By Kevin Wong on Dec 13, 2018 12:08 am
Friends to infinity and beyond.
Toy Story 3 ended on a perfect, bittersweet note. Andy went to college, and his toys went to Bonnie, the little neighborhood kid who would love and play with them for years to come. Adults wept buckets. So it came as something of a surprise when Toy Story 4 was announced in 2014. Where would Woody, Buzz, and company go from here? But finally after delays, rewrites, and rumors of backstage drama, Toy Story 4 is imminent. There's no spoilers circulating yet (Pixar is famously tight-lipped) but there's enough information out there to whet our appetites. Here are all the facts we have so far.
1. We know Toy Story 4's release date.
Disney/Pixar will release Toy Story 4 on June 21, 2019. The release date has been moved a couple of times; its original date was June 16, 2017. Then, the movie got delayed a year to June 15, 2018. And finally, it switched places with The Incredibles 2 to its current date.
2. Most of the original voice actors are returning
Every original actor has returned to do voiceover: Among all the others, Tom Hanks is Woody, Tim Allen is Buzz, Joan Cusack is Jessie, and Annie Potts will be playing Bo Peep, who was missing from Toy Story 3. Two actors, however, have died since Toy Story 3: R. Lee Ermey, who played the Army Sergeant, and Don Rickles, who played Mr. Potato Head. Ermey is less of a problem; the army soldiers took off at the beginning of Toy Story 3. But Mr. Potato Head is in the teaser for Toy Story 4. It's unknown whether Pixar has unused Rickles footage from prior films that they'll reappropriate, or if they'll simply recast the role.
3. New toys and new actors
There are a few new characters that we know of so far. There's Forky, played by Tony Hale, who Bonnie made out of a spork and pipe cleaners. There's Ducky and Bunny, played by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who are carnival toys. Keanu Reeves and Patricia Arquette will also be playing characters, though Pixar hasn't announced their roles yet.
4. Randy Newman returns
Randy Newman is as identifiable with Toy Story as John Williams is with Star Wars. So it's great news that Newman has returned to compose music for Toy Story 4. We're looking forward to hearing his folksy, soft-on-the-ears drawl, which complements Woody perfectly.
5. The script has been to hell and back.
The story was originally conceived by John Lassetter as a road trip to find Bo Peep; Lassetter said that he based the story on his wife. But since then, it's gone through several rewrites and reimaginings. Lassetter stepped down as co-director, and he later left Disney under a cloud of allegations. Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, originally part of the writers' room, left the project, citing creative and "philosophical differences." Approximately 75% of the script has been rewritten since those early days, according to Annie Potts. It's anyone's guess how much of Lasseter's original idea remains in tact. But who knows? This current script might be better.
6. Josh Cooley will direct
With Lassetter gone, Josh Cooley will be the film's sole director. This is his first full-length feature film. He wrote and directed the Inside Out short film Riley's First Date, but he has spent the majority of his career as a Pixar storyboard artist. Fortunately, he has some experienced, gifted filmmakers surrounding him (this is Pixar after all) should he need their guidance.
7. Forky?
Forky seems like he's going to be an important character who will address the franchise's overarching themes about life's purpose and responsibilities. In fact, Forky may be the catalyst to the main plot. Check out this Toy Story 4 teaser text: "Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that's Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called "Forky" to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy."
8. It's going to make you cry
We probably all knew this, deep down. But Tim Allen confirmed it in an interview with MovieWeb: "Yes, I gotta resist getting emotional. I don't want to give it away, but this is an incredibly great story. It is so emotional, it's so funny, it's so big, the idea they've come up with, I'm startled. I couldn't even get through the last scene. I would love to be a Washington leaker. I just can't do it. I can't give any more away. They've got great characters but a couple of scenes toward the end were really hard to get through." And Tom Hanks also chimed in during a separate interview with the BBC, in which he called the film's ending a "moment in history." Buy stock in Kleenex as we get closer to June 21, 2019.
