Superman And Justice League

Shazam! will be the first DCEU solo film that features a superhero who wasn’t introduced in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and didn’t fight alongside the trinity in Justice League. At a glance, Shazam! might appear to take place in a different world entirely, but a new video from the film makes it clear that Billy Batson’s superhero exists in the DC world with references to Superman and the Justice League. Take a look:

This Chinese spot for Shazam! on Twitter shows that this movie takes place in a world like ours where kids are big fans of superheroes, but unlike ours it is a place where superheroes actually exists. Freddy Freeman is a big superhero fan and is thrilled to find that his new foster brother has superpowers, dropping references to Superman and other members of the Justice League.

As we’ve seen in the previous trailers, Freddy has one of Batman’s Batarangs, so not only is Batman someone kids idolize, he has his own memorabilia. It’s also fun to hear Freddy say “heroes fly” after the first Shazam! trailer, where Billy Batson was testing out his new powers and having difficulty doing much more than impressive jumping. To Freddy and kids like him, Superman is at the top of the superhero mountain, in large part due to his powers of flight.

Freddy specifically references Superman's death in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, showing how the events of the previous films are common knowledge in Shazam!

The best reference to the Justice League in this video is when a clearly out of his element Billy Batson tells Freddy Freeman that he can’t talk to fish, asking what good that power would be even if he could. This is a hilarious reference to the long-standing criticism and joke about Aquaman that he is the hero that talks to fish.

Freddy Freeman dunks on this oversimplification, saying that Aquaman’s powers allow him to command an army of billions of ocean dwellers. This seems to reference the events of December’s Aquaman and the war that took place beneath the surface. While saying this Freddy also tugs at his shirt that appears to have the Aquaman logo on it.

Unlike The Walking Dead, which takes place in a world where zombies were never part of pop culture, Shazam! takes place in a world where superheroes are something kids obsess over while also being real. That’s what makes the conceit of this movie so fun, a kid gets the kinds of powers that every kid dreams of having. He gets to experience all the joys of those powers while also discovering that with great power…you know the rest.

These little Easter eggs are fun for DC fans but they do raise some interesting questions about the DCEU overall and where Shazam! fits in it. The underwater world was being denied in the media in Aquaman, Superman was a controversial public figure and Batman was being viewed as a criminal in BvS. In Shazam! these superheroes are beloved by kids and have their own merchandise.

That makes the timeline for Shazam! in relation to the rest of the DCEU kind of murky. We know that at one point Henry Cavill’s Superman was expected to make a cameo in Shazam! and Zachary Levi is still hoping for his character to be part of the Justice League one day, but the continuity is all a bit unclear.

It’s probably best not to overthink it. The DCEU may be dead as Warner Bros. seems to be moving further and further away from the shared cinematic universe model and just focusing on making the best movies it can one at a time. To that end the early reactions to Shazam! are very positive teasing that the actual film is just as fun as the trailers and videos like the one above make it out to be.

Shazam! bolts into theaters on April 5. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of this and all the other big movies coming this year.

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12 Classic Marvel Scenes We Now Feel Differently About Thanks To Avengers: Endgame

12 Classic Marvel Scenes We Now Feel Differently About Thanks To Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame really had us geeking out all while tugging on our heartstrings for three hours straight. There’s a good reason why the movie is called the culmination of the MCU thus far: it includes a LOT of callbacks to the past movies, even including literal visits as the heroes completed their time heist. There’s perhaps no better way to provide fan service then to reward the audience for seeing all 22 of the other Marvel epics, and that’s just what Endgame does.

What’s especially exciting is how fun it’s going to be to go back to previous MCU movies and find the relevance and new weight some of the scenes hold now that they’ve been used in another context in the satisfying conclusion. So let’s travel back to the beginnings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and see what key scenes we’ll never look at the same again now that Endgame exists.

That Up There… That’s The Endgame

It is crazy to imagine that just a few months ago we were theorizing about Avengers 4 titles, and it ended up being right under our noses in Age of Ultron. The scene has a special significance now because of Tony calling the mysteries in the sky their “endgame,” which he created Ultron at the time to fight off and Captain America saying they can take anything down together. Tony throws the line back at Steve in the beginning of Endgame when he’s distraught about their dire situation, and now every time we see this Ultron scene, it’ll have an extra special connection.

No More Surprises

Among the many memorable scenes in Infinity War, this quick one between Tony and Pepper before the action begins seemed a bit random. Now we know that it was foreshadowing for their future life in Endgame. Tony says he had a dream that they had a child together and named it after her eccentric uncle, Morgan. In Endgame, five years later, that’s exactly where we find the Iron Man couple. The scene may play a little sad for fans now as we see Tony promise his girl that all the “surprises” are over and it’s time for them to settle down, give that we know how it ends.

