Marvel Movies: Phase 3 and Beyond

[MechDeus]

Have there been any particular examples of a Marvel movie preventing an actor or director from doing another movie that didn't eventually come out? Downey's been doing projects nearly back to back and it hasn't prevented movies like Sherlock Holmes to be released.

I don't have specific examples of those specific people, but if you're seriously trying to say this isn't a thing then you're lying to yourself. This is especially true with them signing up for so many films over a long period of time, which really only works if it's a child star who wouldn't have other work anyway (provided they don't get typecast in the process).

There's an underlying construction of a bigger Marvel movie universe sure and some movies do this more visibly than others such as Iron Man 2 and the end of Captain America but at the same time I have no problem enjoying them as stand alone movies either. There are growing pains any time you set up something as ambitious as a Marvel movie universe but Phase 2 seems to be upping the budget and scope of the solo movies which could give way to even better and more fully realized movies.

You mean flashier movies. They're well entrenched in the design of pumping out sequels just to have people see the other sequels; they aren't even pretending to set up multifaceted and introspective characters with plots that explore their nature.

Please note, I'm not saying better movies would be for sure coming out if these weren't. We'd still be getting more Prince of Persias and John Carters, which are easily interchangeable with most of these. But on the flip side, we're likely getting less varied licenses in favor of more Marvel, so ultimately we get the same quality of products but thematically less diverse.

And c'mon, you're making it look like these movies had like Schumacher level camp and silly shit. The films had their own brand of self deprecating humor and stuff like that but it wasn't like neon bright tights and BIFF! POW! Bat Shark repellent/credit card crap.

Take away the neon coloring and, no, there isn't really much difference. They do have better art direction.

Yes. They would have had to waste time establishing Thor, Cap, and everyone else instead of hitting the ground running like they did.

They summed up Captain America's movie in like 10 seconds and did just as good a job of it as actually watching the movie, Hulk already had a previous movie (which regardless of whether or not it was hated, the more recent one certainly added nothing anyway), and Thor would've been better with nothing established just like he was in Ultimates. This also applies to Hawkeye and Black Widow's previous appearances, which did nothing.

In fact, just add some of those name labeling shots that movies about groups often do and you could leave the film as-is for the average moviegoer.

[Will]

I don't have specific examples of those specific people, but if you're seriously trying to say this isn't a thing then you're lying to yourself. This is especially true with them signing up for so many films over a long period of time, which really only works if it's a child star who wouldn't have other work anyway (provided they don't get typecast in the process).

Mech, I'm not saying that this type of contractual obligation stuff doesn't exist what I'm saying is that the effects of this aren't as big as you and Diff are making it seem.

Most of these actors have done other movies in the interim without it being an issue and other movies like Pacific Rim, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Hangover 3, etc will continue to be released. About the only thing that comes to mind is Thor's Fandral played by Joshua Dallas who's not returning to Thor 2 (replaced by Chuck's Zachary Levi) due to working on another TV show but that's not necessarily what you guys were talking about when it came to superhero movies pushing out other movies out of the running.

Honestly, a handful of other movies aside I'm not really looking forward to a whole lot this summer season outside of the ones I listed and Iron Man 3/Man of Steel and I'm probably not even going to watch Hangover 3 in theaters.

You mean flashier movies. They're well entrenched in the design of pumping out sequels just to have people see the other sequels; they aren't even pretending to set up multifaceted and introspective characters with plots that explore their nature.

Please note, I'm not saying better movies would be for sure coming out if these weren't. We'd still be getting more Prince of Persias and John Carters, which are easily interchangeable with most of these. But on the flip side, we're likely getting less varied licenses in favor of more Marvel, so ultimately we get the same quality of products but thematically less diverse.Take away the neon coloring and, no, there isn't really much difference. They do have better art direction.They summed up Captain America's movie in like 10 seconds and did just as good a job of it as actually watching the movie, Hulk already had a previous movie (which regardless of whether or not it was hated, the more recent one certainly added nothing anyway), and Thor would've been better with nothing established just like he was in Ultimates. This also applies to Hawkeye and Black Widow's previous appearances, which did nothing.

In fact, just add some of those name labeling shots that movies about groups often do and you could leave the film as-is for the average moviegoer.