By Meg Downey on Dec 12, 2018 08:39 pm
By fate or some divine sense of irony, 2019 marks the big screen debut of not one but two different Captains Marvel, one played by Brie Larson for the MCU and the other, under his new name "Shazam," played by Zachary Levi for DC. Thankfully, the name change makes it a little easier to differentiate between the two of them, but the comics history side of things has never been more tricky to explain. But never fear. You don't actually need to be well versed in the ins and outs of Golden Age comics to understand or prepare for both Captain Marvel and Shazam! As they speed towards their release dates next year. It's okay. You're free of that burden. In fact, all you really need to know about Shazam moving forward is that he's actually a kid named Billy Batson who is able to magically turn into an adult superhero. Think the Tom Hanks movie Big meets Superman. That's it, that's the whole story. No space aliens or Infinity Stones to worry about at all. Shazam will be the second major superhero release of 2019, so we've still got a little time to wait before the information really starts pouring in--but regardless, it's never too early to start rounding up exactly what we know. Here are the confirmed details for DC's first movie of the new year.
A cast full of kids, and kids at heart
Shazam's cast is comprised of some heavy hitters for pop culture die-hards. Here's who has been confirmed for the film. - Zachary Levi as ShazamAsher Angel as Billy Baton, Shazam's kid alter ego
- Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Billy's foster brother
- Mark Strong as Dr. Sivana, the central villain
- Djimon Hounsou as The Wizard Shazam, who gives Billy his powers
- Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, Billy's foster sister
It's well on its way
Shazam! Is hitting theaters on April 5, 2019, making it a nice little superhero diversion between Captain Marvel and Endgame. A palette cleanser, if you will.
It's an origin story
Unsurprisingly, we're going to be meeting Billy Batson at the very beginning of his story, before he has any of his powers. We'll be watching as he learns how to be a hero, right from the start, including all the hilarious instances of he and Freddy trying to figure out exactly what his powers even are in real time.
Dr. Sivana is the villain, but he might not be alone
Mark Strong's Dr. Sivana is one of Shazam's oldest and most nefarious foes, but we don't have much information about just what he wants or what his plans are in this particular iteration. There's a chance we might see other classic comics bad guys in the mix as well, cropping up from the magical corners of the DC universe to join the fray--Sivana often times has a direct connection to the personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins, which may or may not come into play.
It's part of the DCEU--sort of
Though DC's method of building out a shared universe is considerably different than Marvel's, Shazam will still technically take place in the wider DCEU, despite not having any real plot connection or confirmed cameos to any of the other film franchises. These characters will know they live in a world where heroes like Aquaman, Batman and Wonder Woman exist, but they won't interact with them--at least, as far as we know.
It's based off the New 52 comics
Shazam is a character with some complicated comic book history. Once a Golden Age hero called Captain Marvel (no, not that one), the rights to his books were bought, sold, shelved, and reworked over and over for decades before landing in the modern era with a new name and a slightly reworked backstory. The 2019 movie will follow the most recent rework, which took place after the 2011 DC relaunch, The New 52.
The whole "Shazam Family" has been cast, but may not get their powers
Over in the comics, Shazam rarely works alone. He's accompanied by a "family" of heroes with similar powers who, after the New 52 reboot, were modified to be Billy Batson's foster brothers and sisters. We know that the whole crew, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro in addition to core characters Freddy Freeman and Mary Bromfield will be making appearances, but whether or not they'll be similarly empowered by the end of the movie is anyone's guess.
By GameSpot Staff on Dec 12, 2018 06:20 am
Once upon a time, the benchmark of a truly battle-ready PC rig was "Can it run Crysis?" Now, though, your average, run of the mill $200 desktop your parents use just to check Facebook can probably run Crysis. But VR is another story. The Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive definitely needs good quality horsepower to run well, and while there's no small number of invincible, hardcore gaming rigs out there, the days when a VR-ready desktop would break the bank are also a distant memory, and we've collected the cream of the crop from all the way across the spectrum. (Presented by Oculus)
Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop (5680)
For budget minded gamers Dell's Inspiron series has always been the perfect balance of power and price, and their latest model of gaming desktop is no exception. For around $600, the Inspiron manages to not just be a capable tower, light on the flashy bells and whistles of some of its burlier brethren, but the specs make it a perfect gateway machine (pun unintended) into the world of VR right out of the box.
