| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2015. “Ant Man” | July 17, 2015 |
| STARRING: |
| Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man: A former systems engineer at VistaCorp and petty criminal who acquires a suit that allows him to shrink in size but increase in strength. Regarding Rudd's casting, producer Kevin Feige said, "Look at that origin of the petty crook who comes into contact with a suit and does his best to make good, and then look at someone like Paul Rudd, who can do slightly unsavory things like break into people's houses and still be charming and who you root for and whose redemption you will find satisfaction in." Director Peyton Reed compared Lang to George Clooney's character Danny Ocean from Ocean's Eleven, saying, "He's a guy trying to create a new life for himself and find redemption." To get in shape for the role, Rudd worked with trainers and cut alcohol, fried foods, and carbohydrates out of his diet. Rudd stated that in preparation for his role, he "basically didn't eat anything for about a year ... I took the Chris Pratt approach to training for an action movie. Eliminate anything fun for a year and then you can play a hero." Rudd signed a multi-film contract with Marvel, with Feige saying it was "three [films]-plus-plus to appear in other things." Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne: The daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne and a senior board member of Pym Technologies, who helps Darren Cross take over the company. Throughout the film, character progression brings Hope closer to becoming a hero; with the end of the film showing Hank give his daughter a prototype Wasp suit, allowing her to take on the mantle from her mother. Lily described her character as "capable, strong, and kick-ass", but said that being raised by two superheroes resulted in Hope being "a pretty screwed up human being... and the clear message sent by my name is that I'm not a big fan of my father and so I took my mother's name." She added that van Dyne's "arc in the movie is trying to find a relationship" with Pym. Originally cast by Wright, Lilly was reluctant to take the role after he left the project until she read the revised script and got a chance to meet with Reed. Feige said that van Dyne was the more obvious choice to take up the mantle of Ant-Man, being "infinitely more capable of actually being a superhero" than Lang, and that the reason she does not is because of Pym's experience with losing her mother, rather than sexism, which Feige felt would not be a problem for Pym in modern times. Lilly signed a multi-film contract with Marvel. Corey Stoll as Darren Cross / Yellowjacket: A former protégé of Pym's, who takes over his mentor's company and militarizes a similar version of the Ant-Man technology to create the Yellowjacket suit. Stoll described the suit as "the next generation of Ant-Man's suit", with a sleeker, more militaristic look as "if Apple had designed a battle suit." As for his character, Stoll said that Cross was more like Hank Pym than "Thanos or Loki, who are villains that know it", since Cross is a "brilliant scientist, who is not ethically pure" with shades of gray. Unlike Rudd, who wore a practical costume as Ant-Man, Stoll wore a motion capture suit while performing as Yellowjacket. Reed explained that this decision was made early on when creating and filming with a real Yellowjacket costume was found to be impractical. Bobby Cannavale as Paxton: An SFPD officer who is engaged to Lang's former wife Maggie. Cannavale stated that Rudd and McKay convinced him to join the film during the rewriting process before Marvel approached him, saying, "They sort of pumped [my] part up a bit...I really went on good faith [taking the role] because they're so secretive [at Marvel] about the script. I just trusted them." He also added that the process felt like an indie film instead of a large-scale blockbuster, and that he was able to improvise frequently along with the other actors. Patrick Wilson was originally cast in the role, before leaving the film because of scheduling conflicts brought on by the filming delay. Michael Peña as Luis: Lang's former cellmate and a member of his crew. Peña stated that he modeled Luis' vocal style and positive outlook on life "on a friend of a friend", saying, "That's just the way he talks and the cadence. He's got this grin on the entire time and he doesn't care. He's the kind of guy where you're like 'Hey, what'd you do this weekend?' and he's like 'I went to jail, dawg,' with a smile on his face. Not a lot of people do that. Not a lot of people think of life on those terms." Peña signed a contract with Marvel for three films. Tip "T.I." Harris as Dave: A member of Lang's crew. Harris described Dave as Lang's "homeboy". Harris also revealed that he was not permitted to read the entire script, explaining "You're just handed scenes as the film [went] along, and when you do that, it's like a blank canvas, 'This is what I'm going to do for this scene,' and you can remember previous performances and remain consistent with that. The energy created by the ensemble you have around you, it contributes to the outlook or the final view of what your character has become, and what he meant to the story." Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon: An Avenger who is a former pararescueman trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack. On including Falcon, Reed said that it was not done just to include the character, rather "[i]t served a plot point; a purpose in our story" and allowed them to enhance Peña's "tip montages", which were written by production writers Gabriel Ferrari and Andrew Barrer, also adding Falcon "seemed like the right character - not a marquee character like Iron Man or Thor, but the right level of hero." Rudd and McKay decided to include Falcon after watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Wood Harris as Gale: A police officer and Paxton's partner. Judy Greer as Maggie: Lang's estranged former wife. David Dastmalchian as Kurt: A member of Lang's crew. Dastmalchian, who is American, worked with actress Isidora Goreshter to learn how to speak in his character's Russian accent. On his character, Dastmalchian said that he "had this idea that Kurt was born and raised in a town even further out than Siberia and he was just an amazing computer wizard who fell in with the wrong people. But he was obsessed with two things: Saturday Night Fever and Elvis Presley, hence the polyester shirts unbuttoned too far and the hair in that pompadour." Michael Douglas as Hank Pym: A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man in 1963 after discovering the subatomic particles that make the transformation possible. He later mentors Lang to take over the role. Douglas compared his decision to join a superhero film to his role in Behind the Candelabra saying, "Sometimes - like [when] they didn't see you for Liberace - you've got to shake them up a little bit and have some fun." Describing Pym, Douglas said, "He's sort of a Northern California, formal guy. He's lost control of his company. He lives in sort of a time warp. He was always a bit of a tinkerer. He's got a lab, plus a lot of other stuff, in his basement that we find out about. He's certainly bitter about what happened with his company and deeply scared of what the future might hold - because he himself, after having gotten small so many times, it's difficult. He looks and tries to find a guy that he can work with and has the right characteristics, which is [Scott]." Douglas indicated that he would not be wearing the Ant-Man suit. Additionally, John Slattery and Hayley Atwell reprise their roles as Howard Stark and Peggy Carter, respectively, from previous MCU media. Slattery stated that his involvement in Ant-Man was "not that much more" than his participation in Iron Man 2, while Atwell described her appearance as being "more of a cameo". Abby Ryder Fortson portrays Cassie, the daughter of Lang and Maggie; Gregg Turkington appears as Dale, the manager of a Baskin-Robbins store; and Martin Donovan plays Mitchell Carson, a former member of S.H.I.E.L.D. who works for Hydra and looks to purchase the Yellowjacket technology. Garrett Morris, who portrayed Ant-Man in a Saturday Night Live sketch, appears as a taxi driver. Ant-Man co-creator Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance in the film as a bartender. Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan make uncredited appearances during the post-credits scene as Steve Rogers / Captain America and Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier, respectively. Hayley Lovitt makes a nonspeaking cameo as Janet van Dyne / Wasp. Tom Kenny provides the voice of a toy rabbit that Scott gives to Cassie. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1989, scientist Hank Pym resigns from S.H.I.E.L.D. after discovering their attempt to replicate his Ant-Man shrinking technology. Believing the technology is dangerous, Pym vows to hide it as long as he lives. In the present day, Pym's estranged daughter, Hope van Dyne, and former protégé, Darren Cross, have forced him out of his company, Pym Technologies. Cross is close to perfecting a shrinking suit of his own, the Yellowjacket, which horrifies Pym. Upon his release from prison, well-meaning thief Scott Lang moves in with his old cellmate, Luis. Lang visits his daughter Cassie unannounced and is chastised by his former wife Maggie and her police-detective fiancé, Paxton, for not providing child support. Unable to hold a job because of his criminal record, Lang agrees to join Luis' crew and commit a burglary. Lang breaks into a house and cracks its safe, but only finds what he believes to be an old motorcycle suit, which he takes home. After trying the suit on, Lang accidentally shrinks himself to the size of an insect. Terrified by the experience, he returns the suit to the house, but is arrested on the way out. Pym, the homeowner, visits Lang in jail and smuggles the suit into his cell to help him break out. Pym, who manipulated Lang through an unknowing Luis into stealing the suit as a test, wants Lang to become the new Ant-Man to steal the Yellowjacket from Cross. Having been spying on Cross after discovering his intentions, van Dyne helps Pym train Lang to fight and to control ants. While van Dyne harbors resentment towards Pym about her mother Janet's death, he reveals that Janet, known as the Wasp, disappeared into a subatomic quantum realm while disabling a Soviet nuclear missile. Pym warns Lang that he could suffer a similar fate if he overrides his suit's regulator. They send him to steal a device that will aid their heist from the Avengers' headquarters, where he briefly fights Sam Wilson. Cross perfects the Yellowjacket and hosts an unveiling ceremony at Pym Technologies' headquarters. Lang, along with his crew and a swarm of flying ants, infiltrates the building during the event, sabotages the company's servers, and plants explosives. When he attempts to steal the Yellowjacket, he, along with Pym and Hope, are captured by Cross, who intends to sell both the Yellowjacket and Ant-Man suits to Hydra. Lang breaks free and he and Hope dispatch most of the Hydra agents, though one flees with a vial of Cross' particles and Pym is shot. Lang pursues Cross, while the explosives detonate, imploding the building as Pym and van Dyne escape. Cross dons the Yellowjacket and attacks Lang before Lang is arrested by Paxton. Cross takes Cassie hostage to lure Lang into another fight. Lang overrides the regulator and shrinks to subatomic size to penetrate Cross' suit and sabotage it to shrink uncontrollably, killing Cross. Lang disappears into the quantum realm but manages to reverse the effects and returns to the macroscopic world. Out of gratitude for Lang's heroism, Paxton covers for Lang to keep him out of prison. Seeing that Lang survived and returned from the quantum realm, Pym wonders if his wife is alive as well. Later, Lang meets up with Luis, who tells him that Wilson is looking for him. In a mid-credits scene, Pym shows van Dyne a new Wasp prototype suit and offers it to her. In a post-credits scene, Wilson and Steve Rogers have Bucky Barnes in their custody. Unable to contact Tony Stark because of "the accords",[a] Wilson mentions that he knows someone who can help. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2018. “Ant-Man and the Wasp” | July 6, 2018 |
| STARRING: |
| Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man: A former petty criminal who acquired a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale while also increasing in strength. Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, in which Lang escapes from the Raft prison, director Peyton Reed said that "he's a fugitive in most of the first Ant-Man movie. He's just a bigger fugitive now." Rudd was interested in Lang being a regular person rather than "innately heroic or super", and to be driven by his desire to be a responsible parent. Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne / Wasp: The daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, who is handed down a similar suit and the Wasp mantle from her mother. The writers were excited to properly introduce the character as the Wasp, showing her "power set, how she fights, and what are the injustices that matter to her". Lilly felt the character has "incredible satisfaction" in becoming the Wasp, "something that she has been waiting for her whole life, which is essentially an affirmation from her father". Her relationship with Lang is more complicated than in the first film, and includes anger towards his actions during Civil War. Lilly felt it was important that Hope "be an extremely empathetic and compassionate person" and "to always push for feminine qualities to be apparent when she is dealing with situations". In her fight sequences, Lilly wanted to move away from the more masculine Muay Thai and MMA-style of fighting she learned for the first film, noting that Hope moves differently than a man, so her fights should have "elegance, grace and femininity" with "a signature style" young girls could enjoy and emulate. Lilly worked with the writers to help ensure Hope was able to "represent a modern woman" without becoming the stereotype of a motherly figure. Madeleine McGraw portrays a young Hope van Dyne. Michael Peña as Luis: Lang's former cellmate and a member of his X-Con Security crew. There was less opportunity for Peña to improvise compared to the first film, where he and Rudd were still developing the character during filming. The creative team wanted to feature another scene of Luis "riffing a long story" as he did in the first film, but did not want to repeat themselves; they were able to take a different approach by giving the character truth serum in the scene for this film. Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch: A "low-level criminal-type" who seeks to obtain Pym's technology for sale on the black market. Bobby Cannavale as Jim Paxton: A police officer and husband to Lang's ex-wife Maggie. Judy Greer as Maggie: Lang's ex-wife. Tip "T.I." Harris as Dave: A member of Lang's X-Con Security crew. David Dastmalchian as Kurt: A member of Lang's X-Con Security crew. Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost: A woman with molecular instability, who can phase through objects; she is only considered a "villain" because her attempts at survival clash with the heroes' goals. The character is traditionally portrayed as male in the comics, but the creative team believed that the character's gender was irrelevant to its portrayal, and felt casting a woman would be more interesting; it also allowed them to continue the theme of fathers and daughters seen with other characters in the film. John-Kamen enjoyed this "blank-slate" aspect, allowing her to mold the character as her own. Producer Stephen Broussard said that they wanted to cast a lesser-known actress to help maintain the mystery of the character, and John-Kamen "blew us away". RaeLynn Bratten portrays a young Ava Starr. Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie: The daughter of Lang and Maggie. Randall Park as Jimmy Woo: An FBI agent and Lang's parole officer. Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne: The original Wasp who is lost in the quantum realm. She is Pym's wife and Hope's mother. Pfeiffer was Reed's dream casting for the role since his time working on the first film, and he ensured that he received her input on the character. He noted that the character has spent 30 years in the quantum realm, so there is a question regarding how that has affected her. Producer Kevin Feige explained that the character ages over those 30 years even though time works differently in the quantum realm to avoid any "sci-fi weirdness" that could take away from the emotional reunions with Pym and Hope in the film. Hayley Lovitt stands in for a young Janet van Dyne, reprising her role from the first film; according to Reed, she had been cast in the first film, before Pfeiffer's involvement, due to her "saucer-like, Michelle Pfeiffer eyes." Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster: An old friend of Pym who was once his assistant on Project Goliath. Fishburne had approached Marvel about joining the MCU, pitching them a few ideas for whom he could portray, before Marvel offered him the role of Foster in the film. Despite having already portrayed Perry White for the DC Extended Universe, Fishburne said that he had always fantasized about being in an MCU film, admitting that he considered himself a "Marvel guy". Reed likened the rivalry between Foster and Pym to that of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and wanted an actor who can go "toe-to-toe" with Michael Douglas. Langston Fishburne, Laurence's son, stands in for a young Bill Foster. Michael Douglas as Hank Pym: A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man after discovering the subatomic particles that make the transformation possible. Pym has grown a lot closer to his daughter Hope since the first film, and according to Feige he has "that joy of fatherhood" in watching her become a superhero in her own right. Reed was attracted to the "morally dubious" decisions Pym sometimes makes. Dax Griffin stands in for a young Hank Pym, having done so for the first film as well. Additionally Stan Lee, co-creator of the titular heroes, has a cameo in the film as a man whose car gets shrunk by accident. Michael Cerveris appears as Ava's father Elihas Starr while Riann Steele plays his wife Catherine. Tim Heidecker and Brian Huskey appear in cameos as a whale boat captain named Daniel Gooobler and a teacher at Cassie's school, respectively. Sonny Burch's team of men includes Divian Ladwa as Uzman, Goran Kosti? as Anitolov, and Rob Archer as Knox, while Sean Kleier portrays Stoltz, Burch's FBI inside man and Jimmy Woo's subordinate. Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster of The Best Show make brief appearances as Burch's SUV drivers. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Two years after Scott Lang was placed on house arrest because of his role in skirmishes between the Avengers in violation of the Sokovia Accords,[N 1] Hank Pym and his daughter Hope van Dyne briefly manage to open a tunnel to the quantum realm, where they believe Pym's wife Janet van Dyne might be trapped after shrinking to sub-atomic levels in 1987. Because he also visited the quantum realm, Lang is now quantumly entangled with Janet and receives an apparent message from her. With only days left of house arrest, Lang sends a message to Pym about this despite the strained relationship they have due to Lang's actions with the Avengers. Soon after, Hope and Pym kidnap Lang, leaving a decoy so as not to arouse suspicion from FBI agent Jimmy Woo. Seeing the message as confirmation that Janet is alive, the trio work to create a stable tunnel so they can take a vehicle to the quantum realm and retrieve her. They arrange to buy a part needed for the tunnel from black market dealer Sonny Burch, who it turns out has realized the potential profit that can be earned from Pym's research and double-crosses them. Donning the Wasp outfit, Hope fights Burch and his men off until she is attacked by a quantumly unstable masked woman. Lang tries to help fight off this "ghost", but she escapes with Pym's lab, which has been shrunk down to the size and usefulness of carry-on luggage. The three reluctantly visit Pym's estranged former partner Bill Foster who helps them locate the lab. The ghost restrains Lang, Hope, and Pym when they arrive and reveals herself to be Ava Starr. Her father Elihas, another former partner of Pym's, accidentally killed himself and his wife during a quantum experiment that caused Ava's unstable state. Foster reveals that he has been helping Ava, whom they plan to cure using Janet's quantum energy. Believing that this will kill Janet, Pym refuses to help them and the trio escape. Opening a stable version of the tunnel this time, the three are able to contact Janet, who gives them a precise location to find her but warns that they only have two hours before the unstable nature of the realm separates them for a century. Burch learns their location from Lang's business partners Luis, Dave, and Kurt, and informs a contact at the FBI. Luis warns Lang, who rushes home before Woo can see him violating his house arrest. This leaves Pym and Hope to be arrested, allowing Ava to take their lab. Lang is soon able to help Pym and Hope escape custody, and they find the lab. Lang and Hope distract Ava while Pym enters the quantum realm to retrieve Janet, but the pair end up fighting Burch and his men, which allows Ava to begin taking Janet's energy. Luis, Dave, and Kurt help incapacitate Burch and his men so that Lang and Hope can stop Ava. Pym and Janet arrive safely from the quantum realm and Janet voluntarily gifts some of her energy to Ava to temporarily stabilize her. Lang returns home once again, in time for a now suspicious Woo to release him at the end of his house arrest. Ava and Foster go into hiding. In a mid-credits scene, Pym, Lang, Hope, and Janet plan to harvest quantum energy to continue helping Ava. While Lang is in the quantum realm doing this, the other three disintegrate. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2023. “Ant-Man and the Wasp - Quantumania” | February 17, 2023 |
| STARRING: |
| Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man: An Avenger and former petty criminal with a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale while increasing in strength. After the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Lang has become a well-known celebrity to the public, as well as the author of an autobiographical book titled Look Out for the Little Guy, which tells a different version of how he helped save the universe from Thanos in Endgame. Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne / Wasp: The daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne who is handed down a similar suit and the Wasp mantle from her mother. She serves as the head of the Pym van Dyne Foundation, which uses the Pym Particles for humanitarian efforts. Lilly said the film would explore how the character deals with her "fragilities and her vulnerabilities", continuing from how Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) showed how powerful and capable she was. Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror: A "time-traveling, multiversal adversary" trapped in the Quantum Realm who needs Pym Particles to get his ship and a device online that would allow him to go anywhere and when in time. Kang is an alternate-timeline variant of the character He Who Remains, the creator of the Time Variance Authority (TVA), who was introduced in the finale of first season of Loki (2021). Kang was described by Loki season one head writer Michael Waldron as the "next big cross-movie villain" for the MCU, while Quantumania writer Jeff Loveness described Kang as a "top-tier, A-list Avengers villain". Majors said Kang is different from He Who Remains, who is not in Quantumania, with a shifted psychology, portraying Kang differently from He Who Remains due to the different characters surrounding him and transitioning from a series to a film.[16] He was attracted to Kang's "character and dimensions" and the potential that presented to him as an actor, noting Kang would be a different type of villain to the MCU than Erik Killmonger and Thanos were, as well as the possibility of playing a complex villain about whom everyone has to be careful, akin to Iago in William Shakespeare's tragedy Othello. Loveness wanted to focus on Kang as a human being by exploring his humanity and vulnerability as a "very lonely" character before he reaches "apocalyptic, Avengers-scale heights". He contrasted this to Thanos by not creating him entirely from computer-generated imagery, and said Kang would be "Thanos on an exponential level". He also said that because the concept of time travel had already been explored in Endgame, he had to broaden his approach to Kang to focus more on the multiverse, his dimensionality, and his "limitless freedom" from his time, and how different versions of the character would destroy it and make it their own. Loveness researched the different versions of Kang from the comics such as Rama-Tut and the Scarlet Centurion and described him as an "infinite snake eating infinite tails" in being "a man literally at war against himself". Director Peyton Reed likened the character to Alexander the Great as a reference point for Majors, who also found inspiration in Genghis Khan and Julius Caesar. Majors said that Kang would be the "supervillain of supervillains" and looked to contrast Tony Stark / Iron Man, who he called the "superhero of superheroes". Majors added 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of muscle for the role, focusing on strength and conditioning training. Reed said Quantumania would show a "different flavor" of Majors' approach to Kang's alternate versions and explained that Kang "has dominion over time", calling him a warrior, strategist, and "all-timer antagonist" compared to the antagonists of the prior Ant-Man films as a "force of nature", one that adds "tonal diversity, real conflict and real friction". Given his work with time, Kang does not live a linear life. Majors also portrays numerous Kang variants within the Council of Kangs including Immortus, Rama-Tut, and Centurion in the mid-credits scene, as well as the variant Victor Timely in the post-credits scene. Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang: Scott Lang's 18-year-old daughter who acquires a suit similar to her father's. She is scientifically inclined, and gains an interest in Pym's old notes and learning more about the science and technology from the Quantum Realm. Reed said that he wanted to further develop the relationship between Cassie and Scott, as it was central to the previous Ant-Man films. The character was previously portrayed as a child by Abby Ryder Fortson in the previous Ant-Man films and as a teenager by Emma Fuhrmann in Endgame. David Dastmalchian as Veb: A slime-like creature that lives in the Quantum Realm whose ooze can make anyone understand Quantum Realm language. Dastmalchian previously portrayed Kurt in the first two Ant-Man films. Katy O'Brian as Jentorra: The human-shaped leader of the Freedom Fighters rebelling against Kang's oppression of the communities in the Quantum Realm. O'Brian auditioned for the role, despite previously working with Reed on the Star Wars series The Mandalorian, and originally believed she was auditioning for The Marvels (2023). Despite the character appearing in the comics, O'Brian was encouraged to create the character as she chose. O'Brian previously appeared as Kimball in the Marvel Television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. William Jackson Harper as Quaz: A human-shaped telepath who lives in the Quantum Realm. Bill Murray as Lord Krylar: The human-shaped governor of the lavish Axia community in the Quantum Realm, who has a history with Janet van Dyne in the Quantum Realm. Reed believed Murray's character represented a person's past "always find[ing] a way to show up again" and the film's theme of secrets between family members and how they are each affected by them. Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne: Pym's wife, Hope's mother, and the original Wasp, who was lost in the Quantum Realm for 30 years. Corey Stoll as Darren Cross / M.O.D.O.K.: Pym's former protégé who was shrunken to subatomic size in the Quantum Realm during the events of Ant-Man (2015) and became a mutated, cybernetically enhanced individual with an oversized head known as M.O.D.O.K. Loveness described the character as a cross between Kevin Kline's Otto West from A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and Frank Grimes from The Simpsons season eight episode "Homer's Enemy" (1997). Loveness felt M.O.D.O.K. to be his favorite character in the film because they put a "little extra" on him, and said M.O.D.O.K.'s ego would be crumbled throughout the film whenever he is challenged, but like Otto West, easily kills as a "real loose cannon". Michael Douglas as Hank Pym: A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man after creating the suit. In the film, Pym was written to be more "relaxed" than in previous MCU appearances, as he is more focused on reacquainting with Janet than his work. As a result, Broussard described Pym as "a little more sure of himself" and "not looking around every corner". Loveness believed that Pym's fascination with ants, a trait only comically referenced previously, was a critical hallmark of the character, and thus decided to expand on it in the film. Broussard felt the expansion was "a weird thing ... but also awesome ... a bit of an acknowledgment of ... a weird obsession for this guy who's totally owned it." Additionally, Randall Park briefly reprises his role as FBI agent Jimmy Woo from previous MCU media, along with Gregg Turkington as Baskin-Robbins store manager Dale from Ant-Man. Ruben Rabasa appears as a coffee shop attendant who mistake him for Spider-Man. A man asking Lang for a picture with his dog is played by Mark Oliver Everett, frontman of the rock band Eels, whose father was quantum physicist Hugh Everett III and the originator of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum theory. The film's post-credits scene features uncredited cameo appearances by Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson, reprising their respective roles as Loki and Mobius M. Mobius from Loki. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| During her days of entrapment in the Quantum Realm, Janet van Dyne encounters an exiled traveler named Kang. In the present day, after the Avengers' battle against Thanos, Scott Lang has become a successful memoirist and has been living happily with his girlfriend, Hope van Dyne. Scott's now-teenage daughter Cassie has become a political activist helping people displaced by the Blip, resulting in her having a strained relationship with her father.
While visiting Hope's parents, Hank Pym and Janet, Cassie reveals that she has been working on a device that can establish contact with the Quantum Realm. Upon learning of this, Janet panics and forcefully shuts off the device, but the message is received, resulting in a portal that opens and sucks the five of them into the Quantum Realm. Scott and Cassie are found by natives who are rebelling against their ruler, while Hope, Janet, and Pym explore a sprawling city to get answers. Hope, Janet, and Pym meet with Lord Krylar, a former ally of Janet's, who reveals that things have changed since she left, and that he is now working for Kang, the Quantum Realm's new ruler. The three are forced to flee and steal Krylar's ship. The Langs, meanwhile, are told by rebel leader Jentorra that Janet's involvement with Kang is indirectly responsible for his rise to power. The rebels soon come under attack by Kang's forces led by M.O.D.O.K., who is revealed to be Darren Cross, having survived his apparent death at the hands of Scott, and who previously received Cassie's message. Aboard Krylar's ship, Janet confesses to Hope and Pym that she met Kang when she was previously in the Quantum Realm. He claimed that he and Janet could both escape from the Quantum Realm if she helped him rebuild his multiversal power core. After they managed to repair it, Janet saw a vision of Kang conquering and destroying entire timelines. Kang revealed he was exiled by his variants out of fear, which drove Janet to turn against him. Outmatched, Janet used her Pym Particles to enlarge the power core beyond use. Kang, having regained his powers, eventually conquered the Quantum Realm afterward. The Langs are taken to Kang, who demands that Scott helps get his power core back or else he will kill Cassie. Scott is then taken to the core's location and shrinks down. The core causes him to split into multiple copies of himself, who nearly overwhelm him, but Hope arrives and helps him acquire the power core. However, Kang reneges on the deal, capturing Janet with M.O.D.O.K. destroying her ship with Hank on it. After being rescued by his ants, who were also pulled into the Quantum Realm, rapidly evolved, and became hyper-intelligent, Pym helps Scott and Hope as they make their way to Kang. Cassie rescues Jentorra and they commence an uprising against Kang and his army. During the fight, Cassie convinces Cross to switch sides and fight Kang, though he sacrifices his life. Janet fixes the power core as she, Pym, Hope, and Cassie jump through a portal home, but Kang attacks Scott. Before he can beat Scott into submission, Hope returns, and she and Scott throw Kang and Pym Particles into the power core, destroying them both. Cassie reopens the portal for Scott and Hope to return home. As Scott happily resumes his life, he begins to rethink what he was told about Kang's death being the start of something terrible happening, but brushes it off. In a mid-credits scene, numerous variants of Kang, led by Immortus, commiserate Kang's death and plan their Multiversal uprising. In a post-credits scene, Loki and Mobius M. Mobius encounter another Kang variant, Victor Timely, on Earth in 1901. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2012. “The Avengers” | May 4, 2012 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk Chris Hemsworth as Thor Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye Tom Hiddleston as Loki Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Erik Selvig Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| The Asgardian Loki encounters the Other, the leader of an extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri. In exchange for retrieving the Tesseract,2 a powerful energy source of unknown potential, the Other promises Loki an army with which he can subjugate Earth. Nick Fury, director of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., and his lieutenant Agent Maria Hill arrive at a remote research facility during an evacuation, where physicist Dr. Erik Selvig is leading a research team experimenting on the Tesseract. Agent Phil Coulson explains that the object has begun radiating an unusual form of energy. The Tesseract suddenly activates and opens a wormhole, allowing Loki to reach Earth. Loki takes the Tesseract and uses his scepter to enslave Selvig and a couple of agents, including Clint Barton, to aid him in his getaway. In response to the attack, Fury reactivates the "Avengers Initiative". Agent Natasha Romanoff is sent to Calcutta to recruit Dr. Bruce Banner to trace the Tesseract through its gamma radiation emissions. Coulson visits Tony Stark to have him review Selvig's research, and Fury approaches Steve Rogers with an assignment to retrieve the Tesseract. In Stuttgart, Barton steals iridium needed to stabilize the Tesseract's power while Loki causes a distraction, leading to a confrontation with Rogers, Stark, and Romanoff that ends with Loki's surrender. While Loki is being escorted to S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor, his adoptive brother, arrives and frees him, hoping to convince him to abandon his plan and return to Asgard. After a confrontation with Stark and Rogers, Thor agrees to take Loki to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s flying aircraft carrier, the Helicarrier. There Loki is imprisoned while Banner and Stark attempt to locate the Tesseract. The Avengers become divided, both over how to approach Loki and the revelation that S.H.I.E.L.D. plans to harness the Tesseract to develop weapons as a deterrent against hostile extraterrestrials. As the group argues, Barton and Loki's other possessed agents attack the Helicarrier, disabling its engines in flight and causing Banner to transform into the Hulk. Stark and Rogers try to restart the damaged engine, and Thor attempts to stop the Hulk's rampage. Romanoff fights Barton, and knocks him unconscious, breaking Loki's mind control. Loki escapes after killing Coulson and ejecting Thor from the airship, while the Hulk falls to the ground after attacking a S.H.I.E.L.D. fighter jet. Fury uses Coulson's death to motivate the Avengers into working as a team. Stark and Rogers realize that for Loki, simply defeating them will not be enough; he needs to overpower them publicly to validate himself as ruler of Earth. Loki uses the Tesseract, in conjunction with a device Selvig built, to open a wormhole above Stark Tower to the Chitauri fleet in space, launching his invasion. The Avengers rally in defense of New York City, the wormhole's location, but quickly realize they will be overwhelmed as wave after wave of Chitauri descend upon Earth. Banner arrives and transforms into the Hulk, and together he, Rogers, Stark, Thor, Barton, and Romanoff battle the Chitauri while evacuating civilians. The Hulk finds Loki and beats him into submission. Romanoff makes her way to the wormhole generator, where Selvig, freed of Loki's control, reveals that Loki's scepter can be used to shut down the generator. Meanwhile, Fury's superiors attempt to end the invasion by launching a nuclear missile at Midtown Manhattan. Stark intercepts the missile and takes it through the wormhole toward the Chitauri fleet. The missile detonates, destroying the Chitauri mothership and disabling their forces on Earth. Stark's suit runs out of power, and he falls back through the wormhole just as Romanoff closes it. Stark goes into freefall, but the Hulk saves him from crashing to the ground. In the aftermath, Thor returns Loki and the Tesseract to Asgard, while Fury expresses confidence that the Avengers will return if and when they are needed. In a mid-credits scene, the Other confers with his master3 about the failed attack on Earth. In a post-credits scene, the Avengers eat in silence at a shawarmarestaurant. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2015. “Avengers - Age Of Ultron” | May 1, 2015 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man Chris Hemsworth as Thor Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch Paul Bettany as J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter Idris Elba as Heimdall Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig James Spader as Ultron Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In the Eastern European country of Sokovia, the Avengers - Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, Bruce Banner (Hulk),Natasha Romanoff, and Clint Barton - raid a Hydra outpost led by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, who has been experimenting on humans using the scepter previously wielded by Loki. They encounter two of Strucker's experiments - twins Pietro, who has superhuman speed, and Wanda Maximoff, who can manipulate minds and project energy - and apprehend Strucker, while Stark retrieves Loki's scepter. Stark and Banner discover an artificial intelligence within the scepter's gem, and secretly use it to complete Stark's "Ultron" global defense program. The unexpectedly sentient Ultron, believing he must eradicate humanity to save Earth, eliminates Stark's A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. and attacks the Avengers at their headquarters. Escaping with the scepter, Ultron uses the resources in Strucker's Sokovia base to upgrade his rudimentary body and build an army of robot drones. Having killed Strucker, he recruits the Maximoffs, who hold Stark responsible for their parents' deaths by his weapons, and go to the base of arms dealer Ulysses Klaue to obtain Wakandan vibranium. The Avengers attack Ultron and the Maximoffs, but Wanda subdues them with haunting visions, causing the Hulk to rampage until Stark stops him with his anti-Hulk armor. A worldwide backlash over the resulting destruction, and the fears Wanda's hallucinations incited, send the team into hiding at a safehouse. Thor departs to consult with Dr. Erik Selvig on the meaning of the apocalyptic future he saw in his hallucination, while Romanoff and Banner plan to flee together after realizing a mutual attraction. However, Nick Fury arrives and encourages the team to form a plan to stop Ultron. In Seoul, Ultron forces the team's friend Dr. Helen Cho to use her synthetic-tissue technology, together with vibranium and the scepter's gem, to perfect a new body for him. As Ultron uploads himself into the body, Wanda is able to read his mind; discovering his plan for human extinction, the Maximoffs turn on Ultron. Rogers, Romanoff, and Barton find Ultron and retrieve the synthetic body, but Ultron captures Romanoff. The Avengers fight amongst themselves when Stark secretly uploads J.A.R.V.I.S. - who is still operational after hiding from Ultron inside the Internet - into the synthetic body. Thor returns to help activate the body, explaining that the gem on its brow - one of the six Infinity Stones, the most powerful objects in existence - was part of his vision. This "Vision" and the Maximoffs accompany the Avengers to Sokovia, where Ultron has used the remaining vibranium to build a machine to lift a large part of the capital city skyward, intending to crash it into the ground to cause global extinction. Banner rescues Romanoff, who awakens the Hulk for the battle. The Avengers fight Ultron's army while Fury arrives in a Helicarrier with Maria Hill, James Rhodes and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to evacuate civilians. Pietro dies when he shields Barton from gunfire, and a vengeful Wanda abandons her post to destroy Ultron's primary body, which allows one of his drones to activate the machine. The city plummets, but Stark and Thor overload the machine and shatter the landmass. In the aftermath, the Hulk, unwilling to endanger Romanoff by being with her, departs in a Quinjet, while the Vision confronts Ultron's last remaining body. Later, with the Avengers having established a new base run by Fury, Hill, Cho, and Selvig, Thor returns to Asgard to learn more about the forces he suspects have manipulated recent events. As Stark and Barton also leave, Rogers and Romanoff prepare to train new Avengers: Rhodes, the Vision, Sam Wilson, and Wanda. In a mid-credits scene, Thanos, dissatisfied by the failures of his pawns, dons a gauntlet2 and vows to personally retrieve the Infinity Stones himself. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2018. “Avengers - Infinity War” | April 27, 2018 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man: The leader and benefactor of the Avengers, who is a self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with electromechanical suits of armor of his own making. Co-director Joe Russo explained that Stark "senses this greater threat approaching, so he is doing everything in his power to keep the Earth safe". Downey added that Stark would have smaller goals than in previous films, with the idea of him as a tinkerer continued from Iron Man 3, although this was not reflected in the final film. Chris Hemsworth as Thor: An Avenger and the king of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Joe Russo stated that Thor's storyline picks up after the events of Thor: Ragnarok, which finds him in a "very profound... very interesting place" with "real emotional motivation". At the recommendation of Hemsworth, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely consulted Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi and screenwriter Eric Pearson to help carry over the comedic and tragic elements of the re-toned Thor from that film. Thor now wields a mystical axe known as Stormbreaker, after the destruction of his hammer Mjolnir in Ragnarok. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk: An Avenger and a genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or agitated. Banner spends the film trying to reintegrate with the Avengers, and also tries to "impress upon everybody how dangerous Thanos is". Joe Russo felt the Hulk refusing to appear for much of the film was only partially because he was scared, but also because he realizes that "Banner only wants Hulk for fighting. I think he's had enough of saving Banner's ass." Russo added that this was "really reflective of the journey from Ragnarok... [where] these two characters are constantly in conflict with each other over control." Banner's appearance in the film continues a story arc for the character that was established in Thor: Ragnarok and concludes in the Infinity War sequel, with the difference between Hulk and Banner "starting to blur a little bit". Ruffalo described Hulk in Infinity War as having the mental capacity of a five-year-old. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America: A fugitive superhero and leader of a faction of Avengers. A World War II veteran, he was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum and frozen in suspended animation before waking up in the modern world. Joe Russo said after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Rogers struggles with the conflict between his responsibility to himself and his responsibility to others. The character embodies the "spirit" of his comic alternate identity Nomad in the film, and receives new vibranium gauntlets from Shuri to replace his traditional shield. An early draft of the film experimented with Rogers first appearing in the film saving Vision from Covus Glaive's attack. Markus and McFeely said they were called "insane" for waiting that long to introduce Rogers into the film and ultimately conceded it was "not [a] satisfying" approach. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow: A highly trained spy, a member of Rogers' faction of Avengers, and a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Johansson said that Romanoff's situation in the aftermath of the events of Captain America: Civil War has been "a dark time. I wouldn't say that my character has been particularly hopeful, but I think she's hardened even more than she probably was before." Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange: A former neurosurgeon who, after a car accident that led to a journey of healing, discovered the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions, and became a Master of the Mystic Arts. Markus and McFeely described Strange as "[ending] up being the reasonable adult in the room" with the "widest perspective available" due to the film's stakes. Aaron Lazar served as Cumberbatch's stand-in until the latter completed filming on The Current War. At that point, Cumberbatch re-shot scenes where his face needed to be seen. Julian "JayFunk" Daniels once again assisted Cumberbatch with his finger-tutting movements. Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine: A colonel in the U.S. Air Force and Avenger who operates the War Machine armor. Following his paralysis during the events of Civil War, Rhodes is given an apparatus by Stark to walk again, although he is reluctant to don his War Machine armor and rejoin the Avengers due to his injury. Cheadle believed that Rhodes is "negotiating this reunion and his rejoining this team". He also explained that Rhodes' relationship with Stark "deepened" from his accident, saying, "I think Tony feels somewhat responsible and culpable in a way. But again, he's always had my back in a way that only he could really have." Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A teenager and Stark's protege who received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a genetically-modified spider. Downey helped coach Holland through his death scene, which was not as drawn out in the script. Anthony Russo said, Downey "kept driving: put more and more emotion into it, and just went up to Tom and said, 'You don't want to go because you're a child. And you're using your strength as Spider-Man to fight this. And then that was the performance that came out." Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther: The king of the African nation of Wakanda, who gained his enhanced strength by ingesting the Heart-Shaped Herb. Paul Bettany as Vision: An android and Avenger created using the artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S., Ultron, and the Mind Stone. Anthony Russo called Vision "a living MacGuffin. Obviously, that raises the stakes because Vision's life is in danger, and his life is in conflict with Thanos' goals, so something's got to give." Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch: A member of Rogers' faction of Avengers, who can harness magic and engage in hypnosis and telekinesis. Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon: A member of Rogers' faction of Avengers and former pararescueman trained by the military in aerial combat, using a specially designed wing pack. Mackie noted that Wilson has a grudge with other heroes like Iron Man and Black Panther after the events of Civil War. Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier: An enhanced assassin and Rogers' ally and best friend, who reemerged brainwashed after being thought killed in action during World War II. Barnes, who formerly went by Winter Soldier, is given the name White Wolf by the people of Wakanda, who helped remove his Hydra programming. Tom Hiddleston as Loki: Thor's adoptive brother, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Idris Elba as Heimdall: The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian former sentry of the Bifröst Bridge, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Peter Dinklage as Eitri: King of the Dwarves of Nidavellir, and weaponsmith, based on the Norse mythological dwarf of the same name. Benedict Wong as Wong: One of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, tasked with protecting some of Kamar-Taj's most valuable relics and books. Pom Klementieff as Mantis: A member of the Guardians of the Galaxy with empathic powers. Karen Gillan as Nebula: An adopted daughter of Thanos who was raised with Gamora as siblings. Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer: A member of the Guardians and warrior in search of vengeance against Thanos for killing his family. At the end of each day of filming, Bautista would have to sit in a sauna to remove his makeup. Zoe Saldana as Gamora: A member of the Guardians, who is an orphan from an alien world and raised by Thanos, seeking redemption for her past crimes. Ariana Greenblatt portrays a young Gamora. Vin Diesel as Groot: A member of the Guardians who is a tree-like humanoid. Executive producer James Gunn explained that Groot is still an adolescent in the film, in the same state of growth seen in one of the post-credit scenes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Terry Notary provided motion capture for Groot, and said the character is "coming of age, so you'll see the teenager find a mentor to look up to and to model himself after". Bradley Cooper as Rocket: A member of the Guardians who is a genetically-engineered raccoon-based bounty hunter and mercenary, and is a master of weapons and battle tactics. Sean Gunn was again the stand-in for Rocket during filming, with his acting and expressions serving as motion reference for the character. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts: Stark's fiancée and the CEO of Stark Industries. Downey felt that "Pepper remains the heart of the [Iron Man] story", which was not a focal point in some of the preceding films with Stark. Downey continued that "we wanted to get back to that reality. Not just for them, but let's really see how that can add to the something-worth-fighting-for of it all." Benicio del Toro as Taneleer Tivan / The Collector: One of the Elders of the Universe, who is an obsessive keeper of the largest collection of interstellar fauna, relics, and species of all manner in the galaxy. Josh Brolin as Thanos: An intergalactic despot from Titan who longs to collect all six of the Infinity Stones in order to impose his will on all of reality, wanting to "re-balance the universe". Producer Kevin Feige added that Thanos believes the universe is becoming over-populated, which led to the destruction of his home moon Titan and is something he vowed not to let happen again, and also said "you could almost go so far as to say he is the main character of" the film. McFeely shared this sentiment, describing the film as his "hero journey" in addition to being the film's protagonist, stating, "Part of that is the things that [mean] the most to him. We wanted to show that. It wasn't just power; it wasn't just an ideal; it was people." Brolin likened Thanos to "the Quasimodo of this time" and the novel Perfume, since Thanos was born deformed and considered a "freak" on Titan, while Joe Russo would reference The Godfather for Brolin at times, which Brolin felt helped "to emotionalize the whole thing". Brolin further added that he preferred playing Thanos over Cable in Deadpool 2 because of the amount of work that went into creating the character. Thanos does not wear armor for most of the film, which is symbolic of his growing power as he collects the Infinity Stones. In addition to voicing for the character, Brolin performed motion capture on set. Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord: The half-human, half-Celestial leader of the Guardians who was abducted from Earth as a child, and raised by a group of alien thieves and smugglers called the Ravagers. Pratt described his role in the film as "a cameo... you get to be a little more vibrant; a little more irreverent; a little bit more colorful if you want it to be". Additionally, several other actors reprise their MCU roles: Danai Gurira as Okoye, the head of the Dora Milaje; Letitia Wright as T'Challa's sister Shuri; William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross, the U.S. Secretary of State; Kerry Condon as the voice of Stark's A.I. F.R.I.D.A.Y.; Winston Duke as M'Baku, the leader of Wakanda's mountain tribe the Jabari; Florence Kasumba as Ayo, a member of the Dora Milaje; Jacob Batalon as Parker's friend Ned; Isabella Amara as Parker's classmate Sally; Tiffany Espensen as Parker's classmate Cindy; and Ethan Dizon as Parker's classmate Tiny. Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders make uncredited cameos as Nick Fury and Maria Hill, the former director and deputy director of S.H.I.E.L.D, respectively, in the film's post-credits scene. Thanos' henchmen, known collectively in the comics as the Black Order and in the film as the "Children of Thanos", include Terry Notary as Cull Obsidian, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Ebony Maw, Carrie Coon as Proxima Midnight, and Michael James Shaw as Corvus Glaive. The foursome provided voices and motion-capture performances on set for their characters. As Coon was pregnant during filming, she mainly did facial capture for Proxima Midnight with some motion-capture,[84] with stuntwoman Monique Ganderton standing-in and providing the rest on set. Ebony Maw look was inspired by the Marvel Comics character Mephisto, who appeared in the Infinity Gauntlet storyline. Ross Marquand portrays Johann Schmidt / Red Skull, the "Stonekeeper" and former Nazi commander of Hydra during World War II. Marquand replaces Hugo Weaving, who had expressed reluctance to reprise the character from Captain America: The First Avenger. Avengers co-creator Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance in the film as Parker's school bus driver, while screenwriter Stephen McFeely cameos as Secretary Ross's aide. Kenneth Branagh, the director of Thor, voices an Asgardian distress caller in an uncredited cameo. David Cross was invited to make a cameo appearance as Tobias Fünke, his character from the sitcom Arrested Development, which the Russo brothers had previously worked on; this was prevented by a scheduling conflict, but Fünke still appears in the film as a specimen in the Collector's collection, played by an uncredited extra. Jon Favreau was to reprise his role as Happy Hogan, while co-director Joe Russo had a cameo appearance as a paparazzi photographer, but this scene did not make the theatrical cut of the film. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Having acquired the Power Stone from the planet Xandar, Thanos and his lieutenants - Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Proxima Midnight, and Corvus Glaive - intercept a spaceship carrying the last survivors of Asgard. As they extract the Space Stone from the Tesseract, Thanos subdues Thor, overpowers Hulk, and kills Loki. Heimdall sends Hulk to Earth using the Bifröst before being killed. Thanos departs with his lieutenants and obliterates the ship. Hulk crash-lands at the Sanctum Sanctorum in New York City, reverting to Bruce Banner. He warns Stephen Strange and Wong about Thanos' plan to kill half of all life in the universe; in response, Strange recruits Tony Stark. Maw and Obsidian arrive to retrieve the Time Stone from Strange, drawing the attention of Peter Parker. Maw captures Strange, but fails to take the Time Stone due to an enchantment. Stark and Parker pursue Maw's spaceship, Banner contacts Steve Rogers, and Wong stays behind to guard the Sanctum. In Edinburgh, Midnight and Glaive ambush Wanda Maximoff and Vision in order to retrieve the Mind Stone in Vision's forehead. Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Sam Wilson rescue them and take shelter with James Rhodes and Banner at the Avengers Compound. Vision offers to sacrifice himself by having Maximoff destroy the Mind Stone to keep Thanos from retrieving it. Rogers suggests they travel to Wakanda, which he believes has the resources to remove the stone without destroying Vision. The Guardians of the Galaxy respond to a distress call from the Asgardian ship and rescue Thor, who surmises Thanos seeks the Reality Stone, which is in the possession of the Collector on Knowhere. Rocket and Groot accompany Thor to Nidavellir, where they and Eitri create a battle-axe capable of killing Thanos. On Knowhere, Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, and Mantis find Thanos with the Reality Stone already in his possession. Thanos kidnaps Gamora, his adoptive daughter, who reveals the location of the Soul Stone to save her captive adoptive sister Nebula from torture. Thanos and Gamora travel to Vormir, where Red Skull, keeper of the Soul Stone, informs him the stone can only be retrieved by sacrificing someone he loves. Thanos reluctantly kills Gamora, earning the stone. Nebula escapes captivity and asks the remaining Guardians to meet her on Thanos' destroyed homeworld, Titan. Stark and Parker kill Maw and rescue Strange. Landing on Titan, they meet Quill, Drax, and Mantis. The group forms a plan to remove Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet after Strange uses the Time Stone to view millions of possible futures, seeing only one in which Thanos loses. Thanos arrives, justifying his plans as necessary to ensure the survival of a universe threatened by overpopulation. The group subdues him until Nebula deduces that Thanos has killed Gamora. Enraged, Quill attacks him, allowing Thanos to break the group's hold and overpower them. Stark is seriously wounded by Thanos, but is spared after Strange surrenders the Time Stone to Thanos. In Wakanda, Rogers reunites with Bucky Barnes before Thanos' army invades. The Avengers, alongside T'Challa and the Wakandan forces, mount a defense while Shuri works to extract the Mind Stone from Vision. Banner, unable to transform into the Hulk, fights in Stark's Hulkbuster armor. Thor, Rocket, and Groot arrive to reinforce the Avengers; Midnight, Obsidian, and Glaive are killed and their army is routed. Thanos arrives and despite Maximoff's attempt to destroy the Mind Stone, removes it from Vision's head, killing him. Thor severely wounds Thanos, but Thanos activates the completed Infinity Gauntlet and teleports away. Half of all life across the universe disintegrates, including Barnes, T'Challa, Groot, Maximoff, Wilson, Mantis, Drax, Quill, Strange, and Parker, as well as Maria Hill and Nick Fury; the latter is able to transmit a signal first. Stark and Nebula remain on Titan while Banner, M'Baku, Okoye, Rhodes, Rocket, Rogers, Romanoff, and Thor are left on the Wakandan battlefield. Meanwhile, Thanos watches a sunrise on another planet. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2019. “Avengers - Endgame” | April 26, 2019 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man: The benefactor and a member of the Avengers who aids them by using electromechanical suits of armor of his own making. According to directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Downey was one of the few actors to read the entire screenplay for the film. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely knew that the film would inevitably feature Stark's death both as a "[move] to selflessness" and as an end to the "chapter" Stark started. They felt that his death was earned after granting him "the perfect retirement life," adding, "That's the life he's been striving for...They got married, they had a kid, it was great. It's a good death. It doesn't feel like a tragedy. It feels like a heroic, finished life." Joe Russo explained that Stark "always knew he was going to die because he could never reconcile that notion in himself of not protecting the universe," and added that Stark was the most defiant among the Avengers since "Stark is the most formidable of all of them...because of his heart." The Russos sought Downey's approval for Stark's arc, which they had developed since Captain America: Civil War (2016). Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America: The leader of the Avengers. A World War II veteran, he was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum and frozen in suspended animation before waking up in the modern world. Markus described Rogers as someone who is "moving toward some sort of enlightened self-interest." Both he and McFeely knew he was going to get "the dance" he promised Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), with McFeely saying, "He's postponed a life in order to fulfill his duty. That's why I didn't think we were ever going to kill him. Because that's not the arc. The arc is, I finally get to put my shield down because I've earned that." Patrick Gorman plays an elderly Steve Rogers. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk: An Avenger and genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, possesses enhanced strength and a monstrous appearance. In this film, Banner has managed to balance his two sides with gamma experimentation, enabling him to combine his intelligence with the Hulk's strength and physical stature, based on the "Professor Hulk" comic book identity. Compared to other heroes, who were demotivated by their loss against Thanos, Banner is the only character to remain hopeful, with Anthony Russo explaining, "Banner is the sole character who is actually forging into a bright new future, trying to build something totally new and find something completely new...Banner is the one who is most heroic in a sense that he maintains his will to keep trying." This concludes a character arc that was established in Thor: Ragnarok and continued in Avengers: Infinity War. Chris Hemsworth as Thor: An Avenger and the king of New Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Thor now wields a mystical axe known as Stormbreaker, after the destruction of his hammer, Mjolnir, in Thor: Ragnarok. In the film, Thor has become an overweight, drunken ruler of Asgard's refugees in Tønsberg, Norway. Referencing this drastic character change, Hemsworth said, "I just had an opinion. I wanted to do something different this time. Each film I've wanted to, in particular, the last couple, and they were on board," and added, "We shot for many hours and days and discussed how far could we push (Thor) and what we could do different." Anthony Russo added, "Even though there's a lot of fun to be had in the movie with his physical condition, it's not a gag. It's a manifestation of where he is on a character level, and we think it's one of the most relatable aspects of him. I mean, it's a very common sort of response to depression and pain." Thor's story was his favorite arc, saying, "Part of Chris' magic as a comedic actor is his dedication to the depth of the character on a very earnest level...It's so devious and subversive when comedy is coming from a place of complete commitment and emotional complexity." Hemsworth underwent around three hours of hair and makeup for the transformation, which also required him to wear a large silicone prosthetic suit; he called himself "Lebowski Thor" on set. Thor was initially supposed to revert to his "old chiseled self" in the middle of Endgame, but Hemsworth successfully argued to keep Thor's new body. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow: A highly trained spy, Avenger, and former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. At the beginning of the film, Romanoff continues to command several teams from around the galaxy in the Avengers headquarters, which Joe Russo explained was stemmed from her inability to move on from their failure to stop Thanos, saying, "she's doing everything she can to try and hold the community together...She's the watcher on the wall still." On the decision for Romanoff to sacrifice herself for Barton to acquire the Soul Stone to bring back everyone, Joe Russo stated that it was part of a larger theme exploring the desire to sacrifice, compared to the desire to protect in Infinity War; he says, "When she gets to that [Soul Stone] scene, I think she understands that the only way to bring the community back is for her to sacrifice herself." McFeely stated, "Her journey, in our minds, had come to an end if she could get the Avengers back. She comes from such an abusive, terrible, mind-control background, so when she gets to Vormir and she has a chance to get the family back, that's a thing she would trade for." To prepare for the film, Johansson underwent a high-intensity workout regimen, which included plyometrics, Olympic weightlifting and gymnastics, as well as a time-restricted eating diet; all are under the supervision of her longtime trainer, Eric Johnson, with whom she had worked since Iron Man 2 (2010), the film which introduced her character. Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye: A master archer, Avenger, and former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who has become a vigilante known as Ronin, following the disappearance of his family. McFeely described Barton's dark turn as "a good example of people who had much stronger stories after the Snap." The film's cold open, which features the disintegration of Barton's family, was initially supposed to be in Infinity War following Thanos' snap, however it was moved to Endgame instead, with Markus explaining that it was "going to blunt the brutality of what [Thanos] did."[8] Joe Russo felt it was "a very tragic scene to open the movie with. It's one of the few scenes in the movie that actually makes me tear up when I watch it, because I think about my own family...And then you think about what would happen to you, as a father. You'd become very self-destructive." Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine: A former officer in the U.S. Air Force and Avenger who operates the War Machine armor. Cheadle described Rhodes' newfound belonging as an Avenger as "not so much straddling one foot in the military. He's much more on the side of The Avengers than he was prior." This is reflected on Rhodes' more instinctive and realist worldview in the midst of encountering the fantastic, with Cheadle explaining, "He's definitely got some 'what-the-eff-is-happening' [attitude,] more than maybe the rest of them do, given his background. But it's a trial by fire, and he's quickly adapted to what [the threat] is, rather than what he wishes it were." Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man: An Avenger and former petty criminal who acquired a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale and increase in strength. Lang is portrayed by twins Bazlo and Loen LeClair as a baby, by Jackson A. Dunn at age 12, and by Lee Moore at age 89. This was Moore's final film before his death in August 2018. Markus explained that adding Lang helped with implementing time travel into the film, saying, "we had access to him in the second movie, and the fact that he was bringing a whole subset of technology that did have something to do with a different concept of time was like a birthday present." Brie Larson as Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel: An ex-U.S. Air Force pilot and new Avenger whose DNA was altered during an accident, imbuing her with superhuman strength, energy projection, and flight. Markus stated that Danvers' powers are on a scale that has not previously existed in the MCU and likened her personality to Rogers', "which is sort of a person who's right and knows they're right and doesn't really want to hear it when you tell them they're wrong". Danvers has little screen time in the film, which McFeely reasoned as "not the story we're trying to tell — it's the original Avengers dealing with loss and coming to a conclusion, and she's the new, fresh blood." Larson filmed her scenes for Endgame before beginning work on her solo film Captain Marvel, which was released first. Captain Marvel directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck were present for the filming of her scenes in Endgame and gave Danvers' characterization in the film their blessing. Karen Gillan as Nebula: A member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Avenger, and adopted daughter of Thanos who was raised with Gamora as siblings. After being previously featured as an antagonist or an anti-hero in previous MCU films, Nebula undergoes a redemption arc in the film where she makes amends for her past actions, including an encounter with a past version of herself, with Gillan adding that she is "staring her former self in the face and it's really clear how far she's come from that angry, bitter and twisted person. She's starting to connect with other people and find some level of forgiveness." Gillan guessed that Nebula would play a prominent role in the film when she realized that Infinity War and Endgame would be adapted from The Infinity Gauntlet, which she had previously read when she was initially cast as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Gillan shared several scenes with Downey in the film's opening, and the two improvised most of their scenes together. Danai Gurira as Okoye: A Wakandan traditionalist from the Border Tribe who is the head of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda's all-female special forces and T'Challa's bodyguards. Benedict Wong as Wong: A Master of the Mystic Arts tasked with protecting some of the Kamar-Taj's most valuable relics and books. Jon Favreau as Harold "Happy" Hogan: The head of security for Stark Industries and former driver and bodyguard of Tony Stark. Bradley Cooper as Rocket: A member of the Guardians of the Galaxy and now Avenger who is a genetically-engineered raccoon-based bounty hunter, mercenary, and master of weapons and battle tactics. Sean Gunn was again the stand-in for Rocket during filming, with his acting and expressions serving as motion reference for the character. Rocket's appearance in the film continues a story arc that was established by Guardians of the Galaxy writer-director and Endgame executive producer James Gunn in the first two Guardians of the Galaxy films, was continued in Infinity War and Endgame, and will conclude in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gwyneth Paltrow as Virginia "Pepper" Potts: Stark's wife and the CEO of Stark Industries who wears a weaponized powered exosuit of armor made for her by Stark, based on the Rescue armor. Paltrow said this would be her final major appearance in the MCU. Josh Brolin as Thanos: An intergalactic warlord from Titan who collected the six Infinity Stones to wipe out half of all life in the universe. Joe Russo said that after Thanos was successful in Avengers: Infinity War, he is now "done. He did it. He's retired." Markus and McFeely had difficulty in factoring the older, post-Infinity War, Thanos into the film due to the character already possessing the Infinity Stones, until executive producer Trinh Tran suggested that they kill Thanos in the film's first act. Markus explained that the character's early death "reinforced Thanos's agenda. He was done...it was like, 'If I've got to die, I can die now.'" Thanos has less screen time in Endgame than in Infinity War, where he was considered the main character, as explained by McFeely: "We had to give ourselves permission to backseat the villain a little bit. I don't think anyone in the first half of the movie is going, 'Oh I wish there was a villain'. You're rolling around in the loss and the time heist, and you think it's sort of Avengers against nature." The younger version of Thanos was nicknamed "Warrior Thanos" by the filmmakers. In addition to providing the voice for the character, Brolin performed motion capture on set. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Twenty-three days after Thanos used the Infinity Gauntlet to disintegrate half of all life in the universe, Carol Danvers rescues Tony Stark and Nebula from deep space and returns them to Earth. They reunite with the remaining Avengers - Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers, Thor, Natasha Romanoff, and James Rhodes - and Rocket before locating Thanos on an otherwise uninhabited planet. They plan to retake and use the Infinity Stones to reverse the disintegrations, but Thanos reveals he destroyed them to prevent further use. An enraged Thor decapitates Thanos. Five years later, Scott Lang escapes from the quantum realm. At the Avengers compound, he explains to Romanoff and Rogers that he experienced only five hours while trapped. Theorizing the quantum realm could allow time travel, the three ask Stark to help them retrieve the Stones from the past to reverse Thanos' actions in the present. Stark refuses, thinking of his wife, Pepper Potts, and daughter, Morgan, but relents after looking at a picture of himself and the late Peter Parker. Stark and Banner, who has since merged his intelligence with the Hulk's strength, build a time machine. Banner notes that changing the past does not affect their present; any changes instead create branched alternate realities. He and Rocket visit the Asgardian refugees' new home in Norway - New Asgard - to recruit Thor, now overweight and drinking heavily, despondent over his failure to stop Thanos. In Tokyo, Romanoff recruits Clint Barton, now a vigilante following the disintegration of his family. Banner, Lang, Rogers, and Stark travel to New York City in 2012. Banner visits the Sanctum Sanctorum and convinces the Ancient One to give him the Time Stone. At Stark Tower, Rogers retrieves the Mind Stone, but Stark and Lang's attempt to steal the Space Stone fails, allowing 2012 Loki to escape with it. Rogers and Stark travel to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in 1970, where Stark obtains an earlier version of the Space Stone and encounters his father, Howard, while Rogers steals several Pym Particles from Hank Pym to return to the present. Meanwhile, Rocket and Thor travel to Asgard in 2013, extracting the Reality Stone from Jane Foster and retrieving Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Nebula and Rhodes travel to Morag in 2014 and steal the Power Stone before Peter Quill can. Rhodes returns to the present with the Power Stone, but Nebula is incapacitated when her cybernetic implants link with those of her past self. Through this connection, 2014 Thanos learns of his future success and the Avengers' attempts to undo it. He captures Nebula and sends 2014 Nebula to the present in the former's place. Barton and Romanoff travel to Vormir in 2014, where the Soul Stone's keeper, the Red Skull, reveals it can only be acquired by sacrificing someone they love. Romanoff sacrifices herself, allowing Barton to obtain the Soul Stone. Reuniting in the present, the Avengers place the Stones into a Stark-created gauntlet, which Banner, resistant to the Stones' gamma radiation, uses to resurrect the disintegrated. 2014 Nebula uses the time machine to transport 2014 Thanos and his warship to the present, where he attacks the Avengers' compound, planning to destroy and rebuild the universe with the Stones. Nebula convinces 2014 Gamora to betray Thanos, but fails to convince 2014 Nebula and is forced to kill her. Stark, Rogers, and Thor fight Thanos but are outmatched. Thanos summons his army to devastate Earth, but a restored Stephen Strange arrives with other sorcerers, the restored Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, the armies of Wakanda and Asgard, and the Ravagers to fight Thanos and his army alongside Danvers, who destroys Thanos' warship as she arrives. After overpowering the heroes, Thanos seizes the gauntlet, but Stark steals the Stones back and uses them to disintegrate Thanos and his army, at the cost of his life. Following Stark's funeral, Thor appoints Valkyrie as the new ruler of New Asgard and joins the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rogers returns the Infinity Stones and Mjolnir to their original timelines and remains in the past to live with Peggy Carter. In the present, an elderly Rogers passes his shield and mantle on to Sam Wilson. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2018. “Black Panther” | February 16, 2018 |
