15 Avengers: Endgame Lines That Are References To Past MCU Moments

15 Avengers: Endgame Lines That Are References To Past MCU Moments

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major details about Avengers: Endgame – beginning, middle, and end. If you have not yet seen the film, feel free to bookmark this page and come back after your screening!

There is no question that the greatest miracle Avengers: Endgame pulls off is the way in which it references the entire span of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. There isn’t one movie in the canon that doesn’t get at least one reference in the blockbuster, and while some are certainly more significant than others, it would be a challenge for any fan not to appreciate the level of detail.

This is an element of the movie that is particularly significant in the dialogue, as there are many lines throughout Avengers: Endgame that are direct callbacks to previous Marvel Studios titles. There are so many that you might not have caught them all, but in that particular arena we have you covered. We have noted all 15 lines that directly reference an earlier MCU script, and collected them all here. So without further ado…

"A suit of armor around the world."/"We'll lose." – Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Following the dramatic events of Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Endgame is the first Marvel movie to reunite Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) – but rather than referencing that particular trilogy capper, their conversation brings back notable lines from Avengers: Age Of Ultron. Specifically, there are references to two scenes: the first when Tony Stark is explaining to Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) his desire to build a “suit of armor around the world,” and then a later exchange between Tony and Steve. The former notes about the looming extraterrestrial threat, “We’ll lose,” and the latter retorts, “Then we’ll do that together too.” Sadly, Steve was wrong, and the reason they lost to Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War was because of their conflict.

"I went for the head." – Avengers: Infinity War

Part of the reason why the ending of Avengers: Infinity War is so crushing is because of just how close the titular team came to beating Thanos. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) successfully buried Stormbreaker in the Mad Titan’s chest shortly after the villain collected the final Infinity Stone, but it wasn’t enough. Thanos explained to the Asgardian that he should have gone for the quick kill via decapitation – “You should have gone for the head” – and not doing so allowed him to snap away half of life in existence. This is a mistake that Thor rectifies quickly in Avengers: Endgame, right after learning that all of the Infinity Stones have been destroyed.

"I do, Captain America." – Captain America: Civil War

One of the greatest bits about Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the utter awe he projects whenever he’s around more established superheroes. This is especially true when he’s around Captain America, and perfectly exemplified when he returns the World War II hero’s shield at the start of the airport battle in Civil War – where he notably delivers the line, “I believe this is yours, Captain America.” It’s one of the movie’s most memorable moments, and wonderfully echoed when Scott is pitching his time travel idea in Avengers: Endgame and feels compelled to address the star spangled man by his full name.

"This is a long way from Budapest." – The Avengers

As Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson) hop on a spaceship and plan to depart the planet Morag for Vormir, the former turns to the latter and notes that the experience is “a long way from Budapest.” This is a direct reference back to one of the more grounding moments in The Avengers, specifically when the same two characters are fighting Chitauri warriors during the Battle of New York. In the scene, Widow remarks, “It’s like Budapest all over again,” to which Hawkeye replies, “You and I remember Budapest very differently.” Unfortunately, we still have no idea exactly what happened to the heroes in the capital of Hungary – but perhaps that’s something that will be covered in the upcoming Black Widow solo film.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll take that drink now." – The Avengers

This bit is different than all the others in this list, in that it’s the only line of dialogue from a previous movie that we hear in the exact same context, albeit at a new angle. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) says this line at the very end of The Avengers when he is cornered by the heroes in Stark Tower, and while it was originally delivered in the medium shot you see above, Avengers: Endgame gives us a new look at it. While the aforementioned scene is playing out, Future Tony Stark and Future Ant-Man are sneaking behind them, and we wind up catching more of the exchange than was previously shown in the Joss Whedon film.