Dell XPS 8930 Special Edition
If you want a bit more kick out of your Dell, however, the Special Edition XPS 8930 is configured out of the box to meet the recommended specs for the Rift and Vive. On top of that, it's configurable to use NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card which not only surpasses the recommended VR hurdle (GTX 1060), but delivers above and beyond on just straight up HD gaming, all in a compact little package.
HP Omen Desktop
As it is, HP's Omen line of computers all look like one of those chests in an RPG you can't open until you've recruited a wizard into your crew, but the Desktop version in particular, while hitting the VR benchmark dead on—is also built to invite wonder. For a midrange price, the Omen leaves a lot of room in its chassis for enterprising gamers to expand and experiment, while leaving quite a few other computers in the dust just from the mindboggling amount of pre-set configurations available.
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme
Possibly the best of both worlds in terms of form and function, the Gamer Xtreme series looks like it's powered by the fires of Hell, the kind of machine that the pros spend $5K on easy. In reality, it's a rig that costs less than a grand, and has everything you need to get your VR on right out of the box, no fuss no muss. It's also far from a slouch in the horsepower department, offering strong performance on regular games, and plenty of room to expand the memory when you're ready.
Alienware Aurora
There isn't really a wrong choice when it comes to Alienware. The logo on a box is pretty much a guarantee you're getting a gaming beast. The Aurora in particular, though, is an absolutely leviathan. Not only is it sporting the best both NVIDIA and Intel have to offer, playing even the most intensive titles at 4K resolution, but it handles VR without even breaking a sweat. When the time comes where you might have to give it a boost, it's got one of the easiest and most intuitive panel configurations, allowing players to swap out parts without having to pick up a single screwdriver.
Asus ROG G20CI
Your average VR setup does, admittedly, take up quite a bit of real estate in your home, no matter where you've got it hooked up, and PCs with the power to do VR right typically don't want you getting stingy with that space to do its thing. Fortunately, Asus seemed to have noticed a place where they could do some good and delivered a powerhouse of a machine that is tailor made to be compact. Though it's got the futuristic designs of a bigger machine, its a rig that's maybe a smidge bigger than a PS4, and designed to maybe sit next to a console and look relatively inconspicuous. Depending on where you'll be doing your VR gaming, that may be the biggest blessing of all.
Falcon Northwest Talon
Compared to some of its ostentatious brethren in the same elite tier of gaming desktops, the Talon is relatively unassuming, especially if you pick a less flashy color scheme for the exterior. The outside is where the restraint ends, though. Inside, the Talon is one of the most extravagant and jaw-dropping configurations on the planet. The rig sports an 18-core 4.4 Ghz processor, twin 12GB graphics cards, and 64GB of memory. Needless to say, the absolute pinnacle of VR performance can be found here, a future-proof monster that'll take whatever you throw at it for years and years to come.
By Meg Downey on Dec 12, 2018 02:27 am
We're not asking for much, just the best superhero movie of all time.
Now that we've finally got a name and a trailer, it feels as if Avengers: Endgame is more "real" than ever before. After months of waiting and some truly outrageous secret keeping and teasing care of just about every single person involved in the MCU in any capacity, it's finally here. We finally know something about the shape of the world in the post Infinity War void--and while it's certainly not a lot, at least it's not nothing. Endgame's mysteries are only made more pressing by the swirling anticipation and anxiety ebbing and flowing around the final fight with Thanos. We've never been in this situation before, where our heroes have been thoroughly, decidedly beaten. We've never had to deal with stakes this high. All forms of speculation are more uncertain than ever because there just isn't a road map for where we've found ourselves now--no guide book to follow and no formula to track. Every tiny scrap of information we can collect has to be picked apart and examined closely, or else we might just drive ourselves crazy with the hows, whys, and what-ifs. Of course, that being said, sometimes the guesswork phase can be the most fun part of the pre-release hype. So we've dug deep, taken a fine toothed comb to the past 10 years of the MCU, and searched our feelings for a list of our biggest hopes, dreams, and wishes for Avengers: Endgame. Look, we're not asking for much: just the most satisfying culmination of ten years of shared universe worldbuilding in pop culture history. Here's everything we want from Avengers: Endgame.
