Okay so you have now seen Spider-Man: Homecoming. You have witnessed Peter Parker’s triumphant return to the Marvel Universe, and his return to being a teenager instead of a hunky, moody 30-year-old who is still inexplicably in high school. And you have the post-credits scenes. (Fun fact: Everyone at Marvel Studios calls them “tags.”) So what do they mean for the future of Spidey and the MCU?
No bubble can last forever — it must eventually pop, as is the nature of bubbles. Marvel has built a vast media empire on the strength of such stars as Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemsworth, but no actor would be content with playing and re-playing the same role forever. All good (and obscenely lucrative) things must come to an end, and Evans has begun the long and painful process of consciously uncoupling from Captain America’s star-spangled shield and cowl. But a new quote from the actor suggests that he may not be the first big name to make a departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What do you get a man who’s turning 75 years old? Maybe a nice knit cardigan or a hand-crafted wooden pipe. But if that man is Captain America, you best get him a giant bronze statue.
Marvel stars Chris Pratt and Chris Evans—Seahawks and Patriots fans, respectively—made a bet on Twitter on which of their teams would win the Super Bowl. At stake? The loser would have to visit a local charity dressed as their superhero. The Patriots beat the Seahawks in dramatic fashion, so Pratt, in full Star-Lord costume, lived up to his end of the bargain and visited Christopher's Haven, a home for kids and their families battling cancer in Boston.
We've seen college course offerings focus on the 'Harry Potter' universe, comic books, and even one specifically for 'The Walking Dead,' but now it's Marvel's turn to educate younglings about the intricacies of their Cinematic Universe.
Admittedly, I never felt too outraged over the ending of last summer’s ‘Man of Steel.’ (Yes, there will be major spoilers ahead.) The complaints over Superman breaking the neck of his foe were certainly valid – therefore changing the very definition of the character – but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the film. That changed after seeing ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.’