"Hail Hydra." – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This is a fun one, in that it’s not only a great callback to one of the meme-able lines in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but also a nod to a recent controversy in the pages of Marvel Comics. When trying to acquire Loki’s staff from the “S.H.I.E.L.D.” agents who are taking it, Captain America whispers “Hail Hydra” to the group while in an elevator in Avengers: Endgame, and it makes an impact so significant that he gets the staff without having to throw a single punch. This will most definitely remind audiences of the moment featuring Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) and Agent Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernández), but it’s very likely included as a reference to 2017 Marvel Comics event Secret Empire, which featured a Captain America as a Hydra sleeper agent due to his past being manipulated by Red Skull.

"I can do this all day." – Captain America: The First Avenger/Civil War

Get ready for a callback to a callback! One of the most impactful moments in Captain America: Civil War is when the titular character and Iron Man are fighting at the end, and despite being beaten and bloody the soldier gets to his feet and remarks that he “can do this all day” – a reference back to the same exact line that the de-powered Steve Rogers delivered to a bully in the first act of Captain America: The First Avenger. This bit is brought back again in Avengers: Endgame, albeit with a funny twist. After getting Loki’s staff, Future Cap winds up in a fist fight with 2012 Cap (who thinks he is the God of Mischief in disguise), and the latter brings back the line as a kind of psych out move. It doesn’t really work, though, as the more experienced of the two retorts with a semi-exhausted, “I know.”

"I'm the strongest Avenger." – Thor: Ragnarok

In Avengers: Endgame, a fight over which of the heroes should wear the newly-made Infinity Gauntlet and repair the damage done by Thanos leads Thor to make the argument that he is the strongest Avenger and therefore should be the one to do the job. This is ultimately a thought that is shut down due to the fact that he isn’t really in a solid place emotionally – but it’s also a sly callback to Thor: Ragnarok. You may remember that the God of Thunder guessed that his access code to activate the Quinjet was “strongest Avenger,” but it didn’t work because his real access code was “Point Break” (itself a reference to The Avengers). What makes this bit even funnier is the fact that Hulk was able to access to the Quinjet in Ragnarok with the code “strongest Avenger,” and also winds up wearing the Gauntlet in Endgame.

"On your left." – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

It’s not surprising in the slightest that Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) become fast friends in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as their rapport and chemistry is established mere seconds into the movie. Both are fans of morning jogs around Washington D.C., and Cap makes a habit of poking fun at the fellow veteran by regularly speeding past him – calling out “On your left” while doing so. This big comes back at the end of the film when Steve wakes in a hospital bed to find his pal by his bedside, but the callback is even more significant in Avengers: Endgame. After all, these are the words that Sam uses to let the team leader know that he and the rest of the resurrected heroes are ready to unite and do battle with Thanos… with a few other friends in tow as well.

"Avengers: Assemble" – Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Avengers: Endgame is the fourth Avengers movie, but it’s the first to include arguably the most iconic and oft-repeated line from the Marvel Comics that inspired it. “Avengers Assemble” is the call to action regularly used by heroes to get the superhero team prepared for battle, and it’s perfectly delivered by Captain America right at the start of the massive third act battle in the 2019 blockbuster. Of course, we previously came extremely close to hearing it in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, as half of the line was delivered by Cap at the very end of the film right before it cut to the credits. Back in 2015 it was considered a bit of a controversial move by Joss Whedon, but in retrospect we’re happy he left the door to instead be opened by Joe and Anthony Russo and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely in Endgame.

"We’re on it, Cap." – Ant-Man And The Wasp

Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) gives Scott Lang quite a lot of crap in Ant-Man And The Wasp for stealing her family’s tech to go fight in the superhero civil war, and this includes some razzing about his familiarity with Captain America – whom he refers to as “Cap” at one point. In the moment this is mocked by Hope a.k.a. The Wasp, but it comes back in a great way in Avengers: Endgame. During the big final battle, the Avengers leader assigns the two shrinking heroes to get the Quantum Tunnel in the X-Con van working again, and Wasp replies over the radio, “We’re on it, Cap.” It’s quick, but you may notice that Scott gives her a bit of a look – and it’s perfect.