1. A satisfying ending
For all that Endgame represents in the MCU, its finality is pretty hard to ignore. Whether that means the exit of major actors from the shared universe or the literal death of some fan favorite characters, we can't be sure, but the specifics are less important than the broader meaning. This will, arguably, be the first real phase "finale" the MCU has ever had, and in that sense, it has to be a good one. Whatever happens, whoever doesn't make it through, it needs to be an arc worthy of its ten year design. If Endgame can't get that right, it's in deep, deep trouble.
2. A way forward
Endgame might be a "finale" to phase 1, but the MCU is far from over. Building this movie in such a way that it simultaneously feels like a satisfying conclusion and a springboard for Marvel's future projects will be a huge challenge, but one that is absolutely critical. The next phase of the MCU might be shrouded in slow burning mysteries, but it's all definitely coming--and we need to be able to care about it as much as we've cared for the last decade.
3. Skrulls, skrulls, skrulls
Retroactively introducing Skrulls in Captain Marvel could be a masterstroke for Endgame's tricky tightrope walking. Not only are they throwing a huge potential complication in the mix for the final fight with Thanos, they're also essentially a get-out-of-jail-free card for any sticky character moment that might come into play. They're a built in retcon machine, capable of (relatively) elegantly pivoting any one hero away from a major death or poor decision by ultimately revealing that they weren't actually themselves. Of course, if Endgame does cash in on the Skrull check, it'll have to be careful about how and when it makes its withdraws--as easy as they are to use as a narrative panic button, they're also just as quick to make the stories feel cheap and pointless.
4. Carol Danvers in the flesh
It seems obvious to expect a major entrance for Captain Marvel in Endgame, but given how strange and complicated her circumstances are, and how unclear it is just how she'll be able to help reverse a universe that's already been Decimated, we're still counting this one as a hope rather than a guarantee. We want a Carol moment that introduces her to the present day MCU in a way that works with both the story and the overall vibe of her character, but doesn't reduce her to a bland deus ex machina.
5. Time travel, but not too much
There's been a pretty persistent rumor about time travel coming into play for Endgame, thanks to some leaked set photos of scenes that look like recreations of The Avengers and 1940s America, as well as some teases from the Russos about the return of Captain America: Civil War's "BARF" tech. If time travel does come into play, we'll need it to be handled judiciously -- something that actually highlights the bigger and more emotional moments of the MCU's past, rather than frantically trying to loop-hole the story out of a tight spot.
6. The Reunion
Steve Rogers and Tony Stark's relationship in the MCU is a complicated one, made more complicated still by their bad breakup in Civil War. Infinity War very meticulously kept the two founding Avengers apart from one another and unable to reconcile, so we're going to need an extra special pay off this time around. Sure, that might be tricky, given the situation, but if Endgame wraps up without a, big, poignant Cap and Iron Man hug, we'll riot.
7. Assemble
Cap's iconic "Avengers assemble!" battle cry has been kept out of the MCU for six whole movies, making it feel almost inevitable for Endgame. If this really is Steve Rogers' last hurrah, we're going to need it at least once--and it better make the wait worth it.
8. Death, and other messy things
While there are obviously going to be some post-Decimation returns, considering the roster of characters who didn't make it through Infinity War, we're hoping that the subsequent resurrections are actually handled with care, rather than a blanket "they're all fine now, it's over" handwave. This will ostensibly be the first time the MCU has really dipped into the very comic book-y world of returning the dead to life, and however this moment is handled will likely set a precedent for future movies, making it critical that it's actually sold well.
9. Vengeance for Gamora
One of the few non-Decimation related deaths in Infinity War, Gamora's story arc has become one of the central pillars of the Thanos plot, and something that would be oh-so-satisfying to see end on a higher note. We'd love to see Gamora, resurrected or otherwise, actually be the one to land the killing blow on Thanos this time around.