I Want Another

When we meet back up with Thor in Endgame, we see an unexpected transformation. He’s packed on a lot of weight, he drinks a lot of beer and plays Fortnite with his friends from Ragnarok. How did he let himself go? And why is Thor now the most hilarious Avenger? This early scene of the hero eating breakfast and smashing coffee mugs in demand of “another” shows that this characterization has been made the entire time. He’s prone to being excessive when not in check and he’ll be tested by this in Endgame.

Avengers Take Down Loki in Stark Tower

After seeing Endgame, we’ll always imagine future Cap, Tony and Ant-Man roaming around the 2012 New York battle sequence, attempting to steal the Tesseract. While they said the movie doesn’t go by Back to the Future time travel rules, viewings will certainly start to run together a little bit as we imagine how Endgame built off that original Avengers scene. I don’t know about you, but I always find myself already thinking about how another Marty is backstage at the dance trying to fix up time in Part II whenever I view the first movie.

The Winter Soldier Elevator Scene

Endgame has a great nod to Winter Soldier when some of the team is in the 2012 New York timeline, and Cap is tasked with nabbing the Tesseract. It’s a great moment when he finds himself in an elevator again with some of the same Hydra agents from The Winter Soldier. As an audience, we expect another epic scene to go down, but he instead tricks them by saying “Hail, Hydra.” We’ll always remember how clever and evolved Endgame Cap is during this classic scene now.

Frigga’s Death

Thor: The Dark World may be one of the least favored MCU films, but Endgame actually made it relevant! (Gold stars to the Russos!) During the Time Heist, Thor and Rocket are transported a few moments before the God of Thunder’s mother is murdered. The hero is going through his own grief and guilt about his failure to protect the world from Thanos. He has a sweet moment with her when she gives him a much-needed pep talk, giving the Dark World scene more weight.

Come And Get Your Love

The Guardians of the Galaxy opening will perhaps go down as one of the most iconic and entertaining MCU scenes. Seeing Chris Pratt jam out to “Come And Get Your Love” on cassette as he kicks around some alien creatures is already a lot of fun! After Endgame, we can’t help but think how ridiculous Quill is to onlookers (Rhodey and Nebula) when they come back to that moment in Endgame. He’s never going to live that one down!

Say Something, If You Don’t You’ll Regret it.

Toward the beginning of Civil War, we meet Tony at an MIT presentation where he is showcasing some cool tech that shows the last moment Tony shared with his parents before they were killed. He is clearly regretful that he lost his parents at a time when he didn’t have the healthiest relationship with them, and wished he could buy back some more time with them, particularly his father. Now that we know Tony is able to go back and have a positive conversation with Howard Stark as an adult, the presence of this scene in Civil War is poetic.

Cap Moves Mjolnir

In one of Avengers: Age of Ultron more funs scenes, Thor invites his fellow heroes to take a crack at moving the his hammer. While a majority of them are unsuccessful, Cap is able to squeak it over a bit, resulting in a bit of anxiety from Thor at the time. In Endgame, Cap turns out to be worthy of Mjolnir and swaps weapons with the God of Thunder. This scene is now an origin story for that badass moment.

Doctor Strange Gives Up the Time Stone

Among a few other WTF moments in Infinity War (cough Quill) was the time when Doctor Strange straight up hands the Time Stone over to Thanos in order to save Tony’s life. It was an odd decision at the time, but since he did look into the future possibilities, we knew there was hindsight to it. Audiences will now be able to look at this scene now and see the moment much differently: through Strange’s eyes.

You’re Not The Guy To Make The Sacrifice Play.

Okay… this one stings. Back when Cap and Tony first met in 2012’s Avengers, the two were already pushing each other’s buttons with their different ways of thinking. In one scene, the two get in a heated argument as tension builds about Bruce Banner exploding into the Hulk, and Steve says the above words. Of course, now that we know that Tony makes the ultimate sacrifice by putting on the Infinity Gauntlet and saving the world; he is that guy.

Hogan, Drive. Cheeseburger First.

How fitting is it that one of the last references in Endgame is one of the earliest in the MCU? Back in Iron Man, when Tony arrives home from the treacherous journey that would define him as the hero, the first thing on his list is devouring an American Cheeseburger. In Endgame, Happy Hogan shares a touching moment with Tony’s daughter Morgan about the fast food. So naturally every time we watch this funny note in the 2008 flick, we’ll be crying 3000 tears.

It's time for an MCU rewatch. What classic MCU scenes will you be going back to post-Endgame? Let us know in the comments!

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John Wick: Chapter 3 Ending - What Happens And What It Means For The Next Movie

John Wick: Chapter 3 Ending - What Happens And What It Means For The Next Movie

Warning: Spoilers for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum are in play. If you haven’t seen the film, then bookmark this piece and come back later once you’re caught up. Tick tock, dear readers; you’re not going to want to wait too long to see this one.