"Activate 'Instant Kill.'" – Spider-Man: Homecoming

Like many heroes in the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland) typically does everything he can not to kill his enemies… but the same can’t be said of Iron Man. It’s for that reason that it wasn’t hugely surprising to learn in Spider-Man: Homecoming that Tony Stark installed a special function in the Spidey suit called “Instant Kill” mode. This was presumed to be just a one-off joke that fans would never hear about again, but Avengers: Endgame brought it back in the best way. Peter Parker might not try to murder other human beings, but mindless aliens is another subject entirely, so it made every kind of sense to bring back “Instant Kill” mode during the blockbuster’s final battle.

"And I am Iron Man." – Iron Man

In the final moments of Avengers: Endgame’s big battle, Thanos proves to have an ego big enough to quote himself in dramatic fashion – borrowing a line from his alternate timeline self and letting Tony Stark know that he is “inevitable.” After it’s revealed that Tony stole the Infinity Stones from him, however, the genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist does the Mad Titan one better by also quoting himself… notably with the line that originally cemented the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008. “I am Iron Man” was a perfect final declaration at the end of the first Iron Man, and its return in 2019 is absolutely epic, and ultimately a beautiful way to say goodbye to a version of a character who completely changed modern pop culture.

"Your dad loved cheeseburgers." - Iron Man

“I love you 3000” will likely go down in history as the most heartbreaking line in Avengers: Endgame, but not to be sold short is the quick exchange between Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) and Morgan Stark (Lexi Rabe) at Tony Stark’s funeral. Iron Man’s former driver/bodyguard/forehead of security asks the young girl how she is doing, and she not only remarks that she is hungry, but that she wants a cheeseburger – to which Happy replies, “Your dad loved cheeseburgers.” This doesn’t seem like anything special at first – after all, who doesn’t like cheeseburgers? – but it gains significance when you remember Tony Stark’s first request after his rescue in the desert in Iron Man. That’s right: an American cheeseburger.

"Don’t do anything stupid." – Captain America: The First Avenger

One third of the quotes on this list come from the Captain America trilogy, and that’s not super surprising when you consider that it was the collection of Marvel titles that Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely wrote before tackling the last two Avengers movies. Endgame is particularly tapped into those films, and perhaps the best example is the exchange between Cap and Bucky Barnes a.k.a. Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) right before the former’s final time travel adventure. The lines are switched, but “Don’t do anything stupid” followed by the reply, “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you” is exactly what the two men said to each other back in 1942 before Bucky was deployed in World War II to fight with the 107th Infantry Regiment. It’s a beautiful moment reflecting back on Captain America: The First Avenger, and even more excellent when considered in context with what happens next.

Do you have a favorite callback moment in Avengers: Endgame? Hit the comments section below with your pick, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for a ton more Marvel feature coverage in the coming days.

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James Gunn Won’t Reveal Whether The Suicide Squad Is A Reboot Or Sequel

James Gunn Won’t Reveal Whether The Suicide Squad Is A Reboot Or Sequel

The superhero genre has been dominating the moviemaking industry for the past few years, and is showing no signs of slowing down. And with so many shared universes and properties arriving in theaters, plenty of film professionals have worked on rivaling franchises. That's certainly the case with Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who will write and helm The Suicide Squad for DC before completing his signature Marvel trilogy.

Cinephiles and comic book fans are eager to see what James Gunn will do with the motley crew of DC villains, and how it'll relate to David Ayer's original movie. Early reports for the developing blockbuster indicate it would be a reboot, rather than a direct sequel to Suicide Squad. But Gunn hasn't confirmed this, and is remaining cagey about the DC project. When recently asked if The Suicide Squad was a reboot, he said:

You know, these terms are all so narrow. There’s so many terms. It is what it is. You’ll see in two years, when it comes out.

The suspense, it's killing me. It looks like James Gunn is going to keep mum about The Suicide Squad until we're closer to its release. But considering his involvement in the DCEU, the conversation about the movie should only grow in intensity in the coming months.

