Tag: Iron Man

Reviewing the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Redux

AVENGERS: ENDGAME is the culmination of 11 years of cinematic world-building. Starting with Iron Man back in 2008, a simple post-credits sequence starring Samuel L. Jackson has spawned a franchise model that few have attempted before, and many have tried to emulate since. By the time this epic is released, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will account for 10 years, 21 films, several TV series, billions of dollars, and one violent raccoon later, we come to the end of an era.

If we cast our minds back to 2008, the superhero landscape was very different at the time. We’d had a relative handful of X-Men and Spider-Man films, Fantastic Four had two cracks at the bat, and even Blade has passed its third entry. Yet all of these films were isolated in their own little universe. With the release of IRON MAN, a character who had not managed to become a household name yet, there was no reason to think that this would be any different.

PHASE 1

Iron Man (2008) ★★★★½

It all began here. Robert Downey Jr is every bit a star from scene one, completely aware that Stark’s redemption story mirrors his own (minus the weapons of mass destruction). Structurally similar to every other origin story on the horizon, director Jon Favreau wastes no time in blowing up the would-be hero. Cleverly combining elements and designs from one of the earliest comics through to more contemporary fare, the script manages to get us caring about billionaire Tony Stark and understand his motivation in less than the time it takes for a string of pearls to hit the gravel of Crime Alley. The action is all top-notch, and a few obvious CG elements aside, it’s also remarkable how much of this still works flawlessly. This was the very making of a major modern Marvel.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) ★★★½

This is sort of a bastard, green-skinned stepchild in the MCU these days, mostly because of Mark Ruffalo taking on the role since The Avengers. In fact, it’s entirely possible to take this out of the mix when rewatching the saga. Yet despite the lingering memories of Ang Lee’s Hulk only 5 years before, and the massive success of Iron Man only months before, it’s still a fun action flick that manages to tell a compact origin and get on with the business of a man trying to maintain his rage.

Iron Man 2 (2010) ★★★½

With the benefit or hindsight, and an additional 15 films to date, this sometimes messy first MCU sequel wasn’t sure if it wanted to be an Iron Man story or build a universe. In other words, it became the prototype for the next 8 years. Yet there’s still so much to love. Tony sticking it to the man over his right to party hard in a WMD. A (recast) Rhodey turning up in the War Machine armour. The first appearance of ScarJo as Black Widow, merely hinting at the character she would become. Tony in a donut hole. Everything that Sam Rockwell is doing as Justin Hammer. Howard Stark as a blatant Walt Disney figure. It isn’t always faithful to comic book lore, but the kick-ass finale in a beautiful garden is the roller coaster that we came to this theme park for.

Thor (2011) ★★★★

THOR will always hold a special place in our hearts. It was the first Marvel film we reviewed on The Reel Bits, and our first major interview (with Tom Hiddleston and Jaimie Alexander). Before Guardians of the Galaxy or Doctor Strange, this was Marvel’s biggest gamble. It would take Marvel another 2 Thor films before they realised that Led Zeppelin was absolutely necessary for heroes that come from the land of the ice and snow. Read full review >>>

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) ★★★★½

What we have here is Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first period film. What could have been a jingoistic, flag-waving bit of saccharine is given the perfect tone by Joe Johnston. Drawing on the same magic he pulled out for The Rocketeer, this is an unabashed tribute to a bygone era. Yet what makes this work the most is Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. We truly believe at all points he is simply a man who doesn’t like bullies. Read full review >>>

The Avengers (2012) ★★★★

The culmination of a four-year plan, this takes the principle of escalation and amps up the action incrementally throughout the film, leading us to a conclusion that is just as massive as the finales that have since tried to one-up it in later chapters. Read full review >>>

PHASE 2

Iron Man 3 (2013) ★★★★½

This one divides audiences, but we love it. Taking the Extremis storyline of the comic books and infusing it with Shane Black’s unmistakable rhythm, it began Phase 2 with right amount of scale and humour. A legitimate case can be made against Sir Ben Kingsley’s depiction of The Mandarin, but all is forgiven with the All Hail the King Marvel One-Shot anyway. Read full review >>>