10. The Hulk problem, resolved
Bruce Banner's life post-Ragnarok has been a little off the rails. He spent Infinity War unable to shift into his green alter ego and, so far, the Endgame trailer hasn't given much away as to just how he intends to deal with that moving forward. Mark Ruffalo has stated that he and Kevin Feige have put together a compelling "trilogy" style story for Bruce in lieu of him getting his own solo movie, the finale of which ought to be coming in Endgame. We're hoping for a good, solid, and justifiable conclusion for him in this movie that doesn't make him feel like a punchline to a slapstick gag.
11. Asgard, remembered
Thor's also in some rough waters after both Ragnarok and Infinity War. What's the state of the Asgardian refugees after Thanos' attack? What will Thor do after Thanos is defeated? Where will he go? Where are Valkyrie and Korg? We need some answers, even if they're sad ones. Anything is better than not knowing.
12. More Steve Rogers
Despite the mass hysteria sparked by Chris Evans' beautiful bearded face in Infinity War, Steve Rogers only had less than 10 minutes of actual screen time, which is, in all honesty, a travesty. The beard may be gone now, but we're willing to forgive the Russos their grave aesthetic transgressions if they just give Cap more featured time in the story. After all, when Captain America isn't on screen, everyone should be asking: Where's Captain America?
By Steve Watts on Dec 12, 2018 01:43 am
Overwatch Winter Wonderland 2018 Skins
The Overwatch Winter Wonderland update is now live, bringing with it some festive decorations and the return of a pair of special wintery Brawls. The showpiece of any Overwatch event is always the new skins, though, and this year Blizzard has packed some especially creative and clever looks for its band of heroes. They can be purchased directly or obtained through a new limited-time loot box--one of which you'll get for free just by logging in. As usual the most dramatic makeovers are Legendary skins, which change the characters' looks significantly. This year those include Biathlong Widowmaker, Figure Skater Symmetra, Snowboarder Zarya, Snow Fox Lucio, Sugar Plum Fairy Mercy, and Krampus Junkrat. Those are complemented by a handful of Epic skins: Festive Reinhardt, Gift Wrap Bastion, and Winter Ashe. You can check out the full gallery of skins above. If you happened to miss skins from last year, those are back too, now at reduced prices if you want to purchase them with in-game currency. Four maps have also gotten a snowy look: Blizzard World, King's Row, Black Forest, and Hanamura. Along with the cosmetics, Blizzard brought back the Yeti Hunter and Mei's Snowball Offensive modes. This is the first winter event since the game introduced Brigitte, Wrecking Ball, and Ashe, but only Ashe received a winter-themed skin of her own. Brigitte and Wrecking Ball will have to wait until next year to get some holiday makeovers.
By Kevin Wong on Dec 12, 2018 01:12 am
Are you looking forward to Episode IX?
The latest Star Wars trilogy has turned out quite divisive. Episode VII: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams, was criticized for being too safe--a stylish remake of A New Hope rather than its own film. Then, the Rian Johnson-helmed Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi came out and did the opposite. Though it tried different things and broke a lot of established Star Wars archetypes, it was criticized for going too far to subvert audience expectations. Now, the Star Wars fandom has Episode IX to look forward to in 2019. Can this final film rectify the public sentiment, or have things splintered beyond repair? Is there a grander artistic vision at play, or has this entire process been a series of short-sighted decisions, one after the other? Here's everything we know so far about Star Wars: Episode IX, along with some of the more recent speculative rumors.
1. We know the release date
The current release date for Star Wars Episode IX is December 20, 2019. This is a change from the original release date: May 24, 2019. The first six films in the main franchise were all released in May. The December release window began with The Force Awakens in 2015 and continued with The Last Jedi in 2017.