James Gunn's comments to Entertainment Tonight might not provide any concrete answers, but you can't blame the director for keeping tight-lipped about the upcoming blockbuster. The Suicide Squad isn't set to arrive in theaters until August of 2021, so we're still over two years away from the director's DC debut. So perhaps Gunn wants to actually work on the upcoming movie before making announcements regarding its contents.

Rumors about The Suicide Squad being a reboot started a few months ago. DCEU producer Peter Safran did an interview, where he discussed the villain-centric blockbuster, saying:

First of all, we don’t call it Suicide Squad 2 'cause it’s a total reboot, so it's The Suicide Squad and I think people should be extremely excited about it. It’s everything you would hope from a James Gunn script and I think that says a lot and that promises a lot and I know that we will deliver a lot.

This comment gained more steam when the casting for The Suicide Squad became public. When Idris Elba was announced to be joining the cast, it was originally reported that he was replacing Will Smith as Deadshot. What's more, Gunn is planning on bringing in new characters to the titular team, seemingly supporting the idea of a reboot.

Related: The Suicide Squad: Who Should And Shouldn’t Return

But then it was revealed that Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and Joel Kinnaman would be reprising their roles from the original Suicide Squad. Plus, it turned out that Idris Elba would be playing a new character, not Deadshot. As such, there's been plenty of confusion regarding just what James Gunn is planning for The Suicide Squad. Unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to wait until Gunn is ready to reveal information about his DC movie.

The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System: What It Is And How To Use It

Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System: What It Is And How To Use It

There's no place in the world quite like Walt Disney World. With four different theme parks, two water parks, and more hotels, shops and restaurants than you can count, there is so much to do and so much fun to be had. However, to get the most out of your Walt Disney World trip, you need to plan in advance, and that includes using the FastPass+ system to book your wait times early at the theme parks.

Nobody likes to wait in line, and while you probably won't be able to avoid standing in a queue at all, you can severely cut down on your standing around time by using FastPass+ to its full potential. In this guide, we'll be talking how to make the most of your trip using Disney's helpful FastPass+ service.

What Is Disney World’s FastPass+?

FastPass+ is Walt Disney World's system that allows you to skip the line on most of the attractions that you'll find at all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It's linked to your park ticket or MagicBand and allows you to book up to three FastPass+ windows per day of your Walt Disney World vacation in advance of your trip. This means you can schedule when you want to visit certain attractions, and you'll end up in a much shorter line.

What Do You Need To Book FastPass+?

The first thing you need to do to use FastPass+ is sign up for an account on the Walt Disney World website. Each member of your party will need their own registration, but if individuals won't need to access their account themselves, like minor children, their account can be set up so that one person will manage the account, like mom or dad. Once all the accounts are linked together, one person can book FastPasses for the entire group.

Next, each member of the group will need their own theme park ticket linked to their Disney account.

Finally, the third thing you need to consider is optional, but is quite valuable: a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. If you have one, you can sign up for your FastPass+ times 60 days in advance, and you can sign up for every day of your vacation at once. If you're not staying on property, you can only sign up for your FastPass+ times 30 days in advance, and you'll need to sign up for each day of your trip separately.

Some of the most popular attractions like those at Disney's Animal Kingdom's Pandora - The World of Avatar, will see all or most of their FastPasses get snapped up before the 30-day window opens.

How To Sign Up For FastPass+

FastPass+ opens up each day at 7:00 AM eastern time. This means if you live on the west coast, you'll need to get up at 4:00 AM to get the first shot at the best times on the best rides.

On the day that you can sign up for FastPass+, 60 days before the first day your ticket is active if you're staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, 30 days before if not, go to the Walt Disney World website, sign into your account, and then, under the My Disney Experience menu, select GetFastPass+.

Select every person in your party that you want to book a FastPass+ for, then select the date you want to book, then which park you want to book your FastPass+ for. All three of your FastPass+ selections have to be for the same theme park, so if you first book a FastPass+ for the Magic Kingdom, all three FastPasses for that day will have to be there as well.