Thor: The Dark World (2013) ★★★★

Continuing the divisiveness of Phase 2, it’s a film that certainly has its problems, not least of which is the lack of a strong villain and the occasionally inconsistent tone. Yet it’s also one of the first MCU films to fully embrace the full extent of the cosmic universe, and for that it will always remain jaw-dropping. Read full review >>>

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) ★★★★★

It’s The Shield vs S.H.I.E.L.D.! Back in 2014, we rashly declared this “the best Marvel film to date.” Of course, Guardians of the Galaxy came out a few months later making it a short-lived title. A throwback spy thriller with impeccable action, it addresses the idea of what powerful organisations do with their influence during times of great fear, not just in the wider plot but within the interpersonal relationships as well. Read full review >>>

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) ★★★★★

There are some comics that are just made for the big screen, and this group pops straight out of the panels. A crazy concept pays off in spades as the group of misfits join the big leagues to show the rest how it’s done. It is hard to imagine a more perfect comic adaptation, or a straight-up more enjoyable film, than this. Now: where’s that new Howard the Duck movie? Read full review >>>

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) ★★★½

The capstone sequel takes everything up several notches, and can barely keep it all inside. The first film to actually show a fully-functioning Avengers coming out of the gate, it’s a film that has its problems. Whedon’s biases are on his sleeve, including a second wisecracking Tony Stark in Ultron. It becomes increasingly obvious in the final scenes that Whedon was more interested in bringing Scarlet Witch to the screen that anything else, so it’s best to view this as a hinge in a bigger story. Read full review >>>

Ant-Man (2015) ★★★

There’s a lot to like here. The rapid-fire dialogue (especially from Michael Peña) and the deadpan Paul Rudd makes this instantly distinguishable from its predecessor. The climactic Thomas the Tank Engine train fight is ridiculously inventive and clever, a throwback to high-concept films from the 1980s. Yet the tone is also incredibly inconsistent. Humour slaps up against a familiar plot of corporate rivalry and conflicting ideals for technology – in fact that it was largely the basis for the Obadiah Stane character in 2008’s Iron Man. Read full review >>>

PHASE 3

Captain America: Civil War (2016) ★★★★

Sure, both Tony and Steve go from rational to jerk far too quickly, and the length is more noticeable in a repeat viewing. This is one of the instances where less would be more. Having said that, the film distills 100+ comics down into a manageable debate. It’s also the film that introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU. Read full review >>>

Doctor Strange (2016) ★★★★

One of most straightforward origin narratives, but also surrounded by the MCU’s most visually inventive and beautiful worlds, opening up a vast Multiverse for the first time. In Mikkelsen’s Kaecilius, the series finally overcomes Marvel’s issue with uninspiring villains. Although single-minded, and to some extent one-dimensional, he provides a solid focal point for Strange’s mono-mythic journey. Also: TILDA. SWINTON. Read full review >>>

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) ★★★

An all-out melee happens just off-camera, and our attention remains on the adorable Baby Groot. Drax might mistake this for a metaphor for the entire film. If we’re going to criticise Marvel films for underdeveloped villains, we need to point out GOTGV2’s total absence of one until about 90 minutes in.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) ★★★★

Larb. The Infinite Spider-Verse expanded a little more with this outing. Or is it Iron Man 3.5? After 5 Spidey flicks in 15 years, it’s amazing there’s still an original take to be had. Larb. Plus: a Spidey fully integrated into the MCU was worth waiting for. How many times do I have to say larb? Read full review >>>

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) ★★★★½

One of Marvel’s most grand and epic stories is also one of its funniest. It’s disarming, charming, and ridiculously fun: so now you’d better stop and rebuild all your ruins. Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost’s script flies by the seat of its pants through a narrative that is equal parts Norse mythology and pure comic bookery. Strangely this is never a detriment to the film, and it should come as no surprise that the god of thunder works best when placed in the heart of a swirling maelstrom. Read full review >>

