Kevin Feige has been particularly chatty as of late. Marvel‘s movie boss has taken on a string of interviews in the past few weeks, taking the opportunity to provide updates on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including some particularly juicy comments about the ‘Avengers‘ movies and where the Marvel universe as a whole might head at the conclusion of Phase 3. And while that might be the more enticing storyline, let’s begin with the (relatively) smaller piece of news.
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In a conversation with Collider, Feige provided a few updates on the production of “Avengers: Infinity War” and let it slide that the studio was no longer looking to shoot it back-to-back with the yet-untitled “Avengers 4.” Quoth the Feige:
We’re doing them one right after another… It became too complicated to cross-board them like that, and we found ourselves — again, something would always pay the price. We wanted to be able to focus and shoot one movie and then focus and shoot another movie.
This is a totally understandable approach for Marvel to take. While back-to-back shoots became popular in the early 2000s — with Peter Jackson‘s ‘Lord Of The Rings‘ trilogy and the Wachowski Sisters‘ ‘Matrix‘ sequels both benefiting from the practice — the Marvel universe must be a logistical nightmare compared to those films. “Avengers: Infinity War” will feature anywhere between six and eight bonafide movie stars — not “good actors,” not “interesting talents,” but international stars — and trying to build a shooting schedule around them while also bringing together the disparate storylines introduced after “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” sounds like a real headache. Good on Marvel for bailing on the approach before it became a problem.
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The big news, though, is Feige’s comments on the post-“Avengers 4” MCU. Feige spoke with Collider again about the direction the studio might head after their Phase 3 movies had come to a close, and Feige admitted they may decide to go in another direction entirely:
We’ve been lucky that [contract expirations] haven’t factored in too much. We’ve had people under contract for certain films, then we’ve had new ideas and new directions like Civil War like we wanted to do, and we’ve been lucky enough to make new contracts. Or Spider-Man: Homecoming, the cast has been awesome in their enthusiasm for the direction and the storylines that we’ve been telling. So it really does, right now, all start with where we wanna take the stories. Certainly as we get to Infinity War there is a sense of a climax if not a conclusion to, by the time we’re at untitled Avengers 4, the 22 movies that will have encompassed the first three phases of the MCU. And what happens after that will be very different. I don’t know if it’s Phase 4, it might be a new thing.
That’s a twist. Look, Marvel was always going to have a tough time pivoting from its old cast to its new one, with a combination of age (Robert Downey Jr.?) and the desire to do something else (Chris Evans?) causing the core Marvel actors to eventually move along to greener pastures. While I’m sure Feige and his team are farther along into discussions about the post-“Avengers 4” universe than he’s letting on, it’s good to hear that Marvel is entertaining a variety of different approaches. I’d love to see the Marvel pass the baton to a younger generation rather than reboot the darn thing, but if Marvel wants to get funky with the alternate Earths or something, I’ll refrain from passing judgment until I see what’s on their mind.
Are there “greener pastures” for actors away from Marvel?
It will sue to be crass and adolescent, if Feige is in charge. He’s a teenage hack, a pimply Hollywood suit without talent moving busted plastic chess pieces around a soda-pop-soaked board in the basement of his parents house. Turning the Thunder God into a preening, feminized supermodel was enough to earn this punk eternity in the lower realms. Marvel can burn in hellfire.
Watch out, we have a badass over here.
They are shooting them back-to-back, though. What they aren’t doing is shooting them simultaneously.
It’s Wachowski brothers, B-R-O-T-H-E-R-S. As in males at birth, males in disguise, and males at the end of their days.
Yeah, because it makes a big difference in your life what they call themselves…
It matters only when someone is trying to bullshit me.
And how does their preference of pronouns affect your life to the point that you feel the need to rant about it online?
About as much as it affects you to rant about mine, I guess.
It’s all good – but I will never get used to the Watchowski ‘sisters’ lol THEY did not make the Matrix movies, The Watchowski BROTHERS did,
TWO trannies in one family. You gotta wonder which uncle was going where he shouldn’t have been going.
I have complete confidence that Iron Man,Nick Fury,Hulk,Vision,Thor,Captain America,Hawkeye,and Black Widow (and the actors who portray them),can effectively be replaced by Black Panther,Falcon,,Doctor Strange,Ant Man,Wasp,Scarlet Witch,Spiderman,Valkyrie,Captain Marvel,and Bucky (and the actors who portray these amazing new characters).Yes,it will be difficult to see our favorites leave after so many great films,but just look at the replacements-WE ARE GOOD TO GO! And there’s so many yet to be introduced-Warlok,Nova,etc.And we have the ever-expanding Guardians roster!
Why should those characters be retired, just because the actors get old/want to move on? These characters are bigger than their actors, so recasts are perfectly fine. Better than getting stuck with B-List or C-List heroes. Geez, we had 3 Hulks already in the last couple of years. And if Iron Man keeps his helmet on more often than Downey, it doesn’t mater who plays him.
As I said,REPLACED.That doesn’t mean retired.They can be recast eventually,just give these other actors/characters time to shine.And I wouldn’t exactly call these others “B” much less “C” actors/characters.In my opinion their respective solo outings were just as good,maybe better than the orginal teams.3 Hulks isn’t really a great argument,since the first absolutely stunk,and the second had it’s many flaws.In my opinion,i’d rather see fresh new faces than a quick turn around.I seriously doubt many fans will be happy to see someone else as Ironman right away.
For now, Marvel has my trust (money) with movies until they blow it. DC is closer to the opposite end of the spectrum. Dc is at least 10 good movies behind the MCU
I like the idea of ending it. It leaves the audience wanting more on top of, if everything goes right, it leaves on a high note before comic book movies in general run stale.
If they had the Fantastic Four back,that’s a whole universe right there,no need for the Avengers. Fox doesn’t know what to do with those characters,maybe Marvel are getting them back?