After you select the park, you'll be shown the list of available attractions and available times. Each attraction will give you a window of time that is one hour long. Simply select the first FastPass+ time that you want on your favorite attraction, confirm it, and then do that two more times.

There's no way to book more than three FastPasses per day before your trip. However, once you've used your three scheduled FastPasses each day, you will be able to book more, one at a time, via either the Disney World app (more on that down below) or via the kiosks located within the Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios parks.

How FastPass+ Works At The Different Parks

Signing up for FastPass+ at Magic Kingdom is easy, because all FastPasses are considered equal, but that's no longer the case at the other three parks. At Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios, attractions are broken up into Tier A and Tier B attractions, and you can only use one of your daily FastPasses on a Tier A attraction when signing up in advance. Here are the Tier A attractions at the three parks, anything not listed is in Tier B. It can get a little complicated, so please make sure you take a look over the list.

Epcot: Frozen Ever After, Test Track, Soarin', Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, Character Meet and Greet

Disney's Animal Kingdom: Avatar Flight of Passage, Na'vi River Journey

Disney's Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania

How Do You Use FastPass+ Best?

FastPass+ can be intimidating, especially if you've never used it before. There are so many options, and if this is your first trip to Walt Disney World or your first trip with FastPass+, it seems impossible to know a month before your vacation just what you're going to want to do. So how do you know what to schedule? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

What to schedule first: Those Tier A FastPasses are all for the most popular rides, so you'll want to be sure to grab those first if they're available. Specifically, grab Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom and Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios as those are the most popular rides at those parks with the longest lines.

At Magic Kingdom, be sure to grab the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, as that will be the first to go there. At Epcot, you can grab either Test Track, Frozen Ever After, or Soarin,' whichever is the more attractive ride to your party.

Book early in the day, but not too early: It's tempting to book a FastPass+ for right when the park opens, but if you're going to be there at rope drop, the lines will be shorter. Instead of wasting a FastPass+, when the park opens, go straight to something you would use a FastPass for. You'll still have a bit of a line, but it will be shorter than normal and you'll be able to save that FastPass+ for something else.

Having said that, try to book your three FastPasses for as early in the day as you can. Since you can only book additional FastPass+ times after your initial three have been used, the sooner you're done with the them, the more time you have to potentially pick up others. This is also why you probably don't want to waste a Tier A FastPass+ on Illuminations. Since it's an evening show it locks out additional FastPasses for the entire day.

A Pirate's Adventure: There is one way to get a specific FastPass without booking it online. If you find the A Pirate's Adventure building between Adventureland and Frontierland, you can go on a number of different treasure hunts that will take you all over Aventureland. They're full of fun interactive elements and and are a great way to spend down time. If you complete three of the treasure hunts you'll actually be given a FastPass for Pirates of the Caribbean. This way, you don't need to spend one of your precious FastPasses on the attraction, and you have a lot more fun than you would standing in line.

What App To Use With FastPass+?

You'll want to download the My Disney Experience - Walt Disney World app from your smartphone store of choice. From there, you can make and manage your FastPass+ times. It's useful for scheduling additional FastPass+ times after you've used your first three, but it's also good for checking to see what's available at any given moment. People frequently cancel or reschedule their own FastPass+ times, so it's always possible that a FastPass for a particularly popular ride that wasn't available when you made your your initial FastPasses bookings might show up later.

The app is also very convenient for booking your initial FastPass+ times if you live on the west coast so you don't need to get out of bed at 4:00 in the morning, just reach over and grab your phone.

Is Disney’s FastPass+ Worth It?

There is no question that FastPass+ is worth it. It costs nothing and if you don't use it then you're just resigning yourself to standing in lines that are much longer than is absolutely necessary. If you're not staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, it can certainly be a pain to get up for several mornings in a row to book your FastPasses, ( I know) but it's a small price to pay.