Black Panther (2018) ★★★½

The first half of this film is magical, mystical, and magnificent, one in which the Afrofuturism of Wakanda is given ample time to evolve. Most criticisms can be confined to the final act of the film (and arguably the South Korean car chase) in which the digital rag doll fight could have been lifted out of literally any film. Still, in the marketing for Avengers: Infinity War, Wakanda serves as a large part of the narrative. The superb Shuri (Letitia Wright) needs her own movie. Read full review >>>

Avengers: Infinity War (2018 ) ★★★★½

Some films change the world, while others just make it more awesome to live in for a few hours. The tenth anniversary Marvel Studios film falls somewhere in between and is a joyous celebration of comic bookery and beloved characters. More than that, it’s the culmination of an idea that began as a post-credits sequence a decade ago. It’s an emotional, sometimes downbeat, and always powerful piece of storytelling. The best part? It’s only the first half of an epic. Read full review >>>

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) ★★★★

The highly ant-icipated next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a ridiculously fun saga of ant(i)-heroes, inventive action, and enough humour to leave you with a perman-ant smile. (That last one was a small stretch). After the massive event of Avengers, it’s nice to know Marvel can still tell low-stakes stories that have high levels of fun. Filled with sight-gags and emotional moments in equal measure, this shows us that the smallest heroes get to have the biggest amount of fun. Read full review >>>

Captain Marvel (2019) ★★★★

The twenty-first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes back to its roots, exploring the dream of the 90s action blockbuster while paving a path to the future. The twenty-first film in the MCU returns to the roots of hero-building that began with Iron Man in 2008. Like every fledgling hero, she has a few missteps along the way, but emerges out the other side as a fully-fledged Avenger ready to defend the planet. So, for everyone that tried to review bomb this film prior to its release, Carol answers them unblinkingly: “I have nothing to prove to you.” Read full review >>>

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Which brings us all the way to the endgame. The reason for the season. We find ourselves at the climax of one of the greatest pieces of modern storytelling and world-building in the history of the medium. Yeah, I went there. It arrives in cinemas this week.

April 22, 2019
Reviewing the Marvel Cinematic Universe

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR is the culmination of 10 years of cinematic world-building. Starting with Iron Man back in 2008, a simple post-credits sequence starring Samuel L. Jackson has spawned a franchise model that few have attempted before, and many have tried to emulate since. By the time this epic is released, the MCU will account for 19 films worth of content, 5 short films, and about 17 seasons of television. Try binge-watching that.

If we cast our minds back to 2008, the superhero landscape was very different at the time. We’d had a handful of X-Men and Spider-Man films start a series, Fantastic Four had two cracks at the bat, and even Blade has passed its third entry. Yet all of these films were isolated in their own little universe. With the release of IRON MAN, a character who had not managed to become a household name yet, there was no reason to think that this would be any different.

Follow Richard’s Great MCU Rewatch on Twitter and Letterboxd.

PHASE 1

Iron Man (2008) ★★★★½

It all began here. Robert Downey Jr is every bit a star from scene one, completely aware that Stark’s redemption story mirrors his own (minus the weapons of mass destruction). Structurally similar to every other origin story on the horizon, director Jon Favreau wastes no time in blowing up the would-be hero. Cleverly combining elements and designs from one of the earliest comics through to more contemporary fare, the script manages to get us caring about billionaire Tony Stark and understand his motivation in less than the time it takes for a string of pearls to hit the gravel of Crime Alley. The action is all top-notch, and a few obvious CG elements aside, it’s also remarkable how much of this still works flawlessly. This was the very making of a major modern Marvel.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) ★★★½

This is sort of a bastard, green-skinned stepchild in the MCU these days, mostly because of Mark Ruffalo taking on the role since The Avengers. In fact, it’s entirely possible to take this out of the mix when rewatching the saga. Yet despite the lingering memories of Ang Lee’s Hulk only 5 years before, and the massive success of Iron Man only months before, it’s still a fun action flick that manages to tell a compact origin and get on with the business of a man trying to maintain his rage.