| STARRING: |
| Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther: The king of the African nation of Wakanda, who gains enhanced strength by ingesting the Heart-Shaped Herb. After the events of Captain America: Civil War, and the death of his father T'Chaka, T'Challa is in mourning while ascending to the throne. Boseman, who called T'Challa an anti-hero, said that he is "very much aware of [his] responsibility" as the leader of Wakanda. Black Panther's suit that forms around his body was inspired by a similar design seen in Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther comic book run.[14] Boseman worked with the same dialect coach he had during Message from the King, and worked with Marrese Crump to stay in shape between Civil War and Black Panther. In preparing for the role, Boseman examined Shaka Zulu, Patrice Lumumba, speeches from Nelson Mandela, Fela Kuti songs, and talked to a Yoruba Babalawo, while also making two trips to South Africa. Boseman trained in Dambe, Capoeira Angola and Zulu stick fighting to prepare for the role, along with taking a DNA test to better understand his African ancestry. He signed a five-film contract with Marvel. Ashton Tyler plays a young T'Challa. Michael B. Jordan as N'Jadaka / Erik "Killmonger" Stevens: The son of N'Jobu, and a U.S. black-ops soldier who seeks to overthrow his cousin T'Challa.[18][19] Executive producer Nate Moore said Killmonger "has his own opinion on how Wakanda has been run and should [be] run". Jordan, who had "been wanting to play a villain for a while", likened Killmonger and T'Challa's relationship to the X-Men characters Magneto and Professor X. He added that Killmonger is "very strategic, thoughtful. He's very patient. Very well skilled, trained to a T." Killmonger's bumpy, ritualistic tribal markings on his chest and torso resemble the scar tattoos of the Mursi and Surma tribes, and consisted of 90 individually sculpted silicone molds that took two-and-a-half hours to apply. Jordan would have to sit in a sauna for two hours at the end of the day to remove the prosthetics. Killmonger's dreadlocks hairstyle was a modern take on the character's long hair in the comics. In preparing for the role, Jordan examined Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Huey P. Newton, Fred Hampton, and Tupac Shakur. Corey Calliet served as Jordan's trainer on the film, after also doing so on Creed. Seth Carr plays a young Killmonger. Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia: T'Challa's former lover and a War Dog, an undercover spy for Wakanda placed in other countries to complete missions. She is from the River Tribe.[11] Nyong'o called Nakia a "departure" from her comic counterpart. She begins the film fighting for enslaved women in Nigeria; Nyong'o learned to speak Hausa for certain scenes in the film. She also trained in judo, jujitsu, silat and Filipino martial arts. Danai Gurira as Okoye: An "extremely proud" Wakandan and traditionalist from the Border Tribe, who is the head of the Dora Milaje, the all-female special forces of Wakanda, who serve as T'Challa's bodyguards. When looking to cast Gurira, director Ryan Coogler had not seen The Walking Dead, in which Gurira portrays the popular character Michonne, and instead wanted her for the part because of her performance in Mother of George. Gurira said that the fighting skills she learned playing Michonne complemented the skills of Okoye, but that "there's a lot of ways that they're extremely different ... Okoye is a whole 'nother thing." Gurira described the Dora Milaje as a secret service that is "also very much about intel. It's not just military", with Okoye the head of intel. Regarding Okoye's stoic demeanor, Gurira said, "She can be serious, but she also has an unexpected sense of humor. She has a heart, but for her country and for her people." Gurira's head was re-shaved every day to have her head tattoos applied, which took two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours. Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross: A member of the Central Intelligence Agency and former liaison of its Joint Counter Terrorism Task Force. Freeman said that Ross "has an uneasy peace with T'Challa", and that he "goes on a strange journey, an enlightening journey to Wakanda". Unlike his comic book counterpart, who mainly served as comic relief, Freeman and the filmmakers sought to turn this version of Ross into a more capable agent in terms of diplomacy and combat. Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi: A confidant to T'Challa and his best friend, who is the head of security for the Border Tribe, serving as the first line of defense for Wakanda. Letitia Wright as Shuri: T'Challa's 16-year-old sister and the princess of Wakanda who designs new technology for the country. Wright described her as "an innovative spirit and an innovative mind" who "wants to take Wakanda to a new place... [and] has a great fashion sense". Wright also felt Shuri was a good role model for young black girls. Moore called Shuri the smartest person in the world, even more so than Tony Stark. Winston Duke as M'Baku: A powerful, ruthless warrior who is the leader of Wakanda's mountain tribe, the Jabari, who are in protest to T'Challa being the new king. Duke described the Jabari as people who "strongly believe that to move forward, you have to have a strong adherence and respect for the past. So they have a deep moral conscience." Character elements from Christopher Priest's 1998–2003 Black Panther series were adapted for M'Baku's portrayal in the film. M'Baku is not referred to in the film by his comics alter ego "Man-Ape", since Marvel felt there were "a lot of racial implications that don't sit well" in having a black character dress up as an ape. This aspect of the character was instead reworked to have the Jabari tribe that M'Baku is the leader of worship the gorilla gods, with M'Baku still wearing elements of fur on his arms and legs and a chest-plate that hints at the gorilla. Moore continued, "Man-Ape is a problematic character for a lot of reasons, but the idea behind Man-Ape we thought was really fascinating [...] It's a line I think we're walking, and hopefully walking successfully." To further differentiate the Jabari, Duke spoke a version of the Nigerian Igbo language rather than the Xhosa language spoken by other Wakandans. Angela Bassett as Ramonda: T'Challa and Shuri's mother and Queen Mother of Wakanda. Boseman noted that Ramonda "is one of the advisors that [T'Challa] would look to... for some of the answers of what his father might want or might do. She may not be exactly right all the time, but she definitely has insights." Bassett wore a silver, waist-length wig for the role that was made from 120 pieces of hair hand-rolled into dreadlocks. Calliet also served as Bassett's trainer, working with her before she began filming, and while she was on set, by creating high-intensity interval training circuits and helping to craft her diet. Forest Whitaker as Zuri: An elder statesman in Wakanda, and the keeper of the heart-shaped herb. Coogler called Zuri a religious and spiritual figure, and a way to reference the spirituality within Wakanda from the comics. He also added that Zuri "is a major tie back" to T'Chaka for T'Challa, and is "Black Panther's version of Obi-Wan Kenobi". Denzel Whitaker, who is not related to Forest, plays a young Zuri. Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue: A South African black-market arms dealer, smuggler and gangster, who is allied with Killmonger. He uses a piece of advanced Wakandan mining equipment as a sonic disruptor arm-cannon, replacing his left arm, which he lost in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Boseman described Klaue as a threat to Wakanda, one of the few outsiders to enter the country, and someone with access to vibranium, comparing him to Osama bin Laden. Serkis added that in addition to his desire for vibranium, Klaue is motivated by a "personal" vendetta against T'Challa, and "to expose what he thinks is the hypocrisy of Wakanda". Additionally, John Kani and Florence Kasumba reprise their respective roles of T'Chaka and Ayo from Captain America: Civil War, with Kani's son Atandwa portraying a young T'Chaka. Sterling K. Brown plays N'Jobu, T'Chaka's brother and Killmonger's father, who is a War Dog sent to America. Wakandan elders in the film include Isaach de Bankolé for the River Tribe, Connie Chiume for the Mining Tribe, Dorothy Steel for the Merchant Tribe, and Danny Sapani for the Border Tribe. Sydelle Noel appears as Xoliswa, a member of the Dora Milaje, with other members played by Marija Abney, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, Maria Hippolyte, Marie Mouroum, Jénel Stevens, Zola Williams, Christine Hollingsworth, and Shaunette Renée Wilson. Nabiyah Be initially announced that she was playing criminal Tilda Johnson, but her character was simply named Linda in the final film due to Gabrielle Dennis being cast as Johnson in the second season of Luke Cage. Comedian Trevor Noah voices Griot, a Wakandan ship A.I. Black Panther co-creator Stan Lee has a cameo in the film as a patron in the South Korean casino, and Sebastian Stan has an uncredited cameo reprising his role as Bucky Barnes in a post-credits scene. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Centuries ago, five African tribes war over a meteorite containing vibranium. One warrior ingests a "heart-shaped herb" affected by the metal and gains superhuman abilities, becoming the first "Black Panther". He unites all but the Jabari Tribe to form the nation of Wakanda. The Wakandans use the vibranium to develop advanced technology and isolate themselves from the world by posing as a Third World country. In 1992, King T'Chaka visits his brother N'Jobu, who is working undercover in Oakland, California. T'Chaka accuses N'Jobu of assisting black-market arms dealer Ulysses Klaue with stealing vibranium from Wakanda. N'Jobu's partner reveals he is Zuri, another undercover Wakandan, and confirms T'Chaka's suspicions. In the present day, following T'Chaka's death,[N 1] his son T'Challa returns to Wakanda to assume the throne. He and Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje regiment, extract Nakia, T'Challa's ex-lover, from an undercover assignment so she can attend his coronation ceremony with his mother Ramonda and younger sister Shuri. At the ceremony, the Jabari Tribe's leader M'Baku challenges T'Challa for the crown in ritual combat. T'Challa defeats M'Baku and persuades him to yield rather than die. When Klaue and Erik Stevens steal a Wakandan artifact from a London museum, W'Kabi, T'Challa's friend and Okoye's lover, urges him to bring Klaue back dead or alive. T'Challa, Okoye, and Nakia travel to Busan, South Korea, where Klaue plans to sell the artifact to CIA agent Everett K. Ross. A firefight erupts and Klaue attempts to flee but is caught by T'Challa, who reluctantly releases him to Ross' custody. Klaue tells Ross that Wakanda's international image is a front for a technologically advanced civilization. Erik attacks and extracts Klaue as Ross is gravely injured protecting Nakia. Rather than pursue Klaue, T'Challa takes Ross to Wakanda, where their technology can save him. While Shuri heals Ross, T'Challa confronts Zuri about N'Jobu. Zuri explains that N'Jobu planned to share Wakanda's technology with people of African descent around the world to help them conquer their oppressors. As T'Chaka arrested N'Jobu, N'Jobu attacked Zuri, forcing T'Chaka to kill him. T'Chaka ordered Zuri to lie that N'Jobu had disappeared and left behind N'Jobu's American son, Erik, in order to maintain the lie. Erik became a U.S. black ops soldier, adopting the name "Killmonger". Meanwhile, Killmonger kills Klaue and takes his body to Wakanda. He is brought before the tribal elders, revealing his identity and claim to the throne. Killmonger challenges T'Challa to ritual combat, in which he kills Zuri, defeats T'Challa and hurls him over a waterfall, where he is presumed dead. Killmonger ingests the heart-shaped herb and orders the rest incinerated, but Nakia extracts one first. Killmonger, supported by W'Kabi and his army, prepares to distribute shipments of Wakandan weapons to operatives around the world. Nakia, Shuri, Ramonda and Ross flee to the Jabari Tribe for aid. They find a comatose T'Challa, rescued by the Jabari in repayment for sparing M'Baku's life. Healed by Nakia's herb, T'Challa returns to fight Killmonger, who dons his own Black Panther suit and commands W'Kabi and his army to attack T'Challa. Shuri, Nakia, and the Dora Milaje join T'Challa, while Ross remotely pilots a jet and shoots down the planes carrying the vibranium weapons. M'Baku and the Jabari arrive to reinforce T'Challa. Confronted by Okoye, W'Kabi and his army stand down. Fighting in Wakanda's vibranium mine, T'Challa disrupts Killmonger's suit and stabs him. Killmonger refuses to be healed, choosing to die a free man rather than be incarcerated. T'Challa establishes an outreach center at the building where N'Jobu died to be run by Nakia and Shuri. In a mid-credits scene, T'Challa appears before the United Nations to reveal Wakanda's true nature to the world. In a post-credits scene, Shuri helps Bucky Barnes with his recuperation. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2022. “Black Panther - Wakanda Forever” | November 11, 2022 |
| STARRING: |
| Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther: The princess of Wakanda who designs new technology for the nation. Wright was given a larger role in the film following the death of Chadwick Boseman, who starred in previous MCU media as Shuri's older brother T'Challa / Black Panther. Wright said Shuri turns to her technology as a way to grieve T'Challa. Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia: A former War Dog, an undercover spy for Wakanda, from the River Tribe. Nyong'o said Nakia has "matured" following both the Blip and the death of T'Challa, explaining that her character's "priorities have shifted and sharpened" while adding that Nakia still remains "the one you want to call when you're in trouble". Danai Gurira as Okoye: The general of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda's all-female special forces. Okoye later takes on the mantle of the Midnight Angels, along with Aneka. It is revealed in the film that Okoye's husband, W'Kabi, was imprisoned following the events of Black Panther (2018). Gurira said the film would explore "many facets" of Okoye's humanity. Winston Duke as M'Baku: A powerful warrior and leader of Wakanda's mountain tribe, the Jabari. Duke indicated that following the Jabari's involvement in the events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), the tribe is no longer isolated from the rest of Wakanda. He also felt M'Baku was trying to figure "out how to move forward" in this new world for Wakanda, much like many in the real world were trying to do in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Florence Kasumba as Ayo: A member and the second-in-command who later becomes the general of the Dora Milaje after Okoye is stripped of her duties. She is romantically involved with Aneka. Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams: An MIT student and genius inventor from Chicago who creates a suit of armor that rivals the one built by Tony Stark / Iron Man. Director Ryan Coogler noted that Williams is a foil to Shuri, adding "there's a thread of similarity" between the two, but are "also very, very different", with Williams and Shuri's relationship representing a similar exploration of the "diversity of the Black experience" as T'Challa and Killmonger's relationship did in Black Panther. Michaela Coel as Aneka: A Wakandan warrior and member of the Dora Milaje. Aneka later takes upon the mantle of the Midnight Angels, along with Okoye. Aneka is romantically involved with Ayo. Coel was drawn to the character being queer as in the comics, and Coogler described Aneka as "kind of a rebel". Mabel Cadena as Namora: Namor's cousin. Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor: The king of Talokan, an ancient civilization of underwater dwelling people, who refer to him as the feathered serpent god K'uk'ulkan. Huerta said Namor decides to get involved in the surface world after T'Challa publicly reveals the truth of Wakanda at the end of the first film, which consequently puts Talokan in "jeopardy", leading Namor and his people to "take action to protect themselves". Huerta also confirmed that the character is a mutant as in the comics. Huerta called Namor an anti-hero, explaining that it was important to both him and Coogler to humanize the character by making his motivations understandable despite him having an antagonistic role in the film. Coogler was enthused to include Namor's "really unique features" from the comics, including his ankle wings and pointy ears. He also described the character as "kind of an asshole, kind of romantic, and just incredibly powerful". Huerta learned a Mayan language for the role, as well as how to swim. Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross: An agent of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who has previous ties to Wakanda. Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine: The new director of the CIA and the ex-wife of Ross. Angela Bassett as Ramonda: The Sovereign Queen Mother of Wakanda who is grieving the death of her son T'Challa. Bassett explained that Ramonda would be trying to balance leading her people, being a mother to Shuri, and keeping threats to Wakanda "at bay", all while grieving the death of T'Challa, which is "a lot for her to handle". While Bassett was initially unhappy with Ramonda being killed off in the film, Coogler reassured her that death is not necessarily permanent in the MCU, and she felt that it was possible for her character to return in the future, similar to how people were brought back to life following the Blip in Endgame. Additionally, Michael B. Jordan reprises his MCU role as N'Jadaka / Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, T'Challa and Shuri's cousin. Returning from Black Panther are Isaach de Bankolé, Danny Sapani, and Dorothy Steel (in her final, posthumous role) as the Wakandan River Tribe, Border Tribe, and Merchant Tribe elders, respectively; Connie Chiume reprises her role as Zawavari, previously the Mining Tribe Elder, but now the Elder Statesman, taking over the role held by Zuri in the first film;[28] and comedian Trevor Noah also reprises his voice role as Shuri's A.I. Griot. Alex Livinalli portrays the Talokanil warrior Attuma, while María Mercedes Coroy portrays Princess Fen, Namor's mother. Lake Bell (who previously voiced Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in Marvel Studios' animated series What If...?) and Robert John Burke appear as Dr. Graham and Smitty, respectively, a pair of CIA officials in charge of the vibranium mining operation. Richard Schiff appears as the U.S. Secretary of State,[34] while Kamaru Usman appears as a naval officer. Archival footage from previous MCU films of Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther is used in the film's ending, with Divine Love Konadu-Sun appearing as Toussaint/T'Challa II, T'Challa and Nakia's son. CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper appears as himself reporting on the Wakandan activities. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| T'Challa, king of Wakanda, is dying from an unspecified terminal illness which his sister Shuri believes can be cured by the "heart-shaped herb". Shuri attempts to synthetically recreate the herb after it was destroyed by Erik Killmonger, but fails to do so before T'Challa dies. One year later, Wakanda is under pressure from other nations to share their vibranium, with some parties attempting to steal it by force. Queen Ramonda implores Shuri to continue her research on the herb, hoping to create a new Black Panther that will defend Wakanda, but she refuses due to her belief that the Black Panther is a figure of the past. In the Atlantic Ocean, the CIA and U.S. Navy SEALs utilize a vibranium detector to locate a potential vibranium deposit underwater. The expedition is killed by a group of blue-skinned, water-breathing superhumans led by Namor, with the CIA believing Wakanda to be responsible. Namor confronts Ramonda and Shuri, easily bypassing Wakanda's advanced security. Blaming Wakanda for the vibranium race, he gives them an ultimatum: deliver him the scientist responsible for the vibranium detector, or he will attack Wakanda. Shuri and Okoye learn from CIA agent Everett K. Ross that the scientist in question is MIT student Riri Williams and arrive at the university to confront her. The group is pursued by the FBI and then by Namor's warriors, who defeat Okoye before taking Shuri and Williams underwater to meet Namor. Angered by Okoye's failure to protect Shuri, Ramonda strips her of her title as general of the Dora Milaje and seeks out Nakia, who has been living in Haiti since The Blip.[b] Namor shows Shuri his vibranium-rich underwater kingdom of Talokan, which he has protected for centuries from discovery by the world. Bitter at the surface world for enslaving the Maya, Namor proposes an alliance with Wakanda against the rest of the world but threatens to destroy Wakanda if they refuse. Nakia helps Shuri and Williams escape, killing a Talokanil guard in the process, and Namor retaliates with an attack against Wakanda, during which Ramonda drowns while saving Williams. Namor vows to return with his full army, and the citizens of Wakanda relocate to the Jabari mountains for their safety. Meanwhile, Ross is arrested by his ex-wife, CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, for secretly exchanging classified intelligence with the Wakandans. After Ramonda's funeral, Shuri uses a remnant of the herb that gave Namor's people their superhuman abilities to reconstruct the heart-shaped herb. She ingests it, gaining superhuman abilities and meeting Killmonger in the Ancestral Plane, who urges her to seek revenge. Shuri dons a new Black Panther suit and is accepted by the other Wakandan tribes as the Black Panther. Despite M'Baku's urges for peace, Shuri is determined to exact vengeance on Namor for Ramonda's death and orders an immediate counterattack on Talokan. Preparing for battle, with Ayo assuming the position of general of the Dora Milaje, Shuri bestows the Midnight Angel armor upon Okoye, who in turn recruits Dora Milaje member Aneka to join her. Williams creates an Iron Man-esque powered exoskeleton to aid the Wakandans. Using a seafaring vessel, the Wakandans lure Namor and his warriors to the surface with another vibranium detector as a battle ensues. Shuri traps Namor in a fighter aircraft, intending to dry him out and weaken him. The pair crashes on a desert beach and fight. Shuri gains the upper hand, but has a vision of Ramonda and implores Namor to yield, offering him a peaceful alliance. Namor accepts, and the battle ends. Namor's cousin, Namora, is upset at Namor's surrender, but he assures her that the new alliance will allow them to conquer the surface world one day. Williams returns to MIT, leaving her suit behind, while Okoye rescues Ross from captivity. Shuri plants more heart-shaped herbs to ensure the future of the Black Panther mantle. In Shuri's absence, M'Baku steps forward to challenge for the throne. Shuri visits Nakia in Haiti where she burns her funeral robe in accordance with Ramonda's wishes, allowing herself to finally grieve for T'Challa. In a mid-credits scene, Shuri learns that Nakia and T'Challa had a son named Toussaint, whom Nakia has been raising in secret. Toussaint reveals his Wakandan name is T'Challa. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2021. “Black Widow” | July 9, 2021 |
| STARRING: |
| •Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow: An Avenger, highly trained former-KGB assassin and former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Johansson said she was "going out on a high note" and was proud of the film, feeling that her work portraying Romanoff was now complete. She described the film as an opportunity to show the character as "a woman who has come into her own and is making independent and active choices for herself", while being in a dark place with no one to call, and felt the character's vulnerability set her apart from the other Avengers. Director Cate Shortland watched all of Romanoff's MCU appearances consecutively in preparation for the film, and chose to set the story where Romanoff is alone and not "in relation to anyone else". Shortland said Romanoff's ambiguous psychological journey was the center of the story. Ever Anderson portrays a young Natasha Romanoff. Anderson, who speaks Russian, felt her background in taekwondo and gymnastics training were helpful for the role. •Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova / Black Widow: A sister-figure to Romanoff who was trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow. Johansson said Belova was an early inclusion in the film who could stand on her own in comparison to Romanoff. Pugh said there was a "generational difference" between the two, and described Belova as "unapologetic, and confident in herself, and curious ... and emotionally brave". Pugh admired Belova's bluntness and determination, and noted that the character is a skilled fighter but does not know how to live a normal life.? Shortland said that Romanoff would be "handing [Belova] the baton" in the film, and Pugh looked to Johansson for guidance during filming on meeting the demands of making Marvel films. Johansson wanted to avoid an antagonistic dynamic between the two characters, instead having a sister-like but contentious relationship that Pugh characterized as "a sister story that really hones in on grief, on pain, on abuse, on being a victim - and living with being a victim". Violet McGraw portrays a young Yelena Belova. •David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian: The Russian super-soldier counterpart to Captain America and a father-figure to Romanoff and Belova. Harbour said Shostakov was not heroic or noble, and was both comically and tragically flawed. Shostakov claims that he fought Captain America in the 1980s, and screenwriter Eric Pearson felt the character believed that this was true despite it being impossible. For Harbour's portrayal, he and Shortland discussed Ricky Gervais' performance in The Office and Philip Seymour Hoffman's in The Savages (2007), "comedy that comes out of real domestic need".? Harbour had already grown his facial hair for the fourth season of Stranger Things, and he gained weight for the role to be 280 pounds (127 kg). He then lost 60 pounds (27 kg) over the course of filming to portray a younger version of the character for the film's opening flashback sequence. •O-T Fagbenle as Rick Mason: An ally from Romanoff's S.H.I.E.L.D. past who is romantically interested in her. Fagbenle described Mason as a "finder for people who aren't so affiliated with armies" who assists Romanoff in that manner. On why a romance between Mason and Romanoff is not explored in the film, Fagbenle said the film was "bigger than that" and their relationship was part of Romanoff's larger family instead. Aside from Pearson's script, Fagbenle developed Mason's backstory with Shortland and Johansson. As Taskmaster's identity was kept secret, many people assumed Mason would secretly take up the mantle, which Fagbenle had to deny even to his personal trainer. The film's final scene, in which Mason provides Romanoff with a Quinjet, was added as part of reshoots in early 2020 after test audiences liked seeing Romanoff and Mason together. •Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster: Dreykov's daughter who completes missions for the Red Room. She has photographic reflexes that allow her to mimic opponents' fighting styles,? and uses techniques from superheroes such as Iron Man, Captain America, the Winter Soldier, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. Several body doubles were required to portray the character's various skills. Kurylenko said much of Antonia's pain is internal, and described her relationship with Dreykov as abusive since Dreykov uses her "as a tool [and] has her do whatever he wants". Taskmaster is revealed to be Antonia in the film instead of the comic book counterpart Tony Masters since Masters is a mercenary that did not fit into the film's story and it was more natural to Pearson to tie Taskmaster into a "loose end from Natasha's past". Ryan Kiera Armstrong portrays a young Antonia Dreykov. •William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross: The United States Secretary of State and a former U.S. Army general. •Ray Winstone as Dreykov: A Russian general and the head of the Red Room. Pearson felt the film needed a villain that could fit within its timeframe undetected so as to avoid contradicting the events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018). He described Dreykov as a coward who is "puppeteering things" from the shadows and does not care about hurting others. •Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff / Black Widow: A seasoned spy trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow and a mother-figure to Romanoff and Belova who is now one of the Red Room's lead scientists. Compared to Vostokoff's comic book counterpart, who becomes the supervillain Iron Maiden, Weisz felt the film's version was more ambiguous and layered, with a deadpan personality and no sense of humor which Weisz found amusing. Weisz was given a tailored Black Widow suit for the film which she called an "iconic" piece of clothing that was "a lot to live up to". Weisz reworked Vostokoff's portrayal to be more affectionate towards Shostakov, rather than dismissive. Additionally, Liani Samuel, Michelle Lee, and Nanna Blondell appear as Red Room assassins Lerato, Oksana, and Ingrid, respectively, while Jade Xu portrays another Black Widow, later identified as Helen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Olivier Richters portrays Ursa Major, a fellow inmate of Shostakov's. The film's post-credits scene sees Julia Louis-Dreyfus reprising her role as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine from the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) in an uncredited cameo appearance. Jeremy Renner reprises his MCU role as Clint Barton in an uncredited voice-only cameo. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1995, super soldier Alexei Shostakov and Black Widow Melina Vostokoff work as Russian undercover agents, posing as a family in Ohio with Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova as their daughters. They steal S.H.I.E.L.D. intel and escape to Cuba where their boss, General Dreykov, has Romanoff and Belova taken to the Red Room for training. Years pass, during which Shostakov is imprisoned in Russia while Romanoff defects to S.H.I.E.L.D. after bombing Dreykov's Budapest office and apparently killing him and his young daughter Antonia. In 2016, Romanoff is a fugitive for violating the Sokovia Accords.[b] She escapes from U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross and flees to a safehouse in Norway supplied by Rick Mason. Meanwhile, Belova kills a rogue former Black Widow but comes in contact with a synthetic gas that neutralizes the Red Room's chemical mind-control agent. Belova sends antidote vials to Romanoff, hoping she and the Avengers can free the other Widows, and goes into hiding. When Romanoff is unknowingly driving with the vials in her car, Red Room agent Taskmaster attacks her. Romanoff escapes from Taskmaster and realizes that the vials came from Budapest. There she finds Belova who reveals that Dreykov is alive and the Red Room is still active. Black Widows and Taskmaster attack them, but Romanoff and Belova evade them and meet with Mason, who supplies them with a helicopter. Romanoff and Belova break Shostakov out of prison to learn Dreykov's location, and he directs them to Vostokoff who lives on a farm outside Saint Petersburg. There she is refining the chemical mind control process used on the Widows. Vostokoff alerts Dreykov and his agents arrive to take them, but Romanoff convinces Vostokoff to help them and the pair use face mask technology to switch places. At the Red Room, an aerial facility, Vostokoff frees Shostakov and Belova from their restraints. Dreykov sees through Romanoff's disguise and reveals that Taskmaster is Antonia, who suffered damage severe enough that Dreykov had to put technology in her head. That made her the perfect soldier, capable of mimicking the actions of anyone she sees. Romanoff is unable to attack Dreykov due to a pheromone lock installed in every Widow, but negates that by breaking her own nose and severing a nerve in her nasal passage. Shostakov battles Taskmaster while Vostokoff takes out one of the facility's engines. They then lock Taskmaster in a cell. Dreykov escapes as other Black Widows attack Romanoff, but Belova exposes them to the antidote. Romanoff copies the locations of other Widows worldwide from Dreykov's computer as the facility begins to explode and fall. She retrieves two surviving antidote vials and frees Taskmaster from the locked cell. Vostokoff and Shostakov escape via a plane while Belova takes out Dreykov's aircraft, killing him. In freefall, Romanoff gives Belova a parachute before battling Taskmaster. After landing, Romanoff uses one antidote vial on Taskmaster and gives the other to Belova along with the locations of the other, still mind-controlled, Widows so she can find and free them. Belova, Vostokoff, and Shostakov say goodbye to Romanoff and leave with Antonia and the freed Widows. Two weeks later, Mason supplies Romanoff with a Quinjet to use in freeing the imprisoned Avengers. In a post-credits scene set after Romanoff's death, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine blames her death on Clint Barton and assigns him as Belova's next target. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 1998. “Blade” | 8 October 1998 |
| STARRING: |
| Wesley Snipes as Eric Brooks / Blade: a half-vampire "daywalker" who hunts vampires and possesses superhuman reflexes and powers as a result of his mother being bitten by a vampire. N'Bushe Wright as Dr. Karen Jenson: a hematologist who is bitten by the vampire Quinn. She fights vampires alongside Blade while she finds a cure for herself. Stephen Dorff as Deacon Frost: an upstart vampire leader who emerges as Blade's primary enemy and who wants to conquer the human race by becoming the supreme blood god "La Magra". Kris Kristofferson as Abraham Whistler: Blade's mentor, weaponsmith, and surrogate father figure. Donal Logue as Quinn, a cocky lead minion of Frost's. Udo Kier as Gitano Dragonetti, the head of the House of Erebus. Sanaa Lathan as Vanessa Brooks, Blade's mother, believed dead, who became a vampire and lover to Frost. Arly Jover as Mercury, Frost's second lover and second in command. Kevin Patrick Walls as Officer Krieger, a "familiar", or human servant, of Frost's. Tim Guinee as Dr. Curtis Webb, Karen's ex-boyfriend who later becomes a decomposing zombie. Traci Lords as Racquel, a seductive vampire who leads a man to the blood rave. Eric Edwards as Pearl, the obese records keeper. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1967, a pregnant woman is attacked by a vampire while giving birth. Doctors are able to save her baby, but the woman dies of infection. Thirty-one years later, the child has become the vampire hunter Blade. He raids a rave club owned by the vampire Deacon Frost. Police take one of the vampires to the hospital, where he feeds on hematologist Karen Jenson and escapes. Blade takes Karen to a safe house where she is treated by his old friend Abraham Whistler. Whistler explains that he and Blade have been waging a secret war against vampires using weapons based on their elemental weaknesses, such as sunlight and silver. As Karen is now "marked" by the bite of a vampire, both he and Blade tell her to leave the city. Meanwhile, at a meeting of vampire elders, Frost, the leader of a faction of younger vampires, is rebuked for trying to incite war between vampires and humans. As Frost and his kind were not born as vampires and are therefore not pure-bloods, they are considered socially inferior. In response, Frost has one of the elders executed and strips the others of their authority. Upon returning to her apartment, Karen is attacked by a policeman, who is a "familiar", a human slave controlled by a vampire. Blade subdues the familiar and uses information from him to locate an archive of vampire history. Later, at the hideout, Blade injects himself with a special serum that prevents him from succumbing to his desire to drink blood, which would ultimately turn him into a vampire. However, the serum is beginning to lose its effectiveness due to overuse. While experimenting with the anticoagulant EDTA as a possible replacement, Karen discovers that it explodes when combined with vampire blood. She manages to synthesize a vaccine that can cure the infected, but learns that it will not work on a human-vampire hybrid like Blade. Frost and his men attack the hideout, infect Whistler, and abduct Karen. When Blade returns, he helps Whistler commit suicide and arms himself with special syringes filled with EDTA. When Blade attempts to rescue Karen from Frost's penthouse, he is subdued and taken to the Temple of Eternal Night, where Frost plans to perform the summoning ritual for La Magra, the vampire blood god. Blade is drained of his blood, but Karen allows him to drink from her, triggering his vampirism. Frost completes the ritual and obtains the powers of La Magra. Blade kills all of Frost's minions, including his mother, and confronts him. During their fight, Blade injects Frost with all of the syringes, causing his body to explode. Karen offers to help Blade cure himself, but he asks her to create a new serum instead. In a brief epilogue, Blade kills a group of Russian vampires. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2002. “Blade II” | 11 July 2002 |
| STARRING: |
| Wesley Snipes as Eric Brooks / Blade: a half-vampire "daywalker" who hunts vampires. Wesley Snipes stated that while such a character is not going to have much emotional depth, he then stated: "there's some acting involved in creating the character and making him believable and palatable." Kris Kristofferson as Abraham Whistler, Blade's human mentor and weaponsmith. Ron Perlman as Reinhardt, leader of the Bloodpack, who bears a particular grudge against Blade. He also seems to be a racist, cracking a joke about Blade's skin color, and mentions that his mother was killed by his father. Guillermo del Toro also referred to him as a "Nazi" in the movie's commentary. Leonor Varela as Nyssa Damaskinos, an unapologetic, natural-born vampire and daughter to Damaskinos. She is unaware of his darker activities, and does not realize that he values his experiments more than her. There is a hint of sexual tension between her and Blade, Nyssa recognizing Blade as an honorable warrior after he saves her life. Norman Reedus as Josh / Scud, a young, pot-smoking weaponsmith who aids Blade in Whistler's absence. He is revealed at the end of the film to be a double agent, truly working for Damaskinos, believing that the vampires will inevitably win and he would rather be a pet than cattle. Thomas Kretschmann as Eli Damaskinos, an ancient vampire who is obsessed with creating a superior race of vampires as his legacy. Luke Goss as Jared Nomak, Patient zero and carrier of the Reaper virus, with the result that he retains his mind and tactical abilities where other Reapers are little more than mindless animals. He bears a grudge against his father, Eli Damaskinos for creating him. Matt Schulze as Chupa, a pugnacious member of the Bloodpack who bears a particular grudge against Whistler. Danny John-Jules as Asad, a "well-mannered" member of the Bloodpack. He seems to be the least volatile and most intelligent member, as well as the one most willing to work with Blade. Donnie Yen as Snowman, a mute swordsman and member of the Bloodpack. Yen also served as the fight choreographer for the film. Karel Roden as Karel Kounen, a "familiar", Damaskinos's human agent and lawyer. Marit Velle Kile as Verlaine, a red-haired member of the Bloodpack and the lover of Lighthammer. Darren "Daz" Crawford as Lighthammer, a hulking, hammer-wielding member of the Bloodpack with M?ori facial tattoos. He and Verlaine seem to be romantically involved. However, he is infected during the attack on the House of Pain, and subsequently turns during the raid on the Reaper base. Tony Curran as Priest, an Irish-accented member of the Bloodpack. He is the first Bloodpack member to be infected by the Reaper Virus, and begins to turn. Blade exposes him to sunlight to finally kill him in an act of mercy, as his transformation into a Reaper is agonizing. Santiago Segura as Rush, a vampire flunky in Prague. He seems to be much more timid and cowardly than most vampires |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Two years after the events of Blade, a pandemic known as the "Reaper virus" has spread through the vampire community. Infected vampires are turned into Reapers, mutants immune to all vampire weaknesses with the exception of bright light, who kill humans and turn any vampires they feed on into more Reapers. Unable to contain the Reapers, Vampire Lord Eli Damaskinos sends two emissaries, Asad and his daughter Nyssa, to seek the aid of vampire hunter Blade and his team, consisting of weaponsmith Abraham Whistler and Blade's new assistant Scud. Blade has since recovered Whistler, who has been tortured and held captive by the group of vampires. Whistler had been turned into a vampire by them and after returning to their headquarters, Blade gives Whistler an anti-virus vampire serum to turn him back to human. After meeting with Damaskinos and his human familiar, lawyer Karel Kounen, they cautiously agree to help due to the danger of the Reapers' uncontrollable hunger and rapid mutation. Asad then introduces them to The Bloodpack, a group of vampires trained for the sole purpose of killing Blade. In addition to Asad and Nyssa, The Bloodpack consists of Reinhardt, Chupa, Snowman, Verlaine, her lover Lighthammer, and Priest. To keep them in line and after Reinhardt's racially-charged remark, Blade humiliates Reinhardt and plants an explosive charge on the back of Reinhardt's head. On Blade's advice, the team starts by investigating a local nightclub frequented by vampires. When they do encounter Reapers, they soon discover that their weapons and powers are completely ineffective. Blade is forced to kill Priest after he becomes infected, Lighthammer is wounded (and infected but he keeps this to himself), Whistler deserts his post, and Scud barely survives a Reaper attack by using UV lights to scare them off. Jared Nomak, 'Patient Zero' of the Reaper strain, attacks and nearly kills Blade before a burst of sunlight forces him to retreat. Whistler reappears and explains that he has been tracking the Reapers to a central nest in the sewers. Dissection of a Reaper corpse that was trapped by an electronic hatch reveals that most Reapers burn out within twelve hours if they do not feed, and their hearts are protected by an additional layer of bone. Having learned of their prime weakness, he and Scud create UV projectors for the team. While searching for the nest, Lighthammer succumbs to the infection, killing Snowman and chasing Verlaine up a manhole ladder before both die of light exposure when Verlaine removes the manhole cover. Chupa turns on Whistler and attacks him, only to die when a group of Reapers attracted to his scent tear him apart. Whistler survives an encounter with Nomak only because he reveals the truth of his condition and situation to Whistler so he can inform Blade. Asad is ambushed, dragged underwater, and killed. Using a special UV emitter bomb pack, Blade kills all of the Reapers with the exception of Nomak and rescues Reinhardt and Nyssa, but is betrayed by Damaskinos and his people, who stun Blade unconscious. After Damaskinos' betrayal, he reveals that he created The Reaper virus in order to create a new race of vampires based on Blade and that Nomak is in fact his son. Scud turns out to be a familiar loyal to Damaskinos, who also works with Reinhardt. Explaining that he always knew of Scud's true allegiance, Blade kills him with the bomb he placed on Reinhardt earlier. Damaskinos then orders his scientists to dissect Blade so that he can learn how to replicate his abilities. After escaping his captors, Whistler brings Blade to a blood pool, where he regains enough strength to kill Reinhardt and his men. Seeking revenge, Nomak tracks Damaskinos to his private heliport and kills him. He then bites Nyssa, infecting her with the virus while drinking her blood. Blade confronts Nomak, and after a ferocious battle, defeats him. With his now-broken sword, Blade stabs it through the side of Nomak's chest and into his bone-protected heart, slipping it through the bone plates on the side. Nomak then commits suicide to end his suffering by shoving the sword all the way into his wounded heart. Fulfilling Nyssa's dying wish, Blade takes her outside, where she dies while watching the sun rise before she can fully change. The movie ends with Blade in London, where he kills Rush, a vampire he encountered earlier in the movie. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2004. “Blade Trinity” | 8 December 2004 |
| STARRING: |
| Wesley Snipes as Eric Brooks / Blade Kris Kristofferson as Abraham Whistler Dominic Purcell as Dracula / Drake Jessica Biel as Abigail Whistler Ryan Reynolds as Hannibal King Parker Posey as Danica Talos Callum Keith Rennie as Asher Talos Triple H as Jarko Grimwood Natasha Lyonne as Sommerfield Haili Page as Zoe Sommerfield John Michael Higgins as Dr. Edgar Vance Françoise Yip as Virago Mark Berry as Police Chief Martin Vreede Patton Oswalt as Hedges James Remar as FBI Agent Ray Cumberland Michael Anthony Rawlins as FBI Agent Wilson Hale Eric Bogosian as Bentley Tittle Ron Selmour as Dex Christopher Heyerdahl as Caulder |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Vampires investigate an ancient tomb in the Syrian Desert, which they believe belongs to Dracula, the first vampire. To keep Blade from interfering, they frame him for the murder of a human familiar. FBI agents subsequently locate Blade's hideout and kill his mentor and friend, Abraham Whistler. Demoralized, Blade surrenders and is arrested. The vampires' familiars have arranged for the authorities to turn Blade over to them. He is rescued by Hannibal King and Abigail Whistler, Abraham's daughter, who invite Blade to join their band of vampire hunters, the Nightstalkers. From them, Blade learns that Danica Talos, an old enemy of King's, has revived Dracula, or "Drake", with the goal of using his powers to cure vampires of their weaknesses. As the first of the vampires, Drake's DNA is untainted and he is able to survive in sunlight. The Nightstalkers have created an experimental bioweapon known as Daystar, capable of killing vampires at the genetic level. However, they need a purer blood source to make it effective. As Drake is too powerful to kill via normal means, they hope that the virus will kill him and, with his blood in the mix, ensure the rest of the species is wiped out Eager to test Blade, Drake isolates him from the Nightstalkers, as he considers them unworthy of challenging him. He explains that all humans and vampires are inferior in his eyes and that he intends to wipe them from the Earth. Abigail finds evidence of Drake's true plan: a network of farms where humans are drained of their blood for vampire consumption. Told the humans are all brain dead, Blade deactivates the farm's life support systems. Returning to the Nightstalkers's hideout, they find all of them dead except for King and Sommerfield's daughter Zoe, who have been taken captive. A recording left by Sommerfield, Daystar's creator, reveals that Drake's blood is needed to render it effective. King is tortured by the vampires for information, but refuses to talk, even when they threaten to feed him Zoe's blood. Blade and Abigail arrive and free the captives. Drake eventually bests Blade in single combat and prepares to kill him with his own sword. Abigail fires the Daystar arrow but Drake catches it before it strikes him. He drops it to the floor by Blade. At the last second, Blade stabs him with it, triggering a chemical reaction that kills Danica and the rest of her followers. As Drake slowly succumbs to his wounds, he praises Blade for fighting honorably, but warns him that he will eventually succumb to his need for blood, thus creating a new type of vampire. Using the last of his power, Drake disguises himself as Blade. The FBI recover the body and declare Blade legally dead, allowing him to continue his war against vampires. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2011. “Captain America - The First Avenger” | July 22, 2011 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America Tommy Lee Jones as Chester Phillips Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt / Red Skull Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter Sebastian Stan as James "Bucky" Barnes Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark Neal McDonough as Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan Derek Luke as Gabe Jones Stanley Tucci as Abraham Erskine |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In the present day, scientists in the Arctic uncover a frozen circular object with a red, white, and blue motif in the cockpit of a derelict aircraft. In March 1942, Nazi officer Johann Schmidt and his men enter the town of Tonsberg in German-occupied Norway, to steal a mysterious relic called the Tesseract,[b]which possesses untold powers. Meanwhile, in New York City, Steve Rogers is rejected for World War II military recruitment because of various health and physical problems. While attending an exhibition of future technologies with his friend Sgt. James "Bucky" Barnes, Rogers again attempts to enlist. Overhearing Rogers' conversation with Barnes about wanting to help in the war, Dr. Abraham Erskine allows Rogers to enlist. He is recruited into the Strategic Scientific Reserve as part of a"super-soldier" experiment under Erskine, Col. Chester Phillips, and British agent Peggy Carter. Phillips is unconvinced by Erskine's claims that Rogers is the right person for the procedure but relents after seeing Rogers commit an act of self-sacrificing bravery. The night before the treatment, Erskine reveals to Rogers that Schmidt underwent an imperfect version of the procedure and suffered permanent side-effects. Back in Europe, Schmidt and Dr. Arnim Zola harness the energies of the Tesseract, intending to use the power to fuel Zola's inventions, mounting an offensive that will change the world. Schmidt discovers Erskine's location and dispatches an assassin to kill him. In the U.S., Erskine subjects Rogers to the super-soldier treatment, injecting him with a special serum and dosing him with "vita-rays". After Rogers emerges from the experiment taller and more muscular, one of the attendees kills Erskine, revealing himself to be Schmidt's assassin, Heinz Kruger. Rogers pursues and captures Kruger, but the assassin avoids interrogation by committing suicide bycyanide capsule. With Erskine dead and his super-soldier formula lost, U.S. Senator Brandt has Rogers tour the nation in a colorful costume as "Captain America" to promote war bonds, rather than allow scientists to study him and attempt to rediscover the formula. In 1943, while on tour in Italy performing for active servicemen, Rogers learns that Barnes's unit was MIA in a battle against Schmidt's forces. Refusing to believe that Barnes is dead, Rogers has Carter and engineer Howard Stark fly him behind enemy lines to mount a solo rescue attempt. Rogers infiltrates the fortress of Schmidt's Hydra organization, freeing Barnes and the other prisoners. Rogers confronts Schmidt, who removes his mask, revealing a red, skull-like visage that earned him the sobriquet "the Red Skull". Schmidt escapes and Rogers returns to base with the freed soldiers. Rogers recruits Barnes, Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones, Jim Morita, James Montgomery Falsworth, and Jacques Dernier to attack other known Hydra bases. Stark outfits Rogers with advanced equipment, most notably a circular shield made of vibranium, a rare, nearly indestructible metal. Rogers and his team sabotage various Hydra operations. The team later assaults a train carrying Zola. Rogers and Jones succeed in capturing Zola, but Barnes falls from the train to his assumed death.[c]Using information extracted from Zola, the final Hydra stronghold is located, and Rogers leads an attack to stop Schmidt from using weapons of mass destruction on American cities and soon other major cities across the globe. Rogers climbs aboard Schmidt's aircraft as it takes off. During the subsequent fight, the Tesseract's container is damaged. Schmidt physically handles the Tesseract, causing him to dissolve in a bright light. The Tesseract falls to the floor, burning through the plane and falling to Earth. Seeing no way to land the plane without the risk of detonating its weapons, Rogers crashes it in the Arctic. Stark later recovers the Tesseract from the ocean floor but is unable to locate Rogers or the aircraft, presuming him dead. Rogers awakens in a 1940s-style hospital room. Deducing from an anachronistic radio broadcast that something is wrong, he flees outside and finds himself in present-day Times Square, where S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury informs him he has been "asleep" for nearly 70 years. In a post-credits scene, Fury approaches Rogers, proposing a mission with worldwide ramifications. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2014. “Captain America - The Winter Soldier” | April 4, 2014 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter / Agent 13 Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Two years after the Battle of New York,[4] Steve Rogers works in Washington D.C. for the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D.under Director Nick Fury, while adjusting to contemporary society. Rogers and Agent Natasha Romanoff are sent with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s counter-terrorism S.T.R.I.K.E. team, led by Agent Rumlow, to free hostages aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel from Georges Batroc and his mercenaries. Mid-mission, Rogers discovers Romanoff has another agenda: to extract data from the ship's computers for Fury. Rogers returns to the Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters, to confront Fury and is briefed about Project Insight: three Helicarriers linked to spy satellites, designed to preemptively eliminate threats. Unable to decrypt the data recovered by Romanoff, Fury becomes suspicious about Insight and asks senior S.H.I.E.L.D. officialAlexander Pierce to delay the project. On his way to rendezvous with Maria Hill, Fury is ambushed by assailants led by a mysterious assassin called the Winter Soldier. Fury escapes to Rogers' apartment, and warns Rogers that S.H.I.E.L.D. is compromised. After handing Rogers a flash drive containing data from the ship, Fury is gunned down by the Winter Soldier. Fury dies in surgery, and Hill recovers the body. The next day, Pierce summons Rogers to the Triskelion. When Rogers withholds Fury's information, Pierce brands him a fugitive. Hunted by S.T.R.I.K.E., Rogers meets with Romanoff. Using data in the flash drive they discover a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker in New Jersey, where they activate a supercomputer containing the preserved consciousness of Arnim Zola. Zola reveals that ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded after World War II, Hydra has secretly operated within its ranks, sowing global chaos with the objective of making humanity willing to surrender its freedom in exchange for security. The pair narrowly escape death when a S.H.I.E.L.D. missile destroys the bunker, and realize that Pierce is Hydra's leader within S.H.I.E.L.D. Rogers and Romanoff enlist the help of former USAF pararescueman Sam Wilson, whom Rogers befriended, and acquire his powered "Falcon" wingpack. Deducing that S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell is a Hydra mole, they force him to divulge that Zola developed a data-mining algorithm that can identify individuals who might become future threats to Hydra's plans. The Insight Helicarriers will sweep the globe, using satellite-guided guns to eliminate these individuals. Rogers, Romanoff, and Wilson are ambushed by the Winter Soldier, who kills Sitwell. During the fight, Rogers recognizes the Winter Soldier as Bucky Barnes, his friend who was captured and experimented upon during WWII. Hill manages to extract the trio to a safehouse where Fury, who had faked his death, is waiting with plans to sabotage the Helicarriers by replacing their controller chips. After the World Security Council members arrive for the Helicarriers' launch, Rogers broadcasts Hydra's plot to everyone at the Triskelion. Romanoff, disguised as one of the Council members, disarms Pierce. Fury arrives and forces Pierce to unlock S.H.I.E.L.D's database so that Romanoff can leak classified information, exposing Hydra to the public. Following a struggle, Fury kills Pierce. Meanwhile, Rogers and Wilson storm two Helicarriers and replace the controller chips, but the Winter Soldier destroys Wilson's suit and fights Rogers on the third. Rogers fends him off and replaces the final chip, allowing Hill to take control and have the vessels destroy each other. Rogers refuses to fight the Winter Soldier in an attempt to reach his friend, but as the ship collides with the Triskelion, Rogers is thrown out into the Potomac River. The Winter Soldier rescues the unconscious Rogers before disappearing into the woods. With S.H.I.E.L.D. in disarray, Romanoff appears before a Senate subcommittee and Fury, under the cover of his apparent death, heads to Eastern Europe in pursuit of Hydra's remaining cells. Rogers and Wilson decide to find the Winter Soldier, while Rumlow, who was a double agent for Hydra, is hospit alized following the Triskelion's destruction. In a mid-credits scene, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, at a Hydra lab, proclaims that the "age of miracles" has begun as scientists examine an energy-filled scepter[N 1]and two prisoners: one with superhuman speed, the other with telekinetic powers. In a post-credits scene, the Winter Soldier visits a Bucky memorial at the Smithsonian Institution. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2016. “Captain America - Civil War” | May 6, 2016 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch Paul Bettany as Vision Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow / Crossbones William Hurt as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross Daniel Bruhl as Helmut Zemo |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1991, HYDRA operatives in Siberia revive Sgt. James "Bucky" Barnes from a cryogenic state and condition him to be completely obedient to anyone who recites certain trigger words. He is then dispatched to assassinate a motorist, later revealed to be Howard Stark, and steal a briefcase containing super-soldier serum. Approximately one year after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, andWanda Maximoff stop Brock Rumlow from stealing a biological weapon from a lab in Lagos, Nigeria. During the fight, a building is accidentally bombed, killing a number of Wakandan relief aid workers. At the New Avengers Facility, Secretary of State Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross informs the Avengers that the United Nations is preparing to pass the Sokovia Accords, which will establish an international governing body to monitor and police the rapidly growing superhuman population. The team is divided over the act: Tony Stark supports oversight because he feels responsible for creating Ultron and for the destruction the android brought to Sokovia, while Rogers has lost faith in the government because HYDRA manipulated S.H.I.E.L.D. since its foundation. In Vienna, where the Sokovia Accords are to be ratified, a bomb kills King T'Chaka of Wakanda. T'Chaka's son, T'Challa, vows to avenge his father's death. Security footage reveals Barnes to be the bomber. Without authorization, Rogers and Wilson track Barnes to his hideout in Bucharest and try to protect him from the police and T'Challa. Rogers, Wilson, Barnes, and T'Challa are captured. While in captivity in Berlin, Barnes is released by Colonel Helmut Zemo, who uses HYDRA's trigger words to send him on a rampage. Rogers stops Barnes and sneaks him away. When Barnes regains his senses, he protests his innocence and reveals that Zemo is heading to the facility where Barnes and other Winter Soldiers were created. Rogers recruits Wanda, Clint Barton, and Scott Lang to help him. Stark convinces Ross to let him bring his renegade comrades in, and assembles Romanoff, T'Challa, James Rhodes, and Vision. Feeling undermanned, Stark visits Peter Parker and recruits him as well. Stark and his team intercept Rogers' team at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Romanoff lets Rogers and Barnes escape, while the rest of their team is captured. Rhodes is paralyzed after he is inadvertently shot down by Vision. Stark finds evidence that Barnes was framed and secretly follows Rogers and Barnes to the Siberian HYDRA facility, unaware that he is being pursued by T'Challa. They discover that the other Winter Soldiers have been killed by Zemo, who is Sokovian and wants to punish the Avengers for his family's death. Zemo then shows security footage that reveals Barnes assassinated Stark's parents in 1991. Disillusioned and enraged, and discovering Rogers' knowledge of the truth, Stark turns on Barnes, forcing Rogers to fight him. In the fight, Barnes loses his robotic arm and Rogers disables Stark's armor. Rogers departs with Barnes and leaves his shield behind. Feeling pity for Zemo, T'Challa takes him in alive. In the aftermath, Stark gives Rhodes an exoskeleton to let him walk again. Rogers breaks his comrades out of prison and flees to Wakanda, where Barnes chooses to be frozen until a cure for his brainwashing can be found. In a post-credits scene, Parker is recovering from his injuries when his web-shooters project a spider-shaped symbol. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2019. “Captain Marvel” | March 8, 2019 |
| STARRING: |
| •Brie Larson as Carol Danvers / Vers / Captain Marvel: An ex-U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and member of an elite Kree military unit called Starforce whose DNA was altered during an accident, imbuing her with superhuman strength, energy projection, and flight. Larson described Danvers as a "believer in truth and justice" and a "bridge between Earth and space", who must balance her "unemotional" Kree side that is an "amazing fighter" with her "flawed" human half that is "the thing that she ends up leading by." Larson also called Danvers aggressive, quick tempered, and invasive-attributes that help her in a fight but prove to be character flaws. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said Larson was cast because of her ability to balance the character's vast powers with her humanity. Due to concern that Larson (who was 26 when she was cast) was too young to portray an accomplished airman, screenwriter Nicole Perlman consulted with the Air Force, who said it was possible for someone "to go very far" between the ages of 28 and 34. Larson trained for nine months for the role, learning judo, boxing, and wrestling. She also visited Nellis Air Force Base and met with active duty airmen, including Brigadier General Jeannie Leavitt and Thunderbirds pilot Major Stephen Del Bagno, in preparation for the role. Mckenna Grace portrays the 13-year-old Carol Danvers, while London Fuller portrays her as a 6-year-old. •Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury: The future director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who at this time is a low-level bureaucrat. Fury appears without his signature eye patch as the film is set before he loses his eye. Feige explained that Danvers is the first superhero that Fury has come across, which sets him on a path to where the character is in the modern MCU films. Jackson described Fury at this point in time as a desk jockey, who has not yet become cynical towards bureaucracy and who learns in the film that there are superpowered beings who could help S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cause. Jackson added that trusting Danvers plays a key role in his development, as they become "compatriots" over the course of the film. Jackson was digitally de-aged by 25 years, the first time Marvel has done this for an entire film. •Ben Mendelsohn as Talos / Keller: The shape-shifting leader of the Skrull invasion of Earth, who is working undercover within S.H.I.E.L.D. as Fury's boss, Keller. Mendelsohn described Talos's human persona as "buttoned up" compared to his "more laid back" Skrull persona. Mendelsohn differentiated between the two by using an American accent inspired by former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for the human disguise, and his native Australian accent for Talos; the latter was chosen, after a "lengthy discussion", due to what Mendelsohn called an "earthy correctness". The makeup and prosthetics necessary to portray Talos took "a couple of hours" to apply. Executive producer Johnathan Schwartz added that "it's sort of fun to show off both the Skrull's powers and Ben's range as an actor because he's very different in all of those parts." Emily Ozrey and Abigaille Ozrey portray Talos's surfer girl forms while Duane Henry does Talos's Kree soldier disguise. •Djimon Hounsou as Korath: A Kree swordsman and second-in-command of Starforce. Hounsou explained that Korath was "at his infancy" in the film compared to his appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), but was "still a humorless machine". •Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser: A high-ranking Kree official. Compared to his appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy, Ronan is not yet a "radical zealot", with his role in the Kree military intersecting with Starforce "in an interesting way". •Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau: One of Danvers's oldest friends and a fellow Air Force pilot who goes by the call sign "Photon". She is a single mother to daughter Monica. Lynch described Rambeau as "resilient" and someone "that you don't feel like you need to help". Larson called Rambeau "the representation of love" in the film and "an incredible badass". She described the friendship between Danvers and Rambeau as equal, with "a playful competitiveness [and a] mutual respect". Like Larson, Lynch met with active duty airmen in preparation for the role. In particular, she met with pilots who are also mothers. Lynch was excited to portray a character the audience would be proud of and could relate to, especially mothers and members of the black community, helping to continue "a real through-line" for African-American characters in the MCU after Black Panther (2018). •Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva: A Kree sniper and member of Starforce. Chan explained that Minn-Erva was "the star of Starforce" before Danvers joined the team and is "slightly threatened by someone else who has come in and is also very talented." •Annette Bening as the Supreme Intelligence and Mar-Vell / Dr. Wendy Lawson: An artificial intelligence that is the collective embodiment of the greatest minds of the Kree people, and the ruler of the Kree Empire. The Supreme Intelligence appears in different forms to each person, specifically as Dr. Wendy Lawson to Vers. Jude Law stated each member of Starforce has a "particular relationship" with the Supreme Intelligence, and that his character has a "divine sense of purpose because of his relationship with this greater being". Bening also portrays rebel Kree scientist Mar-Vell, who uses the name of Dr. Wendy Lawson to disguise herself on Earth. As Dr. Lawson, she was also Danvers's old boss. •Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson: A rookie agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who works closely with Fury. Gregg stated that Coulson would be younger in the film and "a bit of a new guy in S.H.I.E.L.D. ... It's the earliest we will have seen him [in the MCU], so when he says, 'Mr. Stark, this isn't my first rodeo' in Iron Man (2008), this is maybe the rodeo he's talking about." He felt "there was something really special about going back to the early days when [Coulson] was just kind of coming up the ranks" and had to work to portray Coulson "a little less crusty and jaded" as he is in the present of the MCU.[21] Responding to the fact that Coulson has encountered the Kree on the MCU television series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Schwartz stated that in Captain Marvel, Kree is not even "part of his vocabulary yet", and the film gets "to focus on him as he is so we don't need to worry about the stuff he's going to encounter later". Like Jackson, Gregg was digitally de-aged by 25 years. •Jude Law as Yon-Rogg: The commander of Starforce and Danvers's mentor, who trains her to use her new powers. Law said that his character is "driven by a belief in the divine leadership of the Kree people. So he's almost a devout warrior-unquestioning, conservative, but inspirational." Law also stated that his character has a special relationship with Danvers, whom he views as a protégée, which becomes a source of tension in the film with the other members of Starforce. Robert Downey Jr., who portrays Tony Stark in the MCU films and who co-starred with Law in Sherlock Holmes (2009) and its sequel (2011), counseled him on working with Marvel before Law took the part. Additionally, Algenis Pérez Soto and Rune Temte portray Att-Lass and Bron-Char, respectively, both members of Starforce; Att-Lass is the marksman of the team, while Bron-Char is the "bigger, stronger guy who fights with his fists". Maria's daughter, Monica Rambeau appears, played by Akira Akbar as an eleven-year-old, while Azari Akbar portrays her as a five-year-old. Robert Kazinsky appears as a biker nicknamed "The Don". Vik Sahay plays a Torfan. Chuku Modu portrays Soh-Larr. Colin Ford appears as Danvers's brother, Steve, while Kenneth Mitchell plays their father. Danvers's comic book cat Chewie (named for the Star Wars character Chewbacca) appears in the film, renamed Goose for the Top Gun (1986) character Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, and is portrayed by four different cats, Reggie, Archie, Rizzo and Gonzo. Each cat was chosen based on their actions and personalities. Real life air force pilots Matthew "Spider" Kimmel and Stephen "Cajun" Del Bagno appear as themselves. Del Bagno died months prior to the film's release, and it is dedicated to his memory. Captain Marvel comic book writer Kelly Sue DeConnick has a cameo as a train station passerby, and Stan Lee, co-creator of the first Captain Marvel, appears posthumously as himself as a train passenger memorizing the lines for his Mallrats cameo. Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Don Cheadle appear as Steve Rogers / Captain America, Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Bruce Banner / Hulk, and James Rhodes / War Machine in the mid-credits scene, which ties directly to Avengers: Endgame. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1995, on the Kree Empire's capital planet of Hala, Starforce member Vers suffers from amnesia and recurring nightmares involving an older woman. Yon-Rogg, her mentor and commander, trains her to control her abilities while the Supreme Intelligence, the artificial intelligence that rules the Kree, urges her to keep her emotions in check. During a mission to rescue an undercover operative infiltrating a group of Skrulls, alien shapeshifters with whom the Kree are at war, Vers is captured by Skrull commander Talos. A probe of Vers's memories leads them to Earth. Vers escapes and crash-lands in Los Angeles. Her presence attracts S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, whose investigation is interrupted by a Skrull attack. In the ensuing chase, Vers recovers a crystal containing her extracted memories while Fury kills a Skrull impersonating Coulson. Talos, disguised as Fury's boss Keller, orders Fury to work with Vers and keep tabs on her. Using her extracted memories, Vers and Fury go to the Project Pegasus installation at a U.S. Air Force base. They discover Vers was a pilot presumed to have died in 1989 while testing an experimental jet engine designed by Dr. Wendy Lawson, whom Vers recognizes as the woman from her nightmares. After Fury informs S.H.I.E.L.D. of their location, a team led by Talos disguised as Keller arrives. Fury discovers Talos's ruse and helps Vers escape in a cargo jet with Lawson's stowaway cat Goose. They fly to Louisiana to meet former pilot Maria Rambeau, the last person to see Vers and Lawson alive. Rambeau and her daughter Monica reveal that Vers is Carol Danvers, who was once like family to them. Talos, arriving unarmed, explains that the Skrulls are refugees searching for a new home and that Lawson was Mar-Vell, a renegade Kree scientist helping them. Talos plays a recovered recording from Lawson's jet, prompting Danvers to remember the crash: Lawson was killed by Yon-Rogg to prevent her from destroying the engine before the Kree could recover it. Destroying the engine herself, Danvers absorbed the energy from the ensuing explosion, gaining powers but losing her memory. Danvers, Talos, Fury, and Rambeau locate Lawson's cloaked laboratory orbiting Earth, where Lawson hid several Skrulls, including Talos's family, and the Tesseract, the power source of Lawson's engine. There, Danvers is captured by Starforce and interfaces with the Supreme Intelligence. During their conversation, Danvers removes the Kree implant that was suppressing her powers, allowing her to reach her full potential. In the subsequent battle, Fury retrieves Goose, who is revealed to be an alien Flerken. Goose swallows the Tesseract before blinding Fury's left eye. Danvers destroys a Kree bomber, forcing Kree officer Ronan the Accuser and his squadron to retreat, before overpowering Yon-Rogg on Earth and sending him back to Hala with a warning to the Supreme Intelligence. Danvers departs to help the Skrulls find a new homeworld, leaving Fury a modified pager to contact her in an emergency. Meanwhile, Fury drafts an initiative to locate heroes like Danvers, naming it after her Air Force call sign, "Avenger". In a mid-credits scene, set in 2018, the activated pager is being monitored by the Avengers when Danvers appears. In a post-credits scene, Goose climbs onto Fury's desk and regurgitates the Tesseract. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2003. “Daredevil” | 14 February 2003 |