The only downside is that using FastPass+ does lock you in on what you're doing on any given day weeks before your trip. If you book your FastPass+ times for Disney's Animal Kingdom on any given day, but then somebody feels tired after three days of running around the parks or just falls unexpectedly ill, or the weather sucks, you can't get those FastPasses back.

Images Courtesy: WDWNews.com/Disney

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Looks Like Dark Phoenix Might Have The Smallest Opening Of The X-Men Franchise

Looks Like Dark Phoenix Might Have The Smallest Opening Of The X-Men Franchise

As the final entry in the recent run of X-Men films, Dark Phoenix has been an interesting case study when it comes to what sort of opening to expect. With several release date bumps to the film’s name, it’s hard to tell if Fox is being protective of the film’s chances in theaters, or if they’re just trying to find a good spot for it to take its lumps and move on.

In either case, it looks like we have our first big indicator of whether Dark Phoenix will rise from the ashes, or be reduced to embers. The opening weekend for the film is estimated to land between $40 – 55 million, and if this holds, there’s a good chance that director Simon Kinberg’s film will have the smallest opening of the entire X-Men franchise.

Spanning back to the year 2000, the X-Men series has had peaks and troughs when mapping its box office history. Starting with $54.5 million opening in the first July of this millennium, the series would climb to its highest opening ever with 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, which weighed in with a $102.7 mil opening.

Before these estimates for Dark Phoenix came in pegging the film with a $40 – 55 million range, the low water mark stood at 2011’s X-Men: First Class, which brought in $55.1 million in one of the few openings in the franchise taking place outside of its typical May time frame.

So in order to avoid this outcome, Dark Phoenix needs to not only stay on the high end of the opening range estimated by Box Office Pro, it needs to bury the needle and go above and beyond those numbers. It wouldn’t have to be a huge jump past the high water mark, but the more it can surpass these numbers, the better Dark Phoenix’s chances would be of recouping its rumored budget. Though the whispers of a monetary spend upwards of $200 million don’t exactly bode well.

Counter to the typical picture of comic book box office success, the X-Men series has been less consistent in its increases, but more consistent in its cyclical nature. Looking at the pattern as it stands, Dark Phoenix’s intended end of the current phase of mutant powered films couldn’t have come at a better time.

Should this new crater in the X-Men box office time line occur, there is a silver lining that’s currently presented as a con. There’d be nowhere to go but up when the X-Men franchise eventually makes to return to the box office as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Revitalizing this classic fan favorite property, with the hype of a fresh MCU coat of paint, is exactly the blockbuster that everyone will be waiting for.

For now though, we’ll have to wait and see if Dark Phoenix makes or breaks this round of fate in the X-Men universe, and if that final impressive trailer makes any difference in the matter, when the movie debuts on June 7th.

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4 Great Frozen Songs That Aren't 'Let It Go'

4 Great Frozen Songs That Aren't 'Let It Go'

Listen, everyone knows "Let It Go." Chances are, if you have lived through the year 2013, or especially if you have young children running around the house, you have heard the popular, Oscar-winning Disney single from the hit animated film, Frozen. Then, you've probably heard it again. And again. And again, and again, and again, and again.

The invigorating, wondrous and captivating song has been a persistent fixture of pop culture ever since it was first belted by the great Idina Menzel (also known as "Adele Dazeem" by certain Oscar presenters). But even though it's the most famous song from the movie, the other songs from the hit album shouldn't be dismissed in the process. There is enough love to go around when it comes to the Frozen soundtrack.

There is no denying that "Let It Go" is a great song. But we want to make a case for the rest of the songs from Frozen's soundtrack. Therefore, here are some other Frozen songs that you've certainly heard before but should be given a second thought before you put "Let It Go" for the 400th time today.

"Frozen Heart"

Before we meet Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and all our main characters, and before we even heart the opening notes of "Let It Go," we're introduced to the world of Frozen through the thunderous, nordic village song, "Frozen Heart." An intensive, pulsating working tune is our worldbuilding song, the track that puts us into the world of our animated characters and invites us into their wintry terrain. As a result, while it is gruffer and more action-intensive than the other songs on this soundtrack, it's a great way into get yourself immersed in the frosty story.