At the end of John Wick: Chapter 2, it felt like the fortunes of poor John (Keanu Reeves) were at their worst. With his status as an excommunicado exile, per The High Table’s orders and the codes of The Continental, a worldwide hit was about to be put out on his person, and there were plenty of people eager to collect that bounty.

However, the ending of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum has raised the stakes even higher, leaving poor Jonathan with an even tighter spot to work his way out of. With these new circumstances come new alliances though, as well as a potential way out that would change the fabric of the John Wick franchise forever.

This is your last chance to back out of here, before spoilers start flying like bullets. If you’re not current on the John Wick franchise, you should go and rectify that ASAP, and enjoy some of our other coverage of Chapter 3. Otherwise, if you want peace, prepare for spoilers, as we jump into the ending of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and what it means for the universe at large. Start with our exclusive interview with director Chad Stahelski, on the ReelBlend podcast:

What Happens During The Ending Of John Wick: Chapter 3?

After being threatened with being removed from his position at the head of the New York branch of The Continental, its venerable owner Winston (Ian McShane) reaches a compromise with The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) of The High Table. The deal is simple, but effective: if he kills John Wick, he’s allowed to keep his position and the hotel will be re-consecrated as a safe haven for anyone in their world to claim as sanctuary.

With that deal in place, Winston shoots John, causing him to fall off of the roof and into an alley next to The Continental. The Adjudicator is mostly satisfied with their terms being fulfilled, and they let Winston and Charon (Lance Reddick) go back to business as usual. However, there’s one problem: John Wick’s body has mysteriously disappeared. Winston certainly isn’t worried, as he goes about his business, and the issue is warily waived off.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum ends with John coming to in front of The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne,) who survived his seven cuts at the hands of Zero (Mark Dacascos) earlier in the film. Healed, but scarred, The Bowery King has sworn vengeance against The High Table. With an all-out war on the menu, John Wick and The Bowery King form an alliance in their mutual scorn of the institution that has ruled their lives for so long.

What It Means For The Next Chapter

With John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’s ending in place, there’s one big factor still in play: John’s presumed dead, and even if he wasn’t, those sitting at The High Table would want him liquidated. So no matter what John’s next moves are, they’re going to have to be pretty large, and very secretive. If there’s a John Wick: Chapter 4, you can bet it’ll probably feel like one extended stealth mission.

But perhaps the greater threat is the fact that, unlike John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John more than likely won’t have the unofficial help of his dear friend Winston. While the last film saw the central assassin still wandering, with some help from the man running New York’s branch of The Continental, this next hypothetical outing would see them presumably on separate sides of the divide.

Winston

With his presumed killing of John Wick putting him back in the good graces of The High Table, Winston has regained the right to run his beloved Continental. And with the location just being reconsecrated as a result of this action, you can be sure that Winston won’t want to jeopardize his position with those that rule the criminal underworld of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

So if John Wick: Chapter 4 should kick off in the future, it would most likely start with John totally unable to access The Continental’s services. Though this time out, it truly would be a total blackout, as Winston would be watched more carefully, as The Adjudicator knows how this last round played out, and they wouldn’t want to take any chances when it comes to John’s possible resurfacing.

The Bowery King

While John Wick more than likely won’t have the help of Winston to fall back on, he has a new ally that he’ll be able to work with. The Bowery King would be a sort of substitute to the mentorship that Winston would offer John in the past, seeing as John’s technically supposed to be dead. Though if he’s really going to wage war with The High Table, there’s no better partner that John Wick could have asked for.

With his network of homeless spies and compatriots blanketing the city of New York, The Bowery King has somewhat of a tactical advantage. Though he’ll definitely need to recruit some more friends, as there were quite a few dispatched in The High Table’s punishment for his previous aid to John Wick. Possibly the most exciting prospect for John Wick: Chapter 4 is that not only will we see more of The Bowery King’s world, we just might get to know him better, as he could spring into the action himself.

The High Table

Much as The Bowery King and John Wick are ready for war at the end of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, The High Table is going to more than likely have a greater stake in the conflict to come. While they let Winston off the hook for the absence of a corpse for Mr. Wick, The Adjudicator isn’t dumb and has probably reported to their superiors that John is probably still going to be a concern.

At the very least, these power brokers in the shadows are going to want to actively seek out the body of Mr. Wick, and put him in the ground for good. But if they’re all concerned enough about Wick and The Bowery King’s alliance, something else they’re probably more than aware of, they may be compelled to step out of the darkness and hunt him down themselves. While we in the audience may know how that would turn out, The High Table is more than likely convinced they have the upper hand against the man who has more than earned the nickname “Baba Yaga.”

Obviously, the future of John Wick’s universe is up in the air, as the box office performance of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum will dictate if the series moves forward, and where it will head. One thing is for certain though: no matter how he resurfaces, John Wick is going to be in more trouble than he’s ever been before. And judging how he’s handled himself these past three films, we’re starting to think he prefers it that way.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is in theaters now, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend as we round off our coverage of the film’s release.

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