| STARRING: |
| Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock / Daredevil An attorney-at-law with a disability who was blinded as a youth in an accident with bio-waste that drastically heightened his remaining senses and gave him a "sonar-sense", which allowed him to perceive his surroundings, and makes a silent promise with his father to "stick up for the long shots". His father is killed not long after and at that moment, he vows to seek justice. At night, he becomes a devil-modeled vigilante who takes justice into his hands. Affleck was cast in October 2001. Vin Diesel was considered to portray Daredevil before him, but he opted to take a role in another film. In a February 2011 interview, Guy Pearce said that he was offered the role but turned it down, stating that "comic-strip stuff isn’t really my cup of tea, really." Matt Damon also revealed that he was offered the role. He claimed that he and Ben "loved that comic book but I just didn't quite believe in the script or the director at the time." Colin Farrell was also considered until Affleck signed. As a fan, Affleck made sure he had read every single issue of Daredevil, commenting that it was about taking what he knew as a fan and faithfully getting it on the screen. Joe Quesada considered it "serendipity in action" that Affleck is the lead role, as when he and Kevin Smith did the Guardian Devil series, they had modeled it on Affleck. Affleck said Daredevil was his favorite comic book as a kid, and explained why he took the role by saying "Everybody has that one thing from childhood that they remember and that sticks with them. This story was that for me." Additionally, he said, "I didn't want someone else to do it, because I was afraid that they would go out and do it different from the comic and screw it up." Scott Terra as Young Matt Murdock As a youth, he has trouble with local bullies and a close bond with his father. This changes in different ways after the accident. Terra was officially announced as a part of the cast in March 2002. Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios The daughter of billionaire Nikolas Natchios and the love interest of Matt Murdock. At a very young age, she witnessed the murder of her mother, and since then her father has had her become highly trained in martial arts. For the role of Elektra, many actresses were looked into with considerations including Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Lucy Liu, Jessica Alba, and Katie Holmes. A short-list was eventually made, giving the choices of Jennifer Garner, Jolene Blalock, Mía Maestro and Rhona Mitra, with Garner finally becoming the actress to land the role. Garner said of the character, "I think she's strong and cool and beautiful and smart. She'd be a good role model." Garner noted the costume would be different, as Elektra in comics often wears red satin but in the film wears black leather. Garner explained, "[T]he red would never have worked for hiding a harness, and I know this sounds ridiculous, but you have to protect your skin a little bit. They throw me around so much on the rooftop [that] I got cut through the leather, so imagine if I hadn't had anything." Michael Clarke Duncan as Wilson Fisk / Kingpin By appearance, he is an overweight corporate head that takes the name Wilson Fisk, but in fact he is the sole person running organized crime, under the moniker of Kingpin. Kingpin is the murderer of Matt's father, and the man responsible for the hiring of Bullseye, with intention of having the Natchios family murdered. Michael Clarke Duncan signed on for the role in January 2002, though he had been attached far earlier. When Duncan was cast, he weighed 131 kg. He was asked to gain 18 kg for the role in order to fit the physique of Kingpin. In order to do this, he would lift weights for 30 minutes a day, and power-lifted with one or two reps a day, as well as eating whatever he wanted. Despite this, Duncan's biggest concern was that he is black, while Kingpin has always been portrayed as white. Also, Duncan provided the voice for Kingpin in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. He spoke on the fan's loyalty to the source material by saying "they watch movies to say, 'Hey, that's not like the comic book.' But I want them to get past that and just see the movie for what it is and see me for what I am - an actor." Colin Farrell as Bullseye An assassin with perfect accuracy and deep-rooted pride of it who is hired by Kingpin to kill Nikolas and Elektra Natchios, but when Daredevil gets involved and causes him to miss his target, he makes it his own personal vendetta to take Daredevil down. Farrell was attached to the role in December 2001. Mark Steven Johnson credits Joe Quesada with talking him out of using the traditional Bullseye costume for the film, and Farrell was encouraged to keep his Irish accent as this version of Bullseye is from Ireland. Farrell had to read Frank Miller's Daredevil comics to understand Bullseye "because the expression on the character's faces in the comic books, and just the way they move sometimes, and the exaggerations of the character I'm playing […] he's so over-the-top that you do draw from that. But it's not exactly a character you can do method acting for... you know, running around New York killing people with paper clips." Jon Favreau as Franklin "Foggy" Nelson Matt Murdock's legal partner and best friend, he is also used as a form of comic relief. Favreau joined the cast in February 2002. Favreau would later go on to direct the Marvel-produced Iron Man and its sequel, Iron Man 2 while also appearing as Happy Hogan. Joe Pantoliano as Ben Urich An investigative journalist whose articles notably relate to Daredevil, and the Kingpin. During the film, he goes on to uncover a lot of information about the two. Pantoliano was cast in March 2002. Urich works for the New York Post, rather than the Daily Bugle as in the comics, because the film rights to the Bugle were held by Sony Pictures at that time. David Keith as Jack Murdock Father of Matt Murdock and a boxer, he is murdered by the Kingpin when he does not take a fall for a fight. Keith was officially announced as a part of the cast in March 2002. Leland Orser as Wesley Owen Welch The number two of Wilson Fisk, but he does not like to be involved in the activities of the Kingpin. Orser previously co-starred with Jon Favreau in 1998 in Very Bad Things. Lennie Loftin as Detective Nick Manolis A NYPD cop who considers Daredevil an urban legend. Erick Avari as Nikolas Natchios The father of Elektra, who is murdered by Bullseye on behalf of the Kingpin. Ellen Pompeo as Karen Page The secretary at Matt Murdock and Franklin Nelson's law firm. Derrick O'Connor as Father Everett A priest of Matt Murdock's local church, where he sometimes goes to find solace. Stan Lee, Frank Miller, and Kevin Smith, each notable for their work on the Daredevil comics, also have cameo roles throughout the film. Mark Margolis has an uncredited role as Fallon, a mobster who once employed Fisk as a hitman. The director's cut version also features Coolio as Dante Jackson and features Jude Ciccolella in a sub-plot removed from the theatrical version. Tanoai Reed appears uncredited as a thug in Josie's Bar. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Matt Murdock is a blind lawyer in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, where he runs a firm with best friend Franklin "Foggy" Nelson. As a child, Matt was blinded by a toxic waste spill. The accident enhanced Matt's other senses and gave him sonar to "see" via sonic vibrations. Matt's father, boxer Jack "The Devil", was killed after refusing to turn in a fixed fight for the mobster who had employed him earlier. After his father's death, Matt promised to stop all crime that controlled Hell's Kitchen, New York as the vigilante crime-fighter "Daredevil". Matt meets Elektra Natchios, daughter of Nikolas Natchios, a businessman who has dealings with Wilson Fisk, a rich executive who is also the criminal leader known as the Kingpin. When Nikolas tries to end his relationship with Fisk, the mobster hires the Irish hitman Bullseye, who has preternatural aim, to kill him. Matt tries to stop Bullseye, but Bullseye ultimately succeeds in killing Nikolas and framing Matt in the process. Elektra vows to exact revenge, while reporter Ben Urich discovers his secret identity. Believing Matt to have done good things for Hell's Kitchen, Urich tells Matt that Bullseye is going after Elektra next. Matt tracks Bullseye, but is attacked by Elektra, who plans to use her own training in martial arts to avenge her father's death. She defeats and injures Matt; when she manages to remove his mask, she discovers Matt's secret identity and innocence. Forced to fight Bullseye alone, Elektra is overpowered and killed by the hitman. A wounded Matt makes his way to a church, where he is looked after by his confidante, Father Everett, who knows his secret identity. After recovering slightly, Matt fights Bullseye, who had followed him to the church. Bullseye discovers that loud noise is Matt's weakness and prepares to kill him with a spiked piece of wood after incapacitating him. Matt blocks the attack and hears an FBI sniper stationed on the neighboring building preparing to fire. As the bullet is fired, Matt moves out of the bullet's path and pulls Bullseye's hands into it. When Bullseye pleads for mercy, Matt throws him from the church's steeple. Bullseye lands on the hood of Urich's car, severely injured but alive. Upon discovering Fisk is the Kingpin and Bullseye's employer, Matt makes his way to Fisk's office. There, Matt and Fisk begin a fierce fight; however, Fisk proves to be a surprisingly powerful combatant due to his size and brute strength, and he dominates Matt for most of the fight. Lying on the floor, Matt questions Fisk as to why he killed the people Murdock loved, including Jack Murdock years before: Fisk replies it was just business, for he had worked under Fallon at the time he killed Jack, and Elektra was "at the wrong place at the wrong time." Angered, Matt regains his strength and breaks Fisk's legs, but refrains from killing him, instead allowing him to be arrested by the police, who have discovered his criminal connections. Before being taken away, Fisk — who had also discovered Matt's secret identity after overpowering him — swears revenge on Matt, who points out that Fisk cannot reveal Matt's secret identity because the humiliation of having been beaten by a blind man will cause him to be perceived as weak by other prison inmates. Having gained closure over his father's murder, Matt returns to his day-to-day routine, and meets Urich one last time, in which Urich assures him he will not publish his article about Matt's true identity. In a mid-credits scene, Bullseye, having been moved to a prison hospital and severely bandaged after his confrontation with Matt, is shown to still have his perfect aim after he impales a fly with a syringe needle and says "Bullseye." |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2016. “Deadpool” | 11 February 2016 |
| STARRING: |
| Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool, a wisecracking mercenary who is subjected to an experimental regenerative mutation to cure his cancer, which gives him accelerated healing superpowers but severely scars his body. Reynolds called this version of Deadpool more "authentic" and closer to the comic version than his X-Men Origins: Wolverine version, saying that this Deadpool "takes nothing seriously." Like his comic book counterpart, Deadpool frequently breaks the fourth wall, addressing the audience, commenting about the film's production, and referring to other Marvel films. Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, an escort and Wilson's fiance. Baccarin described her as "scrappy, she's not worried about her hair and her nails or messing around. She gets down and dirty and she's not a victim, she's not a damsel in distress." Ed Skrein as Francis Freeman / Ajax, an artificially mutated member of Weapon X, the program that creates Deadpool. Ajax is a weapons expert, with enhanced reflexes and immunity to pain. According to director Tim Miller, Skrein did "80%" of his own stunts, with stunt doubles only used for rigged stunts. T.J. Miller as Weasel, Wilson's best friend, the owner of a bar frequented by mercenaries. Describing the character, T.J. Miller said that Weasel "looks like his superhero power is spilling mustard on his shirt. Or who was bitten by a radioactive spider as a child". He initially attempted to give the character a facial tic, but Tim Miller rejected the idea. On casting T.J. Miller, producer Simon Kinberg explained that the film has "a main character who is so outrageous and irreverent, we needed someone who could keep up with Ryan. We knew that T.J. would bring that." Gina Carano as Angel Dust, an artificially mutated member of Weapon X who possesses superhuman levels of strength, stamina and speed. Carano was given "some room to play with" the characterization of Angel Dust, and said that the character "trusts Ajax with everything. She pretty much only really responds to him. He... kinda created me and showed me everything. And I do the same thing to everyone else." Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, an elderly blind woman and Deadpool's roommate. Uggams said that Al has "been through British Intelligence, she's done all kinds of wild and crazy things. She had sight at one time, but she lost her sight. But she's adjusted very well... She's old, but she's feisty." On Al's relationship with Deadpool, Uggams said that Al "loves being a part of" Wade's double life and "loves the danger part of him". Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, a teenage X-Men trainee with the mutant power to detonate atomic bursts from her body. The writers chose to use the character based on her name, and changed her abilities from telepathic and precognitive powers to "a literal warhead because we thought it was funnier." To do this, Miller obtained permission from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Stefan Kapicic as the voice of Colossus, an X-Men member with the mutant ability to transform his entire body into organic steel. The role was originally offered to Daniel Cudmore who played the character in X2, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past, but he declined because he did not want his voice dubbed over by a different actor performing a Russian accent, as he is portrayed in the comics. Therefore, Colossus became a whole new interpretation than previously portrayed in the series, with a performance by several actors closer to the image of Colossus in the comics: Kapicic provided the voice, Andre Tricoteux provided the on-set performance, T. J. Storm provided the final body motion performance, motion capture supervisor Greg LaSalle provided the final facial performance, and Glenn Ennis was used as "the inspiration for the [character's] chiseled-jaw look". Additionally, Karan Soni portrays the taxi driver Dopinder, and Jed Rees portrays a Weapon X recruiter that Wade consistently refers to as "Agent Smith". X-Men co-creator Stan Lee and Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld make cameo appearances as a strip club MC and a patron of Weasel's bar, respectively. Isaac C. Singleton Jr. portrays Boothe, a tough patron at Weasel's bar. Rob Hayter briefly appears as Bob, a recurring character in Deadpool's comic appearances. The film does not reference Bob's comic history as an agent of Hydra due to rights issues with Marvel Studios. Nathan Fillion filmed a small, unused cameo as a man who offers Wade a napkin when Wade returns to the strip club to see Vanessa; it can be seen as "No 5 Bathroom" in the published version's deleted scenes. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Wade Wilson, a former special forces operative working as a mercenary, meets an escort named Vanessa at a local bar, and their meeting ends up becoming a relationship. A year later, Wilson proposes to her, but he is then diagnosed with liver, lung, prostate and brain cancer. Despite Vanessa's love, he detests the thought of her watching him waste away, and he leaves her in the middle of the night. A recruiter from a covert organization approaches Wilson and promises him abilities that will cure his cancer. Wilson reluctantly agrees. He is taken to a remote laboratory where he meets Ajax and Angel Dust, and instantly resents them. Ajax injects a mutation-activating serum into Wilson and subjects him to daily torture to activate it. When Wilson's body fails to respond, Ajax asphyxiates him in an oxygen chamber, causing him to develop an accelerated healing factor that cures him but leaves him disfigured. Wilson finds a way to destroy the lab and escapes his confines. He battles Ajax, but relents when Ajax promises a cure. Ajax then impales him with rebar and leaves him for dead. Wilson survives and attempts to return to Vanessa, but is afraid of her reaction to his disfigurement after people on the streets appear to be disgusted by his appearance. After consulting his best friend Weasel, Wilson begins the task of tracking down Ajax to get the cure. He becomes a masked vigilante, adopts the alter ego "Deadpool", and resides with an elderly blind woman, Al. Following a string of leads, Deadpool tracks Ajax to a convoy on an expressway. He executes the numerous convoy guards, subdues Ajax, and demands the cure. He is interrupted by Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. They try to convince him to join the X-Men, and Ajax escapes. They handcuff Deadpool, but he frees himself by severing his own hand, which regenerates overnight. Ajax and Angel Dust go to Weasel's bar and learn about Vanessa. Weasel warns Deadpool that she is in danger, and they go to the club where she works to warn her, but Deadpool hesitates. Ajax and Angel Dust abduct Vanessa and tell Deadpool to meet them at a decommissioned helicarrier in a scrapyard. Deadpool persuades Colossus and Negasonic to help him rescue Vanessa. They travel to the scrapyard and battle Ajax, Angel Dust and their team of mercenaries. As Colossus and Negasonic fight Angel Dust, Deadpool kills most of the mercenaries and engages Ajax in hand-to-hand combat atop the helicarrier. Negasonic accidentally destroys the equipment stabilizing the helicarrier, tipping it and scattering Ajax and Deadpool. As Colossus carries Negasonic and Angel to safety, Deadpool saves Vanessa and injures Ajax. When Deadpool demands his cure, Ajax laughs and reveals there is none. Deadpool kills Ajax in response. Vanessa is initially angry with Wade for abandoning her, but they get back together after she learns why he did not return sooner. In a post-credits scene, Deadpool tells the audience that the film is over and announces a sequel featuring Cable. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2018. “Deadpool 2” | 18 May 2018 |
| STARRING: |
| • Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool: A wisecracking mercenary with accelerated healing but severe scarring over his body after undergoing an experimental regenerative mutation. He forms the X-Force, a team of mutants, after finding himself at his "lowest point" at the beginning of the film. The film makes several references to Deadpool's pansexuality after the first film was criticized for ignoring it. As a co-writer on the film, Reynolds ad-libbed much of his dialogue throughout the production process. For the film's mid-credits sequence, archive footage of Reynolds portraying Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine is used, and Reynolds also portrays himself before he acted in the film Green Lantern. • Josh Brolin as Cable: A time-traveling cybernetic soldier, "in many ways the opposite of Deadpool". Director David Leitch called the dynamic between Cable and Deadpool "sort of classic buddy-cop fare", and compared them to the characters portrayed by Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, respectively, in 48 Hrs. (1982). Leitch added that the character as written in the script was mostly just an "action character", and he relied on Brolin to add nuance to the role and explore the character's internal pain to avoid it becoming a caricature. Brolin signed a four-film deal to play the character, and described his appearance here as just the introduction for the character, with "three more movies to reveal more". • Morena Baccarin as Vanessa: Wilson's fiancee. The character is killed at the beginning of the film in an example of "fridging" - the killing of a female character solely to forward the development of a male character. This happens to Cable's wife and daughter as motivation for his story arc as well. Leitch and the writers said they were unaware of the term "fridging", and that they were not being "consciously sexist". Earlier versions of the film simply had Vanessa breaking up with Wilson, but the writers wanted to use the opportunity to "engender great suffering for him by having his line of work be the thing that costs Vanessa her life". They were also more comfortable with the deaths due to the increased number of strong female characters in the film overall, and because those deaths are all reversed by the end of the film through time travel; screenwriter Rhett Reese stated, "We ran with that. And maybe that's a sexist thing. I don't know. And maybe some women will have an issue with that. I don't know. I don't think that that'll be a large concern, but it didn't even really occur to us." Baccarin said she trusted the storyline was necessary for the film, and emphasized the fact that Vanessa is saved at the end of the film. • Julian Dennison as Russell Collins / Firefist: A young mutant with pyrokinesis who is being hunted by Cable.Reynolds insisted on casting Dennison after seeing him in Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), with the character "tailor-made" for him, and no other actors considered for the role. The character is considered a villain for much of the film, which Leitch thought was an "interesting take on the whole angle of the villain". Dennison felt the role was particularly special because, being "chubby", he would watch superhero films and "never see anyone like me. I am excited to be that for other kids who look like me." Sala Baker portrays an older Firefist, in Cable's future. • Zazie Beetz as Domino: A mercenary with the mutant ability to manipulate luck, who joins Deadpool's X-Force team. Leitch described the film's version of the character as Beetz' own "real fun interesting take", with the actress interpreting the character as an only child who forms a "sibling sort of relationship" with Deadpool, with "that back-and-forth banter where she is not dealing with his". Beetz began "working out everyday" when she got the role, which required her to shoot guns and use "full body" physicality, and chose not to shave her armpits to match the changing perception of the practice among the general public and to prove that it is "not something that is gross or shameful". • T.J. Miller as Weasel: Wilson's best friend and the owner of a bar frequented by mercenaries. • Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead: A teenage X-Man with the mutant power to detonate atomic bursts from her body, she is now a "new level of X-Men" after being a trainee in the first film. Hildebrand felt that "it's cool that she's grown and matured and she still has so much of this essence of a punk kid" from the first film, and added that the character would have a "cooler" costume in the sequel. The filmmakers intended to have Hildebrand shave her head to indicate that her abilities burned off her hair, but she was unable to do so due to a television series commitment. The film also reveals that Negasonic is in a same-sex relationship, which is the first openly LGBTQ relationship depicted in a Marvel film. When Reynolds asked Hildebrand how she felt about the potential storyline during development, the actress - a member of the LGBTQ community herself - responded positively with the stipulation that the film not make "a big deal" about the relationship. In a statement, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis praised the relationship as "a milestone in a genre that too often renders LGBTQ people invisible, and should send a message to other studios to follow this example of inclusive and smart storytelling". • Jack Kesy as Black Tom Cassidy: A mutant inmate of the Ice Box with Deadpool and Firefist. His role was reduced from being the main antagonist, who would have acted as a "devil on Firefist's shoulder", when the writers felt there were too many antagonists and they would rather spend the money needed to portray his abilities on a character such as Juggernaut. Ryan Reynolds also provides the voice for Juggernaut, in addition to portraying Deadpool and himself. Juggernaut is credited as being voiced by "himself", and was previously portrayed by Vinnie Jones in the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand. According to Reese, the creative team on Deadpool 2 felt that appearance did not do justice to the character. Wanting an additional villain for the film to support Firefist for the final fight with X-Force, the writers chose Juggernaut because he is "a force of nature [who] was probably the coolest character never to be used ... in the right way".The character's face was modeled on Leitch's, with Reynolds providing facial capture and his voice. The latter was digitally modulated to make it deeper. Reese added that the character "didn't have many lines, he's a man of few words, but he's a man of great anger and forcefulness". Stefan Kapicic voices Colossus, an X-Man with the mutant ability to transform his entire body into organic steel. Kapicic described Colossus as one of the most important characters in the film, requiring a more intense process for Kapicic during recording for the character. He explained that Colossus would continue to try make Deadpool a better person and potential X-Man after doing so in the first film. Unlike the first film, Kapicic also provided performance capture for the character's face on the sequel, while Andre Tricoteux returned to stand-in for the character on set. Leslie Uggams and Karan Soni also return from the first film as Deadpool's elderly roommate Blind Al and the taxi driver Dopinder, respectively. Additionally, Eddie Marsan plays the headmaster of the Essex Home for Mutant Rehabilitation, an orphanage; Robert Maillet briefly appears as Sluggo, an inmate of the Ice Box who originally had a more prominent antagonistic role alongside Black Tom before both roles were reduced due to the number of villains in the film; Hayley Sales and Islie Hirvonen respectively appear as Cable's wife and Hope, their daughter, during a flashforward; and Shioli Kutsuna portrays Yukio, Negasonic Teenage Warhead's girlfriend and fellow X-Man. A version of Yukio previously appeared in the 2013 film The Wolverine, portrayed by Rila Fukushima. The film's version of the X-Force team also includes Terry Crews as Bedlam, Lewis Tan as Shatterstar, Bill Skarsgard as Zeitgeist, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Brad Pitt as Vanisher. Pitt was considered for the role of Cable before scheduling issues prevented him from taking it; he filmed his Vanisher cameo in two hours during post-production. Reprising their roles as the X-Men for a brief appearance are James McAvoy as Professor X, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler. Archive footage of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine from X-Men Origins: Wolverine is used in the mid-credits sequence, with Jackman's permission. This was re-edited for the sequence, and included raw footage shot for that film. Luke Roessler, who portrays a young David Haller in the X-Men-based television series Legion, appears as a young mutant credited as "Cereal Kid". When Cable travels to the present day, he comes across two "rednecks" discussing a toilet paper manifesto. This was inspired by a real manifesto written by Reese, which the writers wanted to be discussed in the film by a certain "calibre" of actor: the characters are portrayed by Alan Tudyk and a disguised Matt Damon, with the latter credited as "Dickie Greenleaf" (a reference to the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley in which Damon stars). Leitch and writers Reese and Paul Wernick respectively cameo as Ice Box inmate "Ground Chuck Mutant", a news helicopter pilot, and a news cameraman. Stan Lee was unable to cameo in the sequel, as he did in the first film and the short No Good Deed, but his likeness was used for a bust in the X-Mansion and for graffiti on a wall. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| After successfully working as the mercenary Deadpool for two years, Wade Wilson fails to kill one of his targets on his anniversary with his girlfriend Vanessa. That night, after the pair decides to start a family together, the target tracks Wilson down and kills Vanessa. Wilson kills the man in revenge. He blames himself for her death and attempts to commit suicide six weeks later by blowing himself up. Wilson has a vision of Vanessa in the afterlife, but the pieces of his body remain alive and are put back together by Colossus. Wilson is left with only a Skee-Ball token, an anniversary gift, as a final memento of Vanessa. Recovering at the X-Mansion, Wilson reluctantly agrees to join the X-Men as a form of healing. He, Colossus, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead respond to a standoff between authorities and the unstable young mutant Russell Collins / Firefist at an orphanage, labeled a "Mutant Reeducation Center". Wilson realizes that Collins has been abused by the orphanage staff, and kills one of the staff members. Colossus stops him from killing anyone else, and both Wilson and Collins are arrested. Restrained with collars that suppress their powers, they are taken to the Ice Box, an isolated prison for mutant criminals. Meanwhile, a cybernetic soldier from the future, Cable, whose family is murdered by an older Collins, travels back in time to kill the boy before Collins ever becomes a killer. Cable breaks into the Ice Box and attacks Collins. Wilson, whose collar has broken in the melee, attempts to defend Collins. After Cable takes Vanessa's token, Wilson forces himself and Cable out of the prison, but not before Collins overhears Wilson deny that he cares for the young mutant. Near death again, Wilson has another vision of Vanessa in which she convinces him to help Collins. Wilson organizes a team called X-Force to break Collins out of a prison-transfer convoy and defend him from Cable. The team launches its assault on the convoy by parachute, but all of the members die during the landing except for Wilson and the lucky Domino. While they fight Cable, Collins frees fellow inmate Juggernaut (making him right this time) who agrees to help Collins kill the abusive orphanage headmaster. Juggernaut destroys the convoy, allowing himself and Collins to escape. Cable offers to work with Wilson and Domino to stop Collins' first murder, and agrees to give Wilson a chance to talk Collins down. At the orphanage, they are overpowered by Juggernaut while Collins attacks the headmaster, until Colossus - who had at first refused to help Wilson due to Wilson's murderous ways - arrives to distract Juggernaut. When Wilson fails to talk down Collins, Cable shoots at the young mutant. Wilson leaps in front of the bullet while wearing the Ice Box collar and dies, reuniting with Vanessa in the afterlife. Seeing this sacrifice, Collins does not kill the headmaster; this changes the future so that Cable's family now survives. Cable uses the last charge on his time-traveling device, which he needed for returning to his family, to go back several minutes and strap Vanessa's token in front of Wilson's heart. Now when Wilson takes the bullet for Collins, it is stopped by the token and both survive. Collins still has his change of heart, and afterwards, the headmaster is run over by Wilson's taxi-driver friend Dopinder. In a mid-credits sequence, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend Yukio repair Cable's time-traveling device for Wilson. He uses it to save the lives of Vanessa and X-Force member Peter, and kills both X-Men Origins: Wolverine's version of Deadpool and actor Ryan Reynolds while he is considering starring in the film Green Lantern. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2016. “Doctor Strange” | November 4, 2016 |
| STARRING: |
| Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange: A neurosurgeon who, after a car accident that led to a journey of healing, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions. Cumberbatch described Strange as arrogant, with the film "about him going from a place where he thinks he knows it all to realizing he knows nothing." He compared the character to the version of Sherlock Holmes that he portrays in Sherlock, calling them both "intelligent" and having "smatterings of the same colors". The film's mysticism resonated with Cumberbatch, for whom spirituality has been important since he spent his gap year teaching English at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Darjeeling, India. Strange's abilities in the film include casting spells with "tongue-twisty fun names", creating mandalas of light for shields and weapons, and creating portals for quick travel around the world. Strange is also aided by a Cloak of Levitation for flight, and the Eye of Agamotto, a relic containing an Infinity Stone that can manipulate time. Cumberbatch took great care in defining the physical movements and gestures for the spells, knowing that they would be noted and studied by fans. He described these gestures as "balletic" and "very dynamic", and received help with finger-tutting movements from dancer Jayfunk. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo: A Master of the Mystic Arts, close with the Ancient One and a mentor to Strange. This version of Mordo is a combination of different characters from the Doctor Strange mythos, and unlike in the comics is not introduced as villainous. Ejiofor noted this, calling Mordo ambiguous and "a very complex character that, really, I don't think can be nailed down either way". Director Scott Derrickson added that the change in character stemmed from casting Ejiofor and conversations the director had with him. Ejiofor described Mordo's relationship with the Ancient One as "long and intense", while noting a "growing respect" between the character and Strange, until "things get complicated". Derrickson felt Mordo was a fundamentalist, saying "When someone gives themselves over to an extraordinarily strict moral code, the process of breaking out of that is a violent one. He becomes disillusioned with the Ancient One's [moral contradictions]. The difference is Strange can accept that contradiction. Mordo cannot cope with it," which leads to the "antagonism between Mordo and Strange" to explore in future films. Discussing the diversity of the film's cast when addressing the casting of the controversial characters the Ancient One and Wong, Derrickson was confident that the decision to cast Ejiofor as Mordo, and thus changing the character "from white to black", was the right one to make. Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer: A fellow surgeon of Strange. Palmer was initially written as a love interest for Strange, but shortly before filming Derrickson suggested that this trope be subverted by making the two characters lovers as part of their backstory, and coming "out the other side of it as friends". McAdams described this dynamic by saying, "The love is between them no matter what stage they're at in the actual relationship." With this change in characterization, producer Kevin Feige described Palmer as a "lynchpin to [Strange's] old life, once he steps into the role of a sorcerer. She is someone he connects with at the beginning, and reconnects with, and helps anchor his humanity." He explained that having this character be a "connection to Strange's life in New York City, in the normal world" after his journey was important to the studio, which is why Palmer was chosen for the character over the more prominent, but more fantastical character Clea. Palmer is also known as the hero Night Nurse in the comics, a storyline that does not play into the film, but that Feige hinted could be explored in future films. Rosario Dawson portrays another Night Nurse character, Claire Temple, in Marvel's Netflix television series. Benedict Wong as Wong: A Master of the Mystic Arts, tasked with protecting some of Kamar-Taj's most valuable relics and books.[29][30] The character is depicted in the comics as Strange's Asian, "tea-making manservant", a racial stereotype that Derrickson did not want in the film, and so the character was not included in the film's script. After the non-Asian actress Tilda Swinton was cast as the other significant Asian character from the Doctor Strange comics, the Ancient One - which was also done to avoid the comics' racial stereotypes - Derrickson felt obligated to find a way to include Wong in the film. The character as he ultimately appears is "completely subverted as a character and reworked into something that didn't fall into any of the stereotypes of the comics", which Derrickson was pleased gave an Asian character "a strong presence in the movie". Actor Wong was also pleased with the changes made to the character, and described him as "a drill sergeant to Kamar-Taj" rather than a manservant. He does not practice martial arts in the film, avoiding another racial stereotype. Derrickson added that Wong will have "a strong presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe" moving forward. Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West: A rival surgeon to Strange. Benjamin Bratt as Jonathan Pangborn: A paraplegic who learned how to heal himself under the Ancient One, to whom he directs Strange during the latter's own journey of healing. Scott Adkins as Lucian: One of Kaecilius' followers. Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecilius: A Master of the Mystic Arts who breaks off from the Ancient One. A combination of several antagonists from the comics, Kaecilius was used in the film to drive the introduction and development of bigger villains for the future, including "certain individuals who live in other dimensions". Derrickson compared this dynamic to that of Saruman and Sauron in The Lord of the Rings, giving the film a "huge and fantastical" villain like Sauron, but also having "human relateability" with Kaecilius, like Saruman, for Strange to face throughout the film. Derrickson admitted that Marvel's villains are often criticized, and noted that MCU films dedicate little time to developing antagonists. For Doctor Strange, he just hoped to show "Kaecilius's point of view and what makes him tick" in the time that he could, feeling that the character is a "man of ideas" with "watertight logic" like John Doe from Seven and the Joker from The Dark Knight. On these motivations, Feige explained that Kaecilius believes the Ancient One is a hypocrite, protecting her own power base, and that the world may be better off "if we were to allow some of these other things through." Mikkelsen's makeup took between 2-3 hours to apply. Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One: A Celtic mystic, who becomes Strange's mentor. The character in the comics is a Tibetan man, a situation which co-writer C. Robert Cargill compared to the Kobayashi Maru, an unwinnable training exercise in the Star Trek universe. He explained that adapting the character as the comics portrayed him would be realizing the major Asian Fu Manchu stereotype, and would involve the film with the Tibetan sovereignty debate, but not giving one of few significant Asian roles to an Asian actor would also understandably be received negatively. Derrickson wanted to change the character to an Asian woman, but felt that an older Asian woman would invoke the Dragon Lady stereotype, while a younger Asian woman would be perceived as exploiting Asian fetish and "a fanboy's dream girl". To avoid the character filling any of those three stereotypes, or enabling the stereotype of a "Western character coming to Asia to learn about being Asian", Derrickson decided to cast a non-Asian actor in the role, but to still take the opportunity to cast "an amazing actress in a male role". Feeling that Swinton was the obvious choice to play "domineering, secretive, ethereal, enigmatic, [and] mystical", Derrickson wrote the Ancient One in the film specifically for the actress, before she was offered the role. Additionally, though the film uses the terms "her" and "she", Swinton chose to portray the character as androgynous, while Feige explained that the Ancient One and Sorcerer Supreme are mantles in the film held by multiple characters through time, so a more comic-accurate Ancient One could exist within the MCU. Still, Swinton's casting was widely criticized as whitewashing. In response to this, Derrickson said that though he was pleased with the diversity of the film's cast, in terms of both gender and ethnicity, "Asians have been whitewashed and stereotyped in American cinema for over a century and people should be mad or nothing will change. What I did was the lesser of two evils, but it is still an evil." Cumberbatch also portrays, uncredited, the villainous entity Dormammu. The actor suggested he take on the role to Derrickson, feeling that having the character be a "horrific" reflection of Strange would work better than just "being a big ghoulish monster". The director agreed, elaborating that the casting implies that Dormammu does not have a normal physical form in his own dimension, and so is simply imitating Strange for their confrontation. To create the character, Cumberbatch provided motion-capture reference for the visual effects team, and his voice was blended with that of another uncredited British actor, whom Derrickson described as having "a very deep voice". The producers also had Tony Todd record voice over for Dormammu as an alternative to Cumberbatch, but ultimately decided on using Cumberbatch for the voice. Chris Hemsworth reprises his role of Thor from previous MCU films in the film's mid-credits scene. Additionally, Linda Louise Duan appears, unnamed, as Tina Minoru, Mark Anthony Brighton portrays Daniel Drumm, and Topo Wresniwiro portrays Hamir, all Masters of the Mystic Arts under the Ancient One. The latter is based on Hamir the Hermit, Wong's father in the comics, who was the Ancient One's personal manservant. The character is neither a manservant nor Wong's father in the film. Zara Phythian, Alaa Safi, and Katrina Durden portray zealots under Kaecilius, and Pat Kiernan appears as himself. Doctor Strange co-creator Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance as a bus rider reading Aldous Huxley's The Doors of Perception. Amy Landecker was cast as anesthesiologist Dr. Bruner, but the majority of her role was cut from the finished film. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In Kathmandu, Nepal, the sorcerer Kaecilius and his zealots enter the secret compound Kamar-Taj and behead its librarian. They steal a ritual from an ancient and mystical text belonging to the Ancient One, a long-lived sorcerer who has taught every student at Kamar-Taj, including Kaecilius, in the mystic arts. The Ancient One pursues the traitors, but Kaecilius and his followers escape. In New York City, Stephen Strange, an acclaimed but arrogant neurosurgeon, loses the use of his hands in a car accident. Fellow surgeon and former lover Christine Palmer tries to help him move on, but Strange vainly pursues experimental surgeries. Strange eventually seeks out Jonathan Pangborn, a paraplegic who mysteriously regained the use of his legs. Pangborn directs Strange to Kamar-Taj, where he is taken in by Mordo, a sorcerer under the Ancient One. The Ancient One demonstrates her power to Strange, revealing the astral plane and other dimensions such as the Mirror Dimension. She eventually agrees to train Strange, despite his arrogance, which reminds her of Kaecilius. Strange studies under the Ancient One and Mordo, and from ancient books in the library that is now presided over by the master Wong. Strange learns that Earth is protected from other dimensions by a spell formed from three buildings called Sanctums, found in New York City, London, and Hong Kong, which are all connected and accessible from Kamar-Taj. The sorcerers' task is to protect the Sanctums, though Pangborn had forgone this responsibility to instead channel mystical energy into walking again. Strange progresses quickly, and he secretly reads the text from which Kaecilius stole pages, learning to bend time with the mystical Eye of Agamotto. Mordo and Wong warn Strange against breaking the laws of nature, drawing a comparison to Kaecilius' desire for eternal life. Kaecilius uses the stolen pages to summon the powerful Dormammu of the Dark Dimension, where time is non-existent. Kaecilius destroys the London Sanctum to weaken Earth's protection, and sends Strange from Kamar-Taj to the New York Sanctum. The zealots begin to attack the New York Sanctum, but Strange holds them off with the mystical Cloak of Levitation until Mordo and the Ancient One arrive. Strange and Mordo become disillusioned with the Ancient One after Kaecilius reveals that her long life is drawn from Dormammu's power. Kaecilius mortally wounds the Ancient One and escapes to Hong Kong. Before dying, the Ancient One tells Strange that he, too, will have to break rules to balance Mordo's steadfast nature. Strange and Mordo arrive in Hong Kong to find Wong dead, the Sanctum destroyed, and the Dark Dimension already engulfing Earth. Strange uses the Eye to reverse time and save Wong, then creates an infinite time loop inside the Dark Dimension that traps himself and Dormammu in the same moment forever. After repeatedly killing Strange to no avail, Dormammu finally agrees to leave Earth and take Kaecilius and his zealots with him if Strange undoes the time loop. Disgusted by Strange and the Ancient One defying nature's laws, Mordo departs. Strange returns the Eye, which Wong calls an Infinity Stone, to Kamar-Taj, and takes up residence in the New York Sanctum to continue his studies. In a mid-credits scene, Strange decides to help Thor, who has brought his brother Loki to Earth to search for their father Odin. In a post-credits scene, Mordo confronts Pangborn and takes away the energy he uses to walk, stating that Earth has "too many sorcerers". |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2022. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” | May 6, 2022 |
| STARRING: |
| Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange: A neurosurgeon who became a Master of the Mystic Arts following a career-ending car accident. Writer Michael Waldron said Strange was "at the height of his powers" in the film, and compared the character to Indiana Jones as a hero who can "take a punch", but with the intellect of chef Anthony Bourdain. He saw Strange as a "great adventure hero you just like to watch kick ass". Director Sam Raimi explained that Strange begins the film believing that he should be making all decisions, and must learn to "let go a little bit" and trust in others. Cumberbatch also portrays three alternate versions of the character: the Earth-617 version who dies at the beginning of the film and wears a costume inspired by Matt Fraction's 2011 Defenders comic book series; the former Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-838 who founded the Illuminati; and a version who has been corrupted by the Darkhold. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch: A former Avenger gone rogue who can harness chaos magic, engage in telepathy and telekinesis, and alter reality. The film continues Maximoff's "ownership of what makes her unique and the accountability of her life experience" that began in the series WandaVision (2021), including using an accent that is more true to her Sokovian heritage after some of the previous MCU films had moved to an Americanized version. Olsen wanted to ensure Maximoff's role in the film honored the events of the series, requesting some adjustments to the film to ensure that it evolved the character rather than repeating moments from WandaVision. She felt the film's portrayal showed a new confidence for the character that was "really empowering", and said it was "okay to play characters that people get frustrated with sometimes". Olsen also portrays the character's Earth-838 counterpart. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo: The Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-838 and a member of the Illuminati. He is an alternate version from the Mordo seen in the first film, which set him up as a future antagonist. That version does not appear in the sequel because he did not fit into the story, with Waldron explaining that they were focused on the Earth-838 version of the character and felt it was more exciting to leave the Earth-616 version for "another day". An early version of the script included the Earth-616 version of Mordo in an opening sequence in which he would have been killed by Maximoff. Benedict Wong as Wong: The Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-616 and Strange's mentor and friend. The actor was happy to hear that his character would be the Sorcerer Supreme and stand "toe-to-toe with Doctor Strange", serving as the voice of reason for Strange who ultimately faces consequences for ignoring Wong's advice. The actor had more action scenes in this film and prepared by training with former rugby league player Shannon Hegarty. Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez: A teenager who has the ability to travel between dimensions by punching open doorways. She originates from another universe known as the Utopian Parallel. Gomez wanted to remain faithful to the source material despite playing a younger version of the character than is seen in the comics, and said her journey in the film begins with the character having been alone for a long time and "running away from her uniqueness". Chavez has to embrace her abilities and learn to trust others by the end of the film. Marvel Studios had been looking for the right film to introduce the character in for a long time before settling on Multiverse of Madness. Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West: A surgeon and former colleague of Strange. Stuhlbarg was planned to portray his Earth-838 counterpart as well, but was only able to film one scene (as the original version) due to scheduling conflicts. The Earth-838 version would have worked for the Illuminati, with the protagonists finding his head after he was killed by Maximoff off-screen, similar to the death of Samuel L. Jackson's Ray Arnold in Jurassic Park (1993). Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer: An emergency surgeon who was a colleague and lover of Strange. The film explores Strange's decision at the end of Doctor Strange (2016) to protect the New York Sanctum and not be with Palmer, despite still having feelings for her and possibly regretting that decision, with Palmer getting married to someone else in this film. McAdams also portrays the character's Earth-838 counterpart, who is an employee of the Baxter Foundation and the former lover of that reality's Strange. McAdams described this version of the character as a "Multiversal expert" who allowed her to have more action scenes compared to the first film. She has "a lot more baggage" than the original version of the character due to the Earth-838 version of Strange being corrupted, but her storyline with the Earth-616 Strange helps resolve his love story with his own version of Palmer. The Illuminati of Earth-838 also includes Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, portraying a different version of the character that he previously played in 20th Century Fox's X-Men film series; Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter, after voicing another version in the animated series What If...? (2021); Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau / Captain Marvel, an alternate version of her character from Captain Marvel (2019); Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon / Black Bolt, an alternate version of his role from Marvel's ABC television series Inhumans (2017); and John Krasinski as Reed Richards, a member of the Fantastic Four. Julian Hilliard and Jett Klyne portray the Earth-838 versions of Maximoff's sons Billy and Tommy, reprising their respective roles from WandaVision, while Topo Wresniwiro reprises his role from the first film as Hamir, a Master of the Mystic Arts. Also appearing in the film are Sheila Atim as Sara, a Master of the Mystic Arts, and Adam Hugill as the voice of Rintrah, a minotaur-like being from R'Vaal who is a student at Kamar-Taj. Ross Marquand voices the Ultron drones that appear on Earth-838. Marquand previously voiced a different version of Ultron in What If...?, replacing James Spader who portrayed the Earth-616 Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). The character Clea is introduced in the mid-credits scene, portrayed by Charlize Theron, and Waldron makes a cameo appearance as a guest at Palmer's wedding. Bruce Campbell, a frequent collaborator with Raimi, briefly appears in both the main film and post-credits scene as the vendor of an Earth-838 food stall called Pizza Poppa. Scott Spiegel, another frequent collaborator with Raimi, voices one of the Souls of the Damned that attack Strange when he possesses a corpse. Co-producer Richie Palmer also voices one of the Souls of the Damned. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| America Chavez and a version of Stephen Strange are chased by a demon in the space between universes while searching for the Book of Vishanti. That Strange is killed and Chavez accidentally creates a portal that transports herself and Strange's corpse to Earth-616,[N 1] where that universe's version of Strange rescues Chavez from another demon[N 2] with help from the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong. Chavez explains that the beings are hunting her because she has the power to travel through the multiverse. Recognizing witchcraft runes, Strange consults Wanda Maximoff for help but realizes that she is responsible for the attacks. After acquiring the Darkhold and becoming the Scarlet Witch, Maximoff believes that controlling Chavez's powers will allow her to reunite with Billy and Tommy, the children she created during her time in Westview.[N 3] When Strange refuses to surrender Chavez, Maximoff attacks Kamar-Taj, killing many sorcerers. Chavez accidentally transports herself and Strange to Earth-838 while Maximoff uses the Darkhold to "dreamwalk", taking control of her Earth-838 counterpart, who lives a suburban life with her own Billy and Tommy. A surviving sorceress sacrifices herself to destroy the Darkhold and break the dreamwalk. Enraged, Maximoff forces Wong to lead her to Mount Wundagore, the source of the Darkhold's power, to reestablish the dreamwalk. While searching for help, Strange and Chavez are apprehended by Earth-838's Sorcerer Supreme, Karl Mordo, and brought before the Illuminati, a group consisting of Mordo, Peggy Carter, Blackagar Boltagon, Maria Rambeau, Reed Richards, and Charles Xavier. They explain that through reckless use of their universe's Darkhold in an attempt to defeat Thanos, Earth-838's Strange triggered a universe-destroying "incursion". After defeating Thanos, the Illuminati executed their Strange to prevent him from causing more harm. Mordo believes that Earth-616's Strange is similarly dangerous, but Maximoff reestablishes her dreamwalk at Mount Wundagore and arrives in her Earth-838 counterpart's body before they can pass judgment. She brutally kills all of the Illuminati except Mordo, whom Strange subdues before fleeing with Chavez. The two escape with help from the Earth-838 counterpart of Strange's ex-fiancè, Christine Palmer, a scientist working with the Illuminati. Strange, Chavez, and Palmer enter the space between universes to find the Book of Vishanti, which is the antithesis to the Darkhold, but Maximoff appears and destroys it. She then takes over Chavez's mind, using her powers to send the others to an incursion-destroyed universe. Strange defeats the destroyed universe's Strange, who has been corrupted by his universe's Darkhold, and uses it to dreamwalk into the body of his deceased counterpart on Earth-616. With Wong's help, Strange saves Chavez from Maximoff as she tries to take Chavez's powers, and encourages Chavez to use her abilities. She transports Maximoff to Earth-838, where she sees Billy and Tommy recoil from her in fear while crying for their real mother. Realizing the error of her ways, Maximoff relents and uses her powers to bring down Mount Wundagore, simultaneously destroying all copies of the Darkhold throughout the multiverse and apparently sacrificing herself in the process. Chavez returns Strange and Palmer to their respective universes. Sometime later, Kamar-Taj is repaired and the surviving sorcerers, joined by Chavez, continue training. Strange develops a third eye as a result of using the Darkhold and dreamwalking into a corpse. In a mid-credits scene, Strange is approached by a sorceress[N 4] who warns him that his actions have triggered an incursion that he must help fix. Strange follows her into the Dark Dimension. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2005. “Elektra” | 14 January 2005 |
| STARRING: |
| Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios Laura Ward as young Elektra Goran Visnjic as Mark Miller Will Yun Lee as Kirigi Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Roshi Terence Stamp as Stick Kirsten Prout as Abigail "Abby" Miller Colin Cunningham as McCabe Hiro Kanagawa as Meizumi Natassia Malthe as Typhoid Bob Sapp as Stone Chris Ackerman as Tattoo Jason Isaacs as DeMarco |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| After being killed in Daredevil, Elektra Natchios is revived by a blind martial arts master called Stick. She is brought to his training compound to learn Kimagure, an ancient martial arts discipline that provides its practitioners with precognition as well as the ability to resurrect the dead. Elektra soon is expelled because of her inability to let go of her rage and fear from seeing her mother's killer as a child. She leaves and uses her training to become a contract killer. Years later, Elektra infiltrates a heavily guarded area and succeeds in slaying her target DeMarco. Elektra's agent McCabe receives an unusually large offer from an anonymous client wishing to hire Elektra's services. The only stipulation; she must spend a few days in a rented home on the island where the assassination is to be performed before the names of the targets are revealed. During the wait, Elektra catches a girl named Abby trying to swipe her mother's necklace. She sends her away, and later meets and befriends her father, Mark Miller. Abby later invites Elektra to dinner on Mark's behalf. Elektra develops a romantic interest in Mark, but soon learns he and Abby are the targets she has been hired to kill. Elektra spares them and leaves, but later returns in time to protect them from assassins sent by The Hand, a crime syndicate of ninja mercenaries. Meanwhile, Roshi, master of The Hand, learns of the failed attempt and permits his son Kirigi to lead a new team of assassins to kill Elektra and return with Abby, referred to as "The Treasure". Elektra tries to leave Abby and Mark with Stick, but he scolds her into protecting them herself. She then drives Mark and Abby to McCabe's country house, but is followed by Kirigi, Typhoid, Stone, Kinkou, and Tattoo. Elektra flees with Mark and Abby through a secret underground exit to the orchard, while McCabe sacrifices himself to allow them to escape. Kirigi and the assassins hunt down the trio in a forest nearby. Elektra manages to kill Stone, while Abby and Mark kill Kinkou with one of his own daggers. As Elektra is distracted by the revelation that Abby has martial arts skills, Typhoid gives Elektra the "Kiss of Death". Abby is captured by Kirigi. Suddenly, Stick and his Chaste ninjas arrive, forcing Kirigi, Typhoid, and Tattoo to retreat. Stick manages to save Elektra from death and takes them under his protection. Stick confirms Abby is a martial arts prodigy which is the "Treasure" of martial arts whom the Hand seek to use. Elektra learns that she was a Treasure herself and her mother was a casualty of the fight between The Chaste and The Hand with her as the reason. She also guesses that Stick set up the hit on Mark and Abby in order to test Elektra's propensity for compassion. Elektra is not pleased, but does not follow up with that line of inquiry after getting the comment that some lessons must be lived. Elektra astrally projects herself to a meeting with Kirigi and challenges him to a fight; the winner claiming Abby for their own purpose. Elektra returns to her childhood home to face Kirigi, and finally remembers he was her mother's killer; whom she had been seeing as a horned demon in nightmares all this time. Elektra is at first defeated by Kirigi, but Abby arrives and engages him long enough for Elektra to recuperate. Elektra and Abby then escape and hide in a hedge maze but are separated when Abby is captured by snakes dispatched by Tattoo. Elektra finds Tattoo and snaps his neck, freeing Abby in the process. Elektra engages Kirigi a second time and manages to stab and kill him. Typhoid poisons Abby, the same way she did to Elektra earlier, killing her in the process. Elektra throws her sai into Typhoid killing her and successfully resurrects Abby, overcoming her rage. When Mark comes to take Abby, he and Elektra kiss and go their separate ways. Just as Elektra leaves the grounds of her childhood home for the final time, she meets Stick and the two exchange words to each other. Elektra departs, knowing Abby and Mark will be safe. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2005. “Fantastic Four” | 7 July 2005 |
| STARRING: |
| Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic Jessica Alba as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman Chris Evans as Johnny Storm / Human Torch Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm / The Thing Julian McMahon as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom Hamish Linklater as Leonard, Doom's assistant. Kerry Washington as Alicia Masters Laurie Holden as Debbie McIlvane David Parker as Ernie Kevin McNulty as Jimmy O'Hoolihan Maria Menounos as the Sexy Nurse Michael Kopsa as Ned Cecil Kenny "Cowboy Kenny" Bartram as himself Ronnie Renner as himself Stan Lee as Willie Lumpkin |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Physicist Reed Richards is convinced evolution was triggered millions of years ago on Earth by clouds of cosmic energy in space and has calculated that one of these clouds is soon going to pass near Earth. Together with his friend, astronaut Ben Grimm, Reed convinces Victor Von Doom, his former classmate at MIT and now CEO of Von Doom Industries, to allow him access to his privately held space station to test the effects of a biological sample of exposure to the cloud. Doom agrees in exchange for control over the experiment and a majority of the profits from whatever benefits it brings. Reed brings aboard his ex-girlfriend and Von Doom's chief genetics researcher Sue Storm and her ex-astronaut younger brother Johnny Storm. The quintet travels to outer space to observe the cosmic energy clouds, but Reed miscalculates and the clouds materialize ahead of schedule. Reed and the Storms leave the shielded station to rescue Grimm, who had gone on a spacewalk to place the samples. Grimm receives full exposure in outer space, while the others receive a more limited dose within the station. Back home they soon develop superpowers: Reed can stretch his body like rubber, Susan can become invisible and generate force shields, Johnny Storm can engulf himself in fire and fly unaided, and Grimm becomes a rock-like creature with superhuman strength and durability. Meanwhile, Von Doom faces a backlash from his stockholders because of the publicity from the space mission, and has a scar on his face that came from an exploding control console on the station. Grimm's fiancee Debbie cannot handle his new appearance and leaves him. Grimm goes to brood on the Brooklyn Bridge and accidentally causes a traffic pileup while preventing a man from committing suicide. Grimm, Reed and the Storms use their various abilities to contain the damage and prevent harm. The media dubs them the Fantastic Four. They move into Reed's lab in the Baxter Building to study their abilities and seek a way to return Grimm to normal. Von Doom, himself mutating, offers his support but blames Reed for the failure of the spaceflight, which has lost him his company's hope for an IPO. Reed tells the group he will construct a machine to recreate the storm and reverse its effects on them, but warns it could possibly accelerate them instead. Meanwhile, Von Doom's arm has become organic metal, giving him superhuman strength allowing him to produce bolts of electricity, and he begins plotting revenge. He drives a wedge between Grimm and Reed, who has rekindled his relationship with Susan Storm. Using the machine, Von Doom restores Grimm to human form, while accelerating Von Doom's condition, causing much of his body to turn to metal. Von Doom knocks the human Grimm unconscious and captures Reed. Now calling himself Doctor Doom, he puts on a metallic mask and a cloak to hide his disfigurement, Doom then tortures Reed and fires a heatseeking missile at the Baxter Building in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Johnny. Sue confronts Doom but is outmatched. Grimm arrives to assist her, transformed into the Thing again by reusing the machine. The battle then spills into the streets, and the Storms combine their powers to wrap Doom in an inferno of intense heat, while Grimm and Reed douse him with cold water, inducing thermal shock and freezing Doom in place. Grimm informs Reed that he has accepted his condition with the help of Alicia Masters, a blind artist for whom he has developed feelings, and the team embraces its role as superheroes. Reed proposes marriage to Sue, who accepts. Meanwhile, Doom's statue-like remains are being transported back to his homeland of Latveria when the dock master's electronic manifest briefly undergoes electromagnetic interference, suggesting that Doom is still alive. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2007. “Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer” | 15 June 2007 |
| STARRING: |
| Ioan Gruffudd as Dr. Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic Jessica Alba as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman Chris Evans as Johnny Storm / Human Torch Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm / The Thing Doug Jones as Norrin Radd / Silver Surfer Laurence Fishburne as the voice of the Silver Surfer Julian McMahon as Dr. Victor Von Doom / Doctor Doom Kerry Washington as Alicia Masters Beau Garrett as Captain Frankie Raye Vanessa Minnillo as Julie Angel Andre Braugher as General Hager Stan Lee as Himself / Uninvited Wedding Guest Brian Posehn as Wedding Minister Debbie Timuss as Candy the Hot Party Girl #1 Moneca Delain as Julia the Hot Party Girl #2 Crystal Lowe as Nicole the Hot Party Girl #3 Kevin McNulty as Jimmy, the doorman of the Baxter Building |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| As Reed Richards and Sue Storm prepare for their wedding, a silver object enters Earth's atmosphere, creating immense craters around the world. General Hager directs Reed to track and identify its movements. During the wedding, Reed's systems detect the phenomenon approaching New York City, which suffers a blackout from the object's electromagnetic pulses. Johnny Storm pursues the object, discovering it to be a silver humanoid on a flying surfboard. The "Silver Surfer" drags him into the upper atmosphere, suffocates and then drops him. Johnny barely survives, successfully flying only at the last moment. Later, Sue and Johnny find they have switched powers after touching, prompting Reed to deduce that exposure to the Surfer has affected Johnny's molecular structure, allowing these transfers of their powers. Tracing the Surfer's cosmic energy, Reed discovers that a series of planets the alien has visited are all destroyed. Reed and Sue contemplate abandoning their lives as superheroes in order to have a normal life and raise a family, but are unaware Johnny is listening. With the Surfer creating craters around the globe, Reed determines that the next will appear in London. The team arrives too late to stop the crater, which drains the River Thames, but they manage to prevent the London Eye from collapsing after it is damaged by the quake (although Johnny nearly thwarts their attempt when he unwillingly switches powers with Reed). Meanwhile, the Surfer's movements around the globe bring him past Latveria, where the cosmic energy affects their ex-friend Victor Von Doom, freeing him from two years encased in metal. A scarred Doom traces the Surfer to the Russell Glacier and offers to join forces. When the Surfer rebuffs him, Doom attacks. The Surfer retaliates, blasting Doom through the ice, but the cosmic energy of the Surfer's blast heals Doom's body. Doom leverages his experience into a deal with the American military, which forces the Fantastic Four to work with Doom. Deducing that the Surfer's board is the source of his power, Reed develops a tachyon pulse generator that will separate the Surfer from it, while Doom devises a machine whose function he keeps secret. In the Black Forest, the Surfer confronts Sue and reveals he is merely a servant to the destroyer of worlds, and regrets the destruction he causes. The military opens fire on the Surfer, which distracts him and allows the Fantastic Four to fire the pulse, separating the Surfer from his board. The military imprisons the Surfer in Siberia, where they torture him for information. Sue uses her powers to sneak into his cell, where he informs her that his master, known by the people of his world as Galactus, is a massive cloud-like cosmic entity that feeds on life-bearing planets to survive, and that his board is a homing beacon summoning Galactus to the planet. The Silver Surfer has to serve Galactus, who will otherwise destroy the Surfer's planet. Using the device he created earlier, Doom betrays Hager and steals the board from the compound, killing most of the Army personnel there. The Fantastic Four rescue the Surfer and pursue Doom in the Fantasticar, confronting him in Shanghai. During the battle, Sue is severely wounded. With the Surfer powerless, Johnny absorbs the combined powers of the entire team in order to battle the now cosmic energy-empowered Doom. Johnny succeeds in breaking Doom's control over the Surfer's board, and Ben Grimm uses a nearby crane to knock Doom into the harbor. However, Galactus arrives and Sue appears to die in Reed's arms. The Surfer regains control of his board, restoring his power. He revives Sue and chooses to defend Earth, flying, with an extra boost from Johnny, into Galactus. The conflict results in a massive blast of energy that engulfs Galactus, and apparently kills the Surfer as well. Johnny recovers his stable molecular state after touching the Surfer's board. Reed and Sue marry in Japan, in an abbreviated ceremony. Receiving news that Venice is sinking into the Adriatic, the team heads to Italy. In a mid-credits scene, the Silver Surfer's seemingly lifeless body floats through space. His eyes then open and his board races toward him, hinting that he is still alive. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2015. “Fantastic Four” | 6 August 2015 |
| STARRING: |