The rhythmic slashing of the pickaxes trudging into the frozen ground sets the mood for the introductory song, letting us see the beauty in the mundane world and capturing the icy energy of the hardworking singers. It's a pulsating, hard and fast song with an excellent hook and yet a somber mood. It's also a nice way of letting us understand the mood of the film, which can be as warm as it can be cold in equal turns.

"Do You Want To Build A Snowman?"

Arguably the second most famous song in Frozen, to be clear, "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" is, nevertheless, a sweet-hearted, instantly catchy and heart-tugging tune. It's filled with childhood whimsy, copious bouts of heart and an underlying melancholy at the dysfunction that can often arise between siblings. A literal hot-and-cold relationship, as it were.

Performed by Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez, along with Kristen Bell, "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" is intentionally simple, relying on its warm innocence and cold sadness, mixed lovingly by its compassionate singers, to sell the emotional crux of the song. Particularly since it serves as one of our introductory tracks, it knows that it is important to keep the song straightforward and character-focused, along us — the viewer and the listener — to understand the broken dynamic between these distant sisters, and one sister's sincere, earnest effort to reconnect with her cold-shouldered sibling.

It's a song both loving and lovely, capturing the vulnerability and inner desires of our young characters with gentle and resonating impact. It's not quite a powerhouse the way "Let It Go" is, but "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" does have a lot of emotional impact. No matter how many times you hear it, it always packs a punch.

"In Summer"

A jazzy, frothy and appropriate warm upbeat diddy that's given a great deal of character and personality by singer and performer Josh Gad, "In Summer" is a cute and humorous ode to the impending summertime sung by a clueless Olaf. As we all know, Olaf the Scene-Stealing Snowman believes the warm summer season will bring bright and sunny days for him, unaware of what happens to snow when the temperature peaks. As a result, the song finds Olaf singing sweet praises to the hot season that will eventually bring his demise, falsely thinking the future will be more joyful.

Therefore, "In Summer" mirrors the snowman's ironically warm demeanor. It captures the misguided belief of the singing supporting character that sunny days are ahead, in more ways than one, and that it won't be long before a permanent smile will be placed on his carrot-nosed snow-based face. Obviously, everyone else — including the other characters in the scene — know that Olaf is delusional, to say the least. But the rousing and passionate song is great at capturing Olaf's aloof mindset and helping us to understand his misguided belief that the beaming sun will bring peace and happiness.

"Fixer Upper"

With its upbeat tempo, high energy and charming array of characters, it's surprising that "Fixer Upper" isn't a bigger hit. The song, which plays prominently in the middle of the movie, can sort of feel a bit out of place in the scheme of the story. It kinda comes out of nowhere, and it's sung through a variety of characters who were only introduced a brief moment before. Nevertheless, in terms of sheer entertainment, it's hard to beat.

Featuring the voice talents of Maia Wilson, along with the prominent cast and several other talented musicians, "Fixer Upper" is a spontaneous and silly number compared to the rest of the film. With its assortment of bathroom gags and different off-beat comic touches, it can feel a little jarring compared to the tone of the rest of the film. Nevertheless, what's fun is fun. And this song has a great heart and a ton of energy to boot. And much like the title would suggest, it comes into the film just when it could use a pep in its story.

Of course, if you own the Frozen soundtrack, there is a good chance that you have already heard these songs several times before, in a continual loop. While "Let It Go" is still — and will remain — the most famous song on the soundtrack, and the one that will forever continue to get the most plays, the rest of the soundtrack shouldn't be disparaged in the process.

Therefore, the next time you, or your kids, decides to put on the Frozen soundtrack, it might be best to try one of these popular (and less-than-popular) songs instead. And remember, there is a whole new batch of Frozen songs in the future when Frozen 2 storms its way into theaters on November 22nd.