2. J.J. Abrams is back in the director's chair
Colin Trevorrow, who directed and co-wrote Jurassic World and co-wrote Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, was originally slated to direct Episode IX. He dropped out of the project due to creative differences and was replaced with J.J. Abrams, who helmed The Force Awakens. This has proven to be a controversial choice, especially from fans who disliked The Force Awakens. But in hindsight, Abrams might have been better off directing the whole trilogy. When Abrams gave Rian Johnson his rough ideas for the Last Jedi, Johnson opted to not use them and started from scratch. This might be the reason why the new trilogy feels like a patchwork of competing visions. If Johnson tried to subvert Abrams' original story, will Abrams now try to undo that subversion, now that he's back in charge? This could get ugly.
3. Billy Dee Williams is back as Lando
Abrams is bringing back Billy Dee Williams to reprise the role of Lando Calrissian. And not a moment too soon; we're quickly running out of classic characters who can make meaningful cameos. Han Solo died in VII. Luke Skywalker died in VIII. Carrie Fisher died before she could film her scenes as Leia in Episode IX. So much of Star Wars is based on echoes and allusions to the past. And seeing familiar faces might give this trilogy the emotional conclusion that it needs.
4. Lando's daughter?
According to a Reddit user who claimed to be an Episode IX extra, Naomi Ackie will be performing the role of Veranada Calrissian, Lando's daughter. This makes a lot of sense; Star Wars has always been a story about families and one generation either following, or not following, in the footsteps of the prior one. Last Jedi fans might be disappointed though. Johnson took great effort in The Last Jedi to "free" Star Wars from the restrictions of being a "Skywalker saga," If true, this decision might set those efforts back. Many will see this as a course correction. But other might view this as a regression, that makes the Star Wars universe smaller than it ought to be.
5. Picking up old plotlines
Now that Abrams is directing the film, lots of plotlines, which were apparently ditched by Johnson, could be back in play. He could easily retcon Rey's lineage; Episode IX could explain that Rey is actually descended from Obi-Wan or a great Jedi warrior, but Kylo told her the opposite in The Last Jedi to play on her insecurities. We could see the Knights of Ren, which were alluded to in The Force Awakens and never mentioned once in The Last Jedi. We could get a resolution to the Finn and Rey romantic tension, though this might be tricky, since Rose is in love with Finn. It'll be interesting to see how Abrams responds to characters that he had no part in creating, and whether he restores his old characters to their original trajectories.
6. Sidekick for BB-8?
The site Making Star Wars is a hotbed for Star Wars leaks and rumors. And a recent report on the site says that in the new film, BB-8 will be getting a sidekick droid that will look up to and follow him. Could this work? It's all in the delivery and presentation. BB-8 was very well-received by the fandom, and a smaller, younger droid might recreate some of the chemistry we see between C-3PO and R2-D2, especially if the saga continues beyond IX. So long as Abrams focuses more on characterization than gags or cutesy humor, it'll be fine.
7. Repaired Kylo helmet?
The same on-set report states that Kylo Ren will be wearing a helmet in this new film, even though he took it off and smashed it in The Last Jedi. According to the source, this new helmet could actually be the old helmet, repaired and welded together, which makes a direct allusion to Darth Vader's patched together, broken state.
8. A brand new planet: Batuu
The planet of Batuu is now a part of the Disneyland and Disney World "Star Tours" attractions, and it will also be the site for the new "Star Wars Land" themed area in Disney Hollywood Studios, set to open in 2019. This might mean that Batuu will play pivotal role in the new film, slated to release the same year. According to the Disney Parks official blog: "This remote outpost on the galaxy's edge was once a busy crossroads along the old sub-lightspeed trade routes, but its prominence was bypassed by the rise of hyperspace travel. Now home to those who prefer to stay out of the mainstream, it has become a thriving port for smugglers, rogue traders and adventurers traveling between the frontier and uncharted space. It's also a convenient safe haven for those intent on avoiding the expanding reach of the First Order. While Batuu may be new to us, it is clearly already familiar to many characters from the Star Wars saga as a stepping off point for epic adventures."
9. Carrie Fisher is back as Leia Organa
And lastly, after a good amount of vacillating back and forth, Abrams has confirmed that yes, Carrie Fisher will be making an appearance in Episode IX via unused footage from her Force Awakens appearance. Abrams was granted permission by Fisher's daughter, and said in a statement that he has "found a way to honor Carrie's legacy and role as Leia."