Iron Man 2 (2010) ★★★½

With the benefit or hindsight, and an additional 15 films to date, this sometimes messy first MCU sequel wasn’t sure if it wanted to be an Iron Man story or build a universe. In other words, it became the prototype for the next 8 years. Yet there’s still so much to love. Tony sticking it to the man over his right to party hard in a WMD. A (recast) Rhodey turning up in the War Machine armour. The first appearance of ScarJo as Black Widow, merely hinting at the character she would become. Tony in a donut hole. Everything that Sam Rockwell is doing as Justin Hammer. Howard Stark as a blatant Walt Disney figure. It isn’t always faithful to comic book lore, but the kick-ass finale in a beautiful garden is the roller coaster that we came to this theme park for.

Thor (2011) ★★★★

THOR will always hold a special place in our hearts. It was the first Marvel film we reviewed on The Reel Bits, and our first major interview (with Tom Hiddleston and Jaimie Alexander). Before Guardians of the Galaxy or Doctor Strange, this was Marvel’s biggest gamble. It would take Marvel another 2 Thor films before they realised that Led Zeppelin was absolutely necessary for heroes that come from the land of the ice and snow. Read full review >>>

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) ★★★★½

What we have here is Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first period film. What could have been a jingoistic, flag-waving bit of saccharine is given the perfect tone by Joe Johnston. Drawing on the same magic he pulled out for The Rocketeer, this is an unabashed tribute to a bygone era. Yet what makes this work the most is Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. We truly believe at all points he is simply a man who doesn’t like bullies. Read full review >>>

The Avengers (2012) ★★★★

The culmination of a four-year plan, this takes the principle of escalation and amps up the action incrementally throughout the film, leading us to a conclusion that is just as massive as the finales that have since tried to one-up it in later chapters. Read full review >>>

PHASE 2

Iron Man 3 (2013) ★★★★½

This one divides audiences, but we love it. Taking the Extremis storyline of the comic books and infusing it with Shane Black’s unmistakable rhythm, it began Phase 2 with right amount of scale and humour. A legitimate case can be made against Sir Ben Kingsley’s depiction of The Mandarin, but all is forgiven with the All Hail the King Marvel One-Shot anyway. Read full review >>>

Thor: The Dark World (2013) ★★★★

Continuing the divisiveness of Phase 2, it’s a film that certainly has its problems, not least of which is the lack of a strong villain and the occasionally inconsistent tone. Yet it’s also one of the first MCU films to fully embrace the full extent of the cosmic universe, and for that it will always remain jaw-dropping. Read full review >>>

Captain America: The Winter Solder (2014) ★★★★★

It’s The Shield vs S.H.I.E.L.D.! Back in 2014, we rashly declared this “the best Marvel film to date.” Of course, Guardians of the Galaxy came out a few months later making it a short-lived title. A throwback spy thriller with impeccable action, it addresses the idea of what powerful organisations do with their influence during times of great fear, not just in the wider plot but within the interpersonal relationships as well. Read full review >>>

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) ★★★★★

There are some comics that are just made for the big screen, and this group pops straight out of the panels. A crazy concept pays off in spades as the group of misfits join the big leagues to show the rest how it’s done. It is hard to imagine a more perfect comic adaptation, or a straight-up more enjoyable film, than this. Now: where’s that new Howard the Duck movie? Read full review >>>

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) ★★★½

The capstone sequel takes everything up several notches, and can barely keep it all inside. The first film to actually show a fully-functioning Avengers coming out of the gate, it’s a film that has its problems. Whedon’s biases are on his sleeve, including a second wisecracking Tony Stark in Ultron. It becomes increasingly obvious in the final scenes that Whedon was more interested in bringing Scarlet Witch to the screen that anything else, so it’s best to view this as a hinge in a bigger story. Read full review >>>