| Miles Teller as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic: Richards has been exploring the universe in his garage after school. After being transformed by one of his experiments, he gains the ability to stretch his body into different forms and lengths. Teller said of the role, "When I read the script, I didn't feel like I was reading this larger-than-life, incredible superhero tale. These are all very human people that end up having to become, I guess, what is known as the Fantastic Four. So for me it was just a really good story and gives me an opportunity to play something different from my own skin." Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm / The Human Torch: A troublemaker, and thrill-seeker, he has the ability to mentally create and manipulate fire and fly. Jordan said of the cast, "We're more or less a bunch of kids that had an accident and we have disabilities now that we have to cope with, and try to find a life afterwards - try to be as normal as we can." Jordan previously worked with Trank on 2012's Chronicle, and according to Trank, Jordan's character in Chronicle shares characteristics with Johnny Storm. Trank has described Storm as "smart, hilarious and charismatic." Kate Mara as Susan "Sue" Storm / The Invisible Woman: Intelligent, independent and sarcastic, Storm has the ability to create and manipulate light. This allows her to create force-fields and turn herself invisible. Mara has said that she intended to focus on making her character "as real as possible". Trank has described Storm as "smart, dignified and [with] integrity." Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm / The Thing: Warm, sensitive, a loyal and protective friend, Grimm's stone body gives him super-strength and makes him "indestructible". Trank said Grimm grew up an alienated child in a "tough" neighborhood. Trank also said that Bell has "qualities" of warmth and strength which people would want to see from Grimm. Bell has said that Grimm is the "heart of the group [Fantastic Four]". In preparation for the motion-capture performance, Bell approached actor Andy Serkis for advice. During filming, Bell wore a tracking suit and stilts to match the height and eye-line of The Thing. Evan Hannemann portrays Grimm as a child. Toby Kebbell as Victor von Doom / Doom: A computer technician and computer scientist who is mentored by Dr. Franklin Storm. Doom finds a new father of sorts in Franklin Storm. Angry, vengeful, and bright, Doom was changed in Planet Zero, as were the other characters but he is revealed to be deformed and merged with his space suit and then he decides to adopt his surname Doom as his alias. Kebbell said that he concentrated the most on the voice of the character, adding, "on the animated series, they never got his voice what I imagined it to be when I read the comics as a little boy. What I spent the majority of my time doing was not just being a fan, but being a bit of pedant and making sure I got exactly what I always wanted to see." Kinberg said that Doom is as central to the film as the "titular" heroes. He added that Doom has "aspirations and struggles that are a little bit more classically tragic than the other characters" and that the film would show how he becomes a villain. Dr. Doom's full name in this film was originally going to be "Victor Domashev", but it was changed back to "Victor von Doom" during reshoots, to match his name in the Marvel Comics universe. Kebbell also didn't participate in the re-shoots, meaning another actor played the character of Victor von Doom during the climactic battle. Reg E. Cathey as Franklin Storm: The biological father of Johnny and adoptive father to Sue. Cathey described Franklin as a "brilliant scientist who has achieved much more than he thought he would" and that Franklin's main drive in life is to help "brilliant" kids who may have been dropped through the cracks or who were misunderstood. Tim Blake Nelson as Harvey Allen: A scientist who works for the government, and takes part in training the members of the team to hone their abilities. Nelson said that Allen is "responsible for what the creative people do that he has to ring them in and discipline them." Additionally, Dan Castellaneta portrays Mr. Kenny, Reed's teacher and Tim Heidecker appears as Mr. Richards, Reed's stepfather. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Childhood friends Reed Richards and Ben Grimm have worked together on a prototype teleporter since youth, eventually attracting the attention of Professor Franklin Storm, director of the Baxter Foundation, a government-sponsored research institute for young prodigies. Reed is recruited to join them and aid Storm's children, scientist Sue Storm and the somewhat reckless technician and her younger brother Johnny Storm, into completing a "Quantum Gate" designed by Storm's wayward protege, Victor von Doom, who begrudgingly agrees to help due to his unrequited feelings for Sue. The experiment is successful, and the facility's supervisor, Dr. Allen, plans to send a group from NASA to venture into a parallel dimension known as "Planet Zero". Disappointed at being denied the chance to join the expedition, Reed, Johnny, and Victor along with Ben use the Quantum Gate to embark on an unsanctioned voyage to Planet Zero, which they learn is a world filled with otherworldly substances. Victor attempts to touch the green-lava like substance, causing the surface they are on to collapse and the ground to erupt. Reed, Johnny, and Ben return to their shuttle just as Sue brings them back to Earth. Victor is seemingly killed after he falls into the collapsing landscape. The machine explodes, altering Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben on a molecular-genetic level, affording them superhuman abilities beyond their control: Reed can stretch like rubber, Susan can become invisible and generate force shields, Johnny can engulf his entire body in fire and fly, and Ben becomes bigger and develops a rock-like hide which gives him superhuman strength and durability. They are then placed in government custody and confinement to be studied and have their conditions and abilities tested. Blaming himself for the accident, Reed escapes from the facility and tries to find a cure for their changes. One year later, Reed is now a fugitive and has built a suit that is able to adapt to his body's plasticity and help him control his ability. Hiding in Central America, he is eventually found by the United States military with Sue's help and captured by Ben, who has become a military asset along with Johnny and Sue. Johnny and Sue have been outfitted with specialized suits designed to help them stabilize and control their abilities. Reed is brought to Area 57, where Dr. Allen conscripts him to open another portal to Planet Zero in exchange for giving Reed the necessary resources to find a cure. Arriving in Planet Zero, Dr. Allen's explorers find Victor, who has been fused to his spacesuit and can now control the elements, as well as having telekinetic abilities, and bring him back to Earth. Believing the human race needs to be destroyed so he can rebuild Planet Zero in his image, Victor kills scientists and soldiers in the base including Dr. Allen and Professor Storm and returns to Planet Zero using the Quantum Gate, with Ben, Johnny, Reed, and Sue in pursuit. Now dubbing himself "Doom", Victor activates a portal on Planet Zero using the Quantum Gate II, and a structure consisting of the rock formations in Planet Zero he made while in the realm, that begins consuming the landscape of the Earth. He is confronted by the four and, after a short battle, Ben punches Doom into the portal's energy beam, disintegrating him while Johnny closes the portal. Returning to Earth, the group is rewarded for their heroics by being given a new base of operations by the US military known as "Central City" to study their abilities and without government interference. They decide to use their powers to help people and adopt the mantle of the "Fantastic Four". |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2007. “Ghost Rider” | 16 February 2007 |
| STARRING: |
| Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider: A motorcycle stunt rider, who is tricked into making a deal with the Devil thinking that it will save his father from dying, and is subsequentyly transformed into a supernatural demonic soul hunter, the Devil's Spirit of Vengeance, the Ghost Rider. As his work for Mephisto continues, he hunts down the demons which have escaped from Hell. Matt Long as young Johnny Blaze Eva Mendes as Roxanne Simpson: Johnny's childhood love-interest, and current girlfriend who is a news reporter. Raquel Alessi as young Roxanne Simpson Wes Bentley as Blackheart / Legion: The illegitimate demon son of Mephistopheles, who wants to use the Contract of San Venganza in order to unleash Hell on Earth. Sam Elliott as Carter Slade / Caretaker / Ghost Rider: A former Ghost Rider, and an ally and mentor to Blaze. Donal Logue as Mack: One member of Johnny's team and his own impresario. Peter Fonda as Mephistopheles /the Devil: The Devil, with whom Blaze makes a contractual deal in order to save the latter's father from cancer. Deceivingly, Mephisto causes Blaze's father to die the next day in a motorcycling accident. Mephistopheles is in search for his demon son, Blackheart who seeks to overthrow him. The two race in search of the Contract of San Venganza, a binding note of 1,000 damned souls. Brett Cullen as Barton Blaze: Johnny Blaze's deceased father, and former motorcycle stunt rider. David Roberts as Captain Jack Dolan: A police captain. Rebel Wilson as Girl in alley |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Several thousand years ago, The Devil, Mephistopheles, sends his bounty hunter of the damned, the Ghost Rider, to retrieve a document known as "The Contract of San Venganza", a list of a thousand corrupt souls. Seeing that the contract would give Mephistopheles the power to unleash Hell on Earth, the Rider refuses to give him the contract. In 1986, Mephistopheles reaches out to 17-year-old stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze, offering to cure his father's cancer in exchange for Blaze's soul, to which he hastily accepts. The next morning, Blaze awakes to discover that his father's cancer is cured, but he is killed that same day in a motorcycle stunt in which he falls into the ring of fire he is jumping through. Blaze accuses Mephistopheles of causing his father's death, but Mephistopheles considers their contract to be fulfilled and promises to one day see him again. 21 years later, Blaze has become a famous stunt motorcycle rider known for surviving numerous deadly crashes. Blaze meets his lifelong sweetheart Roxanne Simpson, now a news reporter, whom he abandoned after his father's death. He convinces her to attend a dinner date. Meanwhile, Blackheart, the demonic son of Mephistopheles, comes to Earth, along with three fallen angels who bonded with the elements Air, Earth, and Water. They are tasked to find the lost Contract of San Venganza. In response, Mephistopheles makes Blaze the new Ghost Rider and offers to return his soul if he defeats Blackheart, though he is also told he has no choice in the matter. Blaze is driven straight to the station on his "first ride", where he transforms into the Ghost Rider and kills the Earth Angel Gressil. He also saves a young girl from a mugger and incapacitates him with the Penance Stare (a power that allows the Ghost Rider to make any evil person experience all the pains they caused on their victims) The next day, he meets a man called the Caretaker, who seems to know all about the history of the Ghost Rider. He tells him everything that happened was not a dream and that it will happen again, especially at night when he is near an evil soul. When he arrives home, Blaze finds Simpson and reveals himself as the Devil's bounty hunter. Unconvinced, she walks away in disbelief. After a brief imprisonment for the murders that Blackheart committed, Blaze kills the Air Angel Abigor, and escapes from The Police, before returning to the Caretaker who tells him of his predecessor, Carter Slade, a Texas Ranger who hid the contract of San Venganza. Blaze returns home to find that Blackheart has killed his friend Mack and has taken Roxanne captive, threatening to kill her if Blaze does not deliver the contract. Blaze tries to use the Penance Stare on Blackheart, only for it not to work since Blackheart has no soul to burn. Blaze returns to the Caretaker and obtains the contract. The Caretaker reveals that he is Carter Slade. Slade tells Blaze that he is more powerful than his predecessors since he sold his soul for love as opposed to greed. Slade leads Blaze to San Venganza, then gives Blaze a lever action shotgun before fading away. After killing the Water angel Wallow, Blaze gives the contract to Blackheart. He quickly transforms into Ghost Rider in an effort to subdue Blackheart, but dawn arrives and he is rendered powerless. Blackheart uses the contract to absorb the thousand souls into his body. He attempts to kill Blaze, but is distracted when Simpson uses Blaze's discarded shotgun to separate them. After Blaze tries to kill Blackheart with the shotgun, he moves in and uses his Penance Stare to render him catatonic, burning all the corrupt souls within Blackheart, which is what he had hoped for. Mephistopheles appears and returns Blaze his soul, offering to take back the curse of the Ghost Rider. Determined not to make another deal, Blaze declines, saying that he will use his power against him, and against all harm that comes to the innocent. Infuriated of being robbed of the power, Mephistopheles vows to make Blaze pay, but Blaze tells Mephistopheles that he is not afraid. Mephistopheles then disappears, taking Blackheart's body with him. Later, Simpson tells Blaze that he got his second chance before sharing a final kiss with him. Blaze then rides away on his motorcycle, turning into the Ghost Rider. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2011. “Ghost Rider - Spirit of Vengeance” | 15 March 2012 |
| STARRING: |
| Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider: A motorcycle stunt man who sold his soul to a demon to save his father from cancer, and became The Devil's servant Spirit of Vengeance, a fiery spirit that feeds on the evil of his victims. Ionut Cristian Lefter as Young Johnny Blaze, actor Matt Long, who portrayed the character in the first film, but was eventually replaced by Lefter. Johnny Whitworth as Ray Carrigan / Blackout: A mercenary, drug dealer, and gun runner turned into Blackout by the Devil to complete his job. This transformation gives him the fortitude and supernatural abilities to compete with Ghost Rider. Carrigan's powers are completely unlike those of the comic book character; writers admitted that the only aspect of Blackout they used in designing the movie version was his appearance. Fergus Riordan as Daniel "Danny" Ketch: A young child caught up in a demonic conspiracy who ends up in the care of Johnny Blaze during his travels. Ciarán Hinds as Roarke / Mephistopheles / the Devil: The human-form of the demon who transformed Johnny Blaze in the Ghost Rider. Mephisto has fathered a child named Danny, and has plans for the boy. Actor Peter Fonda, who portrayed the character in the first film, had previously expressed interest in reprising the role, [12] however Hinds was hired to portray the character instead. Violante Placido as Nadya Ketch: Danny's mother and Ray's ex-girlfriend who helps Johnny to stop Mephisto from taking over Danny's body. Idris Elba as Moreau: A French member of a secret religious organization who joins forces with Johnny. He is the one who tells Johnny to find Danny. Christopher Lambert as Methodius: a senior monk. Anthony Head as Benedict: A senior monk at the castle where Nadya and Danny are hiding at the start of the film. Jacek Koman as Terrokov Vincent Regan as Toma Nikasevic: An arms dealer who works with Carrigan. Spencer Wilding as Grannik |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In Romania, a French priest named Moreau warns the monks of a monastery about an impending attack by the devil's forces to obtain a boy named Danny. The monastery falls under attack; Moreau tries to help the boy and his mother Nadya escape, but the distrusting mother shoots at Moreau and flees with her son. Moreau manages to distract the men chasing Danny and Nadya, but nearly dies in the process and loses them. He believes that only the Ghost Rider is capable of protecting the boy. He finds the Rider and seeks his help. Eight years have passed since the events of the first film, which dealt with Johnny Blaze making a deal with the demon Roarke (Mephistopheles), and becoming the Ghost Rider - a vengeful, fiery spirit who feeds on the evil of his victims and consumes the souls of sinners. No matter how small the infraction - anything from genocide to a white lie - the Rider does not differentiate. This drives Blaze into hiding, fighting the evil spirit within him. Moreau finds him with some ease and convinces him to save the boy in exchange for his priesthood's ability to restore Johnny's soul and remove the Ghost Rider's curse forever. Meanwhile, pursuers force Nadya and Danny from the road and bring them to their leader: her former boyfriend Ray Carrigan. Carrigan has Danny tied up and is about to execute Nadya when the Ghost Rider appears; the Ghost Rider kills several of Carrigan's men and then moves in on Danny. Nadya distracts the Ghost Rider, who then is shot with grenades into submission. Carrigan leaves with Danny in tow. Johnny awakens the next morning in a hospital. On the way out, he convinces Nadya not to trust him, but to accept his help to find Danny. However, Carrigan tells Roarke about the Rider, and Roarke speaks an incantation to Danny via phone; this, in effect, puts up a "firewall" preventing the Rider from sensing his whereabouts. He warns Carrigan it will not shield him from being sensed and gives him instructions to deliver Danny. Nadya later tells Blaze that as she lay dying, she made a deal with Roarke: her life in return for him impregnating her with Danny, making Danny a direct vessel for Roarke and the potential for him to have unlimited power on the surface world. Roarke lacks this power so far from Hell. Danny nearly escapes, but breaks his ankle and is recaptured. That night, Nadya and Johnny interrogate a known contact of Carrigan's. Johnny takes off ahead of Nadya to deal with Carrigan. Nadya saves Danny as the Rider converts a mining machine (a Bagger 288[7]) into a massive fiery machine, destroying their hideout complex and mortally wounding Carrigan. When Ghost Rider catches up to Nadya and starts to use his Penance Stare on her, Danny is able to stop the rider with a word, exercising his hidden power. Moreau catches up with the group as they ride off. Roarke is not done with Carrigan; using his power, he turns Carrigan into a demon called Blackout capable of instantly decaying anything he touches while shrouded in darkness. Johnny and Nadya bring Danny to Moreau's monastery with warm reception. Moreau delivers on his end of the bargain and, after explaining that the Ghost Rider is the twisted incarnation of the Spirit of Justice, Zarathos, after being captured and tortured to madness while in Hell, he exorcises Johnny of the spirit and Johnny becomes human again. The head monk Methodius (Christopher Lambert) proclaims that Danny will never be safe from the influence of evil and says he must die, taking Johnny, Moreau, and Nadya captive in order to execute the boy. Carrigan intervenes, however, killing the monks and taking Danny captive again to deliver to Roarke. The others follow, with Johnny not wanting to desert Danny after having promised to protect him. With the ritual to transfer Roarke's spirit and power into Danny underway, the three infiltrate the compound to save him. Carrigan kills Moreau, but Danny (who Roarke states has the same powers as he does) gives Johnny back the power of the Ghost Rider. Roarke manages to escape with Danny, and the Ghost Rider and Nadya give pursuit. After a vehicular struggle, Ghost Rider manages to defeat Carrigan and causes the SUV carrying Roarke and Danny to crash. The Ghost Rider literally sends Roarke back into hell while Danny, who had died in the accident, is returned to his mother. Channeling the blue flame of Zarathos, Johnny manages to revive Danny and assures him of his safety. As the film closes, the Rider, now covered in angelic blue flames, rides off on his motorcycle, saying "My name is Johnny Blaze. I'm the Ghost Rider". |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2014. “Guardians of the Galaxy” | August 1, 2014 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord: The half-human, half-alien leader of the Guardians who was abducted from Missouri as a child in 1988 and raised by a group of alien thieves and smugglers called the Ravagers. About the character, Pratt said, "He had a hard time as a kid, and now he goes around space, making out with hot alien girls and just being a rogue and a bit of a jerk, and through teaming up with these guys, finds a higher purpose for himself." He also added that the character is a mix of Han Solo and Marty McFly. Pratt, who was mostly known for playing supporting characters, notably the portly Andy Dwyer on the television series Parks and Recreation, initially turned down the role. Pratt had lost weight to portray fit characters in films such as Moneyball and Zero Dark Thirty, and had given up ambitions to play the lead role in action films after humbling auditions for Star Trek and Avatar. Casting director Sarah Finn suggested Pratt to Gunn, who dismissed the idea despite struggling to cast that role. Despite this, Finn arranged for a meeting between the two, at which point Gunn was immediately convinced that Pratt was perfect for the role. Pratt also won over Feige, despite having gained weight again for Delivery Man. Prior to filming, Pratt underwent a strict diet and training regimen to lose 60 lb (27 kg) in six months. Pratt signed a multi-film contract with Marvel, and was granted a temporary leave from his work on Parks and Recreation in order to accommodate his participation in the film. Wyatt Oleff portrays a young Quill. Zoe Saldana as Gamora: An orphan from an alien world who seeks redemption for her past crimes. She was trained by Thanos to be his personal assassin. Saldana said that she became Gamora through make-up rather than computer generated imagery (CGI) or performance capture. On taking the role, Saldana said, "I was just excited to be asked to join by James Gunn and to also play someone green. I've been blue before [in Avatar]." Saldana described Gamora as "...a warrior, she’s an assassin and she’s very lethal but what saves her is the same thing that can doom her. She has a sense of righteousness. She’s a very righteous individual." Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer: A warrior who seeks to avenge his family's death at the hands of Ronan. On relating to the character, Bautista said, "I can just relate to Drax so much it's not even funny. Just the simple things that we have in common. Simple things like the tattoos, the tragedy – because you know, I had a bit of tragedy in my life as well. So it's really easy for me to pull from that." Bautista also said that there was "a lot of comic relief to Drax", but the character was not aware of it. Bautista stated that he did not do much preparation for the role, because "Luckily, for me, I'm a lifelong athlete and I adapted real quick." Bautista's makeup took approximately four hours to apply, though it could be removed in just 90 minutes. Drax has various scarring patterns on his body, which replace the simple tattoos from the comics, each having a specific story. Additionally, his skin tone was changed from the bright green in the comics to a muddier grey, to avoid visual similarities to the Hulk. Vin Diesel as Groot: A tree-like humanoid who is the accomplice of Rocket. Diesel stated that he provided the voice and motion capture for Groot, after originally being in talks to star in a new Phase Three Marvel film. Diesel also provided Groot's voice for several foreign-language releases of the film. Krystian Godlewski portrayed the character on set, though his acting was not used in the final character CGI. On the character, which Gunn based on his dog, Gunn said, "All the Guardians start out the movie as bastards – except Groot. He's an innocent. He's a hundred percent deadly and a hundred percent sweet. He's caught up in Rocket's life, really." Gunn added that the design and movement of Groot took "the better part of a year" to create. Gunn added, "The ways in which Vin Diesel says, 'I am Groot,' I am astounded. All of the 'I am Groots' that were earlier voices didn't sound very good at all... Vin came in and in one day, laid down all these 'I am Groot' tracks, and he's a perfectionist. He made me explain to him with ever [sic] 'I am Groot,' exactly what he was saying... It was amazing when we first put that voice in there how much the character changed and how much he influenced the character." Regarding the limited words used by Groot, Diesel said in many ways this was, "... the most challenging thing to ask an actor to do." Diesel found an emotional note in his performance, invoking the death of his friend and Fast and Furious co-star Paul Walker, saying, "This was in December [2013], and the first time I came back to dealing with human beings after dealing with death, so playing a character who celebrates life in the way Groot does was very nice." Groot's form and size-changing abilities are seen, with Gunn stating that he has the ability to grow in the film. Bradley Cooper as Rocket: A genetically engineered raccoon-like bounty hunter and mercenary who is a master of weapons and battle tactics. Gunn worked with live raccoons to get the correct feel for the character, and to make sure it was "not a cartoon character", saying, "It's not Bugs Bunny in the middle of the Avengers, it's a real, little, somewhat mangled beast that's alone. There's no one else in the universe quite like him, he's been created by these guys to be a mean-ass fighting machine." Gunn also based the character on himself. Describing Rocket in relation to the rest of the Guardians, Cooper said, "I think Rocket is dynamic. He's the sort of Joe Pesci in Goodfellas guy." Cooper voiced Rocket, while Sean Gunn (James' younger brother) stood in for the character during filming. James Gunn said that for the role of Rocket, some physical movement from Cooper, including facial expressions and hand movements, was recorded as potential reference for the animators, though much of Sean Gunn's acting is used throughout the film. Before Cooper was cast, James Gunn said that it was a challenge finding a voice for Rocket, that he was looking for someone that could balance "the fast-talking speech patterns that Rocket has, but also can be funny, because he is really funny. But also has the heart that Rocket has. Because there are actually some pretty dramatic scenes with Rocket." Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser: A Kree radical who agrees to retrieve an artifact for Thanos in exchange for eradicating his mortal enemies, the Xandarians. Ronan and his Sakaaran army hunt down the Guardians when they interfere with his goals. Describing Ronan, Gunn said, "He is the primary villain, and he is a really twisted guy, he has a really religious bent in this film. He has a very sick and twisted view of what morality is; strength is virtue and weakness is sin and that is what he lives by, and I think he is very scary because of his beliefs, which are real to him." Pace, who originally auditioned for Peter Quill, described Ronan as a "psycho" and a "monster". Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta: A blue-skinned bandit who is the leader of the Ravagers and a paternal figure to Quill. Yondu helps Quill to steal the orb before Quill betrays him, leaving Yondu and the Ravagers to chase the Guardians. On the character, Rooker said, he has "some interesting issues–not a good guy, not a bad guy. There's hope and there's a heart inside Yondu." Gunn created the film's version of the character specifically with Rooker in mind, while borrowing the character's mohawk and use of a whistle-controlled arrow from the comics. Rooker fully committed to the role once he knew his role on the TV series The Walking Dead would be ending. Rooker's makeup took approximately four hours to apply. Karen Gillan as Nebula: An adopted daughter of Thanos who was raised with Gamora as siblings and is a loyal lieutenant in the employ of Ronan and Thanos. About the character, Gillan said, "She is the female villain of the film ... She is very sadistic and evil, but I like to think for a very valid reason." She also added, "I think she's a really interesting character. What I like to play around with is how jealous she is. She's Gamora's sister, and there's a lot of sibling rivalry. That's the most interesting aspect to me, because jealousy can consume you and turn you bitter, and ugly. And she's a total sadist, so that's fun too." Gillan researched the ancient Spartans, shaved off her hair, and trained for two months for the role. The character's makeup took approximately four and a half hours to be applied. Djimon Hounsou as Korath: A Kree ally of Ronan who is a feared intergalactic hunter. As to why he took the role Hounsou said, "I have a four-year old son who loves superheroes from Spider-Man to Iron Man to Batman. He's got all the costumes. One day he looks at me and says 'Dad, I want to be light-skinned so I could be Spider-Man. Spider-Man has light skin.' That was sort of a shock. This is why I am excited to be a part of the Marvel Universe, so I could hopefully provide that diversity in the role of the superhero." John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey: A corpsman in the Nova Corps, the Nova Empire's military and police force. Glenn Close as Irani Rael: The leader of the Nova Corps, known as Nova Prime, whose mission is to protect the citizens of the Nova Empire and keep peace. Close stated that she "had always wanted to be in a movie like [Guardians of the Galaxy], and that it would be "the most fun to play something like the Judi Dench [as M or] Samuel L. Jackson [as Nick Fury] role". She said that she took the role because she "love[s] to do stuff that's different" and wanted to show that she "[has] always been up for anything." She also stated that her contract has "several" films on it, and that she would be open to working on other Marvel Studios films in addition to returning for Guardians sequels. Benicio del Toro as Taneleer Tivan / The Collector: An obsessive keeper of the largest collection of interstellar fauna, relics, and species in the galaxy who operates out of a place in space named Knowhere. Describing del Toro's performance, Gunn said, "He's like an outer-space Liberace. That's what it says in the script, which he's kind of doing." On bringing the character to life, del Toro said, "What James [Gunn] wanted, that I found out little by little as I was doing it, is that he wanted me to explore and just keep pushing the character and keep creating [him] as I was in front of the camera." Additionally, Josh Brolin appears, uncredited, as Thanos through voice acting and performance capture. Sean Gunn stood in for Thanos during filming and portrays Kraglin, Yondu's first mate in the Ravagers. Alexis Denisof reprises his role as Thanos's vizier, "The Other", from The Avengers. Ophelia Lovibond plays Carina, the Collector's slave; Peter Serafinowicz plays Denarian Garthan Saal, a Nova Corps officer; Gregg Henry plays Quill's grandfather; Laura Haddock plays Quill's mother, Meredith; Melia Kreiling plays Bereet; Christopher Fairbank plays The Broker; Mikaela Hoover plays Nova Prime's assistant; Marama Corlett plays a pit boss at the bar, The Boot; Emmett J. Scanlan plays a Nova riot guard; Alexis Rodney plays Moloka Dar; Tom Proctor plays Horuz, a Ravenger; and Spencer Wilding plays a prison guard who confiscates Quill's Walkman. Canine actor Fred appears as Cosmo. Stephen Blackehart had a supporting role. Naomi Ryan also had a supporting role in the film, though it was cut in the final version. Cameos in the film include: James Gunn as a Sakaaran; Stan Lee as a Xandarian Ladies' Man; Lloyd Kaufman as an inmate; Nathan Fillion as the voice of an inmate; Rob Zombie as the voice of the Ravager Navigator; composer Tyler Bates as a Ravager pilot; and Seth Green as the voice of Howard the Duck. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1988, following his mother's death, a young Peter Quill is abducted from Earth by the Ravagers, a group of space pirates led by Yondu Udonta. Twenty-six years later on the planet Morag, Quill steals an orb but is attacked by Korath, a subordinate to the fanatical Kree Ronan. Although Quill escapes with the orb, Yondu discovers his theft and issues a bounty for his capture, while Ronan sends the assassin Gamora after the orb. When Quill attempts to sell the orb on Xandar, capital of the Nova Empire, Gamora ambushes him and steals it. A fight ensues, drawing in a pair of bounty hunters: the genetically and cybernetically modified raccoon Rocket, and the tree-like humanoid Groot. Nova Corps officers capture the four, detaining them in the Kyln. A powerful inmate there, Drax, attempts to kill Gamora due to her association with Ronan, who killed his family. Quill convinces Drax that Gamora can bring Ronan to him, though Gamora reveals that she has betrayed Ronan, unwilling to let him use the orb's power. Learning that Gamora has a buyer for the orb, Quill, Rocket, Groot, and Drax work with her to escape the Kyln in Quill's ship, the Milano. Ronan meets with Gamora's adoptive father, Thanos, to discuss her betrayal. Quill's group flee to Knowhere, a remote criminal outpost in space built in the giant severed head of a Celestial. A drunken Drax summons Ronan while the rest of the group meet Gamora's contact, the collector Taneleer Tivan. Tivan opens the orb, revealing an Infinity Stone, an item of immeasurable power that destroys all but the most powerful beings who wield it. Tivan's tormented assistant grabs the Stone, triggering an explosion that engulfs Tivan's archive. Ronan arrives and easily defeats Drax, while the others flee by ship, pursued by Ronan's followers and Gamora's adoptive sister Nebula. Nebula destroys Gamora's ship, leaving her floating in space, and Ronan's fighters capture the orb. Quill contacts Yondu before following Gamora into space, giving her his helmet to survive; Yondu arrives and retrieves the pair. Rocket, Drax, and Groot threaten to attack Yondu's ship to rescue them, but Quill negotiates a truce, promising the orb to Yondu. Quill's group agrees that facing Ronan means certain death, but that they cannot let him use the Infinity Stone to destroy the galaxy. On Ronan's flagship, the Dark Aster, Ronan embeds the Stone in his warhammer, taking its power for himself. He contacts Thanos, threatening to kill him after first destroying Xandar; hateful of her adoptive father, Nebula allies with Ronan. The Ravagers and Quill's group join with the Nova Corps to confront the Dark Aster at Xandar, with Quill's group breaching the Dark Aster with the Milano. Ronan uses his empowered warhammer to destroy the Nova Corps fleet. Gamora fights and defeats Nebula, who then escapes, but the group find themselves outmatched by Ronan's power until Rocket crashes a Ravager ship through the Dark Aster. The damaged Dark Aster crash-lands on Xandar, with Groot sacrificing himself to shield the group. Ronan emerges from the wreck and prepares to destroy Xandar, but Quill distracts him, allowing Drax and Rocket to destroy Ronan's warhammer. Quill grabs the freed Stone, and with Gamora, Drax, and Rocket sharing its burden, they use it to destroy Ronan. In the aftermath, Quill tricks Yondu into taking a container supposedly containing the Stone, and gives the real Stone to the Nova Corps. As the Ravagers leave Xandar, Yondu remarks that it turned out well that they did not deliver Quill to his father per their contract. Quill's group, now known as the Guardians of the Galaxy, have their criminal records expunged, and Quill learns that he is only half-human, his father being part of an ancient, unknown species. Quill finally opens the last present he received from his mother: a cassette tape filled with her favorite songs. The Guardians leave in the rebuilt Milano along with a sapling cut from Groot. In a post-credits scene, Tivan sits in his destroyed archive with two of his living exhibits: a canine cosmonaut and an anthropomorphic duck. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2017. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” | May 5, 2017 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord Zoe Saldana as Gamora Dave Bautista as Drax Vin Diesel as Baby Groot (voice) Bradley Cooper as Rocket (voice) Michael Rooker as Yondu Karen Gillan as Nebula Pom Klementieff as Mantis Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord Kurt Russell as Ego Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha Chris Sullivan as Taserface Sean Gunn as Kraglin / On-Set Rocket Tommy Flanagan as Tullk Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Set to the backdrop of 'Awesome Mixtape #2,' Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team's adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes' aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2023. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” | May 5, 2023 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord: The half-human, half-Celestial leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy who was abducted from Earth as a child and raised by a group of alien thieves and smugglers; the Ravagers. In the film, Quill is in a "state of depression" following the appearance of a variant of his dead lover Gamora, who does not share the same affection for Quill as her older version had for him, which in turn affects his leadership of the Guardians. Zoe Saldaña as Gamora: An orphan who seeks redemption for her past crimes, and was adopted and trained by Thanos to be his personal assassin. The original version of Gamora, a member of the Guardians, was killed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and an alternate version of the character traveled to the present in Avengers: Endgame (2019); Saldaña reprises the latter role in this film, now serving as a leader of the Ravagers. Saldaña stated that Vol. 3 would be the final time she would portray Gamora, noting that she originally signed to play her in one film and ended up playing the role for much longer, a role she was grateful to play due to the impact it especially had on female fans. Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer: A member of the Guardians and a highly skilled warrior whose family was slaughtered by Ronan the Accuser, under the instructions of Thanos. Bautista stated that Vol. 3 would be the final time he would portray Drax, having been grateful for the role, while still calling it a "relief" to have concluded his time with the character, given the long hours needed to get into makeup and hoping to pursue more dramatic acting roles. Because of Bautista's decision, Gunn opted not to include Drax in the post-credits scene. Karen Gillan as Nebula: A member of the Guardians, a former Avenger, and Gamora's adoptive sister who, similarly to her, was trained by their adoptive father Thanos to be his personal assassin. Gillan believed Nebula was developing into a "slightly different person" with more levity as she starts to heal psychologically following the death of Thanos, who was the source of her abuse and torment. Vol. 3 fulfills a character arc for the character writer and director James Gunn envisioned when starting work on Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), going from a minor villain to a member of the Guardians. Although the film teases a possible romance between Star-Lord and Nebula, Gunn denies having ever considered the two becoming a couple, though Gillan does believe she harbors a small crush on Quill. Pom Klementieff as Mantis: A member of the Guardians with empathic powers, and Quill's half-sister. Vin Diesel as Groot: A member of the Guardians who is a tree-like humanoid and the accomplice of Rocket. Bradley Cooper as Rocket: A member of the Guardians and a former Avenger who is a genetically engineered raccoon-based bounty hunter and a master of weapons and military tactics. Gunn said that the film tells Rocket's story, including his background and "where he's going", along with how that ties into the other Guardians and the end of this iteration of the team. The film completes a character arc that was established in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and continued in Infinity War and Endgame. Sean Gunn once again provided on set motion capture for the character, while also voicing young Rocket. Cooper also voiced adolescent Rocket while Noah Raskin voiced baby Rocket. Will Poulter as Adam Warlock: A powerful artificial being created by the Sovereign to destroy the Guardians. Given Warlock is newly born from the Sovereign's cocoon, he is "basically a baby" that "does not understand life very well". Poulter believed there was "a lot of comedy" in someone just entering the world for the first time and "trying to develop his moral compass", while also having "some genuine pathos". Gunn thought Warlock's interactions with the Guardians provided "an interesting juxtaposition" to what their journey has been, and described him as a more traditional superhero compared to the Guardians, although not necessarily a hero. Sean Gunn as Kraglin: A member of the Guardians and Yondu Udonta's former second-in-command in the Ravagers. Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary: A scientist specializing in creating hybrid creatures and Rocket's creator, seeking to forcibly enhance all living beings into a "special race". Iwuji described the character as "narcissistic, sociopathic, but very charming", adding that there was "something very Shakespearean about him, there's something very emotionally dark about him, and he's a lot of fun on top of all that". In preparation for the role, Iwuji listened to his character's taste for classical music in contrast to the American rock and pop music songs played in the film, allowing Iwuji to go back to his favorite arias and operas, like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (1786) and Don Giovanni (1787). Gunn likened the High Evolutionary to "a space version" of Doctor Moreau from Island of Lost Souls (1932), a film Gunn is a big fan of, calling him "a detestable character". When asked by Rachel Lindsay of Extra about the character, Gunn referred to the High Evolutionary as the "cruelest MCU villain" to date the franchise has ever seen due to how he negatively impacts on the lives of Rocket and his fellow subject friends, while Iwuji made sure along with Gunn to avoid giving the Evolutionary, at least intentionally, any sympathy unlike previous villains like Thanos or Killmonger, focusing under Gunn's orders on commenting in the character's single mindedness, narcissistic and zealous personality like the "most horrific" figures in history have been shown to be. Linda Cardellini as Lylla: An anthropomorphic otter who is an associate and friend of Rocket. Cardellini provided both the voice and motion capture for Lylla, having previously played Laura Barton in past MCU media. Nathan Fillion as Master Karja: An orgosentry at Orgocorp. Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord: A high-ranking Ravager. Reprising their respective roles from previous Guardians films and/or The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) are Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, the golden High Priestess and the leader of the Sovereign people who had Adam Warlock created to destroy the Guardians; Michael Rosenbaum as Martinex, a high-ranking Ravager; Christopher Fairbank as the Broker; Stephen Blackehart and Rhett Miller as Steemie and Bzermikitokolok, two denizens of Knowhere; Gregg Henry as Quill's grandfather Jason; and Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta, the former head of the Ravagers and Peter's deceased mentor. Maria Bakalova reprises her voice and motion capture role from the Holiday Special as Cosmo, a member of the Guardians who is a sapient dog that developed psionic abilities after being abandoned in outer space by the Soviet Union. Gunn changed Cosmo's gender from male, as depicted in the comics, to female for the film, as a tribute to the character's original inspiration, Laika, a Soviet space dog who became one of the first animals in space.[47Cosmo was physically portrayed by dog actor Slate, after also doing so for the Holiday Special, and was previously portrayed by dog actor Fred in the first two Guardians films. Tara Strong (who voiced Miss Minutes in the Disney+ series Loki) voices Mainframe, who was previously voiced by Miley Cyrus in Vol. 2. Jared Gore provides motion capture for Krugarr, a Ravager who wields sorcery powers and speaks through his sorcery. Asim Chaudhry voices Teefs, an anthropomorphic walrus; Mikaela Hoover (who played Nova Prime's assistant in the first film) voices Floor, an anthropomorphic rabbit; Daniela Melchior appears as Ura, the receptionist at Orgocorp; Miriam Shor and Nico Santos appear as Recorder Vim and Recorder Theel, respectively, the scientifically minded henchmen of the High Evolutionary; Jennifer Holland appears as Administrator Kwol, a security employee of Orgocorp; Kai Zen appears as Phyla, one of the High Evolutionary's alien child prisoners; Judy Greer (who played Maggie Lang in the first two Ant-Man films) voices War Pig, a cyborg pig working for the High Evolutionary; Reinaldo Faberlle voices Behemoth, a cyborg bird who also works for the High Evolutionary; Dee Bradley Baker voices Blurp, a furry F'saki that is an unnamed Ravager's pet; and Dane DiLiegro appears as an octopus drug dealer on Counter-Earth (credited as Unsavory Octopus). Cameos in the film include Lloyd Kaufman as Gridlemop and Pete Davidson as Phlektik, creations of the High Evolutionary, and writer and director James Gunn as the voice of Lambshank, a deformed experiment of the High Evolutionary. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| At their new headquarters on Knowhere, the Guardians of the Galaxy are attacked by Adam, a Sovereign warrior created by their high priestess Ayesha, who seeks to destroy the Guardians for stealing from her. After Adam critically wounds Rocket, he is stabbed by Nebula and flees. The Guardians cannot heal Rocket's wounds with their med-packs due to a kill switch embedded in him by Orgocorp, a company helmed by a mad scientist and Rocket's creator, the High Evolutionary. The Guardians travel to Orgocorp's headquarters to find the switch's override code and save Rocket's life. As Rocket lies unconscious, he recalls his past. As a baby raccoon, he was experimented on by the High Evolutionary, who sought to enhance and anthropomorphize animal lifeforms to create an ideal society called Counter-Earth. Rocket befriended his fellow Batch 89 test subjects: the otter Lylla, the walrus Teefs, and the rabbit Floor. The High Evolutionary was impressed by Rocket's rapidly growing intelligence but became furious once it exceeded his own. The High Evolutionary used Rocket to perfect his Animen creations, then planned to harvest Rocket's brain for further research and exterminate the obsolete Batch 89. Rocket freed his friends, but the High Evolutionary killed Lylla. Enraged, Rocket mauled the High Evolutionary, but his henchmen killed Teefs and Floor during a firefight with Rocket, before the latter fled Counter-Earth in a spaceship. In the present, the Ravagers, led by an alternate version of Gamora, help the Guardians infiltrate Orgocorp. They retrieve Rocket's file but discover that the code was removed, with the likely culprit being Theel, one of the High Evolutionary's advisors. The Guardians, along with Gamora, depart for Counter-Earth to find him. They are followed by Ayesha and Adam after the High Evolutionary, their race's creator, threatened to wipe out the Sovereign if they fail to retrieve Rocket. The Guardians reach Counter-Earth and are guided to the Arête Laboratories complex. Drax and Mantis remain with Gamora and Rocket as Peter Quill, Groot, and Nebula travel to Arête. Nebula is forced to wait outside by guards as Quill and Groot enter Arête, while Drax tricks Mantis into pursuing Quill's group. Gamora saves Rocket from being captured by Adam and the High Evolutionary's guard War Pig. Questioned by Quill, the High Evolutionary admits disillusionment with the Animen's imperfect society. He destroys Counter-Earth, killing the Animen and Ayesha. Arête departs as a spaceship, with Nebula, Drax and Mantis boarding to rescue Quill and Groot, who instead escape Arête with Theel, retrieving the code from his corpse before being rescued by Gamora in their ship. As Quill's group uses the code, Rocket flatlines and has a near-death experience, where he reunites with Lylla, Teefs, and Floor. Lylla tells him that his time has not yet come as Quill uses the code to disable the kill switch and restart Rocket's heart. Drax, Nebula, and Mantis encounter hundreds of genetically modified humanoid children on Arête before being captured. The other Guardians stage a rescue mission, leading to a battle against the High Evolutionary's forces. Kraglin fires on Arête with Knowhere, dooming Arête, then helps to save Knowhere's citizens from a counter-attack by the High Evolutionary's Hellspawn. Intent on retreat, the High Evolutionary's crew mutiny, but he kills them. Drax, Nebula and Mantis face and befriend three monstrous Abilisks to escape and reunite with Quill's group. The Guardians delay leaving Arête, choosing to rescue the children, who escape to Knowhere via Cosmo's telekinetic tunnel connecting Knowhere to Arête. Rocket discovers imprisoned animals on the ship before being attacked by the High Evolutionary, but the other Guardians help subdue him, and Rocket spares him. The Guardians help the animals escape to Knowhere. Quill nearly dies trying to cross over but is saved by Adam, who had a change of heart after being saved by Groot from Arête. In the aftermath, Quill decides to leave the Guardians, naming Rocket as captain, and travels to Earth to reunite with his grandfather, Jason. Mantis embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the Abilisks, Gamora reunites with the Ravagers, and Nebula and Drax remain on Knowhere to raise the rescued children. In a mid-credits scene, the new Guardians, consisting of Rocket, Groot, Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam, Phyla (one of the rescued children), and Adam's pet Blurp, take on a new mission. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2003. “Hulk” | 26 June 2003 |
| STARRING: |
| Eric Bana as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk (known legally as Bruce Krenzler throughout the movie): a gamma-radiation research scientist who was exposed to a large amount of gamma radiations in an accident in his labs and after the incident. Bana was cast in October 2001, signing for an additional two sequels. Ang Lee felt obliged to cast Bana upon seeing Chopper, and first approached the actor in July 2001. The role was heavily pursued by other actors. Bana was also in heavy contention for Ghost Rider, but lost out to Nicolas Cage. Bana explained, "I was obsessed with the TV show. I was never a huge comic book reader when I was a kid, but was completely obsessed with the television show." It was widely reported Billy Crudup turned down the role. Johnny Depp and Steve Buscemi were reported to be under consideration for the lead. Edward Norton, who went on to play the part in The Incredible Hulk, expressed interest in the role. Norton eventually turned down the part as he was disappointed with the script. Mike Erwin as sixteen-year-old Bruce Banner Damon James as nine-year-old Bruce Banner Bailey James as five-year-old Bruce Banner Michael Kronenberg as four-year-old Bruce Banner David Kronenberg as two-year-old Bruce Banner Jennifer Connelly as Betty Ross: Bruce's ex-girlfriend/co-researcher, as well as estranged daughter of General Ross. Betty is possibly the only way for the Hulk to lead back into his transformation of Bruce. Connelly was attracted to the role by way of director Ang Lee. "He's not talking about a guy running around in green tights and a glossy fun-filled movie for kids. He's talking along the lines of tragedy and psychodrama. I find it interesting, the green monster of rage and greed, jealousy and fear in all of us." Rhiannon Leigh Wryn as young Betty Ross Sam Elliott as General Thunderbolt Ross: A four-star general and estranged father of Betty. Ross was responsible for prohibiting David Banner from his lab work after learning of his dangerous experiments. Elliott felt his performance was similar to his portrayal of Basil L. Plumley in We Were Soldiers.[10] Elliott accepted the role without reading the script, being simply too excited to work with Ang Lee. In addition Elliot also researched Hulk comic books for the part. Todd Tesen as Young Thaddeus Ross Josh Lucas as Major Glenn Talbot: A ruthless former soldier who offers Banner and Betty Ross an opportunity to work for him in an attempt to start an experiment on self-healing soldiers. Nick Nolte as Dr. David "Dave" Banner: The mentally unstable biological father of Bruce Banner who was also a genetics research scientist and had been locked away for 30 years after causing an explosion in the gamma reactor and accidentally killing his wife, Edith. After exposing himself to gamma radiation, he gains the ability to combine with the essence of all physical objects, reminiscent of the comic book character Absorbing Man, one of the characters that first appeared in the early scripts of the film. He also, at one point, becomes a towering creature composed of electricity, reminiscent of Zzzax, one of the Hulk's enemies in the comic series. Nolte agreed to participate in the film when Ang Lee described the project as a "Greek tragedy." Paul Kersey as Young David Banner Cara Buono as Edith Banner: Bruce's biological mother whom he cannot remember. She is heard, but mostly appears in Bruce's nightmares. Celia Weston as Mrs. Krenzler: Bruce's adoptive mother who cared for him after the death of Edith and David's incarceration. Kevin Rankin as Harper: Bruce's colleague whom he saved from the gamma radiations. Jesse Corti as Colonel Hulk co-creator/executive producer Stan Lee and former Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno made cameo appearances as security guards. Johnny Kastl and Daniel Dae Kim have small roles as soldiers. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Scientist David Banner has the idea to create super soldiers by introducing modified DNA sequences extracted from various animals to strengthen the human cellular response, but General Thaddeus Ross denies him permission to use human subjects. Banner subsequently conducts the experiments on himself. After the birth of his son Bruce, he finds that his son may have inherited the effects and seeks a cure, but is stopped in the process. Following a traumatic event, Bruce remembers nothing of the incident, and has been raised by the Krenzlers. Years later, Bruce is a geneticist working with his girlfriend, Betty Ross, within the Berkeley Biotechnology Institute on nanomed research. The pair hopes to achieve instantaneous cell repair by using low level Gamma radiation exposure to activate the nanomeds once they are introduced into a living organism. During routine maintenance of their appropriated gamma-ray spectrometer, a circuit shorts and triggers the experiment's program sequence. Unable to prevent the machine from firing, Bruce throws himself in front of a colleague to shield the man and is exposed to a massive amount of gamma radiation. Betty visits Bruce in the hospital and remarks that he should be dead, but Bruce feels great. A new janitor at the lab claims that he is Bruce's biological father, of whom Bruce has no recollection. When under extreme stress, Bruce transforms into the Hulk, a huge, humanoid, green-skinned monstrous being who destroys the laboratory, though Bruce later has no memory of the incident. General Ross suspects Bruce of collaborating with David Banner but deduces Bruce has repressed memories. He orders Bruce to be put under house arrest. Through a phone call with his father, Bruce learns that the radiation unleashed something that was already in his DNA, and that David Banner plans to have Betty killed by his dogs, which now have similar powers to the Hulk thanks to David mutating them with gamma radiation. Bruce is then attacked by Major Glenn Talbot, leading to a transformation into the Hulk. The Hulk seriously injures Talbot before leaping to save Betty. He kills David's dogs and changes back into Bruce before being captured by the military the next morning. Bruce is kept under observation at a secret desert base, while Talbot intends to weaponize the Hulk's powers. David tries to recreate Bruce's failed experiment, but instead of turning into another Hulk he finds himself able to absorb any material he touches or energy to which he is exposed. He hands himself over to the military after telling Betty that he had murdered his wife in front of the child Bruce. Bruce has a nightmare about the event, leading to a more powerful transformation of the Hulk. Talbot is killed in an explosion created when he attempted to use a special syringe to gain a sample of the creature. The Hulk escapes the base and rampages across the desert to San Francisco, battling Army forces sent after him. When Betty calms Bruce into his human form, General Ross realizes the Hulk cannot be controlled and that Bruce should be executed. At their mutual execution, David tries to taunt his son into transforming into the Hulk, but fails. He then decides to "go first" and bites an electrical cable, absorbing all the electricity in San Francisco. The electricity hits Bruce, triggering his own transformation. A brutal fight ensues between David and the Hulk, with David absorbing the Hulk's energy. It proves too much for David to handle, but when he himself transforms into a massive creature, he is killed by an Army missile. One year later, Bruce is presumed dead, while General Ross mentions apparent Hulk sightings and Betty admits her love for Bruce. In a South American jungle, Bruce has become a doctor and is approached by rebel militants who want to take medical supplies from the poor. Bruce faces the militants' leader, warning him that, "You won't like me when I'm angry." His eyes turn green. The roar of the Hulk is heard from the distance. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2008. “The Incredible Hulk” | 12 June 2008 |
| STARRING: |
| Edward Norton as Bruce Banner / Hulk: A nuclear physicist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into an enormous green humanoid monster when enraged or agitated. David Duchovny was a front-runner for the film before Norton's casting, while Louis Leterrier's original choice for the role was Mark Ruffalo, who would later play Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gale Anne Hurd recalled Norton's portrayals of duality in Primal Fear and Fight Club, while Norton reminded Kevin Feige of Bill Bixby, who played Banner in the TV series. Lou Ferrigno, who played the Hulk with Bixby, remarked Norton "has a similar physique [and a] similar personality". Norton was a Hulk fan, citing the first comic appearances, the Bixby TV show, and Bruce Jones' run on the comic, as his favorite depictions of the character. He had expressed interest in the role for the first film. He initially turned down the part, recalling "there [was] the wince factor or the defensive part of you that recoils at what the bad version of what that would be", as he felt the previous film "strayed far afield from a story that was familiar to people, [...] which is a fugitive story". When he met Leterrier and Marvel, he liked their vision, and believed they were looking to him to guide the project. Thus, Norton rewrote the script. "Edward's script has given Bruce's story real gravitas," Leterrier said. "Admittedly I'm not the most adult director, but just because we're making a superhero movie it doesn't have to just appeal to 13-year-old boys. Ed and I both see superheroes as the new Greek gods." Additionally, Lou Ferrigno provides vocal performance as the Hulk. During the 2008 New York Comic Con Leterrier publicly offered Ferrigno the chance to voice the Hulk for the film. This marks the third time Ferrigno portrayed the Hulk, having also voiced the character in the 1996 animated series. Originally, the Hulk's only line was "Betty" at the film's ending, which would have been his first word. Leterrier was aware that fans wanted him to speak normally, and added "leave me alone" and "Hulk smash!" The latter line received cheers during a screening he attended. Ferrigno also has a cameo in the film as a security guard who is bribed by Banner with a pizza. Liv Tyler as Betty Ross: A cellular biologist and Bruce's girlfriend, from whom he is separated as a result of his condition. Tyler was attracted to the love story in the script, and was a fan of the TV show, because of the "humanity and what [Banner] is going through". She was called about the role while driving to her home, and she accepted the part after a day without reading the script. Tyler and Norton spent hours discussing Bruce and Betty's life before he became the Hulk. She said filming the part "was very physical, which was fun", and compared her performance to "a deer caught in the headlights", because of Betty's shock at Bruce's unexpected return into her life. Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky / Abomination: A Russian-born officer in the United Kingdom's Royal Marines Commandos loaned to Gen. Ross who, lusting for the Hulk's power, is injected with various serums to transform into a monster more powerful than the Hulk himself. Roth said he took the part to please his sons, who are comic-book superhero fans. As a teenager, Roth was a fan of the 1970s TV series, and he also found Leterrier's ideas "very dark and very interesting". Roth started watching the 2003 film to prepare for the part, but stopped as he did not want to be caught up in the controversy over its quality, and to compare himself to it. It was Roth who suggested Blonsky be a soldier, whereas in the comics he was a KGB agent. Leterrier was a fan of Roth's work, and felt "it's great watching a normal Cockney boy become a superhero!", but Marvel and Norton were initially reluctant to cast him. Before he was cast in Punisher: War Zone, Ray Stevenson was in discussions for the role. Roth prepared for the part by learning to fire guns and break into rooms with two experts. Roth found it tough shooting the chases, because to show Blonsky's aging he could not work out. He especially found it difficult to run while pulled with a harness, which was used to show the injected Blonsky's 30–40 mile per hour running abilities. Cyril Raffaelli performed some of Roth's stunts. Roth enjoyed the motion capture, which reminded him of fringe theatre, and he hired his trainer from Planet of the Apes to aid him in portraying the monster's movement. Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns: The cellular biologist who develops a possible antidote to Banner's condition. Towards the end of the film, Sterns is exposed to some substance that begins his transformation into Leader. Ty Burrell as Leonard Samson: A psychiatrist in a relationship with Betty during Bruce's absence. Burrell had performed with Norton in the off Broadway play Burn This in 2003, and when Leterrier met him, he recognized Burrell as the "jerk" from the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake, which was how Samson was characterized in the script before Norton's rewrote it. William Hurt as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross: Betty's arrogant father, who has dedicated himself to capturing the Hulk. Leterrier cast Hurt because "Ross is more physical, more explosive in this movie, and no actor goes from zero to 100 as well as William." He compared Ross to Captain Ahab. The Hulk is Hurt's favorite superhero, and his son is also a big fan of the character. Hurt found production very different from the typical "pure anxiety" of a studio film, finding it more akin to an independent film. He described Ross as "humiliated by Hulk's conscience: he actually sees and recognizes that it's more developed than his own, even though he's a patriot and a warrior for his country. He's sacrificed [much] for that purpose, but at the expense at times of his humanity – which he occasionally recovers." In June 2015, when reflecting on how his reprisal in Captain America: Civil War was different from this film, Hurt said, "What I created [for The Incredible Hulk] was a Ross who was right out of the graphic novel type of thing, where he was as much of a cartoon, in a way, as the monsters were. His ego was just as big and his problems were just as big. I really did do that consciously. I created a General Ross before which created a verisimilitude for the monsters, by making him a human monster. I worked really hard on the makeup and the exaggerated behavior and things like that and a controlled psychosis." Sam Elliott had expressed interest in reprising the folr from the first Hulk film. Robert Downey, Jr. has an uncredited cameo as Tony Stark at the end of the film. Downey appeared as a favor to Marvel Studios, which he acknowledged as a smart move on Marvel's part, because when he was promoting his film he would also have to mention their other production. Hulk co-creator Stan Lee cameos as a man who becomes ill when drinking the soda poisoned by Banner's blood. Michael K. Williams appears as a Harlem bystander, a role that was written for him by Norton, who is a fan of The Wire. Paul Soles, who voiced Banner in the 1966 The Marvel Superheroes cartoon, appears as Stanley, a kindly pizza restaurant owner who helps Banner. Additionally, the late Bill Bixby appears, when a scene featuring Bixby on his TV comedy-drama The Courtship of Eddie's Father plays on a television Banner is watching at the beginning of the film. Rickson Gracie has a small role as Bruce Banner's martial arts instructor, despite his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background, he is credited as an Aikido instructor. Peter Mensah plays a small role as General Joe Gellar, one of General Ross' military friends/associates. Martin Starr plays a college student, identified as Amadeus Cho in the novelization for the film. Hulk supporting characters, Jim Wilson and Jack McGee, make cameo appearances as Culver University students played by P.J. Kerr and Nicholas Rose, respectively. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| At Culver University in Virginia, General Thunderbolt Ross meets with Dr. Bruce Banner, the colleague and boyfriend of his daughter Betty, regarding an experiment that Ross claims is meant to make humans immune to gamma radiation. The experiment - part of a World War II era "super soldier" program that Ross hopes to recreate - fails, and the exposure to gamma radiation causes Banner to transform into the Hulk for brief periods of time, whenever his heart rate rises above 200. The Hulk destroys the lab and injures or kills the people inside. Banner becomes a fugitive from the U.S. military and Ross in particular, who wants to weaponize the Hulk process. Five years later,[N 1] Banner works at a bottling factory in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, while searching for a cure for his condition. On the Internet, he collaborates with a colleague he knows only as "Mr. Blue", and to whom he is "Mr. Green". He is also learning meditative breathing techniques to help keep control, and has not transformed in five months. After Banner cuts his finger, a drop of his blood falls into a bottle, and is eventually ingested by an elderly consumer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, giving him gamma sickness. Using the bottle to track down Banner, Ross sends a SWAT team, led by Russian-born British Royal Marine Emil Blonsky, to capture him. Banner transforms into the Hulk and defeats Blonsky's team. After Ross explains how Banner became the Hulk, Blonsky agrees to be injected with a small amount of a similar serum, which gives him enhanced speed, strength, agility, and healing, but also begins to deform his skeleton and impair his judgment. Banner returns to Culver University and reunites with Betty, who is dating psychiatrist Leonard Samson. Banner is attacked by Ross and Blonsky's forces, tipped off by the suspicious Samson, causing him to again transform into the Hulk. The ensuing battle outside the university proves to be futile for Ross' forces and they eventually retreat, though Blonsky, whose sanity is starting to falter, boldly attacks and mocks the Hulk. The Hulk seemingly kills Blonsky and flees with Betty. After the Hulk reverts to Banner, he and Betty go on the run, and Banner contacts Mr. Blue, who urges them to meet him in New York City. Mr. Blue is actually cellular biologist Dr. Samuel Sterns, who tells Banner he has developed a possible antidote to Banner's condition. After a successful test, he warns Banner that the antidote may only reverse each individual transformation. Sterns reveals he has synthesized Banner's blood samples, which Banner sent from Brazil, into a large supply, with the intention of applying its "limitless potential" to medicine. Fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the military's hands, Banner wishes to destroy the blood supply. Meanwhile, Blonsky is revealed to have survived the battle and has completely healed. He joins Ross' forces for a third attempt to take Banner into custody. They succeed and Banner, along with Betty, are taken away in a helicopter. Blonsky stays behind and forces Sterns to inject him with Banner's blood, as he covets the Hulk's power. Sterns warns that the combination of the super-soldier formula and Banner's blood may cause him to become an "abomination", but Blonsky insists. The experiment mutates Blonsky into a creature with size and strength surpassing that of the Hulk, but drives him mad. He attacks Sterns, who gets some of Banner's blood in a cut on his forehead, causing him to begin mutating as well. Blonsky then rampages through Harlem. Realizing that the Hulk is the only one who can stop Blonsky, Banner convinces Ross to release him. He jumps from Ross' helicopter and transforms after hitting the ground. After a long and brutal battle through Harlem, the Hulk defeats Blonsky. After having a small, peaceful moment with Betty, the Hulk flees from New York. A month later, Banner is in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Instead of trying to suppress his transformation, he successfully transforms in a controlled manner. In a final scene, Tony Stark approaches Ross at a local bar and informs him a team is being put together. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2008. “Iron Man” | May 2, 2008 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man: An industrialist, genius inventor, and consummate playboy, he is CEO of Stark Industries and a chief weapons manufacturer for the U.S. military. Director Jon Favreau felt Downey's past made him an appropriate choice for the part, and that the actor could make Stark a "likable asshole," but also depict an authentic emotional journey once he won over the audience. Favreau was also attracted to Downey from his performance in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, with Downey frequently conversing with that film's director, Shane Black, about the script and dialogue in Iron Man. Downey had an office next to Favreau during pre-production, which allowed him greater involvement in the screenwriting process, especially adding humor to the film. Downey explained, "What I usually hate about these [superhero] movies [is] when suddenly the guy that you were digging turns into Dudley Do-Right, and then you're supposed to buy into all his 'Let's go do some good!' That Eliot Ness-in-a-cape-type thing. What was really important to me was to not have him change so much that he's unrecognizable. When someone used to be a schmuck and they're not anymore, hopefully they still have a sense of humor." To prepare, Downey spent five days a week weight training and practiced martial arts to get into shape,which he said benefited him because "it's hard not to have a personality meltdown [...] after about several hours in that suit. I'm calling up every therapeutic moment I can think of to just get through the day." Terrence Howard as James "Rhodey" Rhodes: A friend of Stark's, and the liaison between Stark Industries and the United States Air Force in the department of acquisitions, specifically weapons development. Favreau cast Howard because he felt he could play War Machine in a sequel. Howard prepared for the role by visiting Nellis Air Force Base on March 16, 2007, where he ate with the pilots and observed HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and F-22 Raptors. While Rhodes is roguish in the comics after he met Stark, his earlier disciplinarian character forms a dynamic with Stark, and he is unsure whether or not Stark's actions are acceptable. "Rhodey is completely disgusted with the way Tony has lived his life, but at a certain point he realizes that perhaps there is a different way," Howard said. "Whose life is the right way; is it the strict military life, or the life of an independent?" Howard and his father are Iron Man fans, partly because Rhodes was one of the few black superheroes when he was a child. He was a Downey fan since he saw him in Weird Science, and the two competed physically on set. Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane: Stark's business second-in-command, mentor and friend who turns on him to overtake the company, eventually building a giant exosuit to fight Stark. Bridges read the comics as a boy and liked Favreau's modern, realistic approach. He shaved his head, something he had wanted to do for some time, and grew a beard for the role. Bridges googled the Book of Obadiah, and was surprised to learn retribution is a major theme in that book of the Bible, something which Stane represents. Many of Stane's scenes were cut to focus more on Stark, but the writers felt Bridges's performance allowed the application of "less is more". Shaun Toub as Yinsen: Stark's fellow captive, who grafts an electromagnet to Stark's chest "to keep the shrapnel shell shards that wounded him from reaching his heart and killing him", and who helps Stark build the first Iron Man suit. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts: Stark's personal assistant and budding love interest. Paltrow asked Marvel to send her any comics they would consider relevant to her understanding of the character, who she considered to be very smart, levelheaded, and grounded. She said she liked "the fact that there's a sexuality that's not blatant." Favreau wanted Potts' and Stark's relationship to be reminiscent of a 1940s comedy, something which Paltrow considered to be fun in an "innocent yet sexy" way. Additionally, Faran Tahir appears as Raza, the leader of the Ten Rings; Paul Bettany voices J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark's personal AI system; Leslie Bibb portrays Christine Everhart, a reporter for Vanity Fair; and Clark Gregg appears as Phil Coulson, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Will Lyman provides the voiceover during the opening award ceremony. Director Jon Favreau plays Happy Hogan, Stark's bodyguard and chauffeur, and Samuel L. Jackson makes a cameo appearance as Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., in a post-credits scene. Jackson's face was previously used as the model for the Ultimate Marvel imprint version of Nick Fury. Other cameos in the film include Stan Lee as himself, being mistaken for Hugh Hefner by Stark at a party; Tom Morello, who provided guitar music for the film, as a terrorist guard; and Jim Cramer as himself. Ghostface Killah had a cameo in a scene where Stark briefly stays in Dubai, but the scene was cut from the theatrical release for pacing reasons. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Genius, billionaire, and playboy Tony Stark, who has inherited the defense contractor Stark Industries from his father, is in war-torn Afghanistan, with his friend and military liaison Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, to demonstrate the new "Jericho" missile. After the demonstration, the convoy is ambushed and Stark is critically wounded by one of his own company's rocket-propelled grenades. He is captured and imprisoned in a cave by a terrorist group, the Ten Rings; Yinsen, a fellow captive who is a doctor, implants an electromagnet into Stark's chest to keep the shrapnel shards that wounded him from reaching his heart and killing him. Ten Rings leader Raza offers Stark freedom in exchange for building a Jericho missile for the group, but Tony and Yinsen agree Raza will not keep his word. Stark and Yinsen quietly build a small, powerful electric generator called an arc reactor to power Stark's electromagnet and a suit of powered armor to aid in their escape. Although they keep the suit hidden almost to completion, the Ten Rings discover their hostages' intentions and attack the workshop. Yinsen sacrifices himself to divert them while the suit is completed. The armored Stark battles his way out of the cave to find the dying Yinsen, then in anger burns the Ten Rings' weapons and flies away, crashing in the desert and destroying the suit. After being rescued by Rhodes, Stark returns home and announces that his company will no longer manufacture weapons. Obadiah Stane, his father's old partner and the company's manager, advises Stark that this may ruin Stark Industries and his father's legacy. In his home workshop, Stark builds a sleeker, more powerful version of his improvised armor suit, as well as a more powerful arc reactor for his chest. Personal assistant Pepper Potts places the original reactor inside a small glass showcase. Though Stane requests details, Stark keeps his work to himself. At a charity event held by Stark Industries, reporter Christine Everhart informs Stark that his company's weapons, including the Jericho, were recently delivered to the Ten Rings and are being used to attack Yinsen's home village, Gulmira. Stark also learns Stane is trying to replace him as head of the company. Enraged by these revelations, Stark dons his new armor and flies to Afghanistan, where he saves the villagers. While flying home, Stark is shot at by two F-22 Raptor fighter jets. He reveals his secret identity to Rhodes over the phone in an attempt to end the attack. Meanwhile, the Ten Rings gather the pieces of Stark's prototype suit and meet with Stane, who subdues Raza and has the rest of the group killed. Stane has a massive new suit reverse engineered from the wreckage. Seeking to find any other weapons delivered to the Ten Rings, Stark sends Pepper to hack into the company computer system from Stane's office. She discovers Stane has been supplying the terrorists and hired the Ten Rings to kill Stark, but the group reneged. Potts meets with Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., a counter-terrorism agency, to inform him of Stane's activities. Stane's scientists cannot duplicate Stark's arc reactor, so Stane ambushes Stark at his home and takes the one from his chest. Stark manages to get to his original reactor to replace it. Potts and several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents attempt to arrest Stane, but he dons his suit and attacks them. Stark fights Stane, but is outmatched without his new reactor to run his suit at full capacity. The fight carries Stark and Stane to the top of the Stark Industries building, and Stark instructs Potts to overload the large arc reactor powering the building. This unleashes a massive electrical surge that causes Stane and his armor to fall into the exploding reactor, killing him. The next day, at a press conference, Stark defies suggestions from S.H.I.E.L.D. and publicly admits to being the superhero the press has dubbed "Iron Man". In a post-credits scene, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury visits Stark at home, telling him that Iron Man is not "the only superhero in the world", and explaining that he wants to discuss the "Avenger Initiative". |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2010. “Iron Man 2” | May 7, 2010 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man: A billionaire who escaped captivity in Afghanistan with a suit of armor he created, he now struggles to keep his technology out of the government's hands. Downey and Favreau, who had been handed a script and worked from it on the first movie, conceived of the film's story themselves. On Stark being a hero, Downey said "It's kind of heroic, but really kind of on his own behalf. So I think there's probably a bit of an imposter complex and no sooner has he said, 'I am Iron Man -' that he's now really wondering what that means. If you have all this cushion like he does and the public is on your side and you have immense wealth and power, I think he's way too insulated to be okay." Downey put on 20 pounds of muscle to reprise the role. Six-year-old Davin Ransom portrays Tony Stark as a child. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts: Stark's closest friend, budding love interest, and business partner; Pepper is promoted to CEO of Stark Industries. On her character's promotion, Paltrow opined "When we start Iron Man 2 Pepper and Tony are very much in the same vibe... as the movie progresses, Pepper is given more responsibility and she's promoted and it's nice to see her sort of grow up in that way. I think it really suits her, the job fits her really well." Paltrow expressed excitement about working with Johansson. Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes: An officer in the U.S. Air Force and Tony Stark's close personal friend who later operates the War Machine armor. Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard from the first film. Cheadle only had a few hours to accept the role and did not even know what storyline Rhodes would undergo. He commented that he is a comic book fan, but had not previously participated in comics-themed films due to the scarcity of black superheroes. Cheadle said he thought Iron Man was a robot before the first film came out. On how he approached his character, Cheadle stated "I go, what's the common denominator here? And the common denominator was really his friendship with Tony, and that's what we really tried to track in this one. How is their friendship impacted once Tony comes out and owns 'I am Iron Man'?". Cheadle said his suit was 50 pounds of metal, and that he couldn't touch his face while wearing it. Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman / Natasha Romanoff: An undercover spy for S.H.I.E.L.D. posing as Stark's new assistant. Johansson dyed her hair red before she landed the part, hoping that it would help convince Favreau that she was right for the role. On why she chose the role, Johansson said, "the Black Widow character resonated with me... [She] is a superhero, but she’s also human. She’s small, but she’s strong... She is dark and has faced death so many times that she has a deep perspective on the value of life... It’s hard not to admire her." She stated that she had "a bit of a freak-out moment" when she first saw the cat-suit. When asked about fighting in the costume, Johansson responded "a big part of me is like 'can I move in this? Can I run in it? Can I like throw myself over things with this?' And I think just the prep, you just have to put in the hours. That's what I realized is that just putting in the hours and doing the training and repetition and basically just befriending the stunt team and spending all day, every day, just over and over and over and over until you sell it." Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer: A rival weapons manufacturer. Sam Rockwell was considered for the role of Tony Stark in the first film, and he accepted the role of Hammer without reading the script. He had never heard of the character before he was contacted about the part, and was unaware Hammer is an old Englishman in the comics. Rockwell said, "I worked with Jon Favreau on this film called Made. And Justin Theroux, who wrote the script, is an old friend of mine, they sort of cooked up this idea and pitched it to Kevin Feige. What they did, they were maybe going to do one villain like they did with Jeff Bridges, but then they decided to split the villains. And really Mickey [Rourke] is the main [villain], but I come to his aid." Rockwell described his character as "plucky comic relief, but he's got a little bit of an edge". Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko: A Russian physicist and ex-convict who builds his own arc reactor-based weapon to exact vengeance on the Stark family. The character is an amalgam of Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo. Rourke visited Butyrka prison to research the role, and he suggested half of the character's dialogue be in Russian.[26] He also suggested the addition of tattoos, gold teeth and a fondness for a pet cockatoo, paying for the teeth and bird with his own money. Rourke explained that he did not want to play a "one-dimensional bad guy", and wanted to challenge the audience to see something redeemable in him.[9] Not knowing anything about computers, Rourke described pretending to be tech-savvy as the hardest part of the role. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Jackson signed a nine-film contract to play the character. On the subject of his character not seeing any action in the film, Jackson said "We still haven't moved Nick Fury into the bad-ass zone. He's still just kind of a talker." The director, Jon Favreau, reprises his role as Happy Hogan, Tony Stark's bodyguard and chauffeur, while Clark Gregg and Leslie Bibb reprise their roles as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson and reporter Christine Everhart, respectively. John Slattery appears as Tony's father Howard Stark and Garry Shandling appears as United States Senator Stern, who wants Stark to give Iron Man's armor to the government. Favreau stated that Shandling's character was named after radio personality Howard Stern. Paul Bettany again voices Stark's computer, J.A.R.V.I.S. Olivia Munn has a small role as Chess Roberts, a reporter covering the Stark expo, Kate Mara portrays a U.S. Marshal who summons Tony to the government hearing,[40] and Stan Lee appears as himself (but is mistaken for Larry King). Additionally, news anchor Christiane Amanpour and political commentator Bill O'Reilly play themselves in newscasts. Adam Goldstein appears as himself and the film is dedicated to his memory. Further cameos include Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Oracle Corporation CEO Larry Ellison. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In Russia, the media covers Tony Stark's disclosure of his identity as Iron Man. Ivan Vanko, whose father Anton Vanko has just died, sees this and begins building a miniature arc reactor similar to Stark's. Six months later, Stark is a superstar and uses his Iron Man suit for peaceful means, resisting government pressure to sell his designs. He reinstitutes the Stark Expo to continue his father Howard's legacy. The palladium core in the arc reactor that keeps Stark alive and powers the armor is slowly poisoning him, and he cannot find a substitute. Growing increasingly reckless and despondent about his impending death, and choosing not to tell anyone about his condition, Stark appoints his personal assistant Pepper Potts CEO of Stark Industries, and hires Stark employee Natalie Rushman to replace her as his personal assistant. Stark competes in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he is attacked in the middle of the race by Vanko, who wields electrified whips. Stark dons his Mark V armor and defeats Vanko, but the suit is severely damaged. Vanko explains his intention was to prove to the world that Iron Man is not invincible. Impressed by Vanko's performance, Stark's rival, Justin Hammer, fakes Vanko's death while breaking him out of prison and asks him to build a line of armored suits to upstage Stark. During what he believes is his final birthday party, Stark gets drunk while wearing the Mark IV suit. Disgusted, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes dons Stark's Mark II prototype armor and tries to restrain him. The fight ends in a stalemate, so Rhodes confiscates the Mark II for the U.S. Air Force. Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., approaches Stark, revealing "Rushman" to be Agent Natasha Romanoff and that Howard Stark was a S.H.I.E.L.D. founder whom Fury knew personally. Fury explains that Vanko's father jointly invented the arc reactor with Stark, but when Anton tried to sell it for profit, Stark had him deported. The Soviets sent Anton to the gulag. Fury gives Stark some of his father's old material; a hidden message in the diorama of the 1974 Stark Expo proves to be a diagram of the structure of a new element. With the aid of his computer J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark synthesizes it. When he learns Vanko is still alive, he places the new element in his arc reactor and ends his palladium dependency. At the Expo, Hammer unveils Vanko's armored drones, led by Rhodes in a heavily weaponized version of the Mark II armor. Stark arrives in the Mark VI armor to warn Rhodes, but Vanko remotely takes control of both the drones and Rhodes' armor and attacks Iron Man. Hammer is arrested while Romanoff and Stark's bodyguard Happy Hogan go after Vanko at Hammer's factory. Vanko escapes, but Romanoff returns control of the Mark II armor to Rhodes. Stark and Rhodes together defeat Vanko and his drones. Vanko seemingly commits suicide by blowing up his suit. At a debriefing, Fury informs Stark that because of Stark's difficult personality, S.H.I.E.L.D. intends to use him only as a consultant. Stark and Rhodes receive medals for their heroism. In a post-credits scene, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson reports the discovery of a large hammer at the bottom of a crater in a desert in New Mexico. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2013. “Iron Man 3” | May 3, 2013 |
