Marvel Announce Phase 3 Line-Up! Including, Thor: Ragnorak, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 & 2, Captain Marvel and Inhumans.

Couldn't have asked for any more!

Here it is! Marvel President Kevin Feige has revealed all about the studios' upcoming projects;

Doctor Strange - November 4th, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - May 5th, 2017

Thor 3: Regnarok - July 28th, 2017

Black Panther - November 3rd, 2017

Avengers: Infinity War Part One - May 2018

Captain Marvel - July 6th, 2018

Inhumans - November 2nd, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War Part Two - May 2019

Although rumours of casting have already been circulating social media, with very few roles cast; now the real speculation will begin with these latest announcements. In the Marvel event in Los Angeles, people were speculating the official announcement of the lead actor in the upcoming Doctor Strange movie, heavily rumoured to be one of the most popular actors in Hollywood today, Benedict Cumberbatch. However, if Feige’s track record is anything to go by then you should expect the unexpected from Marvel. One piece of casting news that we do know, however, is that of Chadwick Boseman, star of the upcoming James Brown biopic Get on Up (2014), has been cast as the lead in Black Panther. Boseman is definitely a rising star and looks as though he'll be a great casting choice for Marvel.

If Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer got you excited, this movie news should send you on an all new high. It’s Marvel’s Phase 3! We’ve already had 10 movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from Iron Man, to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Marvel really knows how to excite their fans, and following the huge announcement of DC’s Cinematic Universe, Marvel has almost blown them out of the water with their own news.

I’m neither a Marvel fanboy nor a DC fanboy; I just love this golden age for comic book movie fans. Nevertheless I feel more excited about Marvel’s Phase 3, than I do about DC’s news, but this is down to having seen 10 MCU movies, and only Man of Steel in the DC Universe. If Nolan’s Batman was a part of this universe I would be all in, but unfortunately we have to wait until 2016 to see Affleck’s take on the Caped Crusader.


DC has movies that aren’t scheduled to be released until 2020, including Shazam, featuring none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Warner Bros made this announcement of 10 DC movies (Excluding individual Batman and Superman movies) along with new Harry Potter spin-offs, and new Lego movies. This is 3 major franchises versus Disney’s Marvel franchise, and Disney certainly did it in style, in an almost Apple like fashion.


We are currently still in Phase 2 with the new Avengers movie and Ant-Man on the way in 2015, and then Captain America to lead us into Phase 3 with Civil War in 2016, with the Russo brothers taking on Cap, after the huge success of Winter Soldier. Civil War is a huge and exciting prospect if the 2007 comic is anything to go by, but certain legal rights will have to alter the storyline.
Age of Ultron already hints at the civil war, with its chilling trailer to the Avengers sequel, and if Marvel is now taking it’s movies down a darker path, I for one am well and truly on board.

This announcement also goes to show the true power (no pun intended) that superhero films, and Marvel Studios, hold in the film industry today. 

Bring on Phase 3!!!

Oliver Cooke and Jake Henderson

In the Loop - 2009 - Tom Hollander, Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini

Seriously funny.

Director and writer Armando Iannucci (Veep, I'm Alan Partridge) brings us a spin-off of the highly successful British satirical political comedy The Thick of It. In the Loop chronicles the tested and uneasy Anglo-American relations during the run-up to a war. Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), a minor minister in the British government, makes a mistake when he states that "war is unforeseeable" during a radio interview. Before he knows it, Simon is one of the British governments biggest media figures and is being sent to Washington D.C., along with aide Toby (Chris Addison), to meet with American political and military leaders. As Foster seems incapable of saying what he is supposed to; he ends up being caught in-between pro-war factions and those who oppose the conflict. Will military action take place?

I honestly can't understand why I haven't seen this film sooner; with its outstanding critical reviews and top cast. Peter Capaldi will stick clearly in your mind after watching In the Loop due to his scolding rants that are simply unrelenting and quite brilliant. Hollander produces a spot-on performance, delivering vulnerability and empty-minded hopelessness to the screen superbly. James Gandolfini also puts in a notable showing as under pressure General Miller.

The stand-out aspect of this picture has to be its academy award nominated script. Iannucci is a master of comedy as shown in some of his other work. In the Loop is no different with its non-stop satirical black comedy which is seriously funny. The plot is magnificent, the one-liners are very slick and the rants are simply hilarious (perfectly illustrated in the relationship between Chad (Zach Woods) and Liza (Anna Chlumsky)).

A very clever film. And watch out for scenes with an Iannucci favourite, Steve Coogan.

J.Henderson

8/10.

Guardians of the Galaxy - 2014 - Chris Pratt, Zoe Salana, Dave Bautista.

I've been talking about this film non-stop since its release.

James Gunn writes and directs the Marvel event of 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy. An epic, space action-adventure that sees Marvel explore the universe in their latest franchise. The film centres on Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), an adventurer whose outlandish behaviour lands him being the subject of a bounty hunt after stealing an orb hidden by notorious villain Ronan (Lee Pace). The only way for Quill to resolve this situation is to form an alliance with an unusual quartet including, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), a weapons-obsessed racoon, Groot (Vin Diesel), a loveable tree, the fearsome and deadly Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and the vengeance-hungry Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). On finding out the true power of the orb, the group must go to battle in order to save the galaxy.

I don't know about you, but prior to GOTG's release I wasn't expecting too much. I was unaware of most of the characters, I was surprised by the casting, and I honestly felt that it would be a one off that Marvel looked back on as a bit of a flop. I couldn't have been more wrong. From beginning, to end, I was hooked; the soundtrack, the acting, the story and the overall feel of the film was just what I wanted.

Chris Pratt leads the way with a charming and charismatic performance that holds together, quite brilliantly, his team of misfits. Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel's voice work as Rocket and Groot fits perfectly; with the pair forming a friendship that surprisingly brings out more emotion than you ever thought a tree and a racoon could!

But the biggest shock for me? Dave Bautista. I grew up watching Dave Bautista as a WWE superstar. I can't lie, when I previously mentioned that I was surprised by the casting, I was referring to Bautista as Drax the Destroyer. However, I was more surprised by the brilliance in his performance, playing the humourless, straight-to-the-point, loose cannon, with great wit, producing some unforgettable scene stealing moments. One, in particular, sticks out in my mind. For those of you that do not know, Drax the Destroyer is extremely literal, another aspect which is executed perfectly in Dave Bautista's performance. There is a moment when Rocket makes a comment that metaphors go straight over Drax's head, to which Drax replies, "NOTHING goes over my head... My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it." This aspect of James Gunn's script is what I love, it is not trying to be any other film.

In my opinion, ever since Christopher Nolan's Batman, in particular, The Dark Knight, I have found that the majority of superhero films have attempted the borrow from Nolan's way of thinking. Nowadays, superhero movies are focused on darker stories with a twisted villain who is as intriguing as they are villainous. I am not trying to state that Marvel are just the same as DC, because Marvel do like to keep a comedic streak in their films; I just feel that this Marvel way of film-making is being too heavily influenced by the work of Nolan.

Guardians of the Galaxy differs considerably as the focus of the film is clearly based with Peter Quill and his team, unlike many of the other films in the genre which has its sole focus on the villain. You just have to look at the new teaser for Age of Ultron to see this trend continuing. James Gunn has been innovative and created the most enjoyable Marvel film to date, due to not taking himself or his project too seriously.

This is the film that I've been talking about non-stop since its release, and I know that the majority of people who see it have been doing the same. If you want comedy, adventure, sci-fi and a kick-ass soundtrack, GOTG will blow you away.

J.Henderson

9/10.