Ant-Man (2015) ★★★

There’s a lot to like here. The rapid-fire dialogue (especially from Michael Peña) and the deadpan Paul Rudd makes this instantly distinguishable from its predecessor. The climactic Thomas the Tank Engine train fight is ridiculously inventive and clever, a throwback to high-concept films from the 1980s. Yet the tone is also incredibly inconsistent. Humour slaps up against a familiar plot of corporate rivalry and conflicting ideals for technology – in fact that it was largely the basis for the Obadiah Stane character in 2008’s Iron Man. Read full review >>>

PHASE 3

Captain America: Civil War (2016) ★★★★

Sure, both Tony and Steve go from rational to jerk far too quickly, and the length is more noticeable in a repeat viewing. This is one of the instances where less would be more. Having said that, the film distills 100+ comics down into a manageable debate. It’s also the film that introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU. Read full review >>>

Doctor Strange (2016) ★★★★

One of most straightforward origin narratives, but also surrounded by the MCU’s most visually inventive and beautiful worlds, opening up a vast Multiverse for the first time. In Mikkelsen’s Kaecilius, the series finally overcomes Marvel’s issue with uninspiring villains. Although single-minded, and to some extent one-dimensional, he provides a solid focal point for Strange’s mono-mythic journey. Also: TILDA. SWINTON. Read full review >>>

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) ★★★

An all-out melee happens just off-camera, and our attention remains on the adorable Baby Groot. Drax might mistake this for a metaphor for the entire film. If we’re going to criticise Marvel films for underdeveloped villains, we need to point out GOTGV2’s total absence of one until about 90 minutes in.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) ★★★★

Larb. The Infinite Spider-Verse expanded a little more with this outing. Or is it Iron Man 3.5? After 5 Spidey flicks in 15 years, it’s amazing there’s still an original take to be had. Larb. Plus: a Spidey fully integrated into the MCU was worth waiting for. How many times do I have to say larb? Read full review >>>

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) ★★★★½

One of Marvel’s most grand and epic stories is also one of its funniest. It’s disarming, charming, and ridiculously fun: so now you’d better stop and rebuild all your ruins. Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost’s script flies by the seat of its pants through a narrative that is equal parts Norse mythology and pure comic bookery. Strangely this is never a detriment to the film, and it should come as no surprise that the god of thunder works best when placed in the heart of a swirling maelstrom. Read full review >>

Black Panther (2018) ★★★½

The first half of this film is magical, mystical, and magnificent, one in which the Afrofuturism of Wakanda is given ample time to evolve. Most criticisms can be confined to the final act of the film (and arguably the South Korean car chase) in which the digital rag doll fight could have been lifted out of literally any film. Still, in the marketing for Avengers: Infinity War, Wakanda serves as a large part of the narrative. The superb Shuri (Letitia Wright) needs her own movie. Read full review >>>

Avengers: Infinity War (Coming Soon)

Which leads us to here.: the culmination of 10 years of cinematic world-building, and the historic screen union of the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and a bunch of other heroes that will require wider screens for us to fit them all in. You better believe a full review is coming soon.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR is in Australian cinemas on 25 April 2018, despite Karl Stefanovic’s best attempts to get us to sit quietly in a darkened room and think about ourselves. It hits (most of) the rest of the world on 27 April 2018.

April 23, 2018
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One Box Set Revealed

It has been teased, given a trailer and been the subject of fan discussion for the last month or so, but now MTV has revealed a first official look at Marvel’s Cinematic Universe: Phase One – Avengers Assembled, the 10-disc collection of all the films on the Road to the Avengers.

As we guessed, the mysterious case contains a briefcase with a Tesseract inside, just like in the movie, along with original artwork sleeves for each of the films.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One – Avengers Assembled includes all of the films on Blu-ray, with the three most recent films on Blu-ray 3D, and a bonus disc – “The Phase One Archives”.

