Priyanka Singh
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is not just its own glorious world, it is an astonishing phenomenon. There are those who curiously stumble upon it, and then there are Marvel fans. To them, the heroes are their own; the trials and tribulations, triumphs and failures, all a projection of their own strengths and failings. The intimate partnership, spanning over a decade, began with Iron Man in 2008. The journey since has been one of emotional investment, of collective catharsis. No surprise then that in 2018, Infinity War in the Avengers series smashed box office records worldwide, becoming the fastest film to gross $1 billion, and also the highest grossing film of the year. What an honour, and just as expected.
Unlike other films in the long Marvel repertoire, this one ended with a stab in the heart, what with several superheroes disintegrating in a snap. No superhero was safe, none invincible.
The phenomenon
The culmination had been set in motion, the wait was agonisingly long, and the fans couldn’t get enough of their heroes. Will they live to see another day? And so, nearly a year later, on April 26, the moment of epiphany reflected in the last of the Avengers series, Endgame, saw exhausting queues as pre-bookings were all sold out. Back-to-back shows were chock-full. Predictably so, the film made history, recording a $1.2 billion debut in global ticket sales in its opening run. In less than a week, it earned the singular honour of becoming the fastest film — ever — to crash the $1billion bar. The MCU is stated to be the most successful franchise, raking in a stupendous $18 billion to date.
What next
Endgame is the 22nd offering, and the end of phase three in the Marvel series. Two of the superheroes are gone. Or are they? In a departure, the movie ends with no post-credit scene (but a clangorous sound). No clues to what next. With a long run of three hours, it’s the longest entry in the MCU, and among the most stunning. A major shake-up of the MCU is imminent. The release of Spider-Man: Far from Home (July 5) will mark the beginning of phase four. Others in the series are Eternals, and superhero Shang-Chi, a new entrant. But Team Avengers will be sorely missed. What’s Marvel without its Avengers? Who will harken to ‘Avengers assemble’!
Deal clincher
The finality of Pepper Potts’ ‘rest easy’; Thor’s hammer finding another worthy; the look exchanged between Doctor Strange and Stark, conveying more than words ever will; Thanos’ ‘I am inevitable’ will stay with fans. The liberal smattering of humour misleads.
List for first-timers
First-timers don’t need to watch every single one from the Marvel stable to enjoy Endgame. Since all movies have a common thread, braiding them to their common destiny, the nuances will be lost. But that will not take away — substantially — from the sheer experience of the spectacular Marvel canvas. Iron Man, all of the preceding Avengers titles (Capt America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Age of Ultron, Infinity War), and Doctor Strange will get you going with the backstory.
But why!
Why would the makers want to choke the golden goose? The biggest stars like Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America) and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) have, reportedly, reached the end of their contracts with Marvel.
… And the fans are left with a personal sense of loss. It won’t be the same.
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2H2teuI
via Today’s News Headlines
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