Whether they ultimately turn out to be better movies due to the added budget is certainly up in the air. However for franchises like Thor, Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc. which could use that extra flash to sell the high concepts, and by relation add a higher degree of scope, then I can only see that as an added benefit.

And yes they've been marketing their Phase 1 movies so that people can check out their "catalogue" if you will of movies which can be both a good and a bad thing but at this point with the success of Avengers I think they're trying to reign in that tieing into other movie stuff and focus more on building on the characters in their solo movies. I'd also say that so far there have been definite character arcs that each character went through that either added more depth to them or made them more interesting (at least as far as I'm concerned). Going back to Avengers, some characters like Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye didn't need as much introduction as others but I do think Thor, Iron Man, and Cap have a lot more investment with the people who caught their previous movies even if Avengers does it's best to make itself accessible.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

There's that too.

Bullshit.
Inglorious basterds, the Usual Suspects, Ocean's 11, and eleventy billion other movies with large casts managed to get made and tell decent stories. without prerequisite origin films for each character. I never once felt like i was missing out for not having two hours of backstory about Pike Bishop.
Someone go tell Ben Stiller, Harry Shearer, and the rest rest of the Mystery Men that they got fucked!

[Will]

Bullshit.
Inglorious basterds, the Usual Suspects, Ocean's 11, and eleventy billion other movies with large casts managed to get made and tell decent stories. without prerequisite origin films for each character. I never once felt like i was missing out for not having two hours of backstory about Pike Bishop.
Someone go tell Ben Stiller, Harry Shearer, and the rest rest of the Mystery Men that they got fucked!

Well if Avengers worked for you as an ensemble movie without having to explain Thor, Cap, and Iron Man then that's great. However that doesn't necessarily negate the appeal of the other movies or how they set up the characters to appear in Avengers.

[Advocate]

Honestly, a handful of other movies aside I'm not really looking forward to a whole lot this summer season outside of the ones I listed and Iron Man 3/Man of Steel and I'm probably not even going to watch Hangover 3 in theaters.

Fast and Furious 6, Pacific Rim, Great Gatsby, Star Trek 2, Now you see me, Man of Steel, Much Ado about Nothing, The Lone Ranger, Wolverine, Elysium, maybe Kick Ass 2, The Purge, Machete Kills, and Escape plan ... have me going to the theater this year.

Especially Elysium.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

The argument was that the origin movies were necessary to set up the characters or time would be wasted in Avengers. I could establish them all in 20 minutes, a professional could probably do it in 10, and those tightly scripted and shot 10 minutes would be hella more awesome than the six hours of celluloid wasted on cap, thor, and hulk.

[Some Stupid Japanese Name]

Also, why do you fucks keep bringing up Hangover? There hasn't been a trilogy less needed or demanded since the bad new bears sequels.

[Advocate]

I have never seen The Hangover. I still have no interest in seeing it ... at all.

[Will]

Fast and Furious 6, Pacific Rim, Great Gatsby, Star Trek 2, Now you see me, Man of Steel, Much Ado about Nothing, The Lone Ranger, Wolverine, Elysium, maybe Kick Ass 2, The Purge, Machete Kills, and Escape plan ... have me going to the theater this year.

Especially Elysium.

I forgot about some of those actually.

Lone Ranger? Ehh, maybe and same goes for Kick-Ass 2 since I wasn't a huge fan of the first. Wolverine I'll probably check out and Elysium as well.

The argument was that the origin movies were necessary to set up the characters or time would be wasted in Avengers. I could establish them all in 20 minutes, a professional could probably do it in 10, and those tightly scripted and shot 10 minutes would be hella more awesome than the six hours of celluloid wasted on cap, thor, and hulk.

The solo movies provide a great starting point to get the know those particular characters before delving into Avengers though.

They're optional if you choose to go that route but I do think that each character has a back story worth telling and complements Avengers very well. Ocean's 11 has a bunch of misfits that have brief descriptions of their pasts but at the same time Ocean's 11 is a grounded heist story about human dudes that are gearing up for a big heist as opposed to gods, legendary soldiers, and tech geniuses getting together to fight an alien/otherworldly threat.

[Korly]

Chronicle was an amazing film, that had a super small budget, made a boat load of cash, and was not connected in any way to a comic book.

The Chronicle guy is reportedly going to direct the next Fantastic Four movie.