The official blurb reads:

Immerse yourself in every aspect of Marvel’s elite Super Heroes with this limited-edition, 10-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One Collection. Complete with glowing Tesseract, this exclusive replica of Nick Fury’s iconic briefcase includes stunning Blu-ray 3D™ and Blu-ray™ presentations of The Avengers; Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, as well as Blu-ray™ versions of Iron Man; Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk in exclusive collectible packaging. Plus, now that you possess the highest level of security clearance, you have been granted access to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most confidential files, including a top-secret bonus disc filled never before seen, classified information. Also featuring exquisitely detailed art, prop reproductions and artifacts from the motion pictures, the must-own Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One Collection will verify your status as the world’s greatest authority on the Marvel Super Hero mythos!

Click images to enlarge

July 12, 2012
Iron Man 3 Concept Art Revealed

Last month, the first official photo from the set of Iron Man 3 was revealed, and now Marvel has released the first concept art from the film by artist Ryan Meinerding. An imperilled Tony Stark appears to be mid-transformation into Iron Man, seemingly without the aid of bracelets or briefcases. This might be the strongest indication to date that the film will be taking elements from the Iron Man: Extremis storyline, in which Stark uses nanotechnology to literally store the suit within his body. Could this be Iron Man Armour Mark VIII? Or it could just be a really cool picture. Iron Man 3 is scheduled for 3 May 2013, and is currently filming.

Click image to enlarge

July 4, 2012
Marvel’s The Avengers Hints at 10-Disc Blu-ray Collection
Amazon has teased the ultimate collection of The Avengers films billed as Marvel’s Cinematic Universe: Phase One – Avengers Assembled, collecting six films together in an intriguing collectible casing. UPDATE: This has now been priced at $219.00, but Amazon is currently listing it for $153.30.

Keeping the nature of the casing quite literally under wraps, we think it is probably a briefcase with a Tesseract inside, based on the glow emanating from the box. For those of us who already have the first five films in Blu-ray, in perfectly awesome collections by themselves, there is the tease of the bonus “Phase One Archives” disc. What treasures this might hold, we may never know. Or at least until they release more details.

One thing we do know is that Australia is getting the Blu-ray first, almost a month earlier, but this might be something worth waiting for, unless we get it too. The Avengers is due out on DVD and Blu-ray in the US on September 25, and we assume this set is too.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One – Avengers Assembled (10-Disc Limited Edition Six-Movie Collector’s Set) [Blu-ray]
includes:
- Marvel’s The Avengers (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
- Thor (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
- Iron Man 2 (Blu-ray)
- The Incredible Hulk (Blu-ray)
- Iron Man (Blu-ray)
- Bonus Disc – “The Phase One Archives” (Blu-ray)
- Collectible packaging with exclusive memorabilia from the Marvel Cinematic Universe
June 1, 2012
Podcast: Behind the Panels – Issue 29 – Iron Man: Extremis
Hosted By: Richard Gray & David McVay

In this issue it’s the beginning of the end for another DC series, while the company also opens up a shop! Plus, Watchmen are served best with butter or jam, what’s coming up for Marvel and the return of the Guardians of the Galaxy. PLUS the Arrow trailer is finally here and The Avengers Blu-ray details! THEN our kick-ass pick of the week: Iron Man: Extremis (vol 4. Issues 1 – 6) by Warren Ellis & Adi Granov.

Our next reading assignment: Superior by Mark Millar and Leinil Yu.

Behind the Panels is continual work in progress, help us craft this show (via email and feedback) into the finest comic book podcast on the market. Make sure you subscribe to Behind the Panels on the link below.

