MarvelBlog News for August 17, 2020
A Marvel television show concludes, a Spider-Man film may have a new name, The New Mutants reveal all in 60 seconds, and a videogame is nearly here.
Let’s talk all things Marvel in the latest edition of MickeyBlog News!
Feeling Homesick?
Rumor sites have struggled in recent months, as Marvel has entered lockdown mode.
The studio doesn’t want anyone leaking information about upcoming projects, as many of their plans remain unsettled.
Of course, Marvel cannot stop leaks at Sony Pictures, a rival studio of Disney’s.
So, when we hear about a new name for an upcoming Sony project, we aren’t sure whether to believe it.
Photo: Looper
Some folks have said that Tom Holland’s third Spider-Man movie has a new title, Homesick.
Others have suggested that this “news” amounts to little more than baseless internet speculation.
I fall into the latter camp, but I must acknowledge some aspects.
Sony does appear committed to the Home naming convention for the current crop of Spider-Man movies.
I presume that Sony is building to something here, as the character’s rogues’ gallery of villains may impact this name later.
Everyone believes it’s inevitable that Spider-Man will face off against Venom, Morbius, and others in a couple of years.
Still, Spider-Man: Homesick may not present the right setting for another film.
After all, Peter Parker just returned from traveling the world in Spider-Man: Far from Home. Then, he crossed the galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War.
Why would the character feel homesick once he’s back in Queens?
Marvel
So, you’re perfectly entitled to believe this new name for the next Spider-Man movie. I suspect it’s little more than clickbait, though.
The New Mutants
The marketing team has faced an uphill battle with The New Mutants.
Nobody has ever known for sure when the movie would enter theaters.
On multiple occasions, the film has gone without a scheduled release date for several months.
Now, we’re only a couple of weekends away from an ostensible theatrical debut…and nobody seems to know about it.
Disney never committed to a full-fledged advertising campaign for The New Mutants.
How could they? Nobody knew whether the pandemic would allow for the reopening of theaters.
Movie exhibitors also changed their return dates more than once, eliminating any chance for an extensive marketing plan.
Now, we’re only a week and a half away from the release of The New Mutants.
Photo: Newsweek
Since Disney has accepted that the film is unlikely to do well, the current advertising remains muted.
Some folks really believe in the film, though. To their credit, they keep trying to sell what’s by all accounts a good story.
The latest offering is this 60-second spot that tells viewers all they need to know about The New Mutants.
https://twitter.com/NewMutantsUp/status/1294309650997882881
Does that make you want to watch the movie? Well, if you’re unwilling to go to a theater, rumors persist that it’ll be available on digital by October.
By the way, if you want to see what a doomed movie project timeline looks like, here it is:
I tried to make the most definitive #NewMutants timeline. Man, it's been a long journey pic.twitter.com/QHCiADhnoZ
— Mikel (@LetThereBeMikel) August 15, 2020
The New Mutants has earned a spot on the Mount Rushmore of Hollywood misfortune.
Marvel’s Avengers Spotted in the Wild
Earliest this week, a select group of videogame reviewers and influencers got to do something the rest of us wish we could.
These individuals got to play Marvel’s Avengers for the first time. While the rest of us must wait until September 4th, we already learned a lot about the game.
By all accounts, Marvel’s Avengers delivers a lot of fun moments. However, players have only received a beta version.
Marvel Studios
Most people agree that this copy is a work-in-progress, as numerous bugs and awkward moments abound.
Marvel’s Avengers hadn’t gone gold, a gaming term for a final product, when the game went out to critics and influencers.
Generally, videogame studios employ this strategy to increase the buzz for a game. With Marvel’s Avengers, it’s somewhat backfired thus far.
Marvel
Pushsquare summarizes many complaints with this statement: “the moment you deviate from its core offering, Marvel’s Avengers falls apart.”
So, that’s the worrisome aspect, but there’s a silver lining here. Developers release betas to receive feedback they’ll use to improve the game later.
With the official release only three weeks away, Marvel’s Avengers faces a tight deadline to deliver a satisfactory opening day experience.
Photo: IGN
However, the game is intended to become an online hub for several years. That gives the programmers plenty of time to correct flaws.
The consensus opinion is that the game gets the HULK SMASH! part right, and that’s what matters to most of us.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Ends
Although we’ve come to the end of the road, still, I can’t let go.
Boyz II Men had this one right. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. finished its television run on Wednesday, as a two-part series finale concluded the story.
The MCU spinoff exploded onto ABC with killer ratings, debuting with 12.12 million viewers.
Unfortunately, that sort of audience level proved unsustainable. By episode 10, the Marvel series had already shed half of its viewers.
Ratings declined to the point that a second season renewal became something of a coin flip.
Ultimately, ABC executives chose to bet on Marvel, and the show’s producers rewarded the decision.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. eventually produced 136 hours of television, delivering seven exceptional seasons of high-quality entertainment.
Like so many other network television shows over this timeframe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. lost viewers at an alarming rate.
To wit, the series finale managed only 1.46 million viewers. Loyal fans of the show remained passionate until the end, though.
As I type this, the current IMDb grade for the series finale, What We’re Fighting For, is 9.7 out of 10, quite possibly the highest number I’ve ever seen on the site.
From the beginning, a core group warmly embraced Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and never wavered in their conviction.
In a standalone article, I’ll detail the show’s conclusion and put the seven-season run into perspective.
However, I know how many of you time-shift this program. So, I don’t want to spoil anything here.
All I’ll say is that one writer described the story as the antithesis of ideas from Avengers: Endgame. I think that’s pretty much perfect.
If you’re a Marvel fan who hasn’t watched or stopped watching, the series is currently available on Netflix. It’s something you should binge.
Miscellany
I realize I’m running long here, but I wanted to update you on two other things you might like.
I know that some MCU fans were saving your re-watches until Disney+ finally included all the films. Well, the time is now!
Disney+ added Ant-Man and the Wasp the other day, the final missing piece to the puzzle.
Photo: Marvel Studios
So, you can start with Iron Man and go all the way through Avengers: Endgame now.
Please remember that the two Spider-Man movies are Sony, though. You won’t find them on Disney+ anytime soon.
Also, if you’re a true Avengers fan, RadioTimes has built a quiz you should take. It’s a basic Which Avenger Are You? test with some solid questions.
Photo: MCU Exchange
I got Doctor Strange, so you’re all but assured to get a better result…unless you’re Ant-Man.