| STARRING: |
| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man:
A self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with mechanical suits of armor of his own invention. Stark now struggles to come to terms with his near-death experience in The Avengers, suffering from anxiety attacks. On making a third Iron Man film, Downey said, "My sense of it is that we need to leave it all on the field-whatever that means in the end. You can pick several different points of departure for that." On following up The Avengers, Downey said they "tried to be practical, in a post-Avengers world. What are his challenges now? What are some limitations that might be placed on him? And what sort of threat would have him, as usual, ignore those limitations?" Screenwriter Drew Pearce compared Tony to an American James Bond for both being "heroes with a sense of danger to them, and unpredictability" even if Stark was a "free agent" instead of an authority figure like Bond. He also likened Tony to the protagonists of 1970s films such as The French Connection, where "the idiosyncrasies of the heroes is what made them exciting." Gwyneth Paltrow as Virginia "Pepper" Potts: Stark's girlfriend, longtime associate, and the current CEO of Stark Industries. Paltrow says of her character's relationship to Tony, "[She still] adores Tony, but she absolutely gets fed up with him. He gets caught in a feedback loop." Kevin Feige comments on Pepper's role in the film: "The love triangle in this movie is really between Tony, Pepper and the suits. Tony, Pepper and his obsession with those suits, and the obsession with technology." Feige also states that the film uses the character to play with the damsel in distress trope, and posits the question, "Is Pepper in danger or is Pepper the savior?" Don Cheadle as Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes / Iron Patriot: Stark's best friend, the liaison between Stark Industries and the U.S. Air Force in the department of acquisitions. Rhodes operates the redesigned/upgraded War Machine armor, taking on an American flag-inspired color scheme similar to the Iron Patriot armor from the comics. Feige said of Rhodes and the armor, "The notion in the movie is that a red, white and blue suit is a bold statement, and it's meant to be. With Rhodey, he's very much the foil to Tony's eccentricities, and in this one you get to see this and be reminded of the trust and friendship between them in that great Shane Black buddy-cop fashion." In the film, the president asks Rhodey to take up the moniker "Iron Patriot," and don the red, white, and blue suit, in order to be the government's "American hero" in response to the events in The Avengers. Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian: The creator of the Extremis virus and the founder and owner of the science and development organisation Advanced Idea Mechanics, who adopts the mantle of the Mandarin as his own. Killian develops Extremis to cure his own debilitating disability; in addition to his regenerative healing qualities, he has superhuman strength and the ability to generate extreme heat. Prolonged exposure to Extremis also grants him the ability to breathe fire. On taking the role, Pearce said, "I feel a little more experimental in what I'll take on these days, but I still don't know that I would want to play the superhero myself, since I'm playing a different kind of character in this film... The main difference was that, when I did The Time Machine, I was pretty much in all of it, so it was a really grueling experience. Prometheus and Iron Man are really kind of cameo stuff, so the experience of shooting them... I mean, on some level, it's tricky because you feel like a bit of an outsider. You don't really live the experience that you do when you're there all day every day with everybody. But at the same time, it can be more fun sometimes because you're just working in concentrated spurts." Pearce described his character as a man "who came into this world with a number of physical disabilities. He's never been able to accept those limitations though and has spent most of his life trying to overcome them in any way he can. His tenacity and blind determination in fighting for a better life are seen by some as irritating, as he often comes across as obnoxious. He just won't accept the cards he was dealt, and being as intelligent as he is, has real drive to change and become a different person." Shane Black specified, "Ultimately we do give you the Mandarin, the real guy, but it's Guy Pearce in the end with the big dragon tattooed on his chest." He elaborated, "Do they hand me a blank check and say, 'Go break something!' Or, 'Go violate some long-standing comic book treaty that fans have supported for years?' No, but they'll say: 'Let's break something together.' So it's okay to come up with these crazy things, these far out ideas … and they'll fly. It's just that the Marvel guys have to be in the room." Rebecca Hall as Maya Hansen: A geneticist whose work helped Killian to create Extremis. Hall said Hansen would be a "strong female character," and described her decision to take the role, saying, "I decided to do Iron Man 3 because I've never done the 'hurry up and wait' movie before. Even the studio movies I've done have been small studio movies, or indie films that we made on a wing and a prayer. I love those, but Iron Man is refreshing in a way because it's something out of my realm of experiences." Hall confirmed that her character's role was greatly reduced in the final film, saying, "I signed on to do something that was a substantial role. She wasn’t entirely the villain – there have been several phases of this – but I signed on to do something very different to what I ended up doing." Stephanie Szostak as Brandt: A war veteran who becomes an assassin after her exposure to Extremis. Describing Brandt, Szostak says, "... [Extremis] was a second chance at life. We talked about what you feel like and I think it almost makes you a fuller version of who you are, all your weakness and your qualities – just everything gets enhanced. I saw it as very freeing, almost you become your true-self and your fantasy-self all at once." The writers originally envisioned Brandt as Killian's main henchman, which would return throughout the movie to fight Tony, but eventually that role was reassigned to Eric Savin. James Badge Dale as Savin: Killian's Extremis-powered henchman. Dale stated that his character in the film was "loosely based on" the comic version of the character. According to Dale, "Ben Kingsley is the mouthpiece. Guy Pearce is the brain. I'm the muscle." Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan: Tony Stark's former bodyguard and chauffeur, and now serves as Stark Industries head of security department. Favreau, who served as both actor and director on the previous two Iron Man films, said participating in the new film was "like [being] a proud grandfather who doesn't have to change the diapers but gets to play with the baby." Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery: A British actor with substance-abuse problems whom Killian hired to portray the Mandarin, a terrorist persona in jammed television broadcasts, in which he is depicted as the leader of the international terrorist organization the Ten Rings. Kingsley was filming Ender's Game when he was cast, and said that, "Quite soon I'll be with everybody and we'll be discussing the look and the feel and the direction of the character. It's very early days yet, but I'm so thrilled to be on board." On his performance, Kingsley stated: "I wanted a voice that would disconcert a Western audience. I wanted a voice that would sound far more homegrown and familiar-a familiarity like a teacher's voice or a preacher's voice. The rhythms and tones of an earnest, almost benign, teacher-trying to educate people for their own good." The Mandarin was initially set to appear in the first Iron Man film, but he was put off for a sequel as the filmmakers felt that he was "too ambitious for a first [film]." On the character, Feige stated, "The Mandarin is [Iron Man's] most famous foe in the comics mainly because he's been around the longest. If you look, there's not necessarily a definitive Mandarin storyline in the comics. So it was really about having an idea." Shane Black explains that Ben Kingsley's Mandarin is not Chinese in the film as he is in the comics in order to avoid the Fu Manchu stereotype: "We're not saying he's Chinese, we're saying he, in fact, draws a cloak around him of Chinese symbols and dragons because it represents his obsessions with Sun Tzu in various ancient arts of warfare that he studied." The filmmakers also cited Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now as an influence for the character. The videos where the Mandarin gives historical background to the attacks expressed how it emerged as the product of "a think tank of people trying to create a modern terrorist." Thus the Mandarin "represents every terrorist in a way," from South American insurgency tactics to the videos of Osama bin Laden. Paul Bettany reprises his role from previous films as J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark's AI system. Ty Simpkins portrays Harley Keener, a boy who becomes Stark's sidekick, as part of a three-picture deal with Marvel Studios. Ashley Hamilton portrays Taggart, one of the Extremis soldiers. William Sadler plays President Ellis, (named after Warren Ellis, who wrote the "Extremis" comics arc that primary influenced the film's story) and Miguel Ferrer plays Vice President Rodriguez. Adam Pally plays Gary, a cameraman who helps Stark. Shaun Toub reprises his role as Yinsen from the first Iron Man film in a brief cameo, and Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance as a beauty pageant judge. Dale Dickey plays Mrs. Davis, mother of an Extremis subject that is framed as a terrorist. Wang Xueqi briefly plays Dr. Wu in the general release version of the film. A cut of the film produced for release exclusively in China includes additional scenes featuring Wang and an appearance by Fan Bingbing as one of his assistants. Mark Ruffalo makes an uncredited cameo appearance, reprising his role as Dr. Bruce Banner from The Avengers, in a post-credits scene. Comedians Bill Maher and Joan Rivers and Fashion Police co-host George Kotsiopoulos have cameo appearances as themselves on their respective real-world television programs, as do newscasters Josh Elliott, Megan Henderson, Pat Kiernan, and Thomas Roberts. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Tony Stark recalls a New Year's Eve party in 1999 where he meets scientist Maya Hansen, the inventor of Extremis, an experimental regenerative treatment intended to allow recovery from crippling injuries. Disabled scientist Aldrich Killian offers them a place in his company Advanced Idea Mechanics, but Stark rejects the offer, humiliating Killian. Years later, six months after the Battle of New York,[N 1] Stark's experiences during the alien invasion are giving him panic attacks. Restless, he has built several dozen Iron Man suits, creating friction with his girlfriend Pepper Potts. Meanwhile, a string of bombings by a terrorist known only as the Mandarin has left intelligence agencies bewildered by a lack of forensic evidence. Stark's security chief Happy Hogan is badly injured in a Mandarin attack, causing Stark to issue a televised threat to the Mandarin, who responds by destroying Stark's home with helicopter gunships. Hansen, who came to warn Stark, survives the attack along with Potts. Stark escapes in an Iron Man suit, which his artificial intelligence J.A.R.V.I.S. pilots to rural Tennessee, following a flight plan from Stark's investigation into the Mandarin. Stark's experimental armor lacks sufficient power to return to California, and the world believes him dead. Teaming with Harley, a precocious 10-year-old boy, Stark investigates the remains of a local explosion bearing the hallmarks of a Mandarin attack. He discovers the "bombings" were triggered by soldiers subjected to Extremis, which at this stage of development caused certain subjects to explosively reject the treatment. After veterans started exploding, these explosions were falsely attributed to a terrorist plot in order to cover up Extremis's flaws. Stark witnesses Extremis firsthand when Mandarin agents Brandt and Savin attack him. Killian has manipulated American intelligence agencies regarding the Mandarin's location, luring James Rhodes – the former War Machine, now re-branded as the Iron Patriot – into a trap to steal the armor. With Harley's help, Stark traces the Mandarin to Miami and infiltrates his headquarters using improvised weapons. Inside he discovers the Mandarin is actually an English actor named Trevor Slattery, who says he is oblivious to the actions carried out in his image. Killian, who appropriated Hansen's Extremis research as a cure for his own disability and expanded the program to include injured war veterans, reveals he is the real Mandarin, using Slattery as a cover. After capturing Stark, Killian shows him Potts (whom he had kidnapped) being subjected to Extremis, in order to gain Stark's aid to fix Extremis's flaws and thus save Potts. Killian kills Hansen when she has a change of heart and tries to stop him. Stark escapes and reunites with Rhodes, discovering that Killian intends to attack President Ellis aboard Air Force One. Stark saves some surviving passengers and crew but cannot stop Killian from abducting Ellis and destroying Air Force One. They trace Killian to an impounded damaged oil tanker where Killian intends to kill Ellis on live television. The Vice President will become a puppet leader, following Killian's orders in exchange for Extremis to cure his young daughter's disability. On the platform, Stark goes to save Potts, as Rhodes saves the president. Stark summons his Iron Man suits, controlled remotely by J.A.R.V.I.S., to provide air support. Rhodes secures the president and takes him to safety, while Stark discovers Potts has survived the Extremis procedure. However, before he can save her, a rig collapses around them and she falls to her apparent death. Stark confronts Killian and traps him in an Iron Man suit that self-destructs, but fails to kill him. Potts, whose Extremis powers allowed her to survive her fall, intervenes and kills Killian. After the battle, Stark orders J.A.R.V.I.S. to remotely destroy each Iron Man suit as a sign of his devotion to Potts, while the Vice President and Slattery are arrested. With Stark's help, Potts' Extremis effects are stabilized, and Stark undergoes surgery to remove the shrapnel embedded near his heart. He pitches his obsolete chest arc reactor into the sea, musing he will always be Iron Man. In a present day post-credits scene, Stark wakes up Dr. Bruce Banner, who fell asleep listening to his story. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2004. “The Punisher” | 16 April 2004 |
| STARRING: |
| Thomas Jane as Frank Castle / The Punisher John Travolta as Howard Saint Will Patton as Quentin Glass Roy Scheider as Frank Castle, Sr. Laura Harring as Livia Saint Ben Foster as Spacker Dave Rebecca Romijn as Joan John Pinette as Bumpo Samantha Mathis as Maria Castle Marcus Johns as Will Castle Russell Andrews as Agent James "Jimmy" Weeks James Carpinello as Robert "Bobby" Saint / John Saint Eddie Jemison as Mickey Duka Eduardo Yanez as Mike Toro Omar Avila as Joe Toro Kevin Nash as The Russian Mark Collie as Harry Heck Veryl Jones as Candelaria Tom Nowicki as Lincoln Hank Stone as Cutter |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Bobby Saint, son to Tampa crime lord Howard Saint (John Travolta), accompanies Mickey Duka (Eddie Jemison) to an arms deal with Otto Krieg at the Tampa Seaport. The FBI raid the deal, and when Otto pulls out a gun a firefight ensues between him, the FBI and the Saints representatives. Bobby is killed in the crossfire, and Mickey is arrested. Otto supposedly dies in the firefight, but is actually revealed to be undercover FBI agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane), the operation being his last before his retirement. Meanwhile, Bobby's death enrages Howard, added to the fact that his son only came along to the deal in order to impress his father. His right-hand man Quentin Glass (Will Patton) bribes the FBI into obtaining information on Otto, revealing his true identity to Howard. Quentin is ordered to kill Frank, on vacation in Aguadilla Bay, Puerto Rico with his entire family. Howard's wife Livia demands Quentin kill the entire family in revenge. At the reunion, Quentin and John Saint along with several of Howard's men massacre the entire Castle family. Frank and his father manage to kill several gunmen, however Frank's dad is killed by one who stabs him in the back. Castle's wife and son are both run over and killed by John, who then proceeds to execute Frank before exploding him off a pier. Frank's body washes ashore near the hut of a local witch doctor, who nurses Frank back to health. In returning to the location of the massacre, Frank finds the iconic skull print T-shirt that his late son bought him as a retirement gift. Frank returns to Tampa and takes up residence in an old tenement building, along with Dave, Bumpo and Joan. Castle abducts Duka, who willingly becomes Castle's mole within the Saint family. Frank uses the information Duka passes onto him to sabotage Howard Saint's money laundering and drug import operations. In a following scene, an abusive ex-boyfriend of Joan's threatens her outside of her apartment. Frank intervenes when he turns his attention on Dave, the first time anyone has ever stood up for him. Frank's neighbours, in particular Bumpo and Dave, soon learn of the massacre, as well as Frank's military and law enforcement history. Frank soon starts to extort money from Quentin in exchange for the many photographs he has of him with his male partner - emphasizing that he would not want Howard to learn of this. Frank times this alongside Livia's routine schedule of going to the movies every Thursday night, laying the ground work to imply that Livia and Quentin are having an affair. As a direct result of Frank's continued interference in his operations, Howard hires Harry Heck, an assassin, to kill Frank, but Heck is killed himself when Frank fires a ballistic knife into his throat. The 'Russian' almost succeeds in killing Frank in a hopeless fight at his home, but Frank is able to scald him with boiling oil before throwing him down a flight of stairs, breaking his neck. Quentin and his men arrive soon after, and whilst Frank is hidden by Joan, Quentin sadistically tortures Dave into telling him where Frank is by forcibly removing his many piercings with pliers. Quentin leaves when he is unable to acquire the information from him. When Frank demands to know why Dave gave blood for him, Dave responds that he is one of them, part of their family. Frank then heads out for Saint's nightclub, but not before fully convincing Howard of his wife's supposed infidelity after he discovers one of her earrings in Quentin's home. Furious, Howard stabs Quentin for the supposed betrayal, before throwing Livia off of a bridge, and into the path of a train. At Saint's nightclub, Howard rallies his remaining associates, granting them all $50,000, and double for whoever kills Frank. Unbeknownst to them, Frank has already arrived, launching an attack against Howard and his associates. Amidst the gun battle, Frank finds John with his arm pinned underneath a filing cabinet. Using his other arm, Frank places a live anti personnel mine in his hand, and ties it to a telephone wire (the method Frank explains here is that the weight of the mine will eventually cause the string to release, therefore detonating the mine). Howard attempts to escape, but is wounded by Frank in the parking lot. Frank then shows pictures of Quentin to Howard, informing him that he made him kill his wife and best friend to add insult to injury. Frank then ties Howard to a moving car, which proceeds to crash into the remaining cars in the lot, causing an explosion which kills Howard. Frank then returns home. His vengeance mission accomplished, Frank attempts suicide. However, a vision of his wife Maria appears to him, which is strong enough to force him to not go through with killing himself. Instead, Frank decides to continue his life as a vigilante. He leaves the tenement, and tells Joan to check the cupboard when Dave is recovered. They find he left them all the money stolen from Howard. In the closing period of the film he dictates: "Those who do evil to others - the killers, the rapists, psychos, sadists - will come to know me well. Frank Castle is dead. Call me the Punisher." |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2008. “Punisher - War Zone” | 5 December 2008 |
| STARRING: |
| Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle / The Punisher Dominic West as Billy "The Beaut" Russotti / Jigsaw Julie Benz as Angela Donatelli Colin Salmon as Paul Budiansky Doug Hutchison as James Russoti / Loony Bin Jim (LBJ) Dash Mihok as NYPD Detective Martin Soap Wayne Knight as Linus Lieberman / Microchip Romano Orzari as Nicky Donatelli Stephanie Janusauskas as Grace Donatelli Larry Day as FBI Agent Miller Ron Lea as NYPD Captain Ross Tony Calabretta as Saffiotti T.J. Storm as Maginty Mark Camacho as Pittsy Keram Malicki-Sanchez as Ink David Vadim as Cristu Bulat Aubert Pallascio as Tiberiu Bulat Bjanka Murgel as Arm Candy |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Frank Castle, who has been the Punisher for five years, assaults a party for mob boss Gaitano Cesare, and kills him and the guests. Billy "The Beaut" Russotti escapes to his recycling plant hideout, and Detectives Martin Soap and Saffiotti, who were staking out the party, inform Castle. Castle infiltrates Russoti's hideout, and after a brief firefight, Russoti is thrown into a glass-crushing machine that leaves him hideously disfigured. Russoti later refers to himself as "Jigsaw" because the stitches in his face resemble puzzle pieces. Castle, who takes cover behind the body of Nicky Donatelli, discovers that Donatelli was actually an undercover agent. Agent Paul Budiansky, the deceased agent's partner, joins the NYPD's "Punisher Task Force", partnering with Soap to help bring Castle to justice. Meanwhile, Jigsaw frees his deranged and cannibalistic brother, "Loony Bin Jim". Distraught over killing the agent, Castle attempts to make reparations to Donatelli's wife, Angela, and daughter, Grace, to no avail. Castle threatens to retire from the vigilante business, but his armorer, Microchip, forces him to reconsider, telling him Jigsaw will go after Donatelli's family for revenge. Jigsaw, Loony Bin Jim, and two goons, Ink and Pittsy, break into Donatelli's house and hold the family hostage. The Punisher tracks down Maginty, a known associate of Jigsaw, executing him after extracting the information before being apprehended by Budiansky and Soap. Castle tells him Jigsaw went after Donatelli's family, and Budiansky sends a police car to check on the Donatelli house, intending to turn the Punisher in. When the patrol car fails to respond, Budiansky checks on the house, where he is captured by Ink and Pittsy. Soap frees the Punisher, who kills Ink and Pittsy before leading Donatelli's wife and daughter away. Budiansky then arrests Jigsaw and Loony Bin Jim after a short gunfight. Jigsaw and his brother bargain with the FBI for their release by giving up Cristu Bulat, who was smuggling in a biological weapon destined for Arab terrorists in Queens, New York. The brothers are granted immunity, plus the US$12 million Bulat was paying to use Jigsaw's port, and a file on Micro. They take Micro hostage, killing his mother in the process. They once again take the Donatellis hostage, after critically injuring Micro's associate Carlos, whom Castle had left to protect them. Castle later arrives at the hideout, and euthanizes Carlos. Jigsaw sets himself up in the Bradstreet Hotel, putting together a small army of gangsters who want to see the Punisher dead. Castle enlists the help of Budiansky, who informs Cristu's father, Tiberiu Bulat, where Jigsaw is located. Tiberiu's goons start a shootout in the hotel lobby, affording Castle a distraction. Castle enters through a second-floor window, leading to a firefight with Jigsaw's hired guns. Afterward, Castle engages Loony Bin Jim in hand-to-hand combat; realizing he will probably not survive the brawl, Jim runs away. Castle chases him and confronts both him and Jigsaw, who are holding Micro and Grace Donatelli at gunpoint. Jigsaw gives Castle a choice: If Frank shoots Micro, Jigsaw will let the others go free. Micro bravely offers his life to save the girl, but Castle chooses to shoot Loony Bin Jim instead. As a result, Jigsaw kills Micro. Enraged by the loss of his partner, Castle attacks Jigsaw, eventually impaling him with a metal rod and throwing him onto a fire. As Jigsaw burns to death, Castle calmly tells him, "This is just the beginning." Outside, Angela forgives Castle, who bids farewell to Budiansky and the Donatelli family. As Castle and Soap leave together, Soap tries to convince Castle to give up his vigilante status after having "killed every criminal in town." Soap changes his mind when he is held up by a murderous mugger who quickly becomes another victim of the Punisher. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2021. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” | September 3, 2021 |
| STARRING: |
| •Simu Liu as Xu Shang-Chi / Shaun: A skilled martial artist who was trained at a young age to be an assassin by his father Wenwu. Shang-Chi left the Ten Rings organization for a normal life in San Francisco, and changed his name to "Shaun". Director Destin Daniel Cretton characterized Shang-Chi as a fish out of water in the U.S. who attempts to hide that with his charisma, and does not know "who he really is". Cretton also compared Shang-Chi to the character Will from Good Will Hunting (1997), with both characters combining masculinity and vulnerability, and having secrets and superpowers that they do not understand. Cretton described the film as a journey for Shang-Chi to discover his place in the world, and Liu added that Shang-Chi's identity struggles are the core of the character rather than his martial arts skills. Liu performed many of his own stunts since the character does not wear a mask, and put on 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of muscle for the role while working on his flexibility. Liu was knowledgeable in taekwondo, gymnastics, and Wing Chun, and learned and trained in tai chi, wushu, Muay Thai, silat, Krav Maga, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and street fighting for the film. Jayden Zhang and Arnold Sun portray Shang-Chi as a child and teenager, respectively. •Awkwafina as Katy: A hotel valet and Shang-Chi's best friend in San Francisco who is unaware of his past. Awkwafina described Katy as relatable, with a "real heart" and dedication to Shang-Chi, who is "thrust into a world where she doesn't really know what to do [... and is] discovering things about herself". Katy has difficulty committing to a direction in her life, something Awkwafina felt was relatable struggle for a lot of Asian Americans due to their own expectations as well as those of their parents and society. •Meng'er Zhang as Xu Xialing: Shang-Chi's estranged younger sister and Wenwu's daughter. Xialing is Zhang's first film role, and an amalgamation of several comics characters, particularly inspired by Zheng Bao Yu. Zhang said Xialing was vulnerable behind her tough exterior, and asked for a red streak that was originally in the character's hair to be removed after discovering the style's association with the "rebellious Asian girl" stereotype; the streak was removed from existing footage in post-production with visual effects. For the role, Zhang trained in MMA, tai chi, and rope dart. Elodie Fong and Harmonie He portray Xialing as a child and teenager, respectively. •Fala Chen as Ying Li: Wenwu's wife and the mother of Shang-Chi and Xialing who was a guardian of Ta Lo. Chen studied tai chi for the role. •Florian Munteanu as Razor Fist: A member of the Ten Rings who has a machete blade for his right hand. •Benedict Wong as Wong: A Master of the Mystic Arts participating in a cage fighting tournament. •Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan: A guardian of Ta Lo who is Shang-Chi and Xialing's aunt. Yeoh previously portrayed Aleta Ogord in the MCU film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). •Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery: An actor who previously took on the guise of the Mandarin and was abducted by the Ten Rings, becoming a "court jester" or Shakespearean fool for Wenwu. He has a close relationship with the mythical hundun Morris, and journeys to Ta Lo with Shang-Chi. Cretton felt it was "essential to hear [Slattery] admit how ridiculous that whole [Mandarin impersonation] situation was", as seen in Iron Man 3 (2013) and the Marvel One-Shot short film All Hail the King (2014), feeling that having Slattery apologize for impersonating Wenwu was the perfect way to apologize for the racial stereotypes surrounding the Mandarin.[34] Kingsley enjoyed revisiting and developing the character, with Cretton saying Kingsley was able to portray "a Trevor who has actually benefited from being in prison and has come out a clean and sober version of himself". •Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu: Shang-Chi and Xialing's father and the leader of the Ten Rings. Wenwu is an original character for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) who replaces Shang-Chi's original comic book father Fu Manchu, a "problematic character" associated with racist stereotypes whom Marvel Studios does not hold the film rights to. In the film, Wenwu has taken on many different names, including "The Mandarin", which producer Jonathan Schwartz noted comes with audience expectations due to the comic book history of that name. He said Wenwu was a more complex and layered character than the comic book version, with Cretton adding that there were problematic aspects of the Mandarin's comic book portrayal that he wanted to change. He felt Leung avoided Asian stereotypes and a one-dimensional portrayal by bringing humanity and love to the role, describing Wenwu as a "fully realized human" with relatable reasons for his bad decisions. Leung did not want to approach the character as a villain, instead hoping to explore the reasons behind why he is "a man with history, who craves to be loved", describing him as "a sociopath, a narcissist, [and] a bigot". Also appearing in the film are Ronny Chieng as Jon Jon, Xialing's right-hand man and announcer at her underground fighting club; Yuen Wah as Guang Bo, one of the leaders of Ta Lo; Jodi Long as Mrs. Chen, Katy's mother; Dallas Liu as Ruihua, Katy's brother; Paul He as Chancellor Hui; Tsai Chin as Katy's grandmother; Andy Le as Death Dealer, one of Wenwu's assassins who trained Shang-Chi in his youth; Stephanie Hsu and Kunal Dudheker as Soo and John, married friends of Shang-Chi and Katy; Zach Cherry as Klev, a bus rider who livestreams one of Shang-Chi's fights (after portraying a street vendor in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming); and Dee Baker as the voice of Morris, a hundun who befriends Slattery. Jade Xu reprises her role as a Black Widow named Helen from Black Widow (2021), while Tim Roth provides uncredited vocals for his The Incredible Hulk (2008) character Emil Blonsky / Abomination. Mark Ruffalo and Brie Larson appear uncredited in the mid-credits scene as Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers, respectively, reprising their MCU roles. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Around a thousand years ago, Xu Wenwu discovers the mystical ten rings which grant immortality and godly powers. He establishes the Ten Rings organization, conquering kingdoms and toppling governments throughout history. In 1996, Wenwu searches for Ta Lo, a village said to harbor mythical beasts. He travels through a magical forest to the village entrance but is stopped by guardian Ying Li. The two fall in love, and when the Ta Lo villagers reject Wenwu, Li chooses to leave with him. They marry and have two children, Shang-Chi and Xialing. Wenwu abandons his organization and locks away the ten rings. When Shang-Chi is seven years old, Li is murdered by Wenwu's enemies, the Iron Gang. Wenwu dons the ten rings once again, massacres the Iron Gang, and resumes leadership of his organization. He makes Shang-Chi undergo brutal training in martial arts, but does not allow Xialing to train with the others so she teaches herself in secret. When Shang-Chi is 14, Wenwu sends him to assassinate the Iron Gang's leader. After completing his mission, a traumatised Shang-Chi runs away to San Francisco and adopts the name "Shaun". In the present day, Shang-Chi works as a parking valet with his best friend Katy, who does not know about his past. They are attacked on a bus by the Ten Rings, who steal a pendant that Li gave to Shang-Chi. Shang-Chi flies out to meet his sister, fearing that the Ten Rings will go after her matching pendant from Li. He reveals his past to Katy, who insists on helping him. They find Xialing at an underground fight club in Macau, which she founded after escaping from Wenwu at a young age. The Ten Rings attack the fight club and Wenwu arrives to capture Shang-Chi, Katy, Xialing, and her pendant. They are taken to the Ten Rings' compound, where Wenwu uses the pendants to reveal a mystical map leading to Ta Lo. Wenwu explains that he has heard Li calling to him and believes she has been held captive in Ta Lo behind a sealed gate. He plans to destroy the village unless they release her. When his children and Katy object, he imprisons them. The three meet former actor Trevor Slattery, whom the Ten Rings imprisoned for impersonating Wenwu, and his hundun companion Morris, who offers to guide them to Ta Lo. The group escapes and goes to Ta Lo, which exists in a separate dimension with various Chinese mythological creatures. They meet Ying Nan, Li's sister, who explains the history of Ta Lo: thousands of years ago, the village was attacked by the soul-consuming Dweller-in-Darkness and its minions, but was saved by a Chinese dragon called the Great Protector who helped seal the Dark Gate to the Dweller's world. According to Nan, the Dweller-in-Darkness has been influencing Wenwu to believe Li is still alive so that he will open the Gate. Shang-Chi, Xialing, and Katy join the villagers in training and preparing for Wenwu's arrival, using outfits and weapons crafted from dragon scales. Wenwu and the Ten Rings arrive and attack. Wenwu overpowers Shang-Chi and forces him into the nearby lake, then attacks the Gate with the rings. This allows some of the Dweller's minions to escape, and the Ten Rings join forces with the villagers to fight them. Shang-Chi is revived by the Great Protector, which leaves the lake to battle the minions. Wenwu and Shang-Chi fight once more and Shang-Chi gains the upper hand but chooses to spare Wenwu. The Dweller-in-Darkness escapes the weakened Gate and attacks Shang-Chi. Wenwu saves Shang-Chi, bequeathing him the rings before being killed by the Dweller-in-Darkness. Shang-Chi, the Great Protector, Xialing, and Katy manage to kill the Dweller-in-Darkness. Afterward, Shang-Chi and Katy return to San Francisco, where they are summoned by the sorcerer Wong to Kamar-Taj. In a mid-credits scene, Wong introduces Shang-Chi and Katy to Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers while researching the rings' origin. They discover that the rings are acting as a beacon to something. In a post-credits scene, Xialing becomes the new leader of the Ten Rings, training women alongside men, despite telling Shang-Chi that she was going to disband the organization. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2002. “Spider-Man” | 6 June 2002 |
| STARRING: |
| Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson James Franco as Harry Osborn Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker Rosemary Harris as May Parker J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson Joe Manganiello as Eugene "Flash" Thompson Bill Nunn as Joseph "Robbie" Robertson Michael Papajohn as the Carjacker Elizabeth Banks as Betty Brant Ron Perkins as Dr. Stromm |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| High-school senior Peter Parker lives with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben and is a school outcast. On a school field trip, he visits a genetics laboratory with his friend Harry Osborn and love interest, Mary Jane Watson. There, Peter is bitten by a genetically engineered "super spider". Shortly after arriving home, he falls unconscious. Meanwhile, Harry's father, scientist Norman Osborn, owner of Oscorp, is trying to secure an important military contract. He experiments on himself with an unstable performance-enhancing chemical. After absorbing the chemical, he goes insane and kills his assistant. The next morning, Peter finds that he is no longer near-sighted and his body has metamorphosized into a more muscular physique. At school, he finds that his body can produce webs and his quickened reflexes let him avoid injury during a confrontation with Flash Thompson. Peter discovers he has developed superhuman speed, strength, the ability to stick to surfaces, and a heightened ability to sense danger. Brushing off Uncle Ben's advice that "With great power comes great responsibility," Peter thinks of impressing Mary Jane with a car. He enters an underground fighting tournament and wins his first match, but the promoter cheats him out of his money. When a thief suddenly raids the promoter's office, Peter allows him to escape. Moments later, he discovers that Uncle Ben was carjacked and killed. Peter pursues and confronts the carjacker, only to realize it was the thief he let escape. After Peter disarms him, the carjacker flees, but dies in the process. Meanwhile, a crazed Norman interrupts a military experiment and kills several scientists and the military's General Slocum. Upon graduating, Peter begins using his abilities to fight injustice, donning a costume and the persona of Spider-Man. J. Jonah Jameson, a newspaper company headmaster, hires Peter as a freelance photographer, since he is the only person providing clear images of Spider-Man. Norman, upon learning Oscorp's board members plan to sell the company, assassinates them at the World Unity Fair. Jameson quickly dubs the mysterious killer by the name of the Green Goblin. The Goblin attacks the Bugle building and offers Spider-Man a partnership, but Spider-Man refuses. In a burning building, they fight and Spider-Man is wounded. At Thanksgiving dinner, Aunt May invites Mary Jane, Harry and Norman. During the dinner, Norman sees the wound and realizes Spider-Man's identity. Shortly after he leaves, the Green Goblin attacks and hospitalizes Aunt May. Mary Jane admits she has a crush on Spider-Man, who has rescued her on numerous occasions, and asks Peter whether Spider-Man ever asked about her. Harry, who loves Mary Jane, arrives and learns she has feelings for Peter. Devastated, Harry tells his father that Peter loves Mary Jane, unintentionally revealing Spider-Man's biggest weakness. The Goblin holds Mary Jane and a Roosevelt Island Tram car full of children hostage alongside the Queensboro Bridge. He forces Spider-Man to choose who he wants to save, and drops Mary Jane and the children. Spider-Man manages to save both Mary Jane and the tram car, while the Goblin is pelted by civilians who side with Spider-Man. The Goblin then grabs Spider-Man and throws him into an abandoned building where they battle. At first, Spider-Man is badly beaten by the Goblin. When the Goblin boasts about how he will later kill Mary Jane, an enraged Spider-Man overpowers the Goblin. Norman reveals himself to Spider-Man, who stops attacking. He begs for forgiveness, claiming that he loved him as a father, but at the same time controls his glider to impale his foe. Sensing the attack, Spider-Man dodges, and the glider impales Norman. As he dies, Norman begs Peter not to tell Harry of the Green Goblin's identity. Spider-Man takes Norman's body back to Norman's house and hides the Green Goblin's equipment, where he is confronted by a shocked Harry who aims a gun toward him as he escapes. At Norman’s funeral, Harry swears vengeance on Spider-Man, whom he deems responsible for his father's death, and asserts that Peter is all the family he has left. Mary Jane confesses to Peter that she is in love with him. Peter, however, feels that he must protect her from the unwanted attentions of Spider-Man's enemies. He hides his true feelings and tells Mary Jane that they can only be friends. As Peter leaves the funeral, he recalls Ben's words, and accepts his new responsibility as Spider-Man. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2004. “Spider-Man 2” | 30 June 2004 |
| STARRING: |
| Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson James Franco as Harry Osborn Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus / Doc Ock Rosemary Harris as May Parker J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson Donna Murphy as Rosalie Octavius Daniel Gillies as John Jameson Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin Mageina Tovah as Ursula Ditkovich |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Peter Parker struggles to balance his crime-fighting duties as Spider-Man with the demands of his normal life. Estranged from both love interest Mary Jane Watson and best friend Harry Osborn, Peter additionally discovers his Aunt May is facing foreclosure. Harry, now head of Oscorp's research division, sponsors the brilliant nuclear scientist Otto Octavius' fusion power project. While handling the equipment, Octavius wears a harness of powerful robotic tentacle arms with artificial intelligence. In a demonstration, a power spike causes the fusion reactor to destabilize. Octavius refuses to shut down the reactor. Spider-Man arrives and shuts down the experiment before it can do any further damage. The reactor explodes, killing Octavius' wife and damaging his robotic arms; in the process, the inhibitor chip controlling the arms is rendered useless. At a hospital, doctors prepare to surgically remove Octavius's harness. However, after the inhibitor chip is destroyed, the arms have developed sentience. They spring to life and attack the medical crew, killing most of them. Upon regaining consciousness and seeing the carnage, Octavius escapes and hides at a harbor. Becoming increasingly influenced by the arms' AI, Octavius robs a bank to fund another experiment. When Spider-Man is attempting to save Aunt May, Octavius is upset because he stuck his webs in his business once again. The Daily Bugle subsequently dubs him Doctor Octopus. Mary Jane becomes engaged to astronaut John Jameson, son of Bugle chief J. Jonah Jameson. Peter suffers an emotional breakdown and temporarily loses his powers. He abandons his Spider-Man identity, returns to his normal life and tries to reconcile with Mary Jane. A garbageman brings Spider-Man's costume to J. Jonah Jameson, who takes credit for Spider-Man's disappearance. Peter tells Aunt May that his Uncle Ben's death some time ago was his fault. May forgives him, but the rise in New York City crime rate worries Peter. Octavius needs Tritium to fuel his reactor and goes to Harry to demand it. Harry agrees in exchange for Spider-Man's life. He tells Octavius to seek Peter, who is supposedly good friends with Spider-Man. Octavius locates Peter, tells him to find Spider-Man, and captures Mary Jane. Peter's powers are restored, and he steals back his costume from the Bugle and goes after Octavius. As Spider-Man battles Octavius, they fall onto a rapid transit R train. Octavius sabotages the controls and jumps off, and Spider-Man struggles to stop the train before the track ends. When he faints from exhaustion, the passengers carry him into one of the cars. He comes to and realizes his mask is off, but the passengers promise not to reveal his identity. Octavius returns, easily subdues Spider-Man, and delivers him to Harry. After giving Octavius the Tritium, Harry prepares to kill Spider-Man, only to be shocked to see Peter under the mask. Saying greater things are at stake, he convinces Harry to reveal Octavius's location. Spider-Man arrives at the doctor's waterfront laboratory and tries to rescue Mary Jane discreetly. One of Octavius's tentacles senses him, and they fight. Spider-Man ultimately subdues Octavius, reveals his identity, and persuades Octavius to let go of his dream for the greater good. Octavius finally commands the tentacles to obey him and drowns the fusion reactor, along with himself, in the Hudson River. Mary Jane discovers Spider-Man's true identity and feelings, as well as why they cannot be together. Spider-Man returns Mary Jane to John and leaves. Harry is visited by a vision of his father, pleading for Harry to avenge his death. Refusing to hurt Peter, Harry shatters the mirror, unintentionally revealing a secret room containing the Green Goblin's equipment. On her wedding day, Mary Jane abandons John at the altar and runs to Peter's apartment. After they kiss, they hear police sirens, and Mary Jane encourages him to respond as Spider-Man. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2007. “Spider-Man 3” | 3 May 2007 |
| STARRING: |
| Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson James Franco as Harry Osborn / New Goblin Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko / Sandman Topher Grace as Eddie Brock / Venom Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy Rosemary Harris as May Parker J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson James Cromwell as Captain George Stacy Theresa Russell as Emma Marko Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors Bill Nunn as Joseph "Robbie" Robertson Elizabeth Banks as Betty Brant Ted Raimi as Hoffman Perla Haney-Jardine as Penny Marko Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker Elya Baskin as Dr. Ditkovitch Mageina Tovah as Ursula Ditkovich Michael Papajohn as Dennis Carradine Joe Manganiello as Flash Thompson |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Peter Parker plans to propose to Mary Jane Watson, who has just made her Broadway musical debut. A meteorite lands near Central Park, and an extraterrestrial symbiote attaches itself to Peter's moped. Meanwhile, police pursue escaped prisoner Flint Marko, who falls into an experimental particle accelerator that fuses his body with the surrounding sand and allows him to shapeshift at will as the Sandman. Harry Osborn, who knows Peter is Spider-Man and holds him responsible for his father Norman Osborn's death, attacks Peter with new weapons based on his father's Green Goblin technology. Harry injures his head on a pipe and suffers from partial amnesia, making him forget his revenge. During a festival honoring Spider-Man, Marko robs an armored car. NYPD Captain George Stacy tells Peter and Aunt May that Marko was Uncle Ben's killer, and the deceased Dennis Carradine was only Marko's accomplice. While a vengeance-obsessed Peter sleeps, the symbiote bonds with him. Peter wakes up hanging from a skyscraper and discovers his costume has changed and his powers have been enhanced, but the symbiote brings out Peter's dark side. Wearing the new black suit, Spider-Man locates Marko — spiting his Daily Bugle competitor Eddie Brock by breaking his camera — and battles him in a subway tunnel. He discovers water is Marko's weakness and breaks a water pipe to reduce the Sandman into mud, washing Marko away into the pipes, Spider-Man leaving him for dead. Peter's changed personality alienates Mary Jane, whose career is floundering, and she finds solace with Harry. Harry recovers from his amnesia after being urged by a hallucination of his dead father, compels Mary Jane to break up with Peter. After Mary Jane tells Peter she loves somebody else, Harry meets with Peter and claims to be "the other guy". Later, Peter, wearing the black suit, confronts Harry and spitefully tells him his father never loved him. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb at Peter, who deflects it back, disfiguring Harry's face. Under the symbiote's influence, Peter exposes Eddie Brock, a rival photographer at The Daily Bugle, by showing that he submitted doctored photographs showing Spider-Man as a criminal. Furious at having to print a retraction, J. Jonah Jameson sacks Brock. To make Mary Jane jealous, Peter brings Stacy's daughter, Gwen to the nightclub where Mary Jane works. Gwen catches on and leaves. Peter brawls with the bouncers and, after accidentally attacking Mary Jane, he realizes the symbiote is changing him. Retreating to a church bell tower, he discovers that he cannot remove the suit but that the symbiote weakens when the bell rings. Peter removes the symbiote and it falls to the lower tower, landing on Brock, who is praying for Peter's death. The symbiote bonds to Brock's body, transforming him into Venom. Brock then finds Sandman and offers to join forces. Brock hijacks Mary Jane's taxi and hangs it from a web hundreds of feet above a sand-filled construction site. Peter seeks Harry's help, but is rejected. While Peter battles with Brock, Harry learns the truth about his father's death and goes to help Peter. Harry subdues the Sandman, while Peter battles Brock. Brock almost impales Peter with Harry's glider but Harry jumps in the way and becomes impaled himself. Fighting the symbiote, Peter remembers how the church bell weakened it. He grabs pipes and creates a ring around the symbiote, creating a wall of sonic vibrations. The symbiote releases Brock, and Peter uses his webs to pull Brock from it. However, the symbiote has gained enough power from Peter and Brock to live on its own without a host. Peter throws a pumpkin bomb at the symbiote from Harry's glider, but Brock jumps in to save it, and both are killed by the explosion. After the battle, Marko explains to Peter that he never intended to kill Ben, but only wanted his car and shot him accidentally when Dennis grabbed his arm, and that Ben's death has haunted him ever since. Peter forgives Marko, who dissipates and floats away. Peter and Harry forgive each other, and Harry dies with Mary Jane and Peter at his side. Later at the nightclub, Peter and Mary Jane dance, reconciling their relationship. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2012. “The Amazing Spider-Man” | 4 July 2012 |
| STARRING: |
| Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man Max Charles portrayed Peter Parker as a 4-year-old Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors / the Lizard Denis Leary as Captain George Stacy Martin Sheen as Ben Parker Sally Field as May Parker Irrfan Khan as Dr. Rajit Ratha Chris Zylka as Flash Thompson |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| A young Peter Parker discovers his father Richard Parker's study has been burgled. Gathering up hidden documents, Peter's parents take him to the home of his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, then mysteriously depart. Years later, a teenaged Peter attends Midtown Science High School, where he is bullied by Flash Thompson and has caught the eye of the beautiful Gwen Stacy. At home, Peter finds his father's papers and learns he worked with fellow scientist Dr. Curt Connors at Oscorp. Sneaking into Oscorp, Peter enters a lab where a "biocable" is under development from genetically modified spiders, one of which bites him. On the subway ride home, he discovers that he has developed spider-like abilities, such as sharp senses, reflexes and speed. After studying Richard's papers, Peter visits the one-armed Connors, reveals he is Richard Parker's son and gives Connors his father's "decay rate algorithm", the missing piece in Connors' experiments on regenerating limbs. Connors is being pressed by his superior, Dr. Ratha, to devise a cure for the dying (but unseen) head of Oscorp, Norman Osborn. In school, Peter gets into trouble after a basketball challenge with Flash in which Peter accidentally shatters the backboard glass. His uncle changes work shifts to meet with the principal and asks Peter to replace him walking home with May that night. Peter gets distracted and helps Connors regenerate the limb of a laboratory mouse. Peter's failure causes an argument with Ben and he leaves. At a nearby deli, a cashier refuses to let Peter buy milk when Peter is two cents short; when a thief suddenly raids the store, Peter indifferently observes. While searching for Peter, Ben attempts to stop the thief and is killed. The thief escapes as Peter finds Ben on the sidewalk. Afterward, Peter uses his new abilities to hunt criminals matching the killer's description. After a fall lands him inside an abandoned gym, a luchador-wrestling poster inspires him to create a mask to hide his identity. He adds a spandex suit and builds mechanical devices to attach to his wrists to shoot a biocable "web". Peter accepts a dinner invitation from Gwen, where he meets and has a tense conversation with her father, police captain George Stacy, over Spider-Man's motives. After dinner, Peter reveals his identity to Gwen and they kiss. After seeing success with the mouse using lizard DNA, Ratha demands Connors begin human trials immediately if Osborn is to survive. Connors refuses to rush the drug-testing procedure and put innocent people at risk. Ratha fires Connors and decides to test Connors' serum at a Veterans Administration hospital under the guise of a flu shot. In an act of desperation, Connors tries the formula on himself. After passing out, he awakens to find his missing arm has regenerated. Discovering that Ratha is on his way to the VA hospital, Connors, whose skin is turning green and scaly, goes to intercept him. By the time he gets to the Williamsburg Bridge Connors has become a violent hybrid of lizard and man, tossing cars, including Ratha's, over the side of the bridge. Peter, now calling himself Spider-Man, snatches each falling car with his web-lines. Spider-Man suspects Connors is Lizard and unsuccessfully confronts the creature in the sewers. Lizard learns Spider-Man's real identity via the name on an abandoned camera and follows Peter to school where they fight. In response, the police start a manhunt for both Spider-Man and Lizard. The police corner Spider-Man and Captain Stacy discovers that he is really Peter. Lizard plans to make all humans lizard-like by releasing a chemical cloud from Oscorp's tower, to eliminate the weaknesses he believes plague humanity. Spider-Man eventually disperses an antidote cloud instead, restoring Connors and earlier victims to normal, but not before Lizard mortally wounds Captain Stacy. Before his death, Captain Stacy requests Peter to leave Gwen out of it to keep her safe. Peter initially does so, but later at school suggests to Gwen he may see her after all. In a mid-credits scene, Connors, in a prison cell, speaks with a man in the shadows who asks if Peter knows the truth about his father. Connors replies, "No", and demands Peter be left alone before the man disappears. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2014. “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” | 17 April 2014 |
| STARRING: |
| Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man / Peter Parker Max Charles also reprises his role as Young Peter Parker Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy Jamie Foxx as Electro / Max Dillon Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin / Harry Osborn Colm Feore as Donald Menken Felicity Jones as Felicia Paul Giamatti as Rhino / Aleksei Sytsevich Sally Field as Aunt May Campbell Scott as Richard Parker Embeth Davidtz as Mary Parker Marton Csokas as Dr. Kafka |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| OsCorp scientist Richard Parker records a video message to explain his disappearance. Later, he and his wife, Mary, are aboard a private jet hijacked by a man sent to assassinate Richard. The plane crashes, killing both Richard and Mary, after he uploads the video. In the present, Richard's son Peter continues to fight crime as Spider-Man. He pursues and apprehends Aleksei Sytsevich, who attempted to steal a truck containing plutonium. During the chase, Spider-Man rescues OsCorp Industries employee Max Dillon. Later, Peter meets with Gwen at their high school graduation ceremony, and insists he keep his vow to her father and ends their relationship. Peter's childhood friend Harry Osborn returns to Manhattan to see his terminally-ill father Norman, CEO of OsCorp. Norman explains his illness is genetic, and Harry is at the age where it first develops. Norman gives Harry a small device he claims contains his life's work. The next day, Norman dies and Harry is appointed the new OsCorp CEO. He humiliates the OsCorp board, which has been privy to Norman's secret biogenetic projects for foreign military powers. Thinking that they have become friends, Dillon idolizes Spider-Man. While tending to some maintenance in an OsCorp laboratory, he shocks himself by accident, and the line breaks off and he falls into a tank of genetically-engineered electric eels. They attack him, and he mutates into a living electric generator. Meanwhile, Peter attempts to maintain a friendship with Gwen, but she reveals she may move to England for school. Before they can discuss it, Dillon wanders into Times Square and accidentally causes a blackout. Spider-Man attempts to calm him down, but the police fire at Dillon, making him think that Spider-Man had betrayed him before attacking furiously. Spider-Man stops him, and Dillon is taken to Ravencroft Institute, where he is studied by German scientist Dr. Kafka. The first symptoms of Harry's illness show, and he uses the device Norman gave him to deduce that Spider-Man's blood could help save him. He asks Peter, who has been selling photos of Spider-Man to the Daily Bugle, for help finding Spider-Man. Peter refuses, unsure of what effects the transfusion would have, and although he does come to Harry as Spider-Man, he still refuses, and Harry develops an intense hatred towards Spider-Man. The OsCorp board-members frame Harry for covering up Dillon's accident, and remove him as CEO. Harry's assistant, Felicia, informs him of equipment that could help him, so he makes a deal with Dillon to get him back inside the OsCorp building. There he finds a suit of armour and other equipment made by Norman, as well as venom from the now-destroyed genetically-altered spiders. The venom accelerates Harry's illness and transforms him into a goblin-like creature, but the suit's built-in emergency protocol restores his health. Peter uses information left by his father to locate the video message in an abandoned subway station's hidden lab. Richard explains he had to leave because he refused to cooperate with Norman's biogenetic weaponization plans. Peter then hears a voicemail from Gwen, telling him she was offered the British scholarship and is heading to the airport earlier than expected. He manages to catch her and professes his love for her, and vowing to go wherever she goes, they agree to go to England together. Dillon causes another blackout, and Peter heads off to fight him. Gwen follows, and together they restore power and overload Dillon's body, killing him. Afterward, the transformed Harry arrives equipped with Norman's armor and weaponry; upon seeing Gwen, Harry deduces Spider-Man's true identity and, swearing revenge for being refused the blood transfusion, kidnaps her. He fights Spider-Man at the top of a clock tower, but is defeated. Despite Spider-Man's attempts to save Gwen, she falls to her death after webbing breaks in the clock tower. Distraught, Peter ends his career as Spider-Man. Five months later, Harry is coping with the after-effects of his transformation while incarcerated at Ravencroft. His associate, Gustav Fiers, visits Harry and breaks Sytsevich out of prison. Equipped with an electromechanical suit armor, Sytsevich calls himself "The Rhino" and rampages through the streets. Peter, inspired by Gwen's graduation speech, confronts him as Spider-Man. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2017. “Spider-Man - Homecoming” | July 7, 2017 |
| STARRING: |
| Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A 15-year-old who gained spider-like abilities after being bitten by a genetically-modified spider. Producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal were impressed by Holland's performances in The Impossible, Wolf Hall, and In the Heart of the Sea, as well as numerous screen tests. Holland took inspiration from previous Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, but also hoped to deliver something "new and exciting" with his take on the character,[8] the first to focus on Parker as "dealing with everyday problems that a 15-year-old deals with as well as trying to save the city". Holland attended The Bronx High School of Science in The Bronx for a few days to prepare for the role, where other students did not believe he was cast as Spider-Man. Holland felt this would carry over well to the film, where other characters do not suspect Parker of being Spider-Man. It took 25 to 45 minutes for Holland to get into costume, depending on if he had to wear a stunt harness underneath the suit. Holland initially signed for six MCU films, including three Spider-Man films. Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes / Vulture: A salvager turned arms trafficker after his company is forced out of business. He uses a suit with mechanical wings forged from Chitauri technology. Toomes is revealed to be the father of Liz, Parker's love interest. Director Jon Watts wanted him to be a "regular guy", closer to John C. Reilly's Nova Corpsman Rhomann Dey from Guardians of the Galaxy than other MCU villains like Thanos and Ultron, to go with Spider-Man as a "regular kid who becomes a superhero". This helped avoid Toomes drawing the attention of the Avengers, and provided someone that Parker would be able to defeat while still learning to use his abilities. Keaton said Toomes was not completely villainous, as "there's parts of him that you go, 'You know what? I might see his point.'" Co-producer Eric Hauserman Carroll likened Toomes to "the dark Tony Stark", a "businessman with a family. He wants to look out for his kids ... He doesn’t have these big delusions of grandeur where he wants to take over the world, or replace the government, or even defeat the Avengers or anything. He just wants his shot at the good life"." Keaton was not hesitant to portray another comic book character after playing Batman in Tim Burton's 1989 film and its 1992 sequel. Jon Favreau as Harold "Happy" Hogan: The former head of security for Stark Industries and Tony Stark's driver and bodyguard. Hogan is "looking after" Parker in the film, with Favreau saying that Parker "needs someone to help him out". Favreau previously portrayed Hogan in the Iron Man films, having also directed the first two of those, and described returning as just an actor as fun, allowing him "to maintain the relationship with the MCU ... Especially when the filmmakers are taking care of you, and taking care of the characters and the story". Zendaya as Michelle "MJ" Jones: One of Parker's classmates, Zendaya called her awkward but intellectual, "she just feels like she doesn't need to talk to people". She added that it was "refreshing" that Michelle was weird and different, feeling that "a lot of young people—especially young women—can relate to that". Watts likened the character to Ally Sheedy's Allison Reynolds from The Breakfast Club or Linda Cardellini's Lindsay Weir from Freaks and Geeks. The character is not an adaptation of Mary Jane Watson, but was given the initials "MJ" to "remind you of that dynamic", with the writers "plant[ing] the seeds in this movie" for comparisons to Watson, but also making her "wholly different". Feige added that Michelle is "not obsessed with" Parker like Watson is at times in the comics, "she's just observant". Donald Glover as Aaron Davis: A criminal looking to purchase weapons from Toomes. Davis is the uncle of Miles Morales, a version of Spider-Man, in the comics. Glover voiced Morales in the Ultimate Spider-Man television series, and campaigned to portray Spider-Man in a film in 2010. Watts was aware of the campaign, and as soon as he was hired he asked Feige about casting Glover. The role was designed as "a surprise treat for fans", with Davis mentioning his nephew to set up Morales potentially appearing in a future MCU film. Tyne Daly as Anne Marie Hoag: The head of the U.S. Department of Damage Control. Marisa Tomei as May Parker: Peter's aunt. First reports of Tomei's casting caused backlash on social media, with comic book fans opining that the actress was "too young and attractive to portray the character", especially after the character had previously been depicted by older actresses than Tomei. Regarding the casting, Captain America: Civil War co-writer Stephen McFeely said that, for the MCU, they were trying to make Peter "as naturalistic as possible...That's partly why his aunt isn't 80 years old; if she's the sister of his dead mother, why does she have to be two generations ahead?" Carroll added that the creative team was looking for more of a "big sister" or someone closer in age to Peter Parker in the casting process. After researching the character, Tomei did make "a case to age me up, but no they didn't do it". Tomei felt there was a "blank slate" from which she could develop the character, and talked to Watts about May being "a community organizer or invested in the neighborhood" to indicate where Peter's values come from. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man: A self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with electromechanical suits of armor of his own invention, who is Parker's mentor and is the creator of the U.S. Department of Damage Control. Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Thomas Rothman noted that, beyond the commercial advantage of featuring Downey in the film, the inclusion of Stark was important due to the relationship established between him and Parker in Captain America: Civil War. Watts noted that after Stark's actions in Civil War, introducing Parker to life as an Avenger, there are "a lot of repercussions to that. Is it a first step towards Tony as some sort of mentor figure? Is he comfortable with that?" Co-writer Jonathan Goldstein compared Stark to Ethan Hawke's father character in Boyhood. Additionally, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kerry Condon, and Chris Evans reprise their roles as Pepper Potts, F.R.I.D.A.Y., and Steve Rogers / Captain America from previous MCU films, respectively. Rogers appears in public service announcements played at Parker's school. Jacob Batalon portrays Parker's best friend Ned, a "complete gamer", whom Batalon described as "the quintessential best guy, the best man, the number two guy, the guy in the chair" for Parker. Marvel used Ned Leeds as a basis for the character, who does not have a last name in the script or film, but essentially created their own character with him. Carroll said that Ned and other characters in the film are composites of several of their favorites from Spider-Man comics, and while Ned may eventually wind up with the last name "Leeds", it is not a guarantee. Laura Harrier portrays Liz, a senior, Parker's love interest, and Toomes' daughter, with a "type-A" personality. Tony Revolori plays Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Parker's rival and classmate. It was noted that the character is generally depicted as white in the comics and an important character to the fans, with Revolori "trying to do him justice". Rather than being a physically imposing jock, Thompson was re-imagined as "a rich, smug kid" to reflect modern views of bullying, by crafting him more into a social media bully and rival for Parker opposed to a jock; this depiction was largely informed by Holland's visit to The Bronx High School of Science. Revolori said that Thompson has to work hard to match Parker's intelligence, which is "one of the reasons he doesn't like Peter. Everyone else seems to like Peter, so he's like, why don't they like me like they like him?" Revolori gained 60 lb (27 kg) for the role. Garcelle Beauvais portrays Doris Toomes, Adrian's wife and Liz's mother, and Jennifer Connelly provides the voice of Karen, the A.I. in Parker's suit. Hemky Madera appears as Mr. Delmar, the owner of a local bodega. Bokeem Woodbine and Logan Marshall-Green both play different incarnations of Shocker, Herman Schultz and Jackson Brice respectively; both are accomplices of Toomes who use modified, vibro-blast shooting versions of Crossbones' gauntlets. Michael Chernus plays Phineas Mason / Tinkerer, and Michael Mando appears as Mac Gargan. Faculty at Parker's high school include: Kenneth Choi, who previously played Jim Morita in the MCU, as Jim's descendant Principal Morita; Hannibal Buress as Coach Wilson, the school's gym teacher, which he described as "one of the dumbass characters that don't realize [Parker is] Spider-Man"; Martin Starr, who previously had a non-speaking role in The Incredible Hulk identified as Amadeus Cho by the novelization for that film, as Mr. Harrington, a teacher and academic decathlon coach; Selenis Leyva as Ms. Warren; Tunde Adebimpe as Mr. Cobbwell; and John Penick as Mr. Hapgood. Parker's classmates include: Isabella Amara as Sally; Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Jason Ionello; J. J. Totah as Seymour; Abraham Attah as Abraham; Tiffany Espensen as Cindy; Angourie Rice as Betty Brant; Michael Barbieri as Charles; and Ethan Dizon as Tiny. Martha Kelly appears in the film as a tour guide, and Kirk Thatcher makes a cameo appearance as a "punk", a homage to his role in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee also has a cameo, as a New York City apartment resident named Gary who witnesses Parker's confrontation with a neighbor. Jona Xiao was cast in an undisclosed role, but did not appear in the final film. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Following the Battle of New York, Adrian Toomes and his salvage company are contracted to clean up the city, but their operation is taken over by the Department of Damage Control (D.O.D.C.), a partnership between Tony Stark and the U.S. government. Enraged at being driven out of business, Toomes persuades his employees to keep the Chitauri technology they have already scavenged and use it to create and sell advanced weapons. Eight years later, Peter Parker is drafted into the Avengers by Stark to help with an internal dispute, but resumes his studies at the Midtown School of Science and Technology when Stark tells him he is not yet ready to become a full Avenger. Parker quits his school's academic decathlon team to spend more time focusing on his crime-fighting activities as Spider-Man. One night, after preventing criminals from robbing an ATM with their advanced weapons from Toomes, Parker returns to his Queens apartment where his best friend Ned discovers his secret identity. On another night, Parker comes across Toomes' associates Jackson Brice / Shocker and Herman Schultz selling weapons to local criminal Aaron Davis. Parker saves Davis before being caught by Toomes and dropped in a lake, nearly drowning after becoming tangled in a parachute built into his suit. He is rescued by Stark, who is monitoring the Spider-Man suit he gave Parker and warns him against further involvement with the criminals. Toomes accidentally kills Brice with one of their weapons, and Schultz becomes the new Shocker. Parker and Ned study a weapon left behind by Brice, removing its power core. When a tracking device on Schultz leads to Maryland, Parker rejoins the decathlon team and accompanies them to Washington, D.C. for their national tournament. Ned and Parker disable the tracker Stark implanted in the Spider-Man suit, and unlock its advanced features. Parker tries to stop Toomes from stealing weapons from a D.O.D.C. truck, but is trapped inside the truck, causing him to miss the decathlon tournament. When he discovers that the power core is an unstable Chitauri grenade, Parker races to the Washington Monument where the core explodes and traps Ned and their friends in an elevator. Evading local authorities, Parker saves his friends, including his fellow classmate and crush Liz. Returning to New York City, Parker persuades Davis to reveal Toomes' whereabouts. Aboard the Staten Island Ferry, Parker captures Toomes' new buyer Mac Gargan, but Toomes escapes and a malfunctioning weapon tears the ferry in half. Stark helps Parker save the passengers before admonishing him for his recklessness and confiscating his suit. Parker returns to his high school life, and eventually asks Liz to go to the homecoming dance with him. On the night of the dance, Parker learns that Liz is Toomes' daughter. Deducing Parker's secret identity, Toomes threatens retaliation if he interferes with his plans. During the dance, Parker realizes Toomes is planning to hijack a D.O.D.C. plane transporting weapons from Avengers Tower to the team's new headquarters. He dons his old homemade Spider-Man suit and races to Toomes' lair. He is first ambushed by Schultz, but defeats him with the help of Ned. At the lair, Toomes destroys the building's support beams and leaves Parker to die. Parker escapes the rubble and intercepts the plane, steering it to crash on the beach near Coney Island. He and Toomes continue fighting, ending with Parker saving Toomes' life after some unstable material explodes, and leaving him for the police along with the plane's cargo. After her father's arrest, Liz moves away, and Parker declines an invitation from Stark to join the Avengers full-time. Stark returns Parker's suit, which he puts on at his apartment just as his Aunt May walks in. In a mid-credits scene, an incarcerated Gargan approaches Toomes in prison. Gargan has heard that Toomes knows Spider-Man's real identity, but Toomes denies this. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2019. “Spider-Man - Far From Home” | July 2, 2019 |
| STARRING: |
| Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A high-school junior and Avenger who received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a genetically-modified spider. Director Jon Watts said that, in contrast to Spider-Man: Homecoming in which Parker longs for the responsibilities of an adult, in Far From Home he wants to hang onto his youth, saying, "This film is about the world telling him, 'It's time for you to step up and grow up, kid,' and he's saying, 'But I still want to be a kid and go on vacation.'" Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury: The former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who is now in a situation where he does not have the level of control he is used to having. Watts describes Fury's relationship with Parker as "the mean new stepdad", contrasting his role with Tony Stark's "supportive cool uncle" in Homecoming, saying, "Fury sees Peter Parker as an asset that he needs who is too preoccupied with a bunch of high school problems." Watts originally pitched Fury as a mentor to Parker in Homecoming. Zendaya as MJ: Parker's classmate and love interest. Her full name, Michelle Jones, is not given in the film. Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill: A former high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works closely with Nick Fury. Jon Favreau as Harold "Happy" Hogan: The head of security for Stark Industries and former driver and bodyguard of Tony Stark who looks after Parker.[10] Watts noted Happy would be used to explore the idea of "trying to find your place in the world if the center of your world is gone" given his close friendship to Stark. J. B. Smoove as Julius Dell: Parker's teacher and a chaperone on his school trip to Europe. The role was written for Smoove after the writers and director enjoyed his performance alongside Holland in an Audi commercial short film produced to promote Homecoming. Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds: Parker's best friend. Martin Starr as Roger Harrington: Parker's academic decathlon teacher and a chaperone on his school trip to Europe. Marisa Tomei as May Parker: Parker's aunt who is aware of his secret identity and wants him to be Spider-Man more so he can help with charitable causes. Jake Gyllenhaal as Quentin Beck / Mysterio: A former Stark Industries employee and holographic-illusions specialist who masquerades as a superhero from Earth-833 in the Multiverse. He is recruited by Nick Fury to help Spider-Man stop the Elementals. Gyllenhaal shared ideas with the writers regarding the character's personality, and was drawn to the idea that Beck is "manipulating everyone's love of superheroes and that need for heroes". Gyllenhaal wanted to play the character's fake backstory as realistically as possible. Regarding Beck's relationship with Parker, Watts says that "If Tony Stark was sort of the mentor in the previous films, we thought it would be interesting to play Mysterio as almost like the cool uncle." Watts was excited to have Beck team with Fury and Parker as it introduced the character to the MCU "in a way that people weren't expecting." Tony Revolori and Angourie Rice reprise their roles from Homecoming as Parker's classmates Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Parker's rival, and Betty Brant, Ned's off-and-on girlfriend. Peter Billingsley reprises his Iron Man (2008) role of scientist William Ginter Riva, who now works with Beck. J. K. Simmons appears as J. Jonah Jameson in the mid-credits scene, marking the first time a character has been portrayed in the MCU by the same actor who previously played a non-MCU incarnation of the character after Simmons had portrayed Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy. Ben Mendelsohn and Sharon Blynn make uncredited cameo appearances in the post-credits scene as the Skrulls Talos and Soren, reprising their roles from Captain Marvel (2019); this scene reveals that they have been posing as Fury and Hill during the film, using deleted footage of Jackson and Smulders originally intended for the opening scene. Smulders learned about the twist from producer Kevin Feige shortly before the film's release. Additionally, Numan Acar portrays Fury's associate Dimitri, and Remy Hii plays Brad Davis, a popular student who Parker sees as competition for MJ's affection. Zach Barack, the first openly transgender actor in the MCU, portrays one of Parker's new classmates, Zach. Dawn Michelle King, an assistant editor on many MCU films including Far From Home, provides the voice for the artificial intelligence E.D.I.T.H.[36] Jeff Bridges and Robert Downey Jr. appear as Obadiah Stane and Stark through the use of archival footage from Iron Man and Captain America: Civil War (2016), respectively. Images from previous MCU films of Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Paul Bettany as Stark, Steve Rogers / Captain America, Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, and Vision, respectively, are used in the film's opening "in memoriam" segment. The four Elementals are modeled after different Spider-Man villains from Marvel comic books: Hydro-Man, Molten Man, Sandman, and Cyclone. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In Ixtenco, Mexico, Nick Fury and Maria Hill investigate an unnatural storm and encounter the Earth Elemental. Quentin Beck, a super-powered individual, arrives to fight the creature. In New York City, the Midtown School of Science and Technology completes its academic year which was restarted to accommodate the students who disappeared during the five-year period known as "the Blip". They had reappeared eight months earlier thanks to the actions of the Avengers. The school organizes a two-week summer field trip to Europe, where Peter Parker - still mourning the death of his mentor and father figure Tony Stark - plans to confess his growing feelings for classmate MJ. Parker is warned by Happy Hogan that he will be contacted by Fury, but he chooses to ignore the call. Parker and his classmates travel to Venice, Italy, where the Water Elemental attacks. Parker helps protect his classmates while Beck arrives and destroys the creature. Fury meets with Parker and gives him Stark's glasses, which were meant for his successor. The glasses are equipped with the artificial intelligence E.D.I.T.H., which has access to Stark Industries' databases and commands a large orbital weapons supply. Beck claims to hail from an alternate reality within the Multiverse, where the Elementals killed his family. He now predicts that the Fire Elemental will appear in Prague. Parker declines Fury's invitation to join Beck's fight against the Elementals and returns to his class trip. Fury secretly changes the school trip's itinerary so Parker will be directed to Prague, and there Parker is forced to help fight the Fire Elemental to again protect his friends. Beck is able to destroy the Fire Elemental with Parker's help. Fury and Hill invite Parker and Beck to Berlin to discuss the formation of a new superhero team, but Parker decides that Beck should go alone and bequeaths him the E.D.I.T.H. glasses. Unknown to Parker, Beck is actually a former holographic-illusions specialist at Stark Industries who was fired for his unstable nature. He now leads a team of disgruntled ex-Stark employees, using advanced projector drones to simulate the Elemental attacks and masquerade as a hero; their plan was to gain access to E.D.I.T.H. so they could use the orbital weapons system's drones to increase the scale of their illusions. MJ deduces Parker is Spider-Man. They discover that a piece of debris she retrieved during the carnival battle is a projector that presents a simulation of the Air Elemental, leading the two to realize Beck is a fraud. Parker travels to Berlin to meet with Fury, but is actually in one of Beck's illusions and accidentally reveals that some of his friends know about Beck's plan. Distracted by the illusion, Parker is hit by a train and carried away to the Netherlands. From there Parker contacts Hogan, who flies them to London where his classmates are now on their way home. In London, Beck uses E.D.I.T.H. to orchestrate his biggest illusion yet, a fusion of all four Elementals, as a cover to kill Parker's friends. Parker is able to disrupt the illusion, so Beck fully reveals the drones to attack him. Parker defeats Beck, regaining control of E.D.I.T.H. to call off the drone attacks. Beck dies from wounds sustained from misfired drone gunshots. An assistant of Beck's escapes with data from the drones. After returning to New York City, Parker begins a relationship with MJ. In a mid-credits scene, J. Jonah Jameson of TheDailyBugle.net broadcasts doctored footage of the London incident in which Beck frames Spider-Man for the drone attack and his death, before exposing Spider-Man's secret identity to the world. In a post-credits scene, Fury and Hill are revealed to be the Skrulls Talos and Soren in disguise, under orders from the real Fury who is seen commanding a Skrull spaceship. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2021. “Spider-Man - No Way Home” | December 17, 2021 |
| STARRING: |
| Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: A teenager and Avenger who received spider-like abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. The film explores the fallout of Spider-Man: Far From Home's (2019) mid-credits scene, in which Parker's identity as Spider-Man is exposed, and Parker is more pessimistic in contrast to previous Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. Holland said Parker feels defeated and insecure and was excited to explore the darker side of the character. The adjustment back to portraying Parker, including raising his voice pitch and returning to the mindset of a "naïve, charming teenager", was strange for Holland after taking on more mature roles such as in Cherry (2021). Zendaya as Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson: Parker's classmate and girlfriend. The character's full name is revealed in the film, having previously just been known as Michelle Jones, bringing her closer to the comics counterpart Mary Jane Watson. Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange: A neurosurgeon who became a Master of the Mystic Arts following a career-ending car accident. Holland felt Strange was not a mentor to Parker, unlike Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), but instead saw them as colleagues and noted their relationship breaks down throughout the course of the film. Cumberbatch felt there was a close relationship between Strange and Parker because both are neighborhood superheroes with a shared history. Co-writer Chris McKenna described Strange as the voice of reason in the film. Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds: Parker's best friend. Batalon lost 102 pounds (46 kg) for his role in this film. Jon Favreau as Harold "Happy" Hogan: The head of security for Stark Industries and former driver and bodyguard of Tony Stark, who looks after Parker. Jamie Foxx as Max Dillon / Electro: An Oscorp electrical engineer from an alternate reality who gained electric powers after an accident involving genetically modified electric eels. Foxx reprises his role from Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). The character was redesigned for No Way Home, foregoing his original blue Ultimate Marvel-based design in favor of a yellow one more similar to his mainstream comic book appearance. Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin: A scientist and the CEO of Oscorp from an alternate reality who tested an unstable strength enhancer on himself. He developed an insane split personality as a result and uses advanced Oscorp armor and equipment. Dafoe reprises his role from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. Dafoe felt Green Goblin had advanced from his portrayal in Spider-Man (2002) and had "a few more tricks up [his] sleeves" in this film. Dafoe was digitally de-aged for the role, and the character also obtains upgrades to his costume to make him more closely resemble his comic book counterpart. Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus: A scientist from an alternate reality with four artificially intelligent mechanical tentacles fused to his body after an accident. Molina reprises his role from Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004), with this film continuing from the character's story prior to his death in that film. Molina was surprised by this approach because he had aged in the years since he made that film and no longer had the same physicality; digital de-aging was also used to make him look physically the same as in Spider-Man 2. The mechanical tentacles were created completely through CGI, rather than a blend of puppetry and CGI as in Spider-Man 2. Benedict Wong as Wong: Strange's mentor and friend who became the new Sorcerer Supreme during Strange's absence in the Blip. Tony Revolori as Eugene "Flash" Thompson: Parker's classmate and former rival. Marisa Tomei as May Parker: Parker's aunt. While developing the story, the writers realized that May would play a role similar to Uncle Ben's role in other incarnations of Spider-Man. As such, the thematic and often-paraphrasingly-quoted phrase "with great power, there must also come great responsibility" is said by May, since she has been the "moral guide" for Parker in the MCU. Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: An alternate version of Parker who is haunted by his failure to save his deceased girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. Garfield reprises his role from Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man films. The other Spider-Men refer to him as "Peter-Three", while Marvel's official website named him "The Amazing Spider-Man". Garfield embraced his role as the middle brother of the group and was interested in exploring the idea of a tortured Parker following the events of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, including how lessons from those events could be passed to Holland's character. He was grateful for the chance to "tie up some loose ends" for his incarnation of Parker, and described working with Holland and Maguire as an opportunity to have "deeper conversations... about our experiences with the character". Parker ends up saving MJ during the climax in a similar way to how he fails to save Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2; McKenna and co-writer Erik Sommers credited director Jon Watts for coming up with the idea while they watched a pre-visualization reel showcasing ideas for the climactic battle. Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man: An alternate version of Parker who utilizes organic webbing instead of web shooters like his alternate counterparts. Maguire reprises his role from Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. The other Spider-Men refer to him as "Peter-Two", while Marvel's official website named him the "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man". Maguire wanted the film to reveal only minimal details about what happened to his character after the events of Spider-Man 3 (2007). Rhys Ifans reprises his role as Dr. Curt Connors / Lizard, an Oscorp scientist from Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) who transformed into a large reptilian monster while trying to regrow his missing arm. Thomas Haden Church reprises his role as Flint Marko / Sandman, a small-time thief from Raimi's Spider-Man 3 who received an ability to transform into sand. Both Ifans and Church returned to voice the characters, though footage at the end of the film when they revert to their human forms was archival footage from The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man 3, respectively. Watts served as a stand-in for Church on-set by providing motion-capture reference to the uncredited body double who physically replaced Church in the role. Charlie Cox reprises his role as Matt Murdock from Marvel Television's Netflix series,[40] and Tom Hardy reprises his roles as Eddie Brock and Venom from Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) in an uncredited cameo appearance in the mid-credits scene. Reprising their roles from previous MCU Spider-Man films are Angourie Rice as Betty Brant, Parker's classmate and Ned's ex-girlfriend; Hannibal Buress as Coach Wilson, Midtown School of Science and Technology's gym teacher; Martin Starr as Roger Harrington, Parker's academic decathlon teacher; J. B. Smoove as Julius Dell, Parker's teacher; J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, the host of TheDailyBugle.net; and Gary Weeks as Department of Damage Control (DODC) agent Foster. Jake Gyllenhaal appears as Quentin Beck / Mysterio via archive footage from Far From Home. Also appearing in the film are Paula Newsome as an MIT administrator, Arian Moayed as DODC agent Cleary, Mary Rivera as Ned's grandmother, and Cristo Fernández as a bartender serving Brock. Holland's brother Harry was set to make a cameo as a drug dealer, after doing the same in Cherry, but his scenes were cut from the theatrical release. Lexi Rabe, who portrayed Stark's daughter Morgan in Avengers: Endgame (2019), also had an appearance that was not included in the theatrical release. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| After Quentin Beck frames Peter Parker for his murder and reveals Parker's identity as Spider-Man, Parker, his girlfriend MJ Watson, best friend Ned Leeds, and aunt May are interrogated by the Department of Damage Control. Lawyer Matt Murdock gets Parker's charges dropped, but the group grapples with negative publicity. After Parker, MJ, and Ned's MIT applications are rejected, Parker goes to the New York Sanctum to ask Stephen Strange for help. Strange casts a spell that would make everyone forget Parker is Spider-Man, but it is corrupted when Parker repeatedly requests alterations to let his loved ones retain their memories. Strange contains the spell to stop it and makes Parker leave. Parker tries to convince an MIT administrator to reconsider MJ and Ned's applications but is attacked by Otto Octavius. Octavius rips Parker's nanotechnology from his Iron Spider suit, which bonds with his mechanical tentacles and allows Parker to disable them. As Norman Osborn arrives and attacks, Strange teleports Parker back to the Sanctum and locks Octavius in a cell next to Curt Connors. Strange explains that before he could contain the corrupted spell, it summoned people from other universes who know Spider-Man's identity. He orders Parker, MJ, and Ned to find and capture them; they locate and retrieve Max Dillon and Flint Marko. Osborn reclaims control of himself from his split Green Goblin personality. He goes to a F.E.A.S.T. building, where May comforts him before Parker retrieves him. While discussing their battles with Spider-Man, Osborn, Octavius and Dillon realize that they were pulled from their universes just before their deaths. Strange prepares to reverse the contained spell and send the villains back to their respective universes, but Parker argues that they should first cure the villains' powers and insanity to prevent their deaths upon their return. Parker steals the spell, traps Strange in the Mirror Dimension, and, with May, takes the villains to Happy Hogan's apartment. He cures Octavius, but Osborn's Goblin persona takes control and convinces the uncured villains to betray Parker. As Dillon, Marko, and Connors escape, the Goblin fatally injures May. Before she dies, May tells Parker that "with great power, there must also come great responsibility". Ned discovers that he can create portals using Strange's sling ring, which he and MJ use to try to locate Parker. They instead find alternate versions of Parker from the villains' universes who were also summoned by Strange's spell and who are nicknamed "Peter-Two" and "Peter-Three". The group finds this universe's Parker, nicknamed "Peter-One", who is ready to give up and send the villains home to die. The alternate Parkers share stories of losing loved ones and encourage Peter-One to fight in May's honor, and the three Parkers develop cures for the villains. The group lure Dillon, Marko, and Connors to the Statue of Liberty. Peter-One and Peter-Two cure Connors and Marko while Octavius arrives to help cure Dillon, and Ned frees Strange from the Mirror Dimension with a portal. The Goblin appears and unleashes the contained spell, which begins pulling more people in from other universes. Strange attempts to hold them off while an enraged Peter-One tries to kill the Goblin. Peter-Two stops him and Peter-Three helps Peter-One inject the Goblin with his cure, restoring Osborn's sanity. Peter-One realizes that the only way to protect the multiverse is to erase himself from everyone's memory and requests that Strange do so, while promising MJ and Ned that he will find them again. The spell is cast and everyone returns to their respective universes -including Eddie Brock, who unknowingly leaves behind a piece of the Venom symbiote. Two weeks later, Parker visits MJ and Ned to reintroduce himself, but he decides against it. While mourning at May's grave, he has a conversation with Hogan and is inspired to carry on, making a new suit and resuming his vigilantism. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2011. “Thor” | May 6, 2011 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Hemsworth as Thor: The crown prince of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Director Kenneth Branagh and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige chose Hemsworth after a back-and-forth process in which the 27-year-old actor was initially dropped from consideration and then given a second chance to read for the part. Hemsworth stated that he gained 20 pounds for the role by eating non-stop and revealed that "It wasn't until Thor that I started lifting weights, it was all pretty new to me." Regarding his take of the character, Hemsworth said, "We just kept trying to humanize it all, and keep it very real. Look into all the research about the comic books that we could, but also bring it back to 'Who is this guy as a person, and what's his relationship with people in the individual scenes?'" About approaching Thor's fighting style, he remarked, "First, we looked at the comic books and the posturing, the way [Thor] moves and fights, and a lot of his power seems to be drawn up through the ground. We talked about boxers, you know, Mike Tyson, very low to the ground and big open chest and big shoulder swings and very sort of brutal but graceful at the same time, and then as we shot stuff things became easier." Dakota Goyo portrays a young Thor. Natalie Portman as Jane Foster: A scientist and Thor's love interest. Marvel Studios stated in an announcement that the character was updated from the comics' initial portrayal for the feature adaptation. When asked why she took the role, Portman replied, "I just thought it sounded like a weird idea because Kenneth Branagh's directing it, so I was just like, 'Kenneth Branagh doing Thor is super-weird, I've gotta do it.'" Portman stated that she really wanted to do a big effects film that emphasized character, and getting to do it with Branagh was a new way of approaching it, relative to Star Wars. Regarding her preparation for the role Portman remarked, "I signed on to do it before there was a script. And Ken, who's amazing, who is so incredible, was like, 'You can really help create this character'. I got to read all of these biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin who actually discovered the DNA double helix but didn't get the credit for it. The struggles they had and the way that they thought - I was like, 'What a great opportunity, in a very big movie that is going to be seen by a lot of people, to have a woman as a scientist'. She's a very serious scientist. Because in the comic she's a nurse and now they made her an astrophysicist. Really, I know it sounds silly, but it is those little things that makes girls think it's possible. It doesn't give them a [role] model of 'Oh, I just have to dress cute in movies'". Tom Hiddleston as Loki: Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name. Hiddleston was chosen after previously working with Branagh on Ivanov and Wallander. Initially Hiddleston auditioned to play Thor but Branagh decided his talent would be better harnessed playing Loki. Hiddleston stated that "Loki's like a comic book version of Edmund in King Lear, but nastier." Hiddleston stated that he had to keep a strict diet before the start of filming because "Ken [Branagh] wants Loki to have a lean and hungry look, like Cassius in Julius Caesar. Physically, he can't be posing as Thor". Hiddleston looked at Peter O'Toole as inspiration for Loki as well explaining, "Interestingly enough, [Kenneth Branagh] said to look at Peter O'Toole in two specific films, The Lion in Winter and Lawrence of Arabia. What's interesting about ... his performance [as King Henry] is you see how damaged he is. There's a rawness [to his performance]; it's almost as if he's living with a layer of skin peeled away. He's grandiose and teary and, in a moment, by turns hilarious and then terrifying. What we wanted was that emotional volatility. It's a different acting style, it's not quite the same thing, but it's fascinating to go back and watch an actor as great as O'Toole head for those great high hills". Ted Allpress portrays a young Loki. Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig: A scientist doing research in New Mexico who encounters Thor. Skarsgård stated that he was not initially familiar with the comic book version of Thor. As to why he took the part, Skarsgård remarked, I "chose Thor because of [director] Kenneth Branagh. The script was nice and we got to rehearse and talk to the writers and do some collaborating in the process to make it fit us. So I had a very happy time on it. What I always try to do is immediately do something I just haven't done so I get variation in my life. I've made about 90 films and if I did the same thing over and over again I would be bored by now. I try to pick different films, I go and do those big ones and having done that I can usually afford to go and do some really small obscure films and experiment a little". Colm Feore as Laufey: King of the Frost Giants and Loki's biological father, based on the mythological being of the same name, who in myth was actually Loki's mother. Feore stated it took five hours for his makeup to be applied. About his character Feore remarked, "I am the King of Frost Giants. And if you've seen any of the Frost Giants, you know that I am, of course, the Napoleon of Frost Giants. We've got some massive, fabulous guys who dwarf me and come in at around eight-and-a-half feet, nine feet. But, no. Can't you tell by the commanding presence? I am the boss". He said the Shakespearean training he shared with Hopkins and director Branagh helped keep production moving briskly, saying that "during the breaks, Tony, myself and Ken would be talking in Shakespearean shorthand about what the characters were doing, what we thought they may be like, and how we could focus our attention more intelligently. These were discussions that took no more than a few minutes between takes, but they allowed Ken, Tony and [me] to understand each other instantly without Ken taking an hour away to explain to the actors exactly what was going on. So that was enormously helpful." Ray Stevenson as Volstagg: A member of the Warriors Three; a group of three Asgardian adventurers who are among Thor's closest comrades, known for both his hearty appetite and wide girth. Stevenson previously worked with Kenneth Branagh in the 1998 film The Theory of Flight, and with Marvel Studios as the titular character in Punisher: War Zone. Stevenson wore a fat suit for the role, stating, "I've tried the suit on, and what they've done is kind of sex him up: he's sort of slimmer but rounder.". Stevenson said, "He's got every bit of that Falstaffian verve and vigor, and a bit of a beer gut to suggest that enormous appetite, but he's not the sort of Weeble-shaped figure he is in the comics. He's Falstaff with muscles. I've got this amazing foam-injected undersuit that flexes with me." Idris Elba as Heimdall: The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the bifröst bridge, based on the mythological deity of the same name. Elba said Branagh's involvement was a major incentive to take the role: "[Branagh] called me up personally and said, 'I know this isn't a big role, but I would really love to see you play it.' It's Kenneth Branagh. I was like, 'Definitely'". About the role Elba remarked, "I did green screen for the first time! I wouldn't like to do a whole movie of green screen, though. You kind of forget the plot a little-like being in a Broadway play and doing it over and over and forgetting your line halfway through". Elba stated he has made a four-picture commitment with Marvel Studios. Elba's casting prompted a proposed boycott by the Council of Conservative Citizens and a debate amongst comic book fans, some insisting it was wrong for a black man to play a Nordic god. In response Elba called the debate "ridiculous". Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis: A political science major who is Jane Foster's intern. Dennings described her character as Foster's "little helper gnome". Dennings stated that her role was expanded during the rehearsal process. Dennings explained, "She's kind of like a cute, clueless, little puppy or maybe a hamster. There wasn't much on the page for the Darcy role to begin with and I didn't even see a script before I took the job so I didn't really know who Darcy was at first. But she really evolved-she's so much fun now even. She's very Scooby-Doo if that makes sense. She's always three steps behind and reacting to what's happening with these great expressions ... She gets things wrong and doesn't care." Rene Russo as Frigga: The wife of Odin, queen of Asgard, mother of Thor and adoptive mother of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name. Russo stated in March 2011 interview that she has signed on for possible sequels, joking that, "Eventually they'll kick me out, so who knows how many I'll do". Anthony Hopkins as Odin: The ruler of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name. In an interview Hopkins stated he knew nothing of the comic. About the film he said, "It's a superhero movie, but with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in". Hopkins stated, "I'm very interested in that relationship between fathers and sons", and that, "My father's relationship with me was cold. He was a hot-blood character but to me, cold. When I was young, he expressed his disappointment because I was bad in school and all of that. He didn't mean any harm, but I felt I could never meet up to his expectations." Hopkins expressed that he found a personal resonance in the Odin role, saying, "He's a stern man. He's a man with purpose. I play the god who banishes his son from the kingdom of Asgard because he screwed up. He's a hot-headed, temperamental young man... probably a chip off of the old block but I decide he's not really ready to rule the future kingdom, so I banish him. I'm harsh and my wife complains and I say, 'That is why I'm king.' He's ruthless, take-it-or-leave-it. Women are much more forgiving; men are not so forgiving. I know in my life, my karma is, 'If you don't like it, tough, move on.' And I move on. I'm a little like Odin myself". In May 2016, Mel Gibson stated he was offered the role but turned it down. Tadanobu Asano as Hogun: A member of the Warriors Three, primarily identified by his grim demeanor and as the only member who is not an Æsir. Ray Stevenson said of Asano's character, "He doesn't speak much but when he does, everybody shuts up. But also in the healing room where everyone licks their wounds, he's the guy who just goes about his business". Josh Dallas as Fandral: A member of the Warriors Three, characterized as an irrepressible swashbuckler and romantic. Stuart Townsend was initially cast after Zachary Levi was forced to vacate the role due to a scheduling conflict. However, days before filming began, Townsend was replaced by Dallas citing "creative differences". Dallas said he believed that Fandral "would like to think of himself a philanderer. He would like to think of himself, I was saying, as the R. Kelly of Asgard. He's a lover, not a fighter". Dallas mentioned that Errol Flynn was an inspiration for the character stating, "He was a big inspiration for the character and for me. I watched a lot of his movies and kind of got that into my bones. I tried to bring out that little bit of Flynn-ness in it. Flynn had a lot of that boyish charm that Fandral's got...." Jaimie Alexander as Sif: A warrior and Thor's childhood friend based on the mythological deity of the same name. Alexander was best known for her portrayal of Jessi XX on the ABC Family series Kyle XY. Alexander said that she was familiar with Marvel Comics before having taken the part, having grown up with four brothers. Alexander said the part required hours a day in the gym, though training is not unfamiliar to her, explaining she was one of few girls on her Colleyville, Texas, high-school wrestling team. Alexander described her character as "one of the guys" and that, "She's a very talented, skilled warrior and can stand on her own against any villain in the film". About her relationship with Thor she stated, "She is very loyal to Thor and cares a lot about protecting him and protecting Asgard". Additionally, Clark Gregg reprises his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson from the Iron Man films. Adriana Barraza plays diner owner Isabella Alvarez and Maximiliano Hernández plays S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell. Joseph Gatt, Joshua Cox, and Douglas Tait portray Frost Giants. Stan Lee and J. Michael Straczynski have cameo appearances as pick-up truck drivers, while Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner have uncredited cameos as Nick Fury and Clint Barton, respectively. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 965 AD, Odin, king of Asgard, wages war against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and their leader Laufey, to prevent them from conquering the nine realms, starting with Earth. The Asgardian warriors defeat the Frost Giants and seize the source of their power, the Casket of Ancient Winters. In the present, Odin's son Thor prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard, but is interrupted when Frost Giants attempt to retrieve the Casket. Against Odin's order, Thor travels to Jotunheim to confront Laufey, accompanied by his brother Loki, childhood friend Sif and the Warriors Three: Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun. A battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races. For Thor's arrogance, Odin strips his son of his godly power and exiles him to Earth as a mortal, accompanied by his hammer Mjolnir, now protected by an enchantment that allows only the worthy to wield it. Thor lands in New Mexico, where astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster, her assistant Darcy Lewis, and mentor Dr. Erik Selvig, find him. The local populace finds Mjolnir, which S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson soon commandeers before forcibly acquiring Jane's data about the wormhole that delivered Thor to Earth. Thor, having discovered Mjolnir's nearby location, seeks to retrieve it from the facility that S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly constructed but he finds himself unable to lift it, and is captured. With Selvig's help, he is freed and resigns himself to exile on Earth as he develops a romance with Jane. Loki discovers that he is actually Laufey's son, adopted by Odin after the war ended. A weary Odin falls into the deep "Odinsleep" to recover his strength. Loki seizes the throne in Odin's stead and offers Laufey the chance to kill Odin and retrieve the Casket. Sif and the Warriors Three, unhappy with Loki's rule, attempt to return Thor from exile, convincing Heimdall, gatekeeper of the Bifröst-the means of traveling between worlds-to allow them passage to Earth. Aware of their plan, Loki sends the Destroyer, a seemingly indestructible automaton, to pursue them and kill Thor. The warriors find Thor, but the Destroyer attacks and defeats them, prompting Thor to offer himself instead. Struck by the Destroyer and near death, Thor's sacrifice proves him worthy to wield Mjolnir. The hammer returns to him, restoring his powers and enabling him to defeat the Destroyer. Kissing Jane goodbye and vowing to return, he and his fellow Asgardians leave to confront Loki. In Asgard, Loki betrays and kills Laufey, revealing his true plan to use Laufey's attempt on Odin's life as an excuse to destroy Jotunheim with the Bifröst Bridge, thus proving himself worthy to his adoptive father. Thor arrives and fights Loki before destroying the Bifröst Bridge to stop Loki's plan, stranding himself in Asgard. Odin awakens and prevents the brothers from falling into the abyss created in the wake of the bridge's destruction, but Loki allows himself to fall when Odin rejects his pleas for approval. Thor makes amends with Odin, admitting he is not ready to be king; while on Earth, Jane and her team search for a way to open a portal to Asgard. In a post-credits scene, Selvig has been taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, where Nick Fury opens a briefcase and asks him to study a mysterious cube-shaped object, which Fury says may hold untold power. An invisible Loki prompts Selvig to agree, and he does. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2013. “Thor - The Dark World” | November 8, 2013 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Hemsworth as Thor: The crown prince of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Hemsworth stated that the film addresses unresolved issues regarding Thor's relationships from previous films, "For Thor and Jane, there are some unanswered questions now, since obviously he didn't stop in and catch up with her in The Avengers. Thor might have some explaining to do in this one. And with Loki, we get down to the major bones of our conflict with everything that's come from Thor to Avengers to now." Hemsworth added, "Thor's journey I think picks more so up from where we left the first one - About to take on the throne... and now coming to the realization of what responsibility comes with that. Also, Alan [Taylor] keeps talking about the dark side of that responsibility, and the secrets of being king or becoming sort of very political about what people need to know and what they want to know." Hemsworth especially enjoyed the role of Thor in this film as he was able to, "... break him down and find his human qualities and his vulnerable side." Natalie Portman as Jane Foster: An astrophysicist and Thor's love interest, who is brought from Earth to Asgard by Thor after she is infected with a mysterious energy. Producer Kevin Feige said, "[W]hile Thor was a fish out of water on Earth in the first two films (Thor and The Avengers), this time Jane is very much a fish out of water in Asgard." Portman added, "It was a whole different adventure this time. Because Jane is the fish out of water. I didn't want to make it like Bill & Ted, or like a valley girl dumped into Shakespeareland." Portman also said the film finds Jane at a different place in her life, "Jane has moved, so she's now in London, not in Santa Fe anymore. Obviously she has gone through missing Thor and also being upset at him because he didn't come knock on her door when he was on her planet. She's definitely been getting over that and trying to move on." Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky stood in for Portman during the final kissing scene due to a scheduling conflict. Tom Hiddleston as Loki: Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis, based on the deity of the same name, who forms an uneasy alliance with Thor against the Dark Elves. On where he wished to take the character in the film, Hiddleston said, "I'd like to take [Loki] to his absolute rock bottom. I'd like to see him yield, essentially, to his darkest instincts. Then, having hit rock bottom, maybe come back up. I think the fascination for me about playing Loki is that, in the history of the mythology and the comic books and the Scandinavian myths, is he's constantly dancing on this fault line of the dark side and redemption." Hiddleston recalled, "When I met Alan [Taylor], he asked me how I thought I could do Loki again without repeating myself and I remembered talking with Kevin Feige when we were on the Avengers promotional tour. I said, 'OK, you've seen Thor and Loki be antagonistic for two films now. It would be amazing to see them fight side by side. I've been the bad guy now twice, so I can't be again, or otherwise I shouldn't be in the film. So we have to find a new role for me to play." Anthony Hopkins as Odin: The king of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the deity of the same name, who disapproves of Jane Foster being in Asgard. Regarding Thor's relationship with his father, Hemsworth said, "[T]he conflict between Thor and Odin was so great in the first one... so, certainly they disagree as I think they always will at times but there's a far greater respect from each other. So it becomes, I guess, a more mature conversation, but there's more at stake this time, too. It's not sort of just their individual egos, the whole universe is at stake." As to his approach Hopkins said, "I just play Odin like a human being, with maybe a little more dimension. I grow a beard, look hopefully impressive and keep it as real as possible." Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig: Foster's mentor and colleague. Skarsgard said, the film finds Selvig in a "disrupted mode" explaining, "Having a god in your head for a while creates some psychological problems", referring to the character's ordeal following The Avengers. Idris Elba as Heimdall: The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the Bifrost Bridge, based on the mythological deity of the same name. Elba said he has a larger role in the sequel, "In the new film we're going to get to know Heimdall the Asgardian a bit better, and we're going to get to know Asgard a bit better. I can't say too much, but the expansion of Thor in his world is going to be huge. My part was very small and functional in the first film". Christopher Eccleston as Malekith: The ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim. About Malekith's motivation, Eccleston said, "There is a kind of tragic quality to his quest. Because he's lost his wife, he's lost his children. He's lost everything. And he returns for revenge. And the agent for his revenge is the Aether. If he gets hold of that, he is omnipotent." Eccleston continued, "What I thought about a great deal was revenge - there's huge amounts of revenge. One quote is: 'When you seek revenge, be sure to dig two graves.' I did a film called Revengers Tragedy where I played a guy called Vindici - from the word 'vindictive' - and he is the distillation of revenge. So, in a way, that was what I had to think of: how revenge can make you absolutely monomaniacal - though you're still trying to make it recognizably motive-led. It's just the personification of movie evil." However Taylor stated that a lot of scenes involving Malekith's backstory had to be cut from the film to make it more efficient. Eccleston revealed that he speaks an invented language for the film explaining, "The Elvish language is definitely based on European languages. I think there's probably some Finnish in there. It does have its logic and its rhythms. It also has many syllables and it's very difficult to do while remaining naturalistic. It's been a particular challenge for us but hopefully it gives the film some complexity and variety." Eccleston also said the role required six hours of make-up and 45 minutes in wardrobe. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Algrim / Kurse: A Dark Elf, and Malekith's trusted and loyal lieutenant, who is transformed into a monstrous creature in order to destroy Thor. Akinnuoye-Agbaje described Kurse as "an amalgamation of a bull and a lava-like creature. He has very animalistic tendencies but with this insatiable and unstoppable power. As an actor, that's one of the hardest things to embody. You have to realize you are probably the most powerful thing you could imagine. And you have to be that. You can't pretend, so that when you face Thor, it's real." Akinnuoye-Agbaje stated the role required three hours of make-up a day and had to put on heavy duty prosthetics explaining, "The outfit weighed about 40 pounds. I'm sure there will be a certain amount of CGI but a good 80% was me in that suit." About the character Akinnuoye-Agbaje said, "I suppose Algrim and Kurse would be the quintessential baddies, but in reality they are what I perceive as the scorn and the victims of the story. They are the elves who have basically lost their planet and their race to another race, the Asgardians. Here is a man/alien who places a noble objective beyond his own life and I think there is something extremely inspiring about that because he looks at the bigger picture and sees himself as a means to that end." Akinnuoye-Agbaje added, "I worked with director Alan Taylor in trying to maintain Algrim's humanity all the way throughout Kurse's transformation, so that even when you see Kurse the beast, you can still relate to him as being Algrim inside. And symbolically we did that by keeping the same piercing blue eyes throughout." Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis: A political science major who is interning for Foster. Her role in the film was expanded from the comic relief sidekick role she played in the first Thor film. Dennings said her character is "really bad at real science in this first movie. In the second movie, she's more interested, but she still doesn't know anything about it. She loves Jane, she really wants Jane and Thor to be together. It's almost like her own little soap opera that she watches." Ray Stevenson as Volstagg: A member of the Warriors Three; a group of three Asgardian adventurers who are among Thor's closest comrades, known for both his hearty appetite and wide girth. About the character Stevenson said, "He's got a heart the size of a planet that he wears on his sleeve, so he's like a big kid." Regarding Volstagg's role in this film, Stevenson said, "Volstagg is struggling, he has a brood, they [the Warriors Three] are fighting for hearth and home as much as for the idea of Asgard itself. That's where he has trouble." Explaining, "He's all too aware of how potentially threatening this new enemy is on both the home front and the battlefield." Zachary Levi as Fandral: A member of the Warriors Three, characterized as an irrepressible swashbuckler and romantic. Levi replaced Joshua Dallas in the role due to his commitment on Once Upon a Time. Levi had been up for the role in the first film, but bowed out due to his commitment on Chuck.[38] Levi compared the character to Flynn Rider, the character he played in the animated feature, Tangled, "Fandral is a little similar to Rider in some ways... He's like this Lothario. He's like Errol Flynn. He loves ladies, as do I". Regarding the dynamic of the Warriors Three, Levi said, "The Warriors Three are here to support Thor. We are his confidants, his best friends. We've all grown up together in a lot of ways and fought many a battle together, escaped death. To me it's the way best friends ought to be - they're there when you need to talk and they're there if you don't want to talk, and they're there if you need to escape from your father's place in a flying skiff!" Tadanobu Asano as Hogun: A member of the Warriors Three, a native of Vanaheim[24] primarily identified by his grim demeanor. Jaimie Alexander as Sif: An Asgardian warrior, Thor's childhood friend and Jane Foster's romantic rival, based on the deity of the same name. Alexander said there is more character development for Sif and the film explores the Sif-Thor relationship. Alexander elaborated, "I really tried to bring a little bit more vulnerability in this film. Sif is very much in love with Thor and very much cares about his well-being. So she kicks a lot of butt in this movie but she also opens her heart a lot." Alexander suffered a severe back injury while on the set. About the injury, she said, "It was raining, it was dark outside, it was like 5 in the morning - and I went down a metal staircase and slipped and slipped a disc in my thoracic spine and chipped 11 of my vertebrae. I knocked my left shoulder out of place and tore my rhomboid on my right side... It took me out of filming for a month". Rene Russo as Frigga: The wife of Odin, queen of Asgard, mother of Thor and adoptive mother of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name. Russo said that her role was expanded and explores Frigga's relationship with Loki, "You know, they cut me [down] in the first film. Kenneth Branagh sent me a nice note, because he understood, he's an actor. You move on, what are you going to do? But I think they're going to need a good mom in the next film. Loki needs his mom. I have a lot of compassion for [Loki]. But we might have to have a conversation about what he just did". Additionally, Alice Krige portrays Eir, an Asgardian physician. Chris O'Dowd was cast as Richard, a suitor of Jane Foster's. Benicio del Toro, who plays the Collector in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy, appears in a mid-credits scene with Ophelia Lovibond, who plays his aide Carina. Jonathan Howard plays Ian Boothby, Darcy's intern. Tony Curran plays Bor, Odin's father, based on the deity of the same name. Clive Russell plays Tyr, based on the deity of the same name. Richard Brake portrays a captain in the Einherjar. Chris Evans makes an uncredited cameo appearance as Loki masquerading as Captain America, while Thor co-creator Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance as a patient in a mental ward. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Eons ago, Bor, father of Odin, clashes with the Dark Elf Malekith, who seeks to unleash a weapon known as the Aether on the nine realms. After conquering Malekith's forces, including enhanced warriors called the Kursed, on their home world of Svartalfheim, Bor safeguards the Aether within a stone column. Unbeknownst to Bor, Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and a handful of Dark Elves escape into suspended animation. In present-day Asgard, Loki stands imprisoned for his war crimes on Earth.1 Meanwhile, Thor, alongside warriors Fandral, Volstagg, and Sif, repel marauders on Vanaheim, home of their comrade Hogun; it is the final battle in a war to pacify the Nine Realms following the reconstruction of the Bifröst, the "Rainbow Bridge" between realms, which had been destroyed two years earlier. The Asgardians soon learn that the Convergence, a rare alignment of the Nine Realms, is imminent; as the event approaches, portals linking the worlds appear at random. In London, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster and her intern Darcy Lewis travel to an abandoned factory where such portals have appeared, disrupting the laws of physics around them. Separating from the group, Jane is teleported to another world, where she is infected by the Aether. Heimdall alerts Thor that Jane has moved beyond his near all-seeing vision, leading Thor to Earth. When Thor finds Jane, she inadvertently releases an unearthly force, and Thor returns with her to Asgard. Odin, recognizing the Aether, warns that the Aether will not only kill Jane, but that its return heralds a catastrophic prophecy. Malekith, awakened by the Aether's release, turns Algrim into a Kursed and attacks Asgard. During the battle, Malekith and Algrim search for Jane, sensing that she contains the Aether. Thor's mother Frigga is killed protecting Jane, and Malekith and Algrim are forced to flee without Jane. Despite Odin's orders not to leave Asgard, Thor reluctantly enlists the help of Loki, who knows of a secret portal to Svartalfheim, where they will use Jane to lure and confront Malekith, away from Asgard. In return, Thor promises Loki vengeance on Malekith for killing their mother. With Volstagg and Sif stalling Asgardian soldiers and Fandral assisting their escape, Thor, Loki, and Jane head to Svartalfheim. There, Loki tricks Malekith into drawing the Aether out of Jane, but Thor's attempt to destroy the exposed substance fails. Malekith merges with the Aether and leaves in his ship as Loki is fatally wounded while killing Algrim. Thor, cradling Loki in his arms, promises to tell their father of his sacrifice. Afterwards, Thor and Jane discover another portal in a nearby cave and reunite in London with Darcy and Jane's mentor Dr. Erik Selvig - who was briefly institutionalized due to the mental trauma he suffered during Loki's attack on Earth. They learn that Malekith plans to restore the Dark Elves to dominance by unleashing the Aether at the center of the Convergence in Greenwich. Thor battles Malekith through various portals and across multiple worlds until one portal separates them, leaving Malekith unopposed on Earth. Thor returns in time to help his mortal comrades use their scientific equipment to transport Malekith to Svartalfheim, where he is crushed by his own damaged ship. Thor returns to Asgard, where he declines Odin's offer to take the throne and tells Odin of Loki's sacrifice. As he leaves, Odin's form transforms into Loki, who is alive and impersonating Odin. In a mid-credits scene, Volstagg and Sif visit the Collector and entrust the Aether to his care, commenting that with the Tesseract already in Asgard, having two Infinity Stones so close together would be unwise. As they leave, the Collector remarks, "One down, five to go." In a post-credits scene, Jane and Thor reunite on Earth while somewhere in London a frost monster from Jotunheim, accidentally transported to Earth during the final battle, continues to run amok. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2017. “Thor - Ragnarok” | November 3, 2017 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Hemsworth as Thor: The crown prince of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Hemsworth stated that following the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ragnarok finds Thor exploring and policing the universe while enjoying being a "drifter". Hemsworth expressed interest in having Thor interact with Bruce Banner, as the two have not had a lot of interaction previously and "it would bring something different out of the characters," adding he hoped the film was a "[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid] sort of story" for the duo. Director Taika Waititi said that he wanted to use more of Hemsworth's comedic talents showcased in films like Vacation and Ghostbusters, saying, "He's so good and underutilized in that department. He's legitimately one of the funniest things in this film." Tom Hiddleston as Loki: Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name. On playing the character for a fourth time, Hiddleston said he was interested in how Loki's attitude has changed, adding "I'm four years older... and there will just be new things [I] find in it. The most exciting thing about [Loki] is that he is always a trickster. It is trying to find new ways for him to be mischievous". Regarding the inclusion of the Hulk in the film, Hiddleston said that Loki has "a few chips on his shoulder" due to the previous interaction between the two characters in The Avengers. Cate Blanchett as Hela: The ruler of Hel and Niflheim, based on the deity Hel, who has been inadvertently released from her prison. About the character, Blanchett said, "She's been locked away for millennia getting more and more cross, and then, with a mistake, she gets unleashed and she ain't getting back in that box." Blanchett also stated that Hela's headdress can be used as a weapon and that she can manifest weapons from different parts of her body. She also took care to discuss with Marvel and Waititi to help define when Hela would be masked and when she would not be. Blanchett worked with stuntwoman Zoe Bell and studied capoeira in preparation for the role. Idris Elba as Heimdall: The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the Bifrost Bridge, based on the deity of the same name. Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster: A cosmic being fascinated with gaming and chance, who enjoys manipulating lesser life-forms, and is the ruler of the planet Sakaar. Goldblum described the character as "a hedonist, a pleasure-seeker, an enjoyer of life and tastes and smells." He also said that Waititi encouraged improvisation in order for Goldblum to "make [the character his] own". Waititi explained that Grandmaster does not have blue skin in the film as the character does in the comics, because Goldblum had already played a blue-colored character in Earth Girls Are Easy, and because Waititi did not want to detract from Goldblum's personality by concealing his appearance. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie: A tough, hard-drinking Asgardian warrior, based on the mythological being Brynhildr, who has formed a business relationship with Grandmaster while hiding out on Sakaar. About Valkyrie's inclusion in the film, producer Kevin Feige said, "[Thor's] relationship with Jane [Foster] may have evolved in unexpected ways in between The Dark World and Ragnarok and we wanted to pit him against a character who was much more his equal and in many ways his superior." Feige also stated that Valkyrie has spurned her Asgardian heritage elaborating, "Thor thinks maybe that will create a bond between them and, on the contrary, she wants to forget it all entirely." Waititi stated that Thompson's casting was not just about creating diversity explaining, "I'm not obsessed with the idea that you have to cast someone just to tick a box... You should cast people because they're talented. [With Valkyrie] I wanted to make sure we weren't making a female character that was boring and pretty. What I wanted was someone who was going to play the opposite and be even more of the 'guy' character than the guys." Regarding Valkyrie's wardrobe, Thompson said, "she's such a bad ass that she doesn't need a lot of metal to protect her. I'm essentially in leather." Thompson stated that she was inspired by pictures of Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day while training for the role. Thompson will also appear in future Marvel films. Karl Urban as Skurge: An Asgardian warrior. Urban shaved his head and worked out for the role, though he noted that "you won't actually see my body in this movie under the costume that I have, but it's important for me to get into the zone and feel [the part]." Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk: A genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or agitated and becomes a successful and popular gladiator on Sakaar. Ruffalo, who said he is always excited to keep returning to the role as he sees "a lot of space for it to grow", hoped the film would explore the relationship between Banner and the Hulk, potentially with the two in a scene together. Regarding the relationship between Banner and Thor, Ruffalo said, "There's a little bit of Midnight Run, with [Charles] Grodin and [Robert] De Niro. I feel like that's kind of where we're heading with this relationship between Thor and Banner." Describing the character, Ruffalo stated, "He's much more of a character than the green rage machine you've seen in the Avengers movies. He's got a swagger. He's like a god." Waititi said there was "a big conversation" regarding how verbal and conscious the Hulk would be compared to previous MCU films. Waititi added that the decision was a "larger group decision, rather than anything to do with just me or the writer" since it was taking into account future appearances for the character. Anthony Hopkins as Odin: The king of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the deity of the same name. Additionally, Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as Stephen Strange from the film Doctor Strange, and Sam Neill is cast in an undisclosed role. Waititi also appears in the film as Korg, through motion-capture. Waititi stated that Korg would be one of Thor's friends on Sakaar and noted, "We wanted to change the idea of what a hulking guy made of rocks could be. He's huge and heavy, but with a light soul. We wanted to make him funny and a relatable entry point into this world. And Thor needs friends." |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Two years after the battle of Sokovia, Thor is imprisoned by the fire demon Surtur in Muspelheim. Surtur reveals that Thor's father Odin is no longer on Asgard, and that the realm will soon be destroyed in the prophesied Ragnarok, once Surtur unites his crown with the Eternal Flame that burns in Odin's vault. Thor defeats Surtur and takes his crown, believing he has prevented Ragnarok. Thor returns to Asgard to find his brother Loki posing as Odin. Thor forces Loki to help him find their father, and with directions from Stephen Strange on Earth, they locate Odin in Norway. Odin explains that he is dying, and that his passing will allow his firstborn child, Hela, to escape from a prison she was sealed in long ago. Hela was the leader of Asgard's armies, conquering the Nine Realms with Odin, but Odin imprisoned her and wrote her out of history after he feared that she had become too ambitious. When Odin dies, Hela appears and destroys Thor's hammer Mjolnir. She pursues Thor and Loki as they attempt to flee through the Bifrost Bridge, forcing them out into space. Hela arrives in Asgard, defeating its army and killing the Warriors Three. She then resurrects the ancient dead who once fought with her, including her giant wolf Fenris, and appoints the Asgardian Skurge as her executioner. Hela plans to use the Bifrost to expand Asgard's empire, but Heimdall takes the sword that controls the Bridge and begins hiding other Asgardians. Thor crash-lands on Sakaar, a garbage planet surrounded by wormholes. A slave trader designated Scrapper 142 subdues him with an obedience disk and sells him as a gladiator to Sakaar's ruler, the Grandmaster, with whom Loki has already ingratiated himself. Thor recognizes 142 as one of the Valkyrior, a legendary force of female warriors who were killed fighting Hela long ago. Thor is forced to compete in the Grandmaster's Contest of Champions, facing his old friend Hulk. Summoning lightning, Thor gets the upper hand on Hulk, but the Grandmaster sabotages the fight to ensure Hulk's victory. Still enslaved, Thor attempts to convince Hulk and 142 to help him save Asgard, but neither is willing. He soon manages to escape the palace and finds the Quinjet that brought Hulk to Sakaar. Hulk follows Thor to the Quinjet, where a recording of Natasha Romanoff makes him transform back into Bruce Banner for the first time since Sokovia. The Grandmaster orders 142 and Loki to find Thor and Hulk, but the pair come to blows and Loki forces her to relive the deaths of her fellow Valkyrior at the hands of Hela. Deciding to help Thor, she takes Loki captive. Unwilling to be left behind, Loki provides the group with the means to steal one of the Grandmaster's ships. They then liberate the other gladiators who, led by Korg and Miek, stage a revolution. Loki attempts to again betray his brother to the Grandmaster, but Thor anticipating this, leaves him behind, where Korg and the gladiators soon find him. Thor, Banner, and 142 escape through a wormhole to Asgard, where Hela's forces are attacking Heimdall and the rescued Asgardians for the sword that controls the Bifrost. Banner becomes Hulk again, defeating Fenris, while Thor and 142 battle Hela and her warriors. Loki and the gladiators arrive to rescue the citizens. A repentant Skurge sacrifices himself to enable their escape. Thor, facing Hela, loses his right eye and then has a vision of Odin that helps him realize only Ragnarok can stop her. He sends Loki to retrieve Surtur's crown and place it in the Eternal Flame. Surtur is reborn and destroys Asgard, seemingly killing Hela. Aboard Grandmaster's spaceship, Thor, now king, decides to take his people to Earth. In a mid-credits scene, they are intercepted by a large spacecraft. In a post-credits scene, the Grandmaster is confronted by his former subjects. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2022. “Thor - Love and Thunder” | July 8, 2022 |
| STARRING: |