Your Show Notes Follow:

Vintage Clip of the Week

The Invincible Iron Man – “Double Disaster” (1966)

What We’ve Been Reading This Week – 16/5/2012 Releases

Must Reads:
- Justice League #9
- Daredevil #13
- Saga #3
Comic News

Justice League International ends with #12
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=38668

DC Entertainment opens up a shop
http://www.shopdcentertainment.com/

Do you like your Watchmen toasty?
http://majorspoilers.com/2012/05/16/the-merch-wb-and-dynamic-forces-team-for-toast/

Marvel August Solicits – Hawkeye ongoing, new Gambit series, Wolverine and Daredevil Annual, The First X-Men… Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=38700

Guardians of the Galaxy return in Avengers Assemble
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=38677

Movie News

Arrow teaser and trailer revealed!
https://www.thereelbits.com/2012/05/18/first-teaser-trailer-and-promo-art-for-cws-arrow/
https://www.thereelbits.com/2012/05/19/full-trailer-for-cws-arrow/

The Avengers Blu-ray/DVD announced
http://www.joblo.com/blu-rays-dvds/news/update-joss-whedons-avengers-coming-to-dvd-blu-ray-and-blu-ray-3d-this-fall-02

The Rest…

Have you got something to say? We want to hear from you, send email to comics@geekactually.com or drop us a voicemail at 02 8011 3167 (Skype ID: geek actually) and we’ll play it on the show.

If you are an iTunes user, subscribe for free here and please leave us feedback. The next two or three issues will also come out on the Geek Actually and Film Actually feeds to get things started.

Make sure you check out our other fine podcasts Film Actually and Film Actually News for the latest in cinema reviews and news.

Join us on our new Facebook Fan Page, follow Geek Actually on Twitter @geekactually and follow David on Twitter @davidmcvay Find more by Richard Gray by visiting theReelBits.com or follow him on Twitter @DVDbits

Make sure you check out our new range of Geek Actually swag at cafepress.com.au/geekactually

The music used for this episode is from the movie soundtrack to “Iron Man”. “Back in Black” is by AC-DC.
May 20, 2012
Podcast: Film Actually Ep 84 – The Road to The Avengers

Hosts: David McVay & Josh Philpott

This week David & Josh do something a little different, with The Avengers about to hit cinemas, they decide to take a trip down memory lane and discuss the five films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger) leading up to the ultimate team up film. The usual format will return next week for a full review of Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. However, we couldn’t do a Film Actually without a brand new Lists of Five – Five Skippable Superhero Movies. Film Actually is the official movie podcast of geekactually.com.

The news section is now officially it’s own show called Film Actually News. Look for it on the feed because it is loud, fast and under thirty minutes… or your money back.

If you are an iTunes user, please leave a review. Your comments help us improve the show.

This show carries an explicit tag due to infrequent coarse language.

Listen or download it here or subscribe to it on iTunes

Lists of Five

This week our Lists of Five: Five Skippable Superhero Movies. With all the hype around The Avengers and superhero movies in general, it is easy to forget that superhero movies aren’t always that great, here are five examples of superhero movies that you can just skip. We have included tele movies in the lists this week.
Just a reminder, because we never like to just make things easy on ourselves, our lists are not necessarily top five lists, they are more or a less a list of film recommendations within the theme of the list.

The Rest…

Join us on our Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/GeekActually or follow Geek Actually on Twitter @geekactually

The Reel Junkies podcast can be found at weekendronin.com

Check out Brad and Charlie at ReboundRadio.com home of the podcasts “Good Day Sir!” and “Movie Match Up”

Find out more about Josh’s other stuff by visiting HipHopNetOnline.com or listen to his other show “DLC Live” go to RawDLC.com or follow him on Twitter @DoGM3At

Find more by Richard Gray by visiting TheReelBits.com or follow him on Twitter @DVDBits

Check out Nicholas McVay’s awesome Lego animated films at YouTube.com/nickymcvay

We opened the show with a clip from “Super”.

We are closing the show with a track from the score to “Thor” by Patrick Doyle.

Go see more movies, you don’t see enough movies and all of life’s questions are answered in the movies.