By Meg Downey on Dec 12, 2018 12:42 am
With only three months until the release of Captain Marvel, fans of the MCU are starting to get serious about their speculation and theorizing about what could be in store for Marvel's first solo female hero--and with two trailers to work from, it's getting easier than ever before to start connecting the dots and making some educated guesses. So, with that in mind, we've compiled a list of everything we know going into this next year of Marvel movies, from confirmed cast members to details we've gleaned from the most recent trailer. Carol's story might not be a simple one--the Kree/Skrull war is one of the denser elements the MCU's chosen to adapt and Carol's long history is riddled with revisions and rebooted storylines--but it's shaping up to be one of the most crucial pieces of the shared universe landscape, especially as Avengers: Endgame rapidly approaches. As what may or may not be the Avengers' last best hope against Thanos and the Infinity Stones, Carol's got no shortage of weight sitting on her shoulders, though thankfully her movie's place in the MCU's past will help alleviate some of the burden--at least for now.
The cast is huge, and features some familiar faces
The cast of Captain Marvel is massive and features a handful of actors reprising characters who haven't been around in a while mixed in with those making their big screen debuts. - Brie Larson is Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel
- Samuel L. Jackson is Nick Fury, digitally de-aged to be younger
- Jude Law is a mystery role, maybe Mar-Vell
- Ben Mendelsohn is Talos, a Skrull leader
- Gemma Chan is Minn-Erva, a Kree doctor
- Lee Pace is Ronan the Accuser, a Kree zealot last seen in Guardians of the Galaxy
- Clark Gregg is Phil Coulson, a SHIELD agent, digitally de-aged like Jackson
- Lashana Lynch is Monica Rambeau, one of Carol's air force comrades
- Annette Bening is a Kree mystery role
- McKenna Grace is young Carol Danvers
It's set in the 1990s
The digital de-aging of Jackson and Gregg was made necessary by Captain Marvel's unique time period. The movie is set in the early 90s, before the Avengers Initiative really took hold, making Carol one of the first modern superheroes in the MCU's timeline, before Tony had a chance to become Iron Man and before Captain America was defrosted.
The wait is almost over
Captain Marvel's release date is March 8, 2019. The countdown has officially started.
Nick Fury has two eyes, like cats
Nick Fury's earliest days at SHIELD are about to be explored in a major way, but maybe more importantly, we've learned that he's a cat person. Is this the key to understanding the MCU's future? Does this change everything we've ever known about the Avengers initiative? Probably.
Jude Law's role is still a mystery
Fans have been taking guesses as to just who Jude Law's character is since he was announced in the cast. Mar-Vell was a common guess, but with our first look at Law in action with the trailers, some doubt has been thrown into the mix. We're not sure exactly who Law is playing or what that role might mean for the story as it unfolds.
Carol's origin story has been changed again
Carol Danvers is a character with a pretty complicated past, so it only makes sense that the MCU would make an effort to streamline things a bit for this adaptation. She's getting an overhauled origin story complete with amnesia about her time as a human for her solo movie.
The Skrulls are on Earth
Carol's mission with the Kree military is to face the shape-shifting alien race, the Skrulls, who have already infiltrated Earth--specifically, as we've seen in the trailer, by looking like a kindly old lady on the bus. Given Captain Marvel's retro place in the MCU timeline, this could have some major implications for the future.
Carol was in the Air Force, despite the origin story changes
Scenes from the trailer reveal that a considerable amount of Carol's backstory has been preserved for the film, despite the changes made to her origin story. She was still in the military, and still a pilot, though she seems to be unable to remember that right about now.
The cat's name is Goose, and there might be more to him
Everyone's favorite part of the trailer, an orange cat named Goose, is a renaming of Carol's comic book companion, a cat named Chewie. However, there's more to this friendly feline than meets the eye--in the comics, Chewie is actually an alien called a Flerken (no, really) that only looks like a common house cat.
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