| Chris Hemsworth as Thor: An Avenger and the former king of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Director Taika Waititi said that Thor is going through a midlife crisis in the film, as he is "just trying to figure out his purpose, trying to figure out exactly who he is and why he's a hero or whether he should be a hero". Hemsworth's twin sons Sasha and Tristan portray Thor as a child. Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher: A scarred wielder of the Necrosword and manipulator of shadows who seeks the extinction of the gods. Waititi described Gorr as being "very formidable" and layered. Bale felt the character had a "sort of a Nosferatu slight attitude", and took inspiration from the music video for the Aphex Twin song "Come to Daddy" (1997). Waititi opted to change Gorr's facial features in the film since his original look in the comics resembles Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter film series. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie: The king of New Asgard, based on the mythological being Brynhildr. Thompson and producer Kevin Feige said the character's bisexuality would be addressed in the film. Waititi said Valkyrie had to adjust to the bureaucratic aspects of ruling, away from the battlefield, such as dealing with the infrastructure and economy of New Asgard and hosting delegates from other countries. Jaimie Alexander as Sif: An Asgardian warrior and Thor's childhood friend, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Taika Waititi as Korg: A Kronan gladiator who befriended Thor. Waititi also voices the Kronan god Ninny of the Nonny. Russell Crowe as Zeus: The king of the Olympians, based on the Greek mythological deity of the same name. Crowe wanted to perform the role in a Greek accent, but Waititi thought it would sound "too silly", so he had Crowe do takes in both a Greek and British accent. Waititi finally concluded that Crowe was correct and used the Greek accent in the final film. Natalie Portman as Jane Foster / Mighty Thor: An astrophysicist and Thor's ex-girlfriend who is undergoing cancer treatment and who gains powers to become the Mighty Thor by wielding a reconstructed Mjolnir, the hammer previously wielded by Thor. Portman, who did not appear in the previous film Thor: Ragnarok (2017), agreed to return after a meeting with Waititi, who said Foster's return to Thor's life after eight years would be a big adjustment for him since she has had another life without him. Waititi added that Foster showing up dressed like Thor would be a "real mindfuck" for him. Additionally, the Guardians of the Galaxy are featured in the film, with Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, reprising their respective MCU roles as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Nebula, Drax the Destroyer, Mantis, Kraglin Obfonteri, Groot and Rocket. Matt Damon, Sam Neill, and Luke Hemsworth reprise their roles as Asgardian actors respectively playing Loki, Odin, and Thor from Ragnarok, with Melissa McCarthy joining them as an Asgardian actress playing Hela, and McCarthy's husband Ben Falcone as the stage manager. Miek, who previously appeared in Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame (2019) via CGI, is voiced by Stephen Murdoch, while Carly Rees provides the motion capture performance for the character. Also returning from previous Thor films are Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgård as Foster's colleagues Darcy Lewis and Erik Selvig, respectively, and Idris Elba as Heimdall in the post-credits scene. Daley Pearson reprises his role from Marvel Studios' Team Thor short film series as Darryl Jacobson, working as a tour guide in New Asgard. Archive footage from previous MCU films of Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Rene Russo as Frigga, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, and Zachary Levi as Fandral is featured at the beginning of the film. Chanique Greyling portrays a young Frigga during a flashback sequence. Deities introduced in the film include Simon Russell Beale as the Olympian god Dionysus, Jonathan Brugh (who appeared in Waititi's 2014 film What We Do in the Shadows) as Rapu, a god from Gorr's home planet who becomes his first victim, Akosia Sabet as Bast, a goddess who is a member of both the Heliopolitan and Wakandan pantheons, Kuni Hashimoto as the Japanese god Jademurai, and Carmen Foon as the Roman goddess Minerva. Also appearing in the film are Kieron L. Dyer as Axl, Heimdall's son, Chris Hemsworth's daughter India as Love, Gorr's daughter, and Stephen Curry as Yakan, the ruler of the planet Indigarr. Cameos in the film include Bale, Portman, and Waititi's children as New Asgard children, Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky as the wolf woman who was one of Thor's past lovers, Indiana Evans as one of the Zeusettes, Jenny Morris as a New Asgard citizen, Chloè Gouneau as Foster's mother Elaine in a flashback sequence, Dave Cory as Dwayne, a Kronan who becomes Korg's partner in a romantic relationship, and Brett Goldstein as Zeus' son Hercules in the mid-credits scene. Jeff Goldblum and Peter Dinklage were both originally set to reprise their respective roles as Grandmaster from previous MCU media and Eitri from Avengers: Infinity War (2018), but their scenes were cut from the theatrical release. Lena Headey was also set to appear in the film, but her scenes were cut as well. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Gorr and his daughter, Love, the last of their race, struggle in a barren desert. Despite their prayers to their god, Rapu, Love dies. The god-killing Necrosword calls to Gorr, leading him to Rapu's lush realm. After Rapu cruelly mocks and dismisses Gorr's plight, he renounces the god, causing Rapu to strangle him. The Necrosword offers itself to Gorr, who kills Rapu with it and vows to kill all gods. Gorr is granted the ability to manipulate shadows and produce monsters but is cursed with impending death and corruption under the sword's influence. After Gorr kills several gods, Thor, who has joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, learns of a distress signal from Sif. He parts ways with the team and finds an injured Sif, who warns that Gorr's next target is New Asgard. Meanwhile, Dr. Jane Foster, Thor's ex-girlfriend, has been diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer. With medical treatment proving ineffective, she travels to New Asgard hoping that Thor's hammer Mjolnir, which was previously fractured by Hela, might heal her. Due to an enchantment Thor unknowingly placed on it years earlier to protect Foster, Mjolnir reforges and bonds itself to her. Thor arrives in New Asgard just as Gorr's attack begins. Thor is surprised to find Foster wielding Mjolnir, but teams up with her, Valkyrie, and Korg to fight Gorr. The group thwarts Gorr, but he escapes, kidnapping several Asgardian children and imprisoning them in the Shadow Realm. The group travels to Omnipotence City to warn the other gods and ask for their help in creating an army. The leader of the gods, Zeus, fears Gorr and is unwilling to help, thinking they can remain safe and hidden from Gorr in the City. Zeus orders the group's capture to prevent them from exposing the City's location to Gorr. When Zeus injures Korg, Thor impales Zeus with his thunderbolt which Valkyrie steals before they escape to confront Gorr in the Shadow Realm. On the way, Thor learns of Foster's cancer diagnosis, and the two rekindle their relationship. The group arrives at the Shadow Realm but is unable to locate the children. Foster sees ancient drawings that depict Thor's battle-axe Stormbreaker as a way to summon the Bifrost to enter the realm of Eternity and deduces the trap laid out by Gorr. She throws away Stormbreaker to prevent Gorr from accessing it. However, Gorr overpowers the group and threatens to kill Foster, forcing Thor to summon it back. Gorr successfully steals Stormbreaker and injures Valkyrie before a weakened Foster collapses. Upon traveling back to New Asgard, Thor discovers that Foster's Thor form is not allowing her body to naturally fight cancer. Due to this, Thor travels to Eternity's altar alone, and using Zeus's thunderbolt, imbues the children with his power to fight Gorr's monsters while he battles Gorr. When Foster senses that Gorr is about to kill Thor, she joins the battle with Mjolnir to save him. They destroy the Necrosword, freeing Gorr from its influence, but the three are brought into Eternity's realm. With Gorr poised to make his wish, Thor implores Gorr to revive his daughter instead of destroying the gods. Thor then leaves Gorr to make his decision and attends to Foster, who succumbs to her illness and dies in his arms. Moved by their display, Gorr wishes for Eternity to revive Love, which it grants. As Gorr dies from the curse, he requests Thor to take care of Love. In the aftermath, the children return to New Asgard, where Valkyrie and Sif begin training them, and a monument in honor of Foster is built. Thor adopts Love, who joins him in his heroics, with the former wielding Mjolnir and the latter wielding Stormbreaker. In a mid-credits scene, back in Omnipotence City, a recuperating Zeus sends his son Hercules to kill Thor. In a post-credits scene, Foster arrives at the gates of Valhalla, where a revived Heimdall welcomes her. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2018. “Venom” | 4 October 2018 |
| STARRING: |
| •Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock / Venom: An investigative journalist who becomes the host of an alien symbiote, Venom, that imbues him with super-human abilities. Director Ruben Fleischer said that unlike a werewolf or Jekyll and Hyde, the relationship between Brock and the symbiote is a "hybrid", with the two characters sharing a body and working together. Hardy was drawn to this duality, and compared the pair to the animated characters Ren and Stimpy. Hardy gave Brock an "aw-shucks American accent" while using a "James Brown lounge lizard"-like voice for Venom, that was later "modulated to sound more sinister". Hardy called Brock an antihero who would "do whatever he has to" to accomplish a goal. •Michelle Williams as Anne Weying: A district attorney and Eddie's ex-fiancee. Williams was excited at the prospect of her character becoming She-Venom in the future as she does in the comics, and Fleischer felt that it would be fun to give fans an Easter egg of this by briefly showing the character host the symbiote during a scene in the film. This was kept a secret until the release of the film, and Flesicher hoped that the positive response to the appearance would lead to more She-Venom in future Venom films or even a standalone She-Venom film. •Riz Ahmed as Carlton Drake / Riot: A genius inventor and leader of the Life Foundation experimenting on the symbiotes. Ahmed explained that Drake is trying to save the future of humanity when he discovers the symbiote, with Fleischer adding that Drake has a positive goal but a "moral ambiguity" that leads to him testing his science on other people. Drake is eventually bonded to another symbiote known as Riot, which Fleischer described as "a body-hopper". •Scott Haze as Roland Treece: Drake's head of security. Reid Scott as Dan Lewis: Anne's new boyfriend, a doctor who tries to help Eddie. Additionally, Jenny Slate portrays Life Foundation scientist Dora Skirth, Melora Walters portrays Maria, a homeless woman, and Chris O'Hara appears as astronaut John Jameson. Sam Medina portrays a thug that Venom menacingly confronts. Sope Aluko, Scott Deckert, Marcella Bragio, Michelle Lee, Mac Brandt, Christian Convery and Ron Cephas Jones also appear. Woody Harrelson appears in the film's mid-credits scene as Cletus Kasady, while Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance as a dog-walker who talks to Brock. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| While exploring space for new habitable worlds, a probe belonging to the bio-engineering corporation Life Foundation discovers a comet covered in symbiotic lifeforms. The probe returns to Earth with four samples, but one escapes and causes the ship to crash in Malaysia. The Life Foundation recovers the other three and transports them to their research facility in San Francisco, where they discover that the symbiotes cannot survive without oxygen-breathing hosts, which often fatally reject the symbiosis. Investigative journalist Eddie Brock reads about these human trials in a classified document in the possession of his fiancee Anne Weying, an attorney preparing a lawsuit defense for the Life Foundation. Brock confronts Life Foundation CEO Carlton Drake about the trials, leading to both Brock and Weying losing their jobs. Consequently, Weying ends their relationship. Six months later, Drake's symbiosis trials are closer to success, though one of his symbiotes dies due to carelessness. Brock is approached by Dora Skirth, one of Drake's scientists who disagrees with his methods and wants to expose him. She helps Brock break into the research facility to search for evidence, and he learns that an acquaintance of his, a homeless woman named Maria, is one of the test subjects. Brock attempts to rescue Maria, but the symbiote possessing her transfers to his body without him realizing, leaving her dead. Brock escapes and soon begins displaying strange symptoms. He reaches out to Weying for help, and her new boyfriend, Dr. Dan Lewis, discovers the symbiote on examining Brock. Drake exposes Skirth to the remaining captive symbiote, which ultimately dies. This leaves the symbiote inside Brock as the only known surviving specimen. Drake sends mercenaries to retrieve the symbiote from Brock, but it manifests around his body as a monstrous creature that fights off the attackers. It later introduces itself to Brock as Venom, and explains that the comet is searching for planets where the symbiotes can possess and devour the inhabitants. Venom offers to spare Brock if he helps the symbiotes achieve their goal, and Brock comes to enjoy the superhuman attributes that the symbiote imbues him with. Brock breaks into his old workplace to turn in evidence of Drake's crimes, but is surrounded by SWAT officers and is forced to transform to escape. Weying witnesses this transformation and takes Brock back to Lewis's office, where they explain that the symbiote is slowly rotting Brock's internal organs. Brock notes that the symbiote has two weaknesses: high-pitched noises and fire. Although Venom claims that the organ damage can be prevented, Weying uses an MRI machine to help Brock separate from the symbiote. Brock is then captured by Drake's men. Meanwhile, the fourth symbiote, Riot, makes its way from Malaysia to San Francisco by hopping from body to body. It bonds with Drake, who agrees to take Riot in a Life Foundation space probe to collect the rest of the symbiotes and bring them to Earth. Weying reluctantly bonds with Venom so they can free Brock. When Brock and Venom are bonded again, the latter states that he has been convinced to help protect the Earth from his kind through his interactions with Brock, and the pair attempt to stop Riot and Drake with Weying's help. Venom damages the probe as it takes off, causing it to explode and kill both Riot and Drake. Weying believes Brock is no longer bonded to Venom after this, and that Venom also died in the explosion. However, the pair remain secretly bonded and set out to protect San Francisco by killing criminals. Brock also returns to journalism, and in a mid-credits scene he is invited to interview incarcerated serial killer Cletus Kasady, who promises "carnage" when he escapes. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 2021. “Venom - Let There Be Carnage” | 1 October 2021 |
| STARRING: |
|
•Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom: An investigative journalist who is the host of an alien symbiote, Venom, that imbues him with superhuman abilities. Director Andy Serkis described Brock and Venom's relationship as being in the "Odd Couple stage" in the film, with Venom trapped in Brock's body and just wanting to be the "Lethal Protector" which distracts Brock from work and putting his life back together. •Michelle Williams as Anne Weying: A defense attorney and Brock's ex-fiancée. •Naomie Harris as Frances Barrison / Shriek: Kasady's love interest who can create sonic screams. Serkis described her as a damaged soul who has been living in isolation and has a dark side to her. Olumide Olorunfemi portrays a young Frances Barrison. •Reid Scott as Dan Lewis: A doctor and Weying's fiancé. •Stephen Graham as Patrick Mulligan: A detective hoping to use Brock to find the remains of Kasady's murder victims. Sean Delaney portrays a young Patrick Mulligan. •Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady and Carnage: A psychotic serial killer who becomes the host of Venom's spawn, Carnage. While in prison, Kasady refuses to talk with anyone besides Brock, who he considers to be a kindred spirit. Kasady looks different compared to his appearance in the mid-credits scene of Venom, which Serkis said indicates the passage of time between films; the character's hair was changed for the sequel so it would not be distracting to the audience. Harrelson was initially reluctant to provide the voice for Carnage and wanted Serkis to perform it instead, but Serkis encouraged him to find the right tone for the character. Jack Bandeira portrays a young Cletus Kasady. Additionally, Peggy Lu reprises her role from the first film as convenience store owner Mrs. Chen, Sian Webber portrays Ravencroft doctor Camille Pazzo, and Larry Olubamiwo appears as a Ravencroft guard. Footage of Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man and J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) appears in the mid-credits scene, with both actors uncredited. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1996, a young Cletus Kasady watches helplessly as his love, Frances Barrison is taken away from St. Estes Home for Unwanted Children to the Ravencroft Institute. On the way, Barrison uses her sonic scream powers to attack young police officer Patrick Mulligan. Mulligan shoots Barrison in the eye and suffers an injury to his ear due to her scream. Unbeknownst to Mulligan, who believes he killed her, Barrison is still taken to Ravencroft where her abilities are restricted. In the present day, Mulligan is now a detective and asks journalist Eddie Brock to speak to serial killer Kasady in San Quentin State Prison, as Kasady refuses to talk to anyone other than Brock. After the visit, Brock's alien symbiote Venom deduces where Kasady has hidden the bodies of his victims which gives Brock a huge career boost. Brock is then contacted by his ex-fiancée Anne Weying, who tells him that she is now engaged to Dr. Dan Lewis, much to Venom's displeasure. Kasady, who was found guilty of his crimes and earlier sentenced to death by lethal injection, invites Brock to attend his execution. Brock speaks to Kasady again and the latter insults Brock, provoking Venom to attack Kasady. Kasady bites Brock's hand and ingests a small part of the symbiote. Back at their home, Venom has an argument with Brock about wanting to have more freedom to eat criminals, and the symbiote decides to leave Brock's body and go off on its own. As Kasady's execution begins, a red symbiote emerges and blocks the injection. Named Carnage, it goes on a violent rampage through the prison, freeing inmates and killing guards. Carnage agrees to help Kasady break Barrison out of Ravencroft in exchange for Kasady's help eliminating Brock and Venom. Mulligan visits Brock at home and warns him about the situation. At Ravencroft, Kasady frees Barrison and they travel to the St. Estes children's home to burn it down. Mulligan grows suspicious of Brock and arrests him. Brock contacts Weying as his lawyer and reveals that Venom has separated from him. As Venom makes his way through San Francisco by hopping from body to body, Weying finds him bonded to Mrs. Chen and convinces him to forgive Brock. Venom reunites with Brock and they escape custody. Kasady takes Mulligan hostage and Barrison captures Weying, taking them both to a cathedral where Kasady and Barrison plan to get married. Brock and Venom arrive to fight Carnage while Barrison seemingly kills Mulligan by hanging him with a chain. Venom is overpowered by Carnage, but provokes Barrison into using her powers to separate Carnage and Kasady. Venom devours Carnage and kills Kasady while Barrison is crushed by the collapsing cathedral. Later, an alive Mulligan's eyes flash blue. Brock and Venom, now fugitives, decide to take a vacation while they ponder their next steps. As Venom tells Brock about the symbiotes' knowledge of other universes, a blinding light transports them from their hotel room to another room where they watch J. Jonah Jameson talking about Spider-Man's revealed identity as Peter Parker on television. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 01. “X-Men Origins - Wolverine” | May 1, 2009 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine: A Canadian mutant and future X-Men member and often referred as Jimmy by Victor Creed. Jackman, who played Wolverine in the previous films, has also become producer of the film via his company Seed Productions, and earned $25 million for the film. Jackman underwent a high intensity weight training regimen to improve his physique for the role. He altered the program to shock his body into change and also performed cardiovascular workouts. Jackman noted no digital touches were applied to his physique in a shot of him rising from the tank within which Wolverine has his bones infused with adamantium. Troye Sivan as young James Howlett: Casting directors cast Sivan as the young Wolverine after seeing him sing at the Channel Seven Perth Telethon, and he was accepted after sending in an audition tape. Kodi Smit-McPhee was originally cast in the role, when filming was originally beginning in December 2007, but he opted out to film The Road.[8] Smit-McPhee was later cast as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler in the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse. Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed: Logan's mutant half-brother and fellow soldier, who would later become his nemesis Sabretooth. Jackman and Hood compared Wolverine and Sabretooth's relationship to the Borg-McEnroe rivalry in the world of tennis: they are enemies but they can't live without each other. Sabretooth represents the pure animal and embodies the darker side of Wolverine's character, the aspect Wolverine hates about himself. These characters are two sides to the same coin. Tyler Mane, who played him in X-Men, had hoped to reprise the role. Jackman worked with Schreiber before, in the 2001 romantic comedy Kate & Leopold and described him as having a competitive streak necessary to portray Sabretooth. They egged each other on on set to perform more and more stunts. Schreiber put on 40 lb (18 kg) of muscle for the part, and described Sabretooth as the most monstrous role he ever played. As a child, he loved the Wolverine comics because of their unique "urban sensibility". Schreiber had studied to be a fight choreographer and wanted to be a dancer like Jackman, so he enjoyed working out their fight scenes. Michael James Olsen as young Victor Creed Danny Huston as Major William Stryker: Huston was originally in negotiations for the part, while Brian Cox, who played the character in X2, wanted to reprise the role. He believed computer-generated imagery, similar to the program applied to Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in the opening flashback of X-Men: The Last Stand, would allow him to appear as the younger Stryker. Huston liked the complex Stryker, who "both loves and hates mutants because his son was a mutant and drove his wife to suicide. So he understands what they're going through, but despises their destructive force." He compared the character to a racehorse breeder, who rears his mutant experiments like children but abandons them when something goes wrong. His son is shown to be frozen at the Weapon X facility and the reason Stryker starts the Weapon XI program. will.i.am as John Wraith: A teleporting mutant. It is will.i.am's major live-action film debut. Although he initially did not get on with the casting director, he got the role because he wanted to play a mutant with the same power as Nightcrawler. He enrolled in boot camp to get into shape for the part. When filming a fight, he scarred his knuckles after accidentally punching and breaking the camera. Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox: Wolverine's native-American (Blackfoot/Niitsitapi) mutant love interest and pawn of Stryker. She has the powers of tactile telepathy and hypnosis which allows her to control or convince others to do the things she wants them to by physical touch. However, Victor is immune to telepathy. Describing her role, Collins said "I had to play off all the guys and their testosterone-heavy abilities. But I learned that the female powers of persuasion easily trump fangs and knives and guns." Michelle Monaghan turned down the role because of scheduling conflicts, despite her enthusiasm to work with Jackman. Kevin Durand as Fred J. Dukes / The Blob: A mutant with a nearly indestructible layer of skin. In the film's early sequences, he is a formidable fighting man, but years later, due to a poor diet, has gained an enormous amount of weight. A fan of the X-Men movies, Durand contacted the producers for a role as soon as news of a new film came out. The suit went through six months of modifications, and had a tubing system inside to cool Durand down with ice water. Dominic Monaghan as Chris Bradley: A mutant who can manipulate electricity and electronic objects. It was originally reported that Monaghan was going to play Barnell Bohusk / Beak. Taylor Kitsch as Remy LeBeau / Gambit: A Cajun mutant thief who has the ability to convert the potential energy of any object he touches into kinetic energy, forcing it to explode. The size of the object determines the magnitude of the resulting explosion. He is also skilled in the use of a staff, and happens to be very agile. Due to the nature of his power, he displays supernatural durability, being able to take Wolverine's elbow to his face and return to fight moments later. When asked about his thoughts on the character, Kitsch had said, "I knew of him, but I didn't know the following he had. I'm sure I'm still going to be exposed to that. I love the character, I love the powers, and I love what they did with him. I didn't know that much, but in my experience, it was a blessing to go in and create my take on him. I'm excited for it, to say the least." Daniel Henney as Agent Zero: A mutant member of the Weapon X program and a superhumanly accurate mercenary with expert tracking abilities and lethal sniper skills. An X-Men fan, Henney liked the role of a villain because "there are no restrictions playing it, allowing you freely to express it, so you can act how you want to". He described the film as more realistic and cruder than the X-Men trilogy. Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson: A wisecracking mercenary with lethal swordsmanship skill and athleticism, who later becomes Deadpool. Reynolds had been interested in playing the character in his own film since 2003. Originally, Reynolds was only going to cameo as Wilson but the role grew after he was cast. Reynolds did sword-training for the character, and also worked out to get his physique comparable to Jackman's. Scott Adkins as Weapon XI / Deadpool: Weapon XI is a genetically altered mutant killer. He has powers taken from other mutants killed or kidnapped in the film, as well as retractable blades in his arms. He is referred to by Stryker as "the pool, the mutant killer: Deadpool" because the compatible powers of the other mutants have been 'pooled' together into one being. This interpretation of Deadpool is lacking his traditional red suit and mask, and also includes a mouth sewn shut and the abilities of Cyclops' optic blasts, Wraith's teleportation, and samurai swords that come out of his fists from within his arms, similarly to Wolverine's claws. Ryan Reynolds portrays Weapon XI for close-ups, standing shots, and simple stunts while Scott Adkins is used for the more complicated and dangerous stunt work. Additionally, Tim Pocock portrays a young Scott Summers / Cyclops. Max Cullen and Julia Blake portrayed Travis and Heather Hudson, an elderly couple who take care of Wolverine after his adamantium bonding. The Hudsons are heavily adapted from the comics' James MacDonald and Heather Hudson. Tahyna Tozzi portrays Emma, a mutant with the power to turn her skin into diamond, who in the film is Silverfox's sister. The film depiction of Emma was originally assumed to be Emma Frost. However it was noted that she does not exhibit the character's traditional telepathic abilities. It is later revealed by Bryan Singer that is character is actually not Emma Frost, but instead a mutant with similar abilities. Wolverine's parents also appeared in the film; Aaron Jeffery portrayed Thomas Logan while Alice Parkinson portrayed Elizabeth Howlett. Peter O'Brien appeared as John Howlett, James' alleged father. The film includes numerous cameo appearances of younger versions of characters from the previous films, including Jason Stryker (William Stryker's lobotomized telepathic son whom he keeps in cryogenic suspension). There was a cameo for a young Storm, which can be seen in the trailer, but it was removed from the released film. A digitally rejuvenated Patrick Stewart also makes an uncredited cameo as a younger Charles Xavier who appeared to not yet lose the use of his legs.[34] However, with timeline and story inconsistencies within the film series, Singer developed an idea to tie all the films together and fix the continuity. In X-Men: First Class Xavier loses the use of his legs at a much younger age, than he appears in Origins. As an explanation, Xavier can be seen walking in X-Men: Days of Future Past (which chronologically takes place prior to the events of this film), by creating the illusion that he is standing in various scenes, when in reality the character is only present by telepathic projection. Asher Keddie played Dr. Carol Frost. Poker player Daniel Negreanu has a cameo. Phil Hellmuth wanted to join him but was unable because he committed to an event in Toronto. X-Men co-creator Stan Lee said he would cameo, but Lee ended up not appearing in the film as he could not attend filming in Australia. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1845, James Howlett, a boy living in Canada, witnesses his father being killed by groundskeeper Thomas Logan. The trauma activates the boy's mutation: bone claws protrude from his knuckles, and he impales Thomas, who reveals that he is James' real father before dying. James flees along with Thomas' son Victor Creed, who is thus James's half-brother and has a healing factor mutation like James. They spend the next century as soldiers, fighting in the American Civil War, both World Wars, and the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, the increasingly violent Victor attempts to rape a Vietnamese woman, and kills a senior officer who tries to stop him. James defends Victor and the two are sentenced to execution by firing squad, which they survive. Major William Stryker approaches them in military custody, and offers them membership in Team X, a group of mutants including Agent Zero, Wade Wilson, John Wraith, Fred Dukes, and Chris Bradley. They join the team for a few years, with James now using the alias Logan, but the group's (especially Victor's) disregard for human life causes James to leave. Six years later, Logan is working as a lumberjack in Canada, where he lives with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox. Stryker and Zero approach Logan at work. Stryker reports that Wade and Bradley have been killed, and he thinks someone is targeting the team's members. Logan refuses to rejoin Stryker, but after finding Kayla's bloodied body in the woods, Logan realizes Victor is responsible. He finds him at a local bar, but Logan loses the subsequent fight. Afterward, Stryker explains that Victor has gone rogue, and offers Logan a way to become strong enough to get his revenge. Logan undergoes a painful operation to reinforce his skeleton with adamantium, a virtually indestructible metal. Once the procedure is complete, Stryker attempts to betray Logan by ordering that his memory be erased, but Logan overhears this and escapes to a nearby farm, where an elderly couple take him in. Zero kills them the following morning and tries to kill Logan. Logan takes down Zero's helicopter, killing him, and swears to kill both Stryker and Victor. Logan locates John and Fred at a boxing club. Fred explains that Victor is still working for Stryker, hunting down mutants for Stryker to experiment on at his new laboratory, located at a place called "The Island". Fred mentions Remy "Gambit" LeBeau, the only one who escaped from the island and therefore knows its location. John and Logan find LeBeau in New Orleans, then both fight Victor, who kills John and extracts his DNA. Agreeing to help release mutants that Stryker has captured, Gambit takes Logan to Stryker's facility on Three Mile Island. Logan learns that Kayla is alive, having been coerced by Stryker into keeping tabs on him in exchange for her sister's safety. However, Stryker refuses to release her sister and denies Victor the adamantium bonding promised for his service, claiming that test results revealed Victor would not survive the operation. Stryker activates Wade, now known as Weapon XI, a "mutant killer" with the powers of multiple mutants, whom he refers to as the "Deadpool". While Logan and Victor join forces to fight Weapon XI, Kayla is mortally wounded leading the Island's captive mutants - including a teenager named Scott Summers - to safety. The mutants are subsequently rescued by Professor Charles Xavier. Logan decapitates Weapon XI, destroying one of the cooling towers in the process. Stryker arrives and shoots Logan in the head with adamantium bullets, rendering him unconscious. Before Stryker can shoot Kayla, she grabs him and uses her mutant power to persuade him to turn around and walk away until his feet bleed. Logan regains consciousness but has lost his memory. He sees Kayla's body, but does not recognize her, and leaves the island. In a mid-credits scene, Stryker is detained for questioning by some MPs in connection with the death of his superior, General Munson, whom Stryker did in fact kill after Munson declared his intention to shut down Stryker's project. In one of two post-credits scenes, that were shown at different screenings, Logan tells a Japanese barmaid he is "drinking to remember". In the other, Deadpool is shown to still be alive (the latter one is attached to the film's home video releases). |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 02. “X-Men - First Class” | June 3, 2011 |
| STARRING: |
| James McAvoy as Charles Xavier / Professor X: The telepathic mutant leader and founder of the X-Men. He is a close friend of Erik Lehnsherr until their differing views of mutantkind's place in humanity create a schism between them. McAvoy was Vaughn's top choice for Xavier, and, after being cast, auditioned with every actor considered for Magneto to test the duo's chemistry. McAvoy said he did not read comic books as a child, but added that he was a fan of the X-Men cartoons from the age of 10. While he describes the older Charles Xavier as "a monk... a selfless, egoless almost sexless force for the betterment of humanity and mortality", he says that the younger Xavier is a very different person. "It's quite fun because the complete opposite of that is an ego-fueled, sexed up self-serving dude. And not going too far with it, but he's definitely got an ego and he's definitely got a sex drive as well." McAvoy admitted to feeling similarities between Xavier/Magneto and Martin Luther King Jr./Malcolm X stating that the film was "sort of like meeting them at a point where they are still finding out who they are and you are still seeing some of the events that shaped them." McAvoy avoided doing any callbacks to Patrick Stewart's performance as Xavier as Vaughn told him and Michael Fassbender to only take the allusion to Xavier and Magneto's old friendship in the other movies as inspiration. Vaughn stated that since he considered that Professor X was "a bit of a pious, sanctimonious boring character, and he's got too much fucking power", the script would make young Xavier more interesting by "making him more of a rogue" who would become more responsible as his mission of finding more mutants went on. Laurence Belcher as 12-year-old Charles Xavier. Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto: A mutant capable of manipulating and generating electromagnetic fields. He becomes Xavier's friend and ally until their philosophical differences create a schism between them. Fassbender had auditioned for an earlier Matthew Vaughn project, and the director had remembered him and sent Fassbender the X-Men script. Though Fassbender knew little of the superhero team, he became interested in the part after reading the script and familiarizing himself with Magneto in the comic books. Fassbender, who saw Lehnsherr as a Machiavellian character who is neither good nor evil, watched Sir Ian McKellen's performances to get the flavor of Magneto, but ultimately chose to "paint a new canvas" with the character, "just going my own way and working with whatever is in the comic books and the script." Vaughn said Lehnsherr "is straight up cool; he's Han Solo while Professor X is Obi-Wan Kenobi". Bill Milner as 14-year-old Erik Lehnsherr. Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert: A CIA agent who befriends Xavier and Lehnsherr. Byrne said she was unfamiliar with both the comics and the film series, except for "what a juggernaut of a film it was". The actress was cast late into production, which had already begun by the time she was picked for the role. MacTaggert was described by Byrne as "a woman in a man's world, she's very feisty and ambitious - you know, she's got a toughness about her which I liked". Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkholme / Mystique: A shape-shifting mutant who is Charles Xavier's childhood friend and adoptive sister. After the dramatic Winter's Bone, Lawrence sought First Class to do "something a little lighter". Despite having not seen any of the X-Men films, the actress watched them and became a fan, which led her to accept the role as well, as did the prospect of working with Vaughn, McAvoy and Fassbender. Vaughn said Lawrence was picked because "she could pull off the challenging dichotomy that Raven faces as she transforms into Mystique; that vulnerability that shields a powerful inner strength." Lawrence had some reservations about her performance due to Mystique's previous portrayal by Rebecca Romijn, as she considered Romijn to be "the most gorgeous person in the world", and felt their portrayals were very contrasting, feeling hers was "sweet and naive" while Romijn was "sultry and mean". The actress went on a diet and had to work out for two hours daily to keep in shape, and for Mystique's blue form, Lawrence had to undergo an eight-hour make-up process similar to that of Romijn on the other films. The first day with make-up even caused blisters to appear on Lawrence's upper body. Morgan Lily as 9-year-old Raven Darkholme: with the actress wearing a slip-on bodysuit and facial appliances which only took one hour and a half to apply, as subjecting a child actor to the extensive make-up was impractical. Rebecca Romijn as adult Raven Darkholme: a brief uncredited cameo, which Vaughn added as an in-joke - the script has Raven "becom[ing] Brigitte Bardot or Marilyn Monroe, like an older sex icon of those times". Nicholas Hoult as Dr. Hank McCoy / Beast: A genius scientist who has mutant abilities similar to those of the great apes. He attempts to cure himself of what he believes to be physically debilitating aspects of his mutation only to be transformed into a frightening-looking blue-furred apeman with leonine attributes. Despite his new appearance, he is kind and caring at heart. Broadway actor Benjamin Walker was previously cast as Beast, but eventually turned down the role to star in the Broadway musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Hoult was chosen for being "gentle with a capability of being fierce", and admitted to being both an X-Men fan and enthusiastic on both returning to the action genre after 2010's Clash of the Titans and working with the film's cast. The actor had to use makeup that took four hours to apply when Hank becomes the Beast, which include a mask, contact lenses, a furry muscle suit and fake teeth. As Vaughn wanted Beast to look more feral than the version Kelsey Grammer played in X-Men: The Last Stand, the redesign went through various tests, which tried to make Beast not resemble any particular animal but still look like Hoult, as well as with a furry body, which makeup artist Alec Gillis of Amalgamated Dynamics likened to "something akin to a wolf's pelt on his face, his arms-everywhere". The suits employed actual dyed fur from fox pelts. Lucas Till as Alex Summers / Havok: A mutant who has the ability to absorb energy and discharge it as blasts. The producers told Till his audition served for both Havok and Beast, and the actor replied that despite his lifelong dream of playing a superhero, "I know you'll kill me, but if I get Beast, I'm not in the movie. I'm not going through that makeup everyday [sic]." Caleb Landry Jones as Sean Cassidy / Banshee: A mutant capable of emitting incredibly strong ultrasonic screams, sonic blasts, sonic bursts, and sonic waves used in various ways including as a means of flight. Jones auditioned without knowing what X-Men character he was up for, saying he auditioned because it was a superhero that fit his biotype: "I've got red hair and freckles, I'm not gonna be Batman, Robin or Spider-Man". The actor also stated that the script defined the character more than the comics, as Banshee went through various reinventions in print. Given Banshee gets involved with MacTaggert in the comics, Jones also tried to "look at her just a little bit differently, you know, when I can." As Jones suffers from acrophobia, using the rig that was to depict Banshee's flight required much preparation time with the stunt team. Kevin Bacon as Dr. Klaus Schmidt / Sebastian Shaw: A former mutant Nazi scientist and the leader of the Hellfire Club, a secret society bent on taking over the world. He has the power of absorbing and redirecting kinetic and radiated energy. Producer Lauren Shuler Donner said Bacon was considered for Shaw for being an actor who could convey a villain "with different shades, that's not always clear that he's the bad guy". Vaughn added that Bacon "had that bravado that Shaw needed", while stating that the actor was his top choice along with Colin Firth. Bacon accepted the role as he was a fan of Vaughn's Kick-Ass, and liked both the character of Shaw and the script, which he described as "a fresh look at the franchise, but also the comic book movies in general". The actor considered that Shaw was a sociopath to whom "the morality of the world did not apply", with producer Simon Kinberg adding that Bacon portrayed him as "somebody, who in his mind, is the hero of the movie". Bacon also said that, "aside from the kind of evil side, I portrayed him as kind of a Hugh Hefner type". Vaughn discarded Shaw's look from the comics as he felt he would "look like an Austin Powers villain". Jason Flemyng as Azazel: A mutant who has the ability to teleport, and is also a member of the Hellfire Club. Flemyng, who had previously been considered for Beast in The Last Stand, said he did not want more make-up heavy roles after playing Calibos in Clash of the Titans, but made an exception for Azazel as he liked working with Vaughn. Due to the Cold War setting, Flemyng tried to imply that Azazel is Russian to partly explain his pleasure in killing CIA agents. The actor spent eight weeks with fight training, particularly with swords, and had to undergo a four-hour make-up process, which like Mystique was designed by Spectral Motion—but did not include Azazel's tail, which was computer-generated. Shuler Donner considered that the problems with the shade of red on Azazel's skin - "some looked like the Devil, some like a man wearing red paint" - was overcome by adding scars that made him more human, eyes brighter than Flemyng's own, and "a black mane of hair that seemed to tie everything in". Oliver Platt as Man In Black Suit: A CIA agent and head of Division X, a government agency working with the X-Men. Vaughn had considered his friend Dexter Fletcher for the part, but the studio felt the cast had too many British actors, and Fletcher himself declined, to direct Wild Bill. January Jones as Emma Frost An extremely strong mutant telepath who can also change her entire body into hard diamond form which grants her superhuman strength, stamina, psionic immunity, and durability, at the cost of using her telepathic abilities. She is a member of the Hellfire Club. Prior to Jones' casting, Alice Eve was the subject of what Variety called "widespread Internet reports" that Eve "was set to play Emma Frost, although no deal was in place." Jones accepted the role to get something different from her job in the TV series Mad Men. While discovering that like the show First Class was set in the 1960s, the actress considered that: "[Frost]'s so, so far from Betty and from Mad Men, and it takes place in that time but it doesn’t feel like a period movie." The actress described the revealing costumes of the character as "insane," saying, "She's got quite the bod, which is very intimidating". The actress stated that she did only a limited exercise routine to keep in shape, as "I'm a petite person, so I didn't want to go into a strict workout and eating regime." Edi Gathegi as Armando Munoz / Darwin: A mutant with the ability of "reactive evolution." Gathegi became interested in a role in the X-Men films after seeing X2, and had previously auditioned for Agent Zero in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He read for Banshee while auditioning for First Class, and only learned he was playing Darwin a few days prior to the shoot. Gathegi worked out and entered an eating regime to get in shape, and also researched the comics about his character. All of Darwin's transformations—getting gills, turning his skin into concrete—were done through computer graphics, with a computer-generated version of Gathegi that could seamlessly blend in and out of the human form. Zoe Kravitz as Angel Salvadore: A mutant with dragonfly wings which are tattooed on her body and possesses acidic saliva. The make-up team took four hours to apply Angel's wing tattoo on Kravitz, and the visual effects team had to erase the tattoo in case the scene required Angel with the computer-generated wings.[34] To depict flight, Kravitz stood on elevated platforms and was dangled on wires, at times from a helicopter to allow for varied camera angles. Alex Gonzalez as Janos Quested / Riptide: A mutant member of the Hellfire Club, with the ability to create powerful whirlwinds from his hands and body. First Class marks the first English-language film for Gonzalez, who auditioned while taking English classes in London. He enjoyed playing a villain as most of his film roles in Spain were for "good guys", and compared Riptide's respectable and polite personality, which can suddenly be dropped to perform fierce attacks, to a hurricane; in a translation of a Portuguese-language interview, he is quoted as saying, "When I see a hurricane from far, it is calm. The only thing I can see is a kind of tube. But from inside, up close, it is really dangerous." Matt Craven as CIA Director McCone: A director of the CIA. Rade Serbedzija as Russian General A high-ranking Soviet military official during the early 1960s. Glenn Morshower as Colonel Robert Hendry A US Army officer coerced by the Hellfire Club. Other cast members include Annabelle Wallis as Amy, a young woman who has heterochromia; Don Creech as CIA Agent Stryker, father of Major William Stryker (a character who appears in X2, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and X-Men: Apocalypse); Michael Ironside; Ray Wise; James Remar; Brendan Fehr; and Aleksander Krupa also portrayed small roles in this film. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Logan / Wolverine in an uncredited cameo in a bar, dismissing an approach by Xavier and Lehnsherr to join them. Jackman said he accepted the offer to appear because "it sounded perfect to me", particularly for Wolverine being the only character with a swear word. X-Men creator Stan Lee, who appeared in the first and third movie and regularly cameos in other Marvel-based movies, explained that he was unable to participate in First Class because "they shot it too far away". |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1944, in a German concentration camp in occupied Poland, Nazi scientist Dr. Klaus Schmidt witnesses a young Erik Lehnsherr bend a metal gate with his mind when the child is separated from his mother. In his office, Schmidt orders Lehnsherr to move a coin on his desk, and kills the boy's mother when Lehnsherr cannot. In grief and anger, Lehnsherr's magnetic power manifests, killing two guards and destroying the room. Meanwhile, at a mansion in Westchester County, New York, child telepath Charles Xavier meets young shapeshifter Raven, whose natural form is blue-skinned and scaly. Overjoyed to meet someone else "different", he invites her to live with his family as his foster sister. In 1962, Lehnsherr is tracking down Schmidt, while Xavier graduates from the University of Oxford. In Las Vegas, CIA officer Moira MacTaggert follows U.S. Army Colonel Hendry into the Hellfire Club, where she sees Schmidt (now known as Sebastian Shaw), with mutant telepath Emma Frost, cyclone-producing Riptide, and teleporter Azazel. Threatened by Shaw and teleported by Azazel to the Joint War Room, Hendry advocates deployment of nuclear missiles in Turkey. Shaw, an energy-absorbing mutant whose powers have de-aged him, later kills Hendry. MacTaggert, seeking Xavier's advice on mutation, takes him and Raven to the CIA, where they convince Director McCone that mutants exist and Shaw is a threat. Another CIA officer sponsors the mutants and invites them to the secret "Division X" facility. MacTaggert and Xavier find Shaw as Lehnsherr is attacking him, and rescue Lehnsherr from drowning, while Shaw escapes. Xavier brings Lehnsherr to Division X, where they meet young scientist Hank McCoy, a mutant with prehensile feet, who believes Raven's DNA may provide a "cure" for their appearance. Xavier uses McCoy's mutant-locating device Cerebro to seek recruits against Shaw. Xavier and Lehnsherr recruit stripper Angel Salvadore, cabbie Armando Muñoz, Army prisoner Alex Summers, and runaway Sean Cassidy. They all create nicknames, and Raven dubs herself "Mystique". When Frost meets with a Soviet general in the USSR, Xavier and Lehnsherr capture Frost and discover that Shaw intends to start World War III and trigger mutant ascendency. Azazel, Riptide and Shaw attack Division X, killing everyone but the mutants, whom Shaw invites to join him. Salvadore accepts; when Summers and Munoz retaliate, Shaw kills Muñoz. In Moscow, Shaw compels the general to have the USSR install missiles in Cuba. Wearing a helmet that blocks telepathy, Shaw follows the Soviet fleet in a submarine to ensure the missiles break a US blockade. Raven, thinking McCoy likes her in her natural form, tells him not to use the cure. When she later attempts to seduce Lehnsherr by taking the forms of various women, Lehnsherr tells her she is beautiful in her blue mutant form. McCoy uses the cure on himself but it backfires, giving him blue fur and leonine aspects. With McCoy piloting, the mutants and MacTaggert take a jet to the blockade line, where Xavier uses his telepathy to influence a Soviet sailor to destroy the ship carrying the missiles, and Lehnsherr uses his magnetic power to lift Shaw's submarine from the water and deposit it on land. During the ensuing battle, Lehnsherr seizes Shaw's helmet, allowing Xavier to immobilize Shaw. Lehnsherr tells Shaw he shares Shaw's exclusivist view of mutants but, to avenge his mother, kills Shaw - over Xavier's objections - by forcing the Nazi coin from his childhood through Shaw's brain. Fearing the mutants, both fleets fire missiles at them, which Lehnsherr turns back in mid-flight. MacTaggert tries to stop Lehnsherr by shooting him but he deflects the bullets, one of which hits Xavier in the spine. Lehnsherr rushes to help Xavier and, distracted, allows the missiles to fall harmlessly into the ocean. Parting with Xavier over their differing views on the relationship between mutants and humans, Lehnsherr leaves with Salvadore, Azazel, Riptide and Mystique. Later, a wheelchair-bound Xavier and his mutants are at the mansion, where he intends to open a school. MacTaggert promises never to reveal his location and they kiss; later at a CIA debriefing, she says she has no memory of recent events. Elsewhere Lehnsherr, now calling himself "Magneto", frees Frost from confinement. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 03. “X-Men” | July 14, 2000 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine A Canadian mutant who makes a living in cage fights and has lived for fifteen years without memory of who he is, apart from his tags marked "Wolverine" and an adamantium-encased skeleton (as well as adamantium claws). His mutant powers include enhanced, animal-like senses (enabling him to sense other people) and the ability to heal rapidly from numerous injuries, including the surgery that bonded the metal to his skeleton, which makes his age impossible to determine. Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X The mutant founder of the X-Men and the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, who hopes for peaceful coexistence between mutantkind and mankind and is regarded as an authority on genetic mutation. Although restricted to a wheelchair, his mutant powers include vast telepathy, which is amplified by the Cerebro supercomputer that he invented with Magneto's help. Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto A mutant Holocaust survivor who was once friends with Xavier (with whom he helped to build Cerebro), until his belief that humans and mutants could never co-exist led to their separation. His mutant powers include powerful magnetic fields, metal manipulation, and a sophisticated knowledge in matters of genetic manipulation, which he uses to plan a mutation of the world leaders to allow mutant prosperity. Brett Morris as young Erik Lehnsherr Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm A white-haired mutant who teaches at Xavier's school. Although calm and caring, Storm has become bitter with other people's hatred for mutants, and while comforting a dying Senator Kelly, reveals that she sometimes hates humans because she is afraid of them. Her mutant power allows her to control the weather with her mind. James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops A mutant who is Xavier's second-in-command and the X-Men's field leader, as well as an instructor at the Institute. He is engaged to Jean Grey. His powers include a strong red beam of force shooting from his eyes, which is only held in check by sunglasses or a specialized ruby-quartz visor, which also enables him to control the strength of the beam to fire when in combat. Famke Janssen as Dr. Jean Grey: The mutant doctor of the X-Mansion who is Cyclops's fiancee. Her powers include telekinesis and telepathy. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Raven Darkholme / Mystique Magneto's mutant loyal second-in-command, who seems completely facile with respect to modern technology. Her powers include altering her shape, voice and mimicking any human being, which is almost secondary to her role as "the perfect soldier". Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue A mutant seventeen-year-old girl forced to leave her home in Mississippi when she puts her boyfriend into a coma by kissing him. Her powers include absorbing anyone's memories, life force, and in the case of mutants - powers through physical touch. Bruce Davison as Senator Robert Kelly An anti-mutant politician who wishes to ban mutant children from schools using a Mutant Registration Act. He is kidnapped by Magneto in a test of his mutation machine, which causes his body to turn into a liquid-like substance. He dies before Jean could save him. Tyler Mane as Victor Creed / Sabretooth A brutal and sadistic Canadian mutant mercenary and henchman of Magneto. His powers include a ferocious, feline-like nature, enhanced animal-like senses, fangs and healing abilities similar to Wolverine's, and claws extending past each finger. Ray Park as Mortimer Toynbee / Toad A very agile mutant and henchman of Magneto. His powers include a prehensile tongue, a slimy substance that he spits onto others, and enhanced agility. Additionally, Shawn Ashmore appeared in a minor role as Bobby Drake / Iceman, a mutant student at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters who takes a liking to Rogue. His powers include generating ice. David Hayter, Stan Lee, and Tom DeSanto make cameo appearances. George Buza, the voice of Beast in X-Men: The Animated Series, appeared as the truck driver who drops Rogue off at the bar at which Wolverine fights. Other cameo appearances include Sumela Kay as Kitty Pryde, Katrina Florece as Jubilee and Donald MacKinnon as a young Colossus sketching a picture in one scene. Gambit was considered for one of the students at the X-Mansion. Singer remembered, "We thought about Gambit as the young boy on the basketball field, but the feeling was that if he has the basketball and then releases it and it exploded, [then] people would be like 'What's wrong with those basketballs?'" |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1944 German-occupied Poland, young Erik Lehnsherr is separated from his parents upon entering a concentration camp. While trying to reach them, he causes a set of metal gates to bend towards him before being knocked out by guards. Decades later, U.S. Senator Robert Kelly attempts to pass a "Mutant Registration Act" in Congress, which would force mutants to publicly reveal their identities and abilities. Present are the mutants Lehnsherr and the telepathic Professor Charles Xavier. Seeing Lehnsherr in attendance, Xavier becomes concerned with how he will respond to the Registration Act. In Meridian, Mississippi, 17-year-old Marie D'Ancanto accidentally puts her boyfriend into a coma upon kissing him, her mutant ability to absorb the powers and life force of others manifesting. She runs away from home and adopts the name Rogue. In Alberta she meets a mutant named Logan, also known as Wolverine, who possesses superhuman healing abilities and metal claws that protrude from his knuckles. While on the road together, they are attacked by a mutant named Sabretooth, and mutants Cyclops and Storm arrive and save them. Wolverine and Rogue are brought to Xavier's mansion and school for mutants in Westchester County, New York. Xavier tells Logan that Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto, has taken an interest in Wolverine, and he asks him stay while Xavier's mutants, the X-Men, investigate why. Rogue meanwhile enrolls in the school. Senator Kelly is abducted by Magneto's allies Toad and the shapeshifter Mystique. Magneto uses Kelly as a test subject for a machine powered by his magnetic abilities that regenerates a field of radiation, inducing mutation in normal humans. Kelly later escapes. When Rogue uses her power on Wolverine in view of her classmates, she is convinced by Mystique (disguised as classmate Bobby Drake) that Xavier is angry with her and she should leave the school. Xavier uses his mutant-locating machine Cerebro to find Rogue at a train station, and the X-Men go to retrieve her. Meanwhile Mystique enters Cerebro and sabotages it. At the train station, Magneto reveals he does not want Wolverine but Rogue, whom he abducts. Kelly arrives at Xavier's school and Xavier reads his mind to learn about Magneto's machine. Realizing the strain of powering it nearly killed Magneto, the group deduces he intends to transfer his powers to Rogue and use her to power it at the cost of her life. Xavier attempts to locate Rogue using Cerebro, but Mystique's sabotage incapacitates him and he falls into a coma. Fellow telekinetic/telepath Jean Grey fixes Cerebro and uses it, learning that Magneto plans to place his mutation-inducing machine on Liberty Island and use it to mutate the world leaders meeting for a summit on nearby Ellis Island. The X-Men scale the Statue of Liberty battling Magneto's mutants while Magneto transfers his powers to Rogue and activates the mutating machine. As Wolverine confronts and distracts Magneto, Cyclops blasts him away, allowing Wolverine to destroy the machine. He transfers his powers to Rogue and his healing abilities rejuvenate her. Professor Xavier recovers from his coma. The group also learn that Mystique escaped the island battle and is impersonating Senator Kelly. Xavier gives Wolverine a lead to his past at an abandoned military installation in Canada. Magneto is imprisoned in a complex constructed of plastic and is visited by Xavier, and warns him he intends to continue one day escape and continue the fight. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 04. “X2” | May 2, 2003 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine A Canadian mutant who has no memory of his life before he was grafted with an indestructible adamantium skeleton. A gruff loner, Wolverine is also a father-figure to Rogue and feels love toward Jean. He wields three blades that come out of each of his fists, has keen animal-like senses and the ability to heal rapidly, and is a ruthless and aggressive fighter. Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X A powerful, telepathic and paralyzed mutant who uses a wheelchair. He founded a School for "gifted youngsters"; Xavier is a pacifist who believes humans and mutants can live together in harmony. He uses the Cerebro device, built by Magneto and himself, to track and locate mutants across the world. Xavier is regarded as an expert on genetic mutation. Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto A Mutant who was once Xavier's ally and close-friend, Magneto now believes mutants are superior to humans. Magneto wields the ability to manipulate metal magnetically, as well as the ability to create magnetic fields. He wears a helmet that renders him immune to Xavier's and all telepathic-based abilities. Imprisoned after his scheme in the first film, he is drugged by William Stryker for information on Cerebro, before making his escape and forming an alliance with the X-Men to stop Stryker. He has demonstrated sophisticated knowledge in matters of genetic manipulation and engineering. Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm A mutant teacher at Xavier's school who can control the weather. Storm befriends Nightcrawler. Famke Janssen as Jean Grey A mutant teacher at Xavier's school and the X-Mansion's doctor, Jean has begun to experience vast and at times uncontrollable growth in her telepathic and telekinetic abilities since Magneto's machine was destroyed in the first film. She is Cyclops' fiancee. The final scene of the film initiates her transformation into Phoenix. James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops A mutant who is the field leader of the X-Men and a teacher at Xavier's Institute, he shoots uncontrollable beams of concussive force from his eyes and wears a visor to control them. Cyclops is captured and brainwashed by Stryker. He is engaged to Jean. Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler A German mutant with a strong Catholic faith and the appearance of a blue demon. Nightcrawler was used by Stryker in an assassination attempt on the President of the United States and gives help to the X-Men. He is capable of teleporting himself (and others) instantly from one location to another. Nightcrawler can teleport through walls, but prefers to only teleport when he can see his landing site. On his body are many scarification marks, one for every sin. Cumming had always been Singer's choice for the role, but at first he was not available due to scheduling conflicts. At some point, Ethan Embry had been reported to be in contention for the role. Ultimately, the film remained in development long enough for Cumming to accept the part. Singer also felt comfortable in casting him since he speaks German fluently. The drawings of Adam Kubert were used as inspiration for Nightcrawler's makeup design, which took four hours to apply. For the scene where Nightcrawler has his shirt off, Cumming went through nine hours of makeup. To best pose as Nightcrawler, Cumming studied comic books and illustrations of the character. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Raven Darkholme / Mystique Magneto's mutant henchwoman, who is a shapeshifter. Mystique is blue, naked and covered in scales, and she acts as a spy. She injects a prison guard with metal, with which Magneto makes his escape, and also sexually tempts Wolverine. Romijn's full-body makeup previously took nine hours to apply; however, the make-up department was able to bring it down to six hours for X2. Brian Cox as Col. William Stryker A human military scientist who plans a worldwide genocide of mutants using Xavier and Cerebro. Stryker has experimented on mutants in the past, including Wolverine, and uses a serum to control them. Brad Loree plays a younger William Stryker in flashback scenes. Singer opted to cast Cox in the role as he was a fan of his performance as Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter. Anna Paquin as Marie D'Ancanto / Rogue A mutant girl who can absorb any person's memories and abilities by touching them. As she cannot control this absorbing ability, Rogue can easily kill anyone and thus is unable to be close to people. Her love interest is Iceman. Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman A mutant who can freeze objects and create ice. His family is unaware that he is a mutant and simply believes he is at a boarding school. After returning home, Bobby reveals to them what he actually is, much to his brother's derision. He is also Rogue's boyfriend. Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce / Pyro A mutant who is friends with Bobby and Rogue, Pyro has anti-social tendencies because he is very angry at the general public for how they treat the mutant community. He has the ability to control (although not create) fire. He later joins Magneto and Mystique. The filmmakers cast Stanford in the role after they were impressed with his performance in Tadpole. Kelly Hu as Yuriko Oyama / Lady Deathstrike A mutant who has a healing ability like Wolverine's, and is controlled by Stryker. She wields long retractable adamantium fingernails. Only her first name is mentioned in dialogue. Bruce Davison as Sen. Robert Kelly An anti-mutant politician who supports a Mutant Registration Act and wishes to ban mutant children from schools. Although his character was killed in the first film, Davison reprised the role for scenes where Mystique uses his persona to infiltrate the government. Also, Katie Stuart appeared as Kitty Pryde, a mutant girl who can walk through walls; Kea Wong as Jubilee, Bryce Hodgson as Artie, a mutant boy with a blue tongue; Shauna Kain as Siryn, a mutant who is able to emit loud screams that alert the students to Stryker's attack; and Michael Reid McKay as Jason Stryker / Mutant 143, William Stryker's mutant son who has the ability to cast illusions. Also in the final scene with Xavier, a girl is seen dressed in a Native American style jacket, as well as a blond haired boy dressed in blue, played by Layke Anderson. These were later confirmed to be Danielle Moonstar and Douglas Ramsey / Cypher. Daniel Cudmore appeared as Piotr "Peter" Rasputin / Colossus, introduced in this film as a young mutant with the ability to turn his body into organic steel, and possesses superhuman strength while in that form. Cudmore was set to use a Russian accent, but Singer dropped the idea of accents despite characters of different nationalities. Jubilee, Psylocke and Multiple Man were to have cameos in the scene where Stryker and his troops storm the X-Mansion. Beast, Gambit and Marrow were to have appearances during a sequence with Cerebro. Gambit's cameo was actually shot, but the footage was not used in the final cut. Beast's scene was to show him in his human form as Dr. Hank McCoy, while his skin morphed into blue fur, and Marrow was to be seen lying on a ground in New York City. Hank McCoy appears on a television during the scene where Mystique drugs Magneto's prison guard. Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, the film's writers, cameo in scenes of Wolverine's Weapon X flashbacks as surgeons. Bryan Singer, the film's director, cameos as a security guard in a scene where Professor X and Cyclops go to see Magneto. Shaquille O'Neal wanted a role in the film but was ignored by the filmmakers. One scene depicts Mystique going through files on Stryker's computer. Singer purposely included various names of characters and hints of storylines from X-Men lore on several computer screens. Singer "[found] great difficulty in adapting all this stuff into a two and a half hour long movie." |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| At the White House, brainwashed teleporting mutant Nightcrawler attempts to assassinate the President of the United States but fails and escapes. Meanwhile, Wolverine explores an abandoned military installation at Alkali Lake in Alberta for clues to his past, but finds nothing. He returns to Professor Xavier's school for mutants, and Xavier tracks Nightcrawler using Cerebro. Xavier and Cyclops go to question the imprisoned Magneto about the attack, while X-Men Storm and Jean Grey retrieve Nightcrawler. Meanwhile, military scientist Colonel William Stryker approaches the president and receives approval to investigate Xavier's mansion for their ties to mutants. Stryker's forces invade the school and abduct most of the students, with only Wolverine, Rogue, Iceman, and Pyro escaping, and Stryker's assistant Yuriko Oyama captures Cyclops and Xavier. During the attack Wolverine confronts Stryker, who knows him by name. The shape-shifting Mystique gains information about Magneto's prison and helps him escape while also discovering schematics for a second Cerebro. Wolverine, Rogue, Iceman, and Pyro visit Iceman's parents in Boston and meet up with Storm, Jean, and Nightcrawler. The X-Jet is attacked by fighter jets en route back to the mansion and is shot down, but Magneto saves them from crashing. Magneto explains to the group that Stryker has built the second Cerebro to use it, and Xavier, to telekinetically kill every mutant on the planet. Stryker's son, Jason, is a mutant with mind-controlling powers, which Stryker will use to force Xavier to do this. Stryker had also previously used Jason's powers to orchestrate Nightcrawler's attack as a pretense to gain approval to invade Xavier's mansion. Magneto also tells Wolverine that Stryker was the man who grafted his adamantium skeleton onto his bones. Jean reads Nightcrawler's mind and determines that Stryker's base is underground in a dam at Alkali Lake. The mutants infiltrate Stryker's base and Magneto and Mystique go to disable Cerebro before the brainwashed Xavier can activate it. Storm and Nightcrawler rescue the captured students, and Jean fights a mind-controlled Cyclops; their battle frees Cyclops but damages the dam, which begins to rupture. Wolverine finds Stryker in an adamantium smelting lab and remembers it as where he received his adamantium skeleton. Wolverine fights and kills Yuriko, then chases Stryker to a helicopter pad and chains him to the helicopter's wheel. Magneto stops Cerebro and, using Mystique impersonating Stryker to command Jason, has Xavier redirect its powers on normal humans. The two subsequently use Stryker's helicopter to escape, accompanied by Pyro who has been swayed to Magneto's views. Nightcrawler teleports Storm inside Cerebro, where she creates a snowstorm to break Jason's concentration and free Xavier from his control. The X-Men flee the dam as water engulfs it, but the damaged X-Jet struggles to take flight. Jean sacrifices herself to hold back the flood of water while getting the jet into the air, and is then consumed by the flood and presumed dead. The X-Men give the president Stryker's files, and Xavier warns him that humans and mutants must work together to build peace. Back at the school, Xavier, Cyclops, and Wolverine remember Jean, and Xavier begins to hold a class. The film ends with a voice-over narration from Jean accompanied by the flooded Akali Lake, a fiery Phoenix-like shape rising from the water. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 05. “X-Men - The Last Stand” | May 26, 2006 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine A Canadian mutant born with hyper-acute, animal-like senses, claws on his hands, and an accelerated healing factor that made possible to implant a coating of the indestructible metal alloy adamantium on his skeleton. Jackman was pleased to see that the script allowed Wolverine to expand his character choices, as instead of questioning whether he would remain a loner or join the X-Men, Logan now is asked if he will play a leadership role in the X-Men. Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm A mutant, who is one of Xavier's earlier students and the leader of the X-Men in Cyclops' absence. Storm is a woman with the ability to manipulate the weather. Berry had stated during interviews for X2 that she would not return unless the character had a significant presence comparable to the comic book version, leading to a larger role in The Last Stand's script. Berry declared that her ethnicity made the actress identify with the cure plot: "When I was a child, I felt that if only I could change myself, my life would be better. As I've gotten older, I've come to terms with what utter nonsense that is."[8] The character was given a more modern haircut, and costume designer Judianna Makovsky opted to give Storm more black clothes, a color she only wore in the leather costume for previous films, to make her "tougher and sexier". Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto Leader and founder of the Brotherhood, Magneto is a mutant Holocaust survivor who wages war against humanity in the name of mutant superiority. He has the ability to control and manipulate metal, making him one of the most powerful mutants. Well-known for his homosexuality, McKellen found a parallel of the cure with many prejudices: "It's abhorrent to me, as it would be if a person said I need curing of my sexuality, or if someone said that black people could take a pill that would 'cure' them of being black." McKellen's shooting schedule had to accommodate his work in both The Da Vinci Code and the London theatre, going as far as filming the actor in England to later superimpose into the Vancouver plates. Famke Janssen as Jean Grey / Dark Phoenix A mutant former member of the X-Men, a Class 5 mutant who possesses potentially limitless telepathic and telekinetic powers. The X-Men learn that she has survived the flooding dam from the previous film, but when the rest of the team finds her, Grey has given in completely to her aggressive alternate personality of her powers, the Phoenix. Her mutant powers rival those of Xavier. The writers described the multiple personalities was "an Oedipal drama played out", where the Phoenix was "someone embodying [a] Greek goddess”, while Jean Grey kept the character as "a human, grounded in Freudian terms, a victim, a schizophrenic. To mark the change of Jean Grey into Phoenix, her wardrobe focused on red colors, and everyday fabric in contrast to the leather costumes of the X-Men. Digital make-up also made Jean's face darker with her skin showing some veins and her eyes turning black, signifying the Phoenix personality of her powers. Haley Ramm as young Jean Grey Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy / Beast A mutant former student of Xavier's Institute for Gifted Mutants who is now a member of the U.S. Cabinet as the Secretary of Mutant Affairs, Beast is a brilliant scientist and statesman. He is covered in blue fur and has heightened strength, reflexes and agility, as well as pointed fangs and a lion-like roar. Grammer's make-up took three hours to apply, it involved applying latex prosthetics before painting his eye area and lips blue, applying various hair pieces and wigs, and a muscle suit covered with a hand-punched fur suit. Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman A young mutant, Iceman can create constructs of ice or blasts of cold. Ashmore's commitments to X-Men made him decline Bryan Singer's invitation to play Jimmy Olsen in Superman Returns. The actor was content with his bigger role after Bobby joined the X-Men main team in X2, as during the predecessor's production he wondered "When do I get to freeze something or get into a fight?" Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce / Pyro A mutant who was a former student of Xavier's School for Gifted Mutants with a grudge against his former friend Bobby Drake, Pyro has the ability to manipulate fire, generated through wrist-mounted lighters. Stanford stated that with the Brotherhood, Pyro "is allowed to fully explore his power" for lacking moral restraints. The actor was comfortable with returning to the role, particularly for following The Hills Have Eyes, which had an exhausting shoot in the Moroccan desert, while Pyro was nowhere as physically demanding - "My character's pretty much stand-and-deliver, stand there and throw fire at people. There's no acrobatics." Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat A mutant with the ability to phase through matter and walk through solid objects, her clear affection for Iceman further adds to the tension already present between Iceman and Rogue. Maggie Grace was considered for the role, before Ratner invited Page, who impressed the director with her performance in Hard Candy. The actress initially declined, not wanting to yet jump to Hollywood filmmaking, but accepted after reading the script. Page said part of her motivation was having a new experience: "I thought, well, when else am I going to have a chance to wear a leather suit and run through exploding things? Why not be a superhero for a change?" Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue A young mutant woman whose power causes her to temporarily take on the powers of anyone she touches, leaving her victims (mutant or human) unconscious, Rogue's lack of control over her power causes a great deal of strain on her relationship with Iceman. Paquin declared that while Rogue did not have "a large physical component in this movie", the "adult decisions" the character was forced to do made for more intensity on the emotional side. Daniel Cudmore as Piotr "Peter" Rasputin / Colossus A mutant with the ability to transform his body into an organic steel, while also granting him superhuman strength and a resistance to physical damage while in that form. Cudmore wore a foam latex muscle suit covered with a chrome-plated plastic plus a hard plastic head to have the metal skin on the set, with some digital augmentation being used to enhance the facial expressions. A digital double was used only for stunts that could not be achieved practically, such as the Fastball Special where Colossus throws Wolverine. Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X A mutant with uncharted telepathic powers, and founder of Xavier's Institute for Gifted Mutants. Xavier is an authority on genetic mutation and an advocate of peaceful relations between human and mutant kind. Stewart signed to the film without knowing Xavier would die, and not meeting original director Matthew Vaughn - both would meet in Manchester, where Stewart was filming Eleventh Hour, but eventually Brett Ratner called to introduce himself as the new director. James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops A mutant, who is X-Men's field leader, Cyclops emits powerful energy blasts from his eyes, and must wear specially made glasses to prevent the destruction of anything he looks at. Although he is in a committed relationship with Jean Grey, her Phoenix persona kills him early in the film. Marsden saw no problem in having a smaller role, as the films opted to feature Wolverine as the standpoint character, and feeling that "it's difficult when you have however many new characters that you're trying to introduce to an audience in 90 to 120 minutes, to give everyone their due." Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkholme / Mystique Magneto's mutant blue-skinned right-hand woman possesses the ability to shape-shift to mimic anyone's appearance, as well as fight with incredible agility, reflexes and strength. She jumps in front of cure darts intended for Magneto and, after she loses her mutant abilities as a result, Magneto abandons her. Romijn described this story as "a traumatic experience" for Mystique, given that the previous movies implied that she and Magneto had "a deep-seated bond", and becoming "a frail mortal would be her worst nightmare". Vinnie Jones as Cain Marko / Juggernaut A mutant criminal recruited by the Brotherhood in a prison truck, Juggernaut is incredibly strong, fast and, once he gains momentum, he is nearly unstoppable. The film's version of Juggernaut is depicted as a mutant and his relation to Charles Xavier was never mentioned. Matthew Vaughn cast Jones, who he met producing the Guy Ritchie gangster movies where Jones begun his acting career. The actor had to go through a four-hour make-up process to portray Juggernaut, which included a muscle suit and a prostethic chin. The costume tried to retain the bullet-shaped helmet of the comics without going excessively over the top. Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III / Angel The mutant son of an industrialist, who has feathered wings which allow him to fly. The static wings were models with a 15 feet (4.6 m) wingspan and 5 feet (1.5 m) height glued to Foster's back, replaced with computer-generated ones when movement was required. Cayden Boyd as young Warren Worthington III Eric Dane as James Madrox / Multiple Man A mutant and thief recruited by the Brotherhood in a prison truck, Madrox has the ability to create a very large number of copies of himself. The writers considered Dane's performance memorable despite being featured in only two scenes. Madrox's wardrobe invoked the symbols worn in his comics costume. Dania Ramirez as Callisto The leader of The Omegas, Callisto is a mutant with enhanced superhumanly acute senses, who senses mutants and their powers, and possesses superhuman speed and reflexes. The character combined the powers of the comics' Callisto with another of the Morlocks, Caliban, and was written as someone who could be "beautiful, but with a tough persona". Ramirez had originally auditioned to play the mutant prostitute Stacy X, and impressed Brett Ratner so much the director decided to bring her to play Callisto. Michael Murphy as Warren Worthington II The head of Worthington Labs, the corporation developing the "cure", Worthington expects to rid his son of his mutant abilities. The addition of the character allowed to integrate Angel into the cure plot, which also added a parallel between Warren's discovery of his son's mutation with a father finding out about his son's homosexuality. Shohreh Aghdashloo as Dr. Kavita Rao A scientist who works at Worthington Labs on the mutant cure, she is killed by Kid Omega. Aghdashloo signed without a completed script, and erroneously said her character would be mutant doctor Cecilia Reyes. Josef Sommer as the President of the United States The President of the United States is tolerant of mutants, but fearful of the Brotherhood's threats. While creating the role, the producers felt that a "different" president, like an African American or a woman, had become a cliche in itself and went for a traditional route with an elder caucasian man. Sommer was invited by Ratner following their collaboration in The Family Man. Bill Duke as Secretary Trask The head of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Trask aids the president of the United States during the war against the mutants. His first name was never mentioned in the film and is portrayed as African American. In the comics, Bolivar Trask is the head of Trask Industries and creator of the mutant-hunting Sentinels. The comics version of Bolivar Trask is later played by Peter Dinklage in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Other actors who portrayed mutants were: Meiling Melancon as Psylocke, a mutant with the ability to teleport herself through areas of shadow; Omahyra Mota as Arclight, a mutant who has the ability to generate shock waves of concussive force; Ken Leung as Kid Omega, a mutant with the ability to eject spikes from his body, most notably his face (though the character resembles the comic books' character Quill however, the official cast credits read "Kid Omega"); and Cameron Bright as Jimmy / Leech, a mutant who has the ability to neutralize the powers of nearby mutants. Various characters were included at the suggestion of editor Mark Helfrich, who brought Marvel's X-Men Encyclopedia to director Brett Ratner, searching for mutants who could make appearance. Mark Helfrich portrays an unnamed mutant with ash-gray skin. These include Phat, a mutant that is a very large man who can slim down to fit in a smaller space (played by two actors, Via Saleaumua - "large mode" - and Richard Yee - "small mode");[28] Spike (played by Lance Gibson), a mutant who battles Wolverine in the forest by extruding bony spikes from his flesh - the character was added because the editing team felt that the original cut of the scene portrayed Logan as a cold-blooded killer, which could be changed if another mutant attacked Wolverine before he struck the Brotherhood and Glob Herman (played by Clayton Dean Watmough), a mutant with transparent skin. Various other mutants make cameos at the X-Mansion; Shauna Kain and Kea Wong reprised their cameo roles as Siryn and Jubilee respectively, and three identical girls in the background in one scene are a reference to the Stepford Cuckoos. Olivia Williams portrays Moira MacTaggert. X-Men co-creator Stan Lee and writer Chris Claremont have cameos in the film's opening scene as the neighbors of young Jean Grey. The sergeant directing defensive preparations before the Brotherhood assaults Alcatraz Island is played by R. Lee Ermey. Lloyd Adams portrays the green-skinned mutant that climbs the guard tower on Alcatraz. Many fans believed this was Toad however, the credits list him as lizard man and Brett Ratner confirmed it was Anole. Avalanche and Vanisher also appear however it is not known who portrayed them. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Twenty years ago, Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr meet young Jean Grey at her parents' house to invite her to join their school, the X-Mansion. Ten years later, the industrialist father of Warren Worthington III discovers his son is a mutant as Warren tries to cut off his wings. In the present, Worthington Labs announces it has developed an inoculation to suppress the X-gene that gives mutants their abilities, and offer the "cure" to any mutant who wants it. The cure is created from the genome of a young mutant named Jimmy, who lives at the Worthington facility on Alcatraz Island. While some mutants are interested in the cure, including the X-Men's Rogue, many others are horrified by the announcement. Lehnsherr re-establishes his Brotherhood of Mutants with those who oppose the cure, warning his followers that the cure will be forcefully used to exterminate the mutant race. With help from Pyro, Lehnsherr recruits Callisto, and several other mutants. They attack the mobile prison holding Mystique to free her, also freeing Juggernaut and Multiple Man. Mystique saves Lehnsherr by taking a shot of the mutant cure aimed at him, rendering her human. Hateful of humans, Lehnsherr abandons Mystique, much to her shock. Meanwhile, Scott Summers, still distraught over the loss of his fiancee, Jean Grey, drives to her resting location at Alkali Lake. Jean appears to Summers but, as the two kiss, Jean kills him. Sensing trouble, Xavier sends Logan and Storm to investigate. When they arrive, they find only telekinetically floating rocks, Summers' glasses, and an unconscious Jean. When they return to the X-Mansion, Xavier explains to Logan that when Jean sacrificed herself, she also freed the "Phoenix", a dark and powerful alternate personality which Xavier had telepathically repressed, fearing the Phoenix's destructive potential. Logan is disgusted to learn of this psychic tampering with Jean's mind but, once she awakens, he discovers that she killed Summers and is not the Jean Grey he once knew. The Phoenix emerges, knocks out Logan, and escapes to her childhood home. Lehnsherr learns of Jean's resurrection through Callisto, and the X-Men arrive at the Grey home at the same time as the Brotherhood. Lehnsherr and Xavier go in alone, and both vie for Jean's loyalty until the Phoenix resurfaces. She destroys the house and disintegrates Xavier before leaving with Lehnsherr. The Brotherhood decides to strike Worthington Labs, and the government sends multiple teams to attack the Brotherhood's base in the forest, with information gained from Mystique, furious over Lehnsherr's betrayal. However, the life forms in the camp are all copies of Multiple Man, and Lehnsherr uses his powers to move the Golden Gate Bridge so he and his army can get to Alcatraz and facilitate the attack on Worthington Labs. The remaining X-Men confront the Brotherhood, despite being significantly outnumbered, and arrive just as the military troops who thus far have been neutralizing the attacking mutants are overwhelmed by the Brotherhood. During the fight, Kitty Pryde saves Jimmy from Juggernaut, who had been sent to kill him. Logan has Colossus throw him at Lehnsherr and distract him long enough for Hank McCoy to inject Lehnsherr with the "cure" and thus nullify his powers. Army reinforcements arrive and shoot at Jean just as Logan had calmed her down. The Phoenix is awakened by the attack and disintegrates the troops in retaliation. The Phoenix then begins to destroy Alcatraz and anyone within range of her powers. Logan realizes that only he can stop the Phoenix due to his healing factor. When Logan approaches her, Jean momentarily gains control and begs him to kill her. Logan fatally stabs Jean, destroying the Phoenix, but mourns for her death. Sometime later, mutant rights are finally obtained and Xavier's school is still operating with Storm as headmistress. The President of the United States appoints McCoy as ambassador to the United Nations. Rogue reveals to Bobby Drake that she has taken the cure, much to his disappointment. Meanwhile, Lehnsherr sits alone at a chessboard in a San Francisco park. As he gestures toward a metal chess piece, it wobbles slightly, suggesting that the effects of the cure might only be temporary. In a post-credits scene, Dr. Moira MacTaggert checks on a comatose patient who greets her with Xavier's voice, leaving her startled. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 06. “The Wolverine” | July 26, 2013 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine: A mutant, whose prodigious healing abilities and adamantium infused skeleton combine to make him virtually immortal. Jackman also portrayed the character in the previous X-Men films. In terms of his character Jackman views Wolverine as "the ultimate outsider" and that "the great battle, I always thought with Wolverine, is the battle within himself". Regarding Logan's struggle with extreme life longevity, Jackman said, "He realizes everyone he loves dies, and his whole life is full of pain. So it's better that he just escapes. He can't die really. He just wants to get away from everything." Jackman stated that he ate six meals a day in preparation for the role. Jackman contacted Dwayne Johnson for some tips on bulking up for the film. Johnson suggested that for six months, he gain a pound a week, by eating 6,000 calories a day which consisted of "an awful lot of chicken, steak and brown rice". Hiroyuki Sanada as Shingen Yashida: Yashida's son as well as Mariko's father and corporate rival, who is proficient in kendo. Tao Okamoto as Mariko Yashida: Yashida's granddaughter, whose life becomes threatened as a result of her grandfather's will. About her character, Okamoto said that Mariko is no pushover and is proficient in karate and knife-throwing. Rila Fukushima as Yukio: A precognitive mutant and one of the deadliest assassins in Yashida's clan. Fukushima said, "My character's very physical. Yukio and Wolverine have a lot in common. She really takes care of him and he also cares about her." Mangold described Yukio as a lethal fighter who is "both sexy and almost kind of sprung from the anime world." Famke Janssen as Jean Grey: A mutant and former member of the X-Men, who Logan killed at the end of X-Men: The Last Stand. Jackman said, "There's no doubt that the most important relationship in his life is - we've seen through the movies - is his relationship with Jean Grey. Yes, we saw her die at the end of 'X-Men: The Last Stand,' but in this movie, she has a presence, which I think is vital to the movie, particularly for him confronting the most difficult thing within himself." Will Yun Lee as Kenuichio Harada: A former lover of Mariko and head of the Black Ninja Clan, sworn to protect the Yashida family. Lee said that he underwent rigorous sword training for the film. Svetlana Khodchenkova as Dr. Green / Viper: A mutant, who has an immunity to toxins. About her character, Khodchenkova said "Viper doesn't really have many people that she cares about, most of them she just uses for her own purpose." Mangold said, "as her name would imply, she's kind of snakelike," and that Viper views Logan "like a great hunter might view hunting a lion in his quarry." Haruhiko Yamanouchi as Yashida: Shingen's father, Mariko's grandfather and the head of Yashida Industries, a powerful technology zaibatsu. Ken Yamamura portrays young Yashida. Brian Tee as Noburo Mori: A corrupt minister of justice, who is engaged to Mariko. Additionally, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen reprise their roles as Charles Xavier / Professor X and Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto in cameo appearances during the mid-credits scene. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1945, Logan is held in a Japanese POW camp near Nagasaki. During the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Logan rescues an officer named Ichir? Yashida and shields him from the blast. In the present day, Logan lives as a hermit in Yukon, tormented by hallucinations of Jean Grey, whom he was forced to kill (X-Men: The Last Stand). He is located by Yukio, a mutant with the ability to foresee people's deaths, on-behalf of Yashida, now the CEO of a technology zaibatsu. Yashida, who is dying of cancer, wants Logan to accompany Yukio to Japan so that he may repay his life debt. In Tokyo, Logan meets Yashida's son, Shingen, and granddaughter, Mariko. There, Yashida offers to transfer Logan's healing abilities into his own body, thus saving Yashida's life and alleviating Logan of his near-immortality, which Logan views as a curse. Logan refuses and prepares to leave the following day. That night, Yashida's physician Dr. Green (also known as Viper) introduces something into Logan's body, but Logan dismisses it as a dream. The next morning, Logan is informed that Yashida has died. At the funeral, Yakuza gangsters attempt to kidnap Mariko, but Logan and Mariko escape together into the urban sprawl of Tokyo. Logan is shot and his wounds do not heal as quickly as they should. After fighting off more Yakuza on a bullet train, Logan and Mariko hide in a local love hotel. Meanwhile, Yashida's bodyguard Harada meets with Dr. Green who, after demonstrating her mutant powers on him, demands he find Logan and Mariko. Logan and Mariko travel to Yashida's house in Nagasaki, and the two slowly fall in love. Meanwhile, Yukio has a vision of Logan dying, and goes to warn him. Before Yukio arrives, Mariko is captured by the Yakuza. After interrogating one of the kidnappers, Logan and Yukio confront Mariko's fiancé, corrupt Minister of Justice Noburo Mori. Mori confesses that he conspired with Shingen to have Mariko killed because Yashida left control of the company to Mariko, and not Shingen. Mariko is brought before Shingen at Yashida's estate when ninjas led by Harada attack and whisk her away. Logan and Yukio arrive later and, using Yashida's X-ray machine, discover a robotic parasite attached to Logan's heart, suppressing his healing ability. Logan cuts himself open and extracts the device. During the operation, Shingen attacks but Yukio holds Shingen off long enough for Logan to recover and kill Shingen. Logan follows Mariko's trail to the village of Yashida's birth, where he is captured by Harada's ninjas. Logan is placed in a machine by Dr. Green, who reveals her plans to extract his healing factor and introduces him to the Silver Samurai, an electromechanical suit of Japanese armour with energized swords made of adamantium. Mariko escapes from Harada, who believes he is acting in Mariko's interests, and manages to free Logan from the machine. Harada sees the error of his ways and is killed by the Silver Samurai while helping Logan escape. Meanwhile, Yukio arrives and kills Dr. Green as Logan fights the Silver Samurai. The Silver Samurai severs Logan's adamantium claws and begins to extract Logan's healing abilities, revealing himself to be Yashida, who had faked his death. Yashida starts to regain his youth, but Mariko intervenes and stabs Yashida with Logan's severed claws while Logan regenerates his bone claws and kills Yashida. Logan collapses and has one final hallucination of Jean, in which he decides to finally let go of her. Mariko becomes CEO of Yashida Industries and bids farewell to Logan as he prepares to leave Japan. Yukio vows to stay by Logan's side as his bodyguard, and they depart to places unknown. In a mid-credits scene, Logan returns to the United States two years later and is approached at the airport by Erik Lehnsherr, who warns him of a grave new threat to the mutant race, and Charles Xavier, who Logan previously thought was dead. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 07. “X-Men - Days of Future Past” | May 23, 2014 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine A Canadian mutant with accelerated healing, heightened animal-like senses, adamantium-laced skeleton and retractable bone and adamantium claws. James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X The world's most powerful mutant telepath. Singer described the younger Xavier as "a very different beast from First Class's feckless playboy. He's a wounded animal, bearded, long-haired, filled with rage at the way the world has treated him." Kinberg said the film was intended to be the story of the younger Xavier beginning to "become the Professor Xavier we know" as Wolverine mentored him. Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto A powerful mutant who can manipulate magnetic fields. Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkholme / Mystique A mutant who can shape-shift. Singer said Mystique "is less innocent, evolved, getting closer to where Mystique was in X-Men 2". Lawrence had suffered skin irritations from the full body make-up used in First Class, and the process was changed so from the neck down it would be a bodysuit, whose zipper was digitally removed in post-production.[12] As a result, the make-up process was reduced from eight hours to three. The make-up team at Legacy Effects sculpted Mystique's scales digitally, making them shorter in size and placed in a way that they would accentuate Lawrence's face. Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm A mutant who can control the weather and one of the most battle-tested and powerful X-Men. Asked if her pregnancy affected her role, Berry replied, "I wasn't in as much as I was meant to be. My ever-growing belly was posing a constant challenge! What I could do was getting more limited so the role that I play is so different from what it could have been, due to my surprise pregnancy." According to Kinberg, Berry had another scene in the film that was cut because of Berry's limited schedule. Nicholas Hoult and Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy / Beast A mutant with super-strength, agility, reflexes and enhanced speed. Hoult plays the character in scenes set in 1973 while Grammer makes a cameo appearance as Beast in the future setting. The cameo was added because the writers felt Hoult's Beast was "such a sweet, young character" that audiences would want to learn he survived. Once Grammer learned of this opportunity to return as Beast, a character he had enjoyed playing in The Last Stand, he called Singer asking to get involved, and was flown from New York in secret to avoid drawing attention. Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue A mutant who can absorb the life force and mutant abilities of anyone she touches. Kinberg wrote a shorter part for Paquin than initially planned because she did not have much time to be on-set. During post-production, Paquin's role was reduced to a cameo after most of her scenes were cut; these scenes were later restored on an alternate version of the film, which was released to home media. According to Kinberg, Rogue was to be rescued by the future Magneto and Xavier to provide the elder characters a mission, "something like Unforgiven". Eventually the producers felt it was a subplot that did "not service the main story", and reshot scenes to replace them. However, she was still featured in the film's various promotional materials. Paquin later stated that she still had fun making the film and did not mind that the majority of her scenes had been cut from it. Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat A mutant who can pass through solid objects. As the youngest of the X-Men, she plays an important role in their fight for survival. Singer described Pryde as the prime facilitator and that Pryde's phasing ability enables time-travel to happen. Kinberg, when asked why Pryde is not the time-traveler in the film adaptation of the comic-book story, said, "[If] we tried to follow the original and use Kitty, we had a problem because Ellen is 25 years old and she'd be -20 in the First Class era." Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask A military scientist and the head of Trask Industries who creates a range of robots called Sentinels, designed to find and destroy mutants. Dinklage said Trask "sees what he's doing as a good thing - [his ambition is] definitely blind and he's quite arrogant. He has striven all his life for a certain respect and attention." He also said Trask is opposed by Richard Nixon. Singer said he is a fan of Dinklage and of the television series Game of Thrones in which Dinklage stars as Tyrion Lannister, which inspired him to cast Dinklage. Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman A mutant who can create and manipulate ice. Ashmore said about his role, "In the first X-Men I had to make a rose for Rogue but that was the extent of the character, so it's cool to see over these four movies going from that to X2—where you sort of see him do an ice wall - and in X3 he finally gets to battle, and in Days of Future Past we're soldiers." Omar Sy as Bishop A mutant who can absorb energy and redirect it in kinetic blasts. Singer said Bishop, along with Warpath, Sunspot and Blink, are not fresh recruits. He said, "they're more refugees that are living day to day in this hideously ruined world. They don't have much hope in the future. They're on the run and they join forces with the remaining X-Men to try to do this one last attempt at fixing the world." Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver A mutant who can move, speak and think at supersonic speeds. Peters described Quicksilver as "very fast, he talks quick, he moves quick. Everything else is very slow compared to him, it's like he's always at the ATM waiting for the bastard in front of him to finish." Josh Helman as Major William Stryker A military officer who hates mutants. Helman was originally chosen to play a younger version of Juggernaut before that character was removed from the script. Brian Cox, who portrayed Stryker in X2, appears in archive footage. Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin / Colossus A mutant who can transform his body into organic steel, which grants him superhuman strength, stamina, and durability while in that form. Cudmore was asked whether he trained for his role, he replied, "I didn't have a ton of time to get film ready for this. A trainer friend of mine from Vancouver put together a quick little workout program for me. Since the role was for Colossus, I was aiming to bulk up a bit and get stronger. I ended up eating a lot more. Because of how much I was eating, I had to eat every 2-3 hours to keep my calories up." Fan Bingbing as Blink A mutant who can create portals to teleport. Fan said the film was the first of a five X-Men movie contract she signed with 20th Century Fox. Adan Canto as Sunspot A mutant with an ability to project solar energy, create flames and solar-powered strength and flight. To prepare for the role, Canto researched Sunspot because when he was cast, he did not know the level of involvement his character has in the film. Booboo Stewart as Warpath A mutant and expert tracker with super agility, reflexes, acute senses and enhanced strength. In preparation for the role, Stewart gained 50 pounds and grew his hair much longer than its usual length. Additionally, Famke Janssen and James Marsden reprise their roles as Jean Grey and Scott Summers / Cyclops respectively in cameo appearances. Lucas Till reprises his role as Alex Summers / Havok. Evan Jonigkeit portrays Toad. X-Men comic-book writers Len Wein and Chris Claremont appear as United States congressmen. Michael Lerner plays Senator Brickman. Gregg Lowe plays Ink. Mark Camacho portrays U.S. President Richard Nixon. Singer cameos as a man with a small film camera as Magneto walks away after Mystique's escape in Paris. In a post-credits scene, Brendan Pedder portrays the ancient mutant, En Sabah Nur. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In the future, robots known as Sentinels are exterminating mutants and their human allies. The Sentinels are near invincible as they possess Mystique's powers of transformation. This technology was made possible following research performed on Mystique when she was captured during the assassination of Dr. Bolivar Trask, creator of the Sentinels. A band of mutants, including Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Iceman, Bishop, Warpath, Blink and Sunspot, convene with Wolverine, Storm, Professor Charles Xavier, and Magneto in a hideout in remote China. Pryde sends Wolverine's consciousness back fifty years to 1973 to prevent Mystique from assassinating Trask, which led to her capture and revealed the threat that mutants could pose to normal humans. At the X-Mansion in 1973, Wolverine encounters Xavier and Hank McCoy. Xavier, a broken man, has been overusing a serum that allows him to walk but suppresses his telepathy. Wolverine explains his mission and persuades Xavier to help free Magneto from a prison cell beneath The Pentagon, where he is being held for assassinating President John F. Kennedy. They rescue Magneto with the help of Peter Maximoff, a mutant with super speed. In Washington, D.C., Trask unsuccessfully tries to sway Congress to gain support for his Sentinel program. Meanwhile, in Saigon, Mystique prevents William Stryker from appropriating a group of mutant G.I.s for Trask's research. Xavier, Magneto, Beast, and Wolverine fly to Paris to intercept Mystique, who is impersonating a North Vietnamese general to infiltrate the Paris Peace Accords. The group arrives as Mystique is about to kill Trask. Magneto tries to kill Mystique to ensure her DNA cannot be used for the Sentinels, but she escapes. The fight spills onto the street in view of the public, allowing Magneto and Mystique to escape. Trask is saved, but the world is horrified by the existence of mutants. President Richard Nixon approves Trask's Sentinel program and arranges an unveiling ceremony. Trask's scientists recover Mystique's blood from the street. Meanwhile, Magneto - who has recovered his telepathy-blocking helmet - intercepts the prototype Sentinels in transit and laces their polymer-based frames with steel, enabling him to control them. At the mansion, Xavier stops taking his serum and slowly regains his telepathic powers, while losing the ability to walk. Through Wolverine, Xavier speaks to his future self and is inspired to work for peace between humans and mutants once again. He uses Cerebro to track Mystique, who is heading to Washington, D.C. As Xavier, Wolverine, and Beast search for Mystique, Nixon unveils the Sentinel prototypes at the White House. Magneto commandeers the Sentinels and attacks the crowd, then sets the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium around the White House as a barricade. Nixon and Trask, accompanied by the Cabinet, Secret Service officers, and Mystique (disguised as a Secret Service member), are taken to a safe room. Wolverine and Beast try to stop Magneto, but he pits a Sentinel against them and then throws Wolverine into the Potomac River. In the future, the X-Men make their final stand as a large army of Sentinels attack the monastery. In 1973, Magneto pulls the safe room from the White House and prepares to kill Nixon and his Cabinet. Mystique, who is disguised as Nixon, incapacitates Magneto with a plastic gun. Xavier persuades Mystique to spare Trask and allows her and Magneto to flee. Mystique's actions are seen as a mutant saving the President, leading to the cancellation of the Sentinel program. Trask is arrested for trying to sell American military secrets. In the future, Mystique's actions save Xavier, Magneto, and Pryde just as a group of Sentinels reach them. Wolverine wakes up back in the future to find Iceman, Rogue, Colossus, Pryde, Beast, Storm, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and Xavier all alive. He then proceeds to explain to Xavier about his experience. In 1973, Mystique, impersonating Stryker, takes custody of Wolverine, who has been fished out of the river. In a post-credits scene, a crowd chants to En Sabah Nur, who is using telekinesis to build pyramids as four horsemen watch from nearby. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 08. “X-Men - Days of Future Past - Rogue Cut” | May 23, 2014 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine A Canadian mutant with accelerated healing, heightened animal-like senses, adamantium-laced skeleton and retractable bone and adamantium claws. James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X The world's most powerful mutant telepath. Singer described the younger Xavier as "a very different beast from First Class's feckless playboy. He's a wounded animal, bearded, long-haired, filled with rage at the way the world has treated him." Kinberg said the film was intended to be the story of the younger Xavier beginning to "become the Professor Xavier we know" as Wolverine mentored him. Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto A powerful mutant who can manipulate magnetic fields. Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkholme / Mystique A mutant who can shape-shift. Singer said Mystique "is less innocent, evolved, getting closer to where Mystique was in X-Men 2". Lawrence had suffered skin irritations from the full body make-up used in First Class, and the process was changed so from the neck down it would be a bodysuit, whose zipper was digitally removed in post-production.[12] As a result, the make-up process was reduced from eight hours to three. The make-up team at Legacy Effects sculpted Mystique's scales digitally, making them shorter in size and placed in a way that they would accentuate Lawrence's face. Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm A mutant who can control the weather and one of the most battle-tested and powerful X-Men. Asked if her pregnancy affected her role, Berry replied, "I wasn't in as much as I was meant to be. My ever-growing belly was posing a constant challenge! What I could do was getting more limited so the role that I play is so different from what it could have been, due to my surprise pregnancy." According to Kinberg, Berry had another scene in the film that was cut because of Berry's limited schedule. Nicholas Hoult and Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy / Beast A mutant with super-strength, agility, reflexes and enhanced speed. Hoult plays the character in scenes set in 1973 while Grammer makes a cameo appearance as Beast in the future setting. The cameo was added because the writers felt Hoult's Beast was "such a sweet, young character" that audiences would want to learn he survived. Once Grammer learned of this opportunity to return as Beast, a character he had enjoyed playing in The Last Stand, he called Singer asking to get involved, and was flown from New York in secret to avoid drawing attention. Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue A mutant who can absorb the life force and mutant abilities of anyone she touches. Kinberg wrote a shorter part for Paquin than initially planned because she did not have much time to be on-set. During post-production, Paquin's role was reduced to a cameo after most of her scenes were cut; these scenes were later restored on an alternate version of the film, which was released to home media. According to Kinberg, Rogue was to be rescued by the future Magneto and Xavier to provide the elder characters a mission, "something like Unforgiven". Eventually the producers felt it was a subplot that did "not service the main story", and reshot scenes to replace them. However, she was still featured in the film's various promotional materials. Paquin later stated that she still had fun making the film and did not mind that the majority of her scenes had been cut from it. Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat A mutant who can pass through solid objects. As the youngest of the X-Men, she plays an important role in their fight for survival. Singer described Pryde as the prime facilitator and that Pryde's phasing ability enables time-travel to happen. Kinberg, when asked why Pryde is not the time-traveler in the film adaptation of the comic-book story, said, "[If] we tried to follow the original and use Kitty, we had a problem because Ellen is 25 years old and she'd be -20 in the First Class era." Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask A military scientist and the head of Trask Industries who creates a range of robots called Sentinels, designed to find and destroy mutants. Dinklage said Trask "sees what he's doing as a good thing - [his ambition is] definitely blind and he's quite arrogant. He has striven all his life for a certain respect and attention." He also said Trask is opposed by Richard Nixon. Singer said he is a fan of Dinklage and of the television series Game of Thrones in which Dinklage stars as Tyrion Lannister, which inspired him to cast Dinklage. Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman A mutant who can create and manipulate ice. Ashmore said about his role, "In the first X-Men I had to make a rose for Rogue but that was the extent of the character, so it's cool to see over these four movies going from that to X2—where you sort of see him do an ice wall - and in X3 he finally gets to battle, and in Days of Future Past we're soldiers." Omar Sy as Bishop A mutant who can absorb energy and redirect it in kinetic blasts. Singer said Bishop, along with Warpath, Sunspot and Blink, are not fresh recruits. He said, "they're more refugees that are living day to day in this hideously ruined world. They don't have much hope in the future. They're on the run and they join forces with the remaining X-Men to try to do this one last attempt at fixing the world." Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver A mutant who can move, speak and think at supersonic speeds. Peters described Quicksilver as "very fast, he talks quick, he moves quick. Everything else is very slow compared to him, it's like he's always at the ATM waiting for the bastard in front of him to finish." Josh Helman as Major William Stryker A military officer who hates mutants. Helman was originally chosen to play a younger version of Juggernaut before that character was removed from the script. Brian Cox, who portrayed Stryker in X2, appears in archive footage. Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin / Colossus A mutant who can transform his body into organic steel, which grants him superhuman strength, stamina, and durability while in that form. Cudmore was asked whether he trained for his role, he replied, "I didn't have a ton of time to get film ready for this. A trainer friend of mine from Vancouver put together a quick little workout program for me. Since the role was for Colossus, I was aiming to bulk up a bit and get stronger. I ended up eating a lot more. Because of how much I was eating, I had to eat every 2-3 hours to keep my calories up." Fan Bingbing as Blink A mutant who can create portals to teleport. Fan said the film was the first of a five X-Men movie contract she signed with 20th Century Fox. Adan Canto as Sunspot A mutant with an ability to project solar energy, create flames and solar-powered strength and flight. To prepare for the role, Canto researched Sunspot because when he was cast, he did not know the level of involvement his character has in the film. Booboo Stewart as Warpath A mutant and expert tracker with super agility, reflexes, acute senses and enhanced strength. In preparation for the role, Stewart gained 50 pounds and grew his hair much longer than its usual length. Additionally, Famke Janssen and James Marsden reprise their roles as Jean Grey and Scott Summers / Cyclops respectively in cameo appearances. Lucas Till reprises his role as Alex Summers / Havok. Evan Jonigkeit portrays Toad. X-Men comic-book writers Len Wein and Chris Claremont appear as United States congressmen. Michael Lerner plays Senator Brickman. Gregg Lowe plays Ink. Mark Camacho portrays U.S. President Richard Nixon. Singer cameos as a man with a small film camera as Magneto walks away after Mystique's escape in Paris. In a post-credits scene, Brendan Pedder portrays the ancient mutant, En Sabah Nur. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In the Rogue Cut version, Rogue's role is more consequential, and the narrative is more complex: When seeing Stryker causes Wolverine's consciousness to phase between past and future - resulting in his claws being extended, injuring Kitty Pryde - the Professor talks about the need for Wolverine to have more time back in 1973. Bobby Drake (Iceman) proposes breaking into the heavily guarded remains of Cerebro at the Professor's school, the one place where the Professor's mind can't reach others from the outside, in order to rescue Rogue, who is being held captive there. With the Professor and Magneto, he does so - at the cost of his own life - and Rogue is taken to where the mutants are making their last stand, where she takes over for Kitty in regards to keeping Wolverine's mind in 1973, for the remaining time until the moment history is changed, with a suggestion that Wolverine is aware of the switch as he appears to feel Rogue's presence. The Sentinels were able to find the X-Men through a tracking device inside a Sentinel's hand, which got stuck in the X-Jet after the Sentinel tried to prevent the Professor, Magneto and Rogue from escaping the incinerated remains of the X-Mansion. It also includes another scene where Mystique visits the X-Mansion at night while Charles and Logan are sleeping. She revisits her previous romance with Beast but leaves very early the next morning and breaks Cerebro in order to prevent Charles from finding her. The Rogue Cut also includes a mid-credits scene, where the Pentagon prison is shown to be repaired with a new inmate Bolivar Trask, who was arrested for selling military secrets to foreign countries. In the future, robots known as Sentinels are exterminating mutants and their human allies. The Sentinels are near invincible as they possess Mystique's powers of transformation. This technology was made possible following research performed on Mystique when she was captured during the assassination of Dr. Bolivar Trask, creator of the Sentinels. A band of mutants, including Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Iceman, Bishop, Warpath, Blink and Sunspot, convene with Wolverine, Storm, Professor Charles Xavier, and Magneto in a hideout in remote China. Pryde sends Wolverine's consciousness back fifty years to 1973 to prevent Mystique from assassinating Trask, which led to her capture and revealed the threat that mutants could pose to normal humans. At the X-Mansion in 1973, Wolverine encounters Xavier and Hank McCoy. Xavier, a broken man, has been overusing a serum that allows him to walk but suppresses his telepathy. Wolverine explains his mission and persuades Xavier to help free Magneto from a prison cell beneath The Pentagon, where he is being held for assassinating President John F. Kennedy. They rescue Magneto with the help of Peter Maximoff, a mutant with super speed. In Washington, D.C., Trask unsuccessfully tries to sway Congress to gain support for his Sentinel program. Meanwhile, in Saigon, Mystique prevents William Stryker from appropriating a group of mutant G.I.s for Trask's research. Xavier, Magneto, Beast, and Wolverine fly to Paris to intercept Mystique, who is impersonating a North Vietnamese general to infiltrate the Paris Peace Accords. The group arrives as Mystique is about to kill Trask. Magneto tries to kill Mystique to ensure her DNA cannot be used for the Sentinels, but she escapes. The fight spills onto the street in view of the public, allowing Magneto and Mystique to escape. Trask is saved, but the world is horrified by the existence of mutants. President Richard Nixon approves Trask's Sentinel program and arranges an unveiling ceremony. Trask's scientists recover Mystique's blood from the street. Meanwhile, Magneto - who has recovered his telepathy-blocking helmet - intercepts the prototype Sentinels in transit and laces their polymer-based frames with steel, enabling him to control them. At the mansion, Xavier stops taking his serum and slowly regains his telepathic powers, while losing the ability to walk. Through Wolverine, Xavier speaks to his future self and is inspired to work for peace between humans and mutants once again. He uses Cerebro to track Mystique, who is heading to Washington, D.C. As Xavier, Wolverine, and Beast search for Mystique, Nixon unveils the Sentinel prototypes at the White House. Magneto commandeers the Sentinels and attacks the crowd, then sets the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium around the White House as a barricade. Nixon and Trask, accompanied by the Cabinet, Secret Service officers, and Mystique (disguised as a Secret Service member), are taken to a safe room. Wolverine and Beast try to stop Magneto, but he pits a Sentinel against them and then throws Wolverine into the Potomac River. In the future, the X-Men make their final stand as a large army of Sentinels attack the monastery. In 1973, Magneto pulls the safe room from the White House and prepares to kill Nixon and his Cabinet. Mystique, who is disguised as Nixon, incapacitates Magneto with a plastic gun. Xavier persuades Mystique to spare Trask and allows her and Magneto to flee. Mystique's actions are seen as a mutant saving the President, leading to the cancellation of the Sentinel program. Trask is arrested for trying to sell American military secrets. In the future, Mystique's actions save Xavier, Magneto, and Pryde just as a group of Sentinels reach them. Wolverine wakes up back in the future to find Iceman, Rogue, Colossus, Pryde, Beast, Storm, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and Xavier all alive. He then proceeds to explain to Xavier about his experience. In 1973, Mystique, impersonating Stryker, takes custody of Wolverine, who has been fished out of the river. In a post-credits scene, a crowd chants to En Sabah Nur, who is using telekinesis to build pyramids as four horsemen watch from nearby. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 09. “X-Men - Apocalypse” | May 27, 2016 |
| STARRING: |
| James McAvoy as Charles Xavier / Professor X A mutant pacifist and the world's most powerful telepath. He is the founder of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and the X-Men. McAvoy shaved his head for the role. Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto A mutant with the ability to control magnetic fields and manipulate metal, globally infamous for attempting to assassinate U.S. President Richard Nixon on live broadcast 10 years prior. Bill Milner appears in archival footage as a young Erik Lehnsherr. Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkhölme / Mystique A mutant with shapeshifting abilities, globally renowned for saving Nixon's life 10 years prior. Lawrence said "she hears about what happened to Erik and she wants to seek him out and help him." Oscar Isaac as En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse Born in ancient times, and presumably the world's first mutant, he has a variety of destructive superhuman abilities, including telekinesis, cyberpathy, teleportation, and the ability to augment other mutants' abilities. Isaac described Apocalypse as the "creative-slash-destructive force of the Earth." He added, "When things start to go awry, or when things seem like they're not moving towards evolution, [Apocalypse] destroys those civilizations." Isaac had to go through extensive makeup and prosthetics applications, and wore high-heeled boots to appear taller and a 40-pound suit. The full costume, which Isaac described as "basically doing Kabuki theater", was uncomfortable, particularly in the humid environment of the outdoor scenes, which forced Isaac to go to a cooling tent between takes. Apocalypse's previous old-form (seen at the beginning of the film) was played by Berdj Garabedian, a 70-year-old Canadian real estate agent in his first credited film role. Nicholas Hoult as Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy / Beast A mutant with leonine attributes, prehensile feet and superhuman physical abilities. Hank acts as a teacher in Xavier's school and he builds inventions for troubled students. He also built the X-Jet. Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert A CIA agent who first met and fell in love with Xavier in X-Men: First Class, where he wiped portions of her memories of him and the X-Men at the end. Simon Kinberg said they are "essentially, strangers" when they meet in this film. Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver A mutant who can move, think, and perceive at supersonic speeds, and the son of Magneto. Describing the relationship between Quicksilver and Magneto, Peters stated, "I have learned that he's my father at this point and I am trying to ... I don’t know what I can say. I'm trying to ... Yeah. It's like an adoptive child or any kind of child who has a strange father trying to ... He knows who he is now so he is trying to find him. He's been searching for him. It's been 10 years and he hasn't found him and then something happens." Tye Sheridan as Scott Summers / Cyclops A mutant who fires destructive optic beams and wears a visor or sunglasses to stabilize and contain them, and who is the younger brother of Havok. Sheridan describes Cyclops as "angry and a bit lost." He added, "He's now learning about being a mutant and trying to handle his powers." Sophie Turner as Jean Grey A mutant who is scared of her telepathic and telekinetic power, and one of Charles Xavier's most prized students. Turner states that she was cast in the film because of the "dark side" of her character Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones. She compared Jean to Sansa and described being an outcast in the human world, who struggles with her power and gift, the same way Sansa, who wanted to live a normal life, felt. Turner learned archery in preparation for the role. Olivia Munn as Psylocke A mutant with telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Her abilities also include projecting purple psychic energy, usually into the form of an energy blade that can burn through metal. Munn described Psylocke as "very lethal, very powerful and very strong." She practiced sword fighting in preparation for the role. Kodi Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler A German teleporting mutant and one of Charles Xavier's new students. Singer said Nightcrawler is a source of comic relief. Alexandra Shipp as Ororo Munroe / Storm A young mutant orphan who can control weather. Storm is discovered by Apocalypse in Cairo. Shipp shaved her head partially, and sported a Mohawk for the role. Lucas Till as Alex Summers / Havok A mutant who has the ability to absorb energy and release it with destructive force from his body, and the older brother of Cyclops. Josh Helman as Colonel William Stryker A military officer who hates mutants. Ten years since Days of Future Past, Stryker has been developing his own plan for how he wants to proceed with the "mutant problem". Ben Hardy as Angel A mutant with bird-like feathered wings, gaining metallic wings which can also be used as razor sharp projectiles as a result, similar to his Archangel counterpart in the comics. Hardy practiced indoor skydiving in preparation for his role. Lana Condor as Jubilee An Asian-American mutant student at Charles's school who has the ability to create psionic energy plasmoids.[10][21][22] Discussing her first day on X-Men: Apocalypse, Condor says: "I was very new and it was my first role. I'd never been on a set before or in front of a camera, so I didn't know what to expect. The first day we shot scenes in an 80s-themed mall with hundreds of extras in 80s gear, plus crew and cameras. It was surreal." She also discussed the character of Jubilee and how she became the mutant: "It's a lot easier when you have the costume, as that helps bring everything to life. She has her iconic yellow jacket, which is a staple. It's very bold and confident, like her. A lot of her costumes are super 80s. I also listened to music from the 80s and that helped." Additionally, Hugh Jackman makes an uncredited appearance as Logan / Wolverine, in his Weapon X form. In that same scene, director Bryan Singer cameos as a guard with a machine gun who is killed by Wolverine as he attempts to escape the complex. X-Men co-creator Stan Lee and his wife Joan Lee make a cameo appearance together, in a more serious role than any of Lee's previous cameos, as bystanders witnessing the launch of nuclear missiles worldwide. Tomas Lemarquis portrays Caliban, a mutant with the ability to sense and track other mutants. The Blob makes an appearance in the film as Angel's opponent in an underground fight club, portrayed by wrestler "Giant" Gustav Claude Ouimet. Carolina Bartczak and T.J. McGibbon portray Magneto's wife Magda and daughter Nina, respectively. Warren Scherer, Rochelle Okoye, Monique Ganderton, and Fraser Aitcheson portray En Sabah Nur's original four lieutenants Pestilence, Famine, Death, and War respectively. Zehra Leverman reprises her role as Ms. Maximoff. Other actors include Željko Ivanek and Anthony Konechny cameo as a Pentagon scientist and Scott's school-jock classmate, respectively. Alison Blaire / Dazzler makes a brief cameo appearance on a record album which Jean and Scott are shown holding at a music store, a scene not in the theatrical film, but scheduled to be available in the home video release. Archive footage was used of Caleb Landry Jones, Eva Magyar, Georg Nikoloff, and Bill Milner as Sean Cassidy / Banshee, Erik's parents Edie Lehnsherr and Mr. Lehnsherr, and young Erik, respectively. Also appearing in archival clips were journalist Jessica Savitch and actors Leslie Parrish and Michael Forest (the latter two appearing in footage with dialogue from the 1967 Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?"). |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| En Sabah Nur, a powerful mutant believed to be the first of his kind, rules ancient Egypt until he is betrayed by his worshippers, who entomb him alive. His four lieutenants die preserving him. Awakening in 1983, he believes humanity has lost its way without his presence. Aiming to destroy and remake the world, he recruits Cairo pickpocket Ororo Munroe, who can control the weather, and upgrades her power. In East Berlin, shape-shifting mutant Raven investigates an underground fight club and discovers mutant champion Angel, who possesses a pair of large feathered wings on his back, and Kurt Wagner, who can teleport. Raven rescues Kurt and employs the services of black marketeer Caliban to transport him to America. En Sabah Nur recruits Caliban's enforcer, Psylocke, who leads him to Angel. En Sabah Nur enhances both their powers, transforming Angel's wings into metal. Alex Summers discovers that his younger brother Scott is manifesting his mutation for shooting optic beams. Alex takes Scott to Professor Charles Xavier's educational institute in Westchester County, New York, hoping that Xavier and Hank McCoy will teach him to control his abilities. Scott meets the telepathic and telekinetic Jean Grey, and the two develop an attraction. Raven brings Kurt to the institute. Apocalypse's powers cause disturbances around the world, leading Xavier and Alex to consult with CIA agent Moira MacTaggert, who has been researching the legend of Nur. In Communist Poland, the metal-controlling mutant Erik Lehnsherr lives with his wife and their young daughter, Nina. He uses his powers to save a coworker, prompting the militia to capture him. When they accidentally kill Erik's family, he retaliates by murdering them. En Sabah Nur later approaches the devastated Erik and takes him to Auschwitz, where Erik's power first manifested. Erik destroys the camp and joins him. En Sabah Nur enters Xavier's mind while Xavier is using the mutant-locating computer Cerebro and, co-opting Xavier's powers, forces the global superpowers to launch their entire nuclear arsenals into space to prevent interference. He and his new lieutenants arrive at the mansion and kidnap Xavier. Attempting to stop them, Alex accidentally causes an explosion that destroys the mansion. Peter Maximoff, having learned that he is Erik's son and hoping that Xavier can help to find him, arrives just in time; he uses his super-speed to evacuate the students before the explosion destroys the building, but Alex is presumed dead. Colonel William Stryker's forces subsequently capture Hank, Raven, Peter, and Moira, and take them to a military facility for interrogation. Scott, Jean and Kurt follow covertly, and liberate their comrades using Stryker's mind-controlled and brainwashed experiment Weapon X, whose memories Jean partially restores. At En Sabah Nur's behest, Erik uses his powers to control the Earth's magnetic poles, causing death and destruction across the planet. En Sabah Nur plans to transfer his consciousness into Xavier's body, and use Xavier's power to enslave every person on earth. Xavier secretly sends a telepathic distress call to Jean, and the others travel to Cairo to battle Apocalypse and his horsemen. They rescue Xavier, but he loses his hair as the process nears completion. Angel is defeated and incapacitated in the battle. Erik and Ororo are persuaded to turn on En Sabah Nur and, with the help of Scott, they keep him occupied physically while Xavier fights him telepathically in the astral plane. Finally, Xavier encourages Jean to unleash the full extent of her powers, incinerating En Sabah Nur. In the ensuing chaos, Psylocke flees. Xavier and Moira rekindle their relationship. Erik and Jean help reconstruct the school, but Erik refuses Xavier's offer to stay and help teach. Peter decides not to tell Erik yet that he is Erik's son. As the new X-Men, Hank and Raven train new recruits Scott, Jean, Ororo, Kurt and Peter. In a post-credits scene, men in suits visit the Weapon X facility to retrieve data on Stryker's mutant research, including an X-ray and a blood sample marked "Weapon X", on behalf of the Essex Corporation. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 10. “Logan” | March 3, 2017 |
| STARRING: |
| Hugh Jackman as James Howlett / Logan / Wolverine A physically enhanced mutant with accelerated healing, who's dealing with his age and ailment. Mangold describes Logan as "old", as well as stating, "it's clear his abilities aren't what they once were", as well as one of Charles Xavier's carers, alongside Caliban. Mangold spoke of Logan's age influencing his regenerative capabilities, to which he states may no longer produce soft skin, "[...] So we imagined he heals quickly, still, but it leaves a scar. The simple idea was that his body would start to get a little more ravaged with a kind of tattooing of past battles, lacerations that remain of previous conflicts." Jackman indicated that he believed he was nearing the end of his run as Wolverine, so there was speculation early on that his next film could be his last. On the second page of screenplay, Mangold spoke of Logan as "[...] he's older now and it's clear his abilities aren't what they once were. He's fading on the inside and his diminished healing factor keeps him in a constant state of chronic pain - hence booze as a painkiller." Jackman requested for fan input on the direction Wolverine's story should go in the next film, while seeming to confirm that the project would serve as his farewell to Logan. To prepare for his role, Jackman ate a minimum of six meals per day, when working with trainer Mike Ryan. Ryan stated that an average workout session for Jackman lasts up to three hours, beginning at 4:00 a.m. Jackman stated, "[...] it's going to be very different. Very different in tone and hopefully different to anything we've done." Jackman explained that comedian Jerry Seinfeld was indirectly responsible for his decision to stop playing Logan after 17 years, with Jackman stating, "I was having a chat with [Seinfeld] about a year ago [...] he was talking about why he finished Seinfeld [...] He said he'd always had this feeling and belief that you never know when either your energy or the audience's energy is going to dip over into people [saying] 'Oh, please go.'" Jackman accepted a pay reduction to ensure that the film would be produced to receive an R-rating. Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier A mutant who is the world's most powerful telepath, and founder and former leader of the X-Men. Charles' telepathic abilities have become unstable, and at times he doesn't even remember who Logan is. During the events of Logan, Xavier is cared for by Logan and Caliban. On August 13, 2015, Stewart, in an interview with Collider.com, expressed intrigue at the possibility of an Old Man Logan story, with him stating, "[...] The idea of an old Wolverine, I'm really looking forward to [Jackman] getting old [...]". When asked of rumors about his involvement in Mangold's film he remarked "I think what you say is true. There is a project in development. I understand that Professor Xavier will be making more than an appearance, however, and that intrigues me." Prior to filming Logan, Stewart spoke of a different version of the character, "He's a terrific character, but I am looking forward - if what I've been told is true - to a different version of Charles. We shall see." On the character of Xavier, Mangold mentions the themes of ageing and loneliness, to which he further explains, "We've seen these characters in action, saving the universe. But what happens when you're in retirement and that career is over? The really interesting thing to me, or a place to dig that hadn't been dug, was the idea of mutants when they're no longer useful to the world, or even sure if they can do what they used to do. Their powers are diminished like all of ours are by age." Speaking of his appearance in Mangold's film, Stewart remarked that "[...] this is probably the end of this franchise for me. But the thing about science fiction and fantasy is that you can never, ever say it's the end, it's over." Richard E. Grant as Zander Rice Surgical head of the project Transigen. Boyd Holbrook as Donald Pierce Transigen's relentless, calculating and intense head of security, and leader of the Reavers. On the character of Pierce, Holbrook stated, "He's an innovative engineer and he's a big fan of Wolverine. He just wants to hang out with him [...] There's a lot of surprising stuff in it.[50] Mangold spoke very highly of Holbrook's acting talents, and speaking as to his casting decision, Mangold remarked, "He’s a fabulous actor. He's also, to me, in terms of playing an antagonist, he's got humour." Stephen Merchant as Caliban A mutant who can sense and track other mutants, who is helping Logan take care of Xavier. On Merchant taking the role, Mangold mentioned, "I'm always interested to find the thing that looks most interesting on the actors. Stephen is a huge man. One of the things that is so wonderful filming with him for a character like this is that he's a good six inches taller than Logan, and huge over Patrick. The little kid in the movie would come up to basically his knee. So there's a wonderful sense of scale – but he has heart too." Mangold concluded by stating, "So that was a wonderful energy to enter the movie, and someone who instead of turning things into their own energy kind of joined ours." Caliban was previously portrayed by Tomas Lemarquis in X-Men: Apocalypse. Dafne Keen as Laura A mysterious young girl who is "very much" like Logan. On whether Keane's character may be in actual fact X-23, the female clone of Logan, Mangold stated, "I'm not here today to confirm or deny anything. I think it's great that everyone's speculating and I think it reveals how smart the audience is, many of the fans, about these characters. I don't think they're on the wrong track." On Keen's portrayal of Laura, Mangold mentioned, "If anyone could steal a movie from [Jackman], it would be Dafne. She carries, all the time, a slight strangeness." Sienna Novikov served as Keen's stunt double. Additionally, Eriq La Salle, Elise Neal and Elizabeth Rodriguez have been cast in unidentified supporting roles. Doris Morgado appears as Maria. In the commentary to X-Men: Apocalypse, director Bryan Singer indicated that his film's post-credits scene would directly connect with the on-screen debut of X-Men antagonist Mister Sinister in Logan. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| Years after the epilogue of X-Men: Days of Future Past, some of the last mutants, an aging Logan - whose healing factor is starting to fail - and Charles Xavier protect a young girl named Laura who is very similar to Logan, and is being hunted by sinister forces. Plot
In the year 2029, mutants are on the brink of extinction due to a virus created by the Transigen Project. Logan, who has aged greatly because his healing factor has begun to falter and the adamantium within his body is now poisoning him, spends his days working as a chauffeur and hustling for prescription drugs in Texas. He and mutant outcast Caliban live in an abandoned smelting plant across the border in Mexico, where they care for a senile Charles Xavier, who had inadvertently killed several of his X-Men in a seizure-induced psychic attack one year earlier. Logan is approached by Gabriela, a nurse for Transigen, who asks him to escort her and an 11-year-old girl, Laura, to a place in North Dakota called "Eden". After reluctantly accepting the job, Logan discovers that Gabriela has been murdered. He, Xavier, and Laura narrowly escape from her killers — Transigen's Chief of Security Donald Pierce and his cybernetically-enhanced enforcers, the Reavers — but Caliban is captured and ordered to use his mutant powers to track them. Logan and Xavier learn through a video on Gabriela's phone that Transigen was breeding children with DNA samples from several mutants, but upon completion of the "X-24" project, the children were to be put to death. Gabriela helped several children escape from the Transigen compound before smuggling Laura across the border. Furthermore, Laura is revealed to be Logan's "daughter", as she was bred with his DNA. While staying in Oklahoma City, Logan develops skepticism over the location of Eden, as he discovers it being referenced in an X-Men comic book that Laura brought with her. The Reavers find their whereabouts, but Xavier suffers another seizure and freezes everyone at the hotel with a psychic blast, allowing Logan to kill them. Logan then injects Xavier with a suppressant before they leave the city. The trio is eventually given shelter by a local family, the Munsons, after helping them round up their horses during a highway incident. That night, while Logan is away, Xavier is mortally wounded and the Munsons are killed by X-24, a perfect clone of Logan, who then shackles Laura and heads to the Reavers' van. Caliban grabs two grenades and sets them off, killing himself and destroying the van while Logan and Laura once again escape. After burying Xavier, Logan reluctantly follows Laura's orders to take her to Eden. Logan and Laura arrive at Eden, which is a safe haven run by Rictor and former Transigen test subjects. There, Logan learns that the children will make an eight mile journey across the forest to the Canadian border and entrusts Laura to them before departing on his own. However, when the children are located and captured by the Reavers, Logan uses a mutant serum given to him by Rictor to restore his strength and healing factor, he then plows through the Reavers, but the serum quickly wears off before he meets Zander Rice, the head of the Transigen project. Rise reveals that he engineered the virus to kill off mutants to avenge his father's death during the Weapon X program. Logan kills Rice and confronts X-24 while the children overwhelm Pierce with their powers and kill him. X-24 outmatches Logan in battle and impales him through a tree, but is killed when Laura shoots him in the head with an adamantium bullet, destroying his brain and half his skull cap, the same bullet that Logan had kept with him for years. After Logan succumbs to his wounds and dies in Laura's arms, Laura and the children bury him before continuing their journey across the border. As they all leave, Laura returns to Logan's grave, removes the cross, and places it on its side to create an X to honor Logan as the last of the X-Men. |
| MOVIE TITLE | RELEASE DATE |
| 11. “Dark Phoenix” | June 7, 2019 |
| STARRING: |
| • James McAvoy as Charles Xavier / Professor X: A mutant pacifist, he founded Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Many of the characters in the film turn against Xavier as some of his decisions regarding Jean Grey's abilities are revealed. Director Simon Kinberg felt that the character always acts out of concern for the "greater good," though he may make some "misguided" choices at times. Kinberg hoped that each character would come across as having "a valid point of view" in the film. • Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto: Quicksilver's father and a powerful mutant who can control magnetic fields and manipulate metal, he is Xavier's former best friend and often rival. Magneto has formed a community of mutant refugees on the island of Genosha, which Kinberg compared to Israel in it being a homeland where mutants can be safe. • Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkhölme / Mystique: A shape-shifting mutant and Xavier's adopted sister. Lawrence described her role in the film as more maternal than before, as she leads the younger X-Men. The film continues growing the schism between Mystique and Xavier, with Mystique not approving of some of Xavier's methods, though Kinberg hoped that this would be more subtle in Dark Phoenix than in previous X-Men films. The film also sees the character change between appearing as Raven and Mystique more than previously, with each change having a specific meaning to the character and story. She continues to have feelings for Beast. • Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy / Beast: A mutant with a beastly appearance and superhuman physical abilities. He is a teacher at Xavier's School and helps lead the younger X-Men. He continues to have feelings for Mystique. • Sophie Turner as Jean Grey / Phoenix: An extremely powerful mutant with telepathic and telekinetic powers who is one of Xavier's most prized students. The Phoenix entity is unleashed in the film, leading to a fight between the two personalities for control. Turner studied dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia for the role, particularly for scenes where she has to change from the vulnerable Jean to the confident Phoenix. Kinberg said Turner has the lead role in the film, a first for the actress. Summer Fontana portrays a young Jean Grey. • Tye Sheridan as Scott Summers / Cyclops: A mutant who fires concussive optic beams. The film develops his relationship with Jean Grey, which director Simon Kinberg called "a huge part of the emotional core of the movie." This forces the character to become a leader in the film, as he is the most prominent character who holds on to hope as Jean grows more unstable. • Alexandra Shipp as Ororo Munroe / Storm: • An African mutant who can control the weather. • Kodi Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler: • A German mutant who can teleport. • Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver: Magneto's mutant son who can move at superhuman speed. Peters described the character as more mature and subdued in the film, being focused on using his abilities for good as a member of the X-Men. • Jessica Chastain as Vuk: The leader of a shape-shifting alien race known as the D'Bari who manipulates the Phoenix. Kinberg described her as "the devil on Jean's shoulder," while Chastain called her character "clinical." Chastain also plays Margaret Smith, the woman Vuk impersonates. Additionally, Ato Essandoh portrays "Jones", Vuk's second in command. Kota Eberhardt portrays telepath Selene Gallio, while Andrew Stehlin portrays Ariki, a mutant who can utilize his hair braids as a weapon; the character that was initially reported as Red Lotus. Scott Shepherd and Hannah Anderson portray Jean's parents John and Elaine, respectively. Brian d'Arcy James appears as the President of the United States; and Lamar Johnson appears briefly as Match. Halston Sage cameos as Dazzler in the character's first cinematic appearance. Veteran X-Men writer Chris Claremont makes a cameo appearance as a crowd member during the scene when Xavier accepts his award for rescuing the space shuttle Endeavour crew. Daniel Cudmore, who previously portrayed Colossus in the franchise, was announced to have a role, but did not appear. |
| SYNOPSIS: |
| In 1975, eight-year-old Jean Grey and her parents get into a car accident that kills her mother. Shortly afterward, Professor Charles Xavier takes her to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. In 1992, nine years after the worldwide chaos caused by En Sabah Nur, the X-Men are seen as heroes by the public. The President summons them for assistance during a crisis and responds to a distress signal from the space shuttle Endeavour, which is critically damaged by a solar flare-like energy during the STS-49 mission. While the X-Men save all of the astronauts, Jean is stranded and is struck by the energy which she absorbs into her body to save the X-Men's aircraft from destruction. Jean survives the event and her psychic powers are greatly amplified as a result, but they become uncontrollable and she accidentally unleashes her power on the mutants celebrating at Xavier's school. It is revealed that Xavier had placed mental walls in Jean's mind as a little girl to protect her psychic mind from experiencing trauma. These mental walls are destroyed by Jean's enhanced power and the trauma slowly returns, resulting in her being full of desire, rage, and pain. She then travels to her childhood hometown after finding out that her father is still alive and learned that he abandoned her. Jean recovers her complete memory of the car accident and remembers that she had inadvertently caused it rendering her mother unconscious at the wheel with her telepathy, which causes her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. The X-Men arrive and attempt to take Jean home but she injures Quicksilver and accidentally kills Mystique before flying away. Jean travels to the mutant refugee island of Genosha to seek assistance from Magneto in controlling her rage, but is turned away by Erik after she engages in combat with U.S. military forces tasked with her arrest. Jean meets Vuk, the leader of a shape-shifting alien race known as the D'Bari, who explains to her that she has been possessed by a force of cosmic power which wiped out the D'Bari home planet years ago. The power had consumed all those it came across until it was drawn to Jean. Meanwhile, Hank McCoy (Beast), mad with grief by Raven's death, allies with Erik and the mutant refugees in an attempt to kill Jean in New York City and avenge Raven. Upon learning of Erik's plan, the X-Men try to stop him and his faction of mutants. As they battle, Erik manages to enter the building and confront Jean, only to fall to her amplified powers. Xavier then enters the building with Nightcrawler. Jean attacks them until Xavier convinces her to read his memories - allowing her personality to resurface. Feeling remorseful, Jean offers to let Vuk take the force from her; however, it is revealed that doing so would kill Jean, as well as revealing that Vuk also intends to use the force to conquer Earth. Xavier and Scott are able to prevent Vuk from fully absorbing the force from Jean, though Jean loses consciousness from the ordeal. Troops sent by the U.S. government, who use stun weapons and power-inhibiting collars, attack and subdue both mutant factions, who are placed on a train headed towards a containment facility. On the train, a remorseful Xavier admits to a seething Hank that the latter was right in his earlier accusations of violating Jean's mind. The train is attacked by Vuk and her D'Bari forces. When the soldiers are overpowered by the shape-shifters, the mutants are freed from their restraints to combat the threat. The mutants deal with most of the D'Bari attackers, but Vuk arrives and heads for Jean, defeating each mutant who attempts to stop her. Xavier confers with Jean within his mind, allowing Jean to gain control of her power. After forgiving Xavier, Jean saves the mutants from Vuk's attacks and the ensuing train wreck before proceeding to easily disintegrate the remaining D'Bari when they attack her. Vuk once again attempts to drain Jean of the force, but Jean takes Vuk into outer space, retakes the power that Vuk had received earlier, and then kills her. Jean then disappears in a burst of energy in the form of a phoenix. In the aftermath of the incident, Xavier's school is renamed the "Jean Grey School for Gifted Youngsters", and Hank becomes their new dean with Xavier having retired after decades of fighting for mutant rights. While settling himself in Paris, Xavier is reunited with Erik and reluctantly agrees to play a game of chess with him. As they start playing, a flaming phoenix appears in the sky. |
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