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April 25, 2012
New Statue reveals The Avengers Iron Man Mark VII Armour

Kotobukiya (and SuperHeroHype) have revealed hi-res photos from a new Iron Man statue released later this year to coincide with the release of The Avengers. This reveals our first detailed look at the Mark VII Iron Man armour that will be featured in the film. This follows a look at the whole group in toy form we took a look at over the weekend.

We’ve included the press release, and a sample of the photos below, and the full set can be found over at Kotobukiya.

The Avengers is released in Australia on 25 April 2012 from Disney. It will be released in the US a week later on 4 May 2012.

A Kotobukiya Japanese import! After the amazing success and popularity of the Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America films, Marvel is preparing to unleash the greatest superhero team of all time in just a few short months. Gathering together the main characters of the previous films to defend the Earth from certain destruction, the Avengers will debut in May of 2012 with Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark and his heroic alter ego Iron Man. To commemorate the triumphant new appearance of this iconic character, Kotobukiya is proud to announce the all-new Avengers Movie Iron Man Mark VII ARTFX Statue!

After surviving imprisonment by terrorists, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark created the Mark II armor suit. This was followed up soon after by the iconic Mark III suit used to battle Stane and his Iron Monger suit at the culmination of the first film, and the upgraded Mark IV armor in the sequel. Never one to rest on his laurels, Tony has brought his science and technology to a whole new cutting edge with the Mark VII Iron Man, the most advanced high-tech personal armor suit on the planet. Using new 3D sculpting techniques, Kotobukiya has created the finest and most exciting ARTFX statue of any Iron Man, bringing more fine detailing than previous hand-sculpted releases for a more dynamic display. Tony stands in a classic Iron Man pose, legs planted and arms held back as he prepares to unleash a devastating strike. The incredible statue comes equipped with a three-mode LED chest light-up feature: off, continuous on, and triggered by the built-in motion detector! Iron Man’s eyes also feature continuous LED lighting in both modes.

Iron Man Mark VII stands nearly 16 inches tall (1/6th scale) on an incredible shattered concrete base that bears the marks of furious battle. This pre-painted, snap-fit ARTFX Statue is easy to assemble so you can have your Iron Man Mark VII on display in no time. Avengers assemble!

Available June 2012.

TM & © 2012 Marvel & Subs.

Click images to enlarge

January 24, 2012
8 new character banners for The Avengers

Disney Australia and Marvel have released eight (count ’em) new character banners for next year’s event The Avengers, finally offering unobscured portraits of the main characters glimpsed in the earlier character pieces.

Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk,Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel’s The Avengers is the superhero team up of a lifetime.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, Marvel’s The Avengers is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series The Avengers, first published in 1963.

The Avengers is released in Australia on 25 April 2012 from Disney. It will be released in the US a week later on 4 May 2012.

Click to enlarge

December 20, 2011
Iron Man 3 to film in North Carolina

The Hollywood Reporter and the Associated Press reports that EUE/Screen Gems and North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue announced in a press conference Thursday that the majority of the filming of the blockbuster Iron Man 3 would take place in EUE/Screen Gems Studios, a 150,000-square-foot located in Wilmington. This is a shift from the LA-based shooting of the first two films, which took place at Marvel‘s own Manhattan Beach studios in California.

At the New York Comic Con earlier this month, Marvel Studios Head Kevin Feige also announced that Iron Man 3 would form the start of a new arc of films leading up to a second film for The Avengers. The line-up may be somewhat different to next year’s event film, incorporating a few as-yet-unknown characters such as The Inhumans or the Guardians of the Galaxy, or maybe even Ant Man!

Very little information is currently available on Iron Man 3, currently in pre-production, except that it will be directed by Shane Black and written by Drew Pearce, who has also just been tapped to pen Sherlock Holmes 3. Robert Downey Jr will reprise his role in both of those films.

Iron Man 3 is scheduled to start shooting in early 2012, and is set for a 3 May 2013 release date from Disney.

October 28, 2011