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Shazam!’s Director Wants To Return For A Sequel

Shazam!’s Director Wants To Return For A Sequel

The next DCEU film may not have hit theaters just yet, but it looks like the filmmakers had such a blast working on the movie that they would say yes to making a sequel in a Shazam! Director David F. Sandberg and producer Peter Safran have confirmed their interest in continuing Billy Batson’s story past his upcoming superhero origin story, so stay tuned!

There’s still a couple of weeks before Shazam! hits theaters, but the movie has already received some early positive buzz from critics and will follow the DCEU hype after the recent massive success of Aquaman. So, whispers of sequels may not be completely beating the studio to the punch.

During an interview with ComicBook, Sandberg and Safran were asked if they were ready to take on a second Shazam! The producer jumped in first with an enthusiastic “Absolutely!” before turning to the Shazam! director, who said “Let’s do it!” How the movie is received when it makes its way to theaters does have quite the pull, so if you’re already excited for a sequel go see Shazam! On the big screen!

Early tracking estimates that the superhero flick will makes around $50 million during its opening weekend, as Stephen King remake, Pet Sematary treads closely behind with at around $40 to $45 million. In comparison, Aquaman nabbed $67 million during its first weekend alongside other big new openers Mary Poppins and Bumblebee and went on to become an over $1.1 billion hit. On the other hand, Aquaman wasn’t sandwiched between Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame.

Shazam! will also follow the releases of Disney’s live-action Dumbo and Jordan Peele’s second film after his buzzy Get Out debut. How will this change how much attention the next DCEU film gets in the midst of so many exciting releases? Only time will tell.

The movie starring Zachary Levi has been getting a warm reception so far, as early audiences have called it delightful, funny, heartwarming and a sweet call back to classics such as Big, The Goonies and Superman. Shazam! is unique from other superhero films because it is told from the perspective of kids and also looks to feature tons of DCEU jokes with jabs at Batman and Aquaman.

Shazam! follows Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), a pair of foster kids, as Billy obtains the ability to transform into an adult hero with superpowers (Zachary Levi). While the teenagers start off having a fun time playing around with his abilities, Billy must learn to become an actual superhero and take on a formidable foe named Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong).

The DCEU has had a mix of successes and disappointments, but from the looks of it, Shazam! has the makings of starting a hot streak for the franchise that could call for a sequel. Check out Shazam! on April 5 and maybe David F. Sandberg and Peter Safran will get their wish after all.

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Brie Larson Wishes Marvel Would Move Faster With Diversity

Brie Larson Wishes Marvel Would Move Faster With Diversity

Brie Larson became the first woman to lead a Marvel movie solo when she starred in Captain Marvel earlier this year. The actress has been a champion of diversity since long before her role in the major franchise, but with her new platform as a Marvel star, she's become an even louder voice, and while Hollywood has been doing a lot in recent years to better diversify, including Marvel Studios, Larson would love to see this all happen much faster.

In a conversation with Mark Malkin of the Big Ticket podcast, the host relates a conversation he had with Marvel producer Victoria Alonso in which she said it was time to have an LGBTQ superhero. Brie Larson clearly agrees, and actually seems to feel that it's long past time for such things to have happened. According to Larson...

I don’t understand how you could think that a certain type of person isn’t allowed to be a superhero. So to me it’s like, we gotta move faster. But I’m always wanting to move faster with this stuff.

To be fair, Brie Larson clearly thinks that Marvel, overall, is doing a positive job with representation, saying they are at the forefront of changing story structures and norms, such as the fact that Captain Marvel doesn't need a love interest.

The issue isn't that things aren't changing for the better, it's that in Larson's eyes things just aren't changing fast enough, though even she admits she's somewhat impatient in this regard.

If you're the person who is underrepresented on the screen, even knowing that things will get there eventually, it can certainly be hard when you want it all fixed now.

Marvel has made a commitment to increase diversity before, though exactly what form that will take is largely unclear. We do know that Shang-Chi is one of the movies in the slate for the upcoming next phase of the MCU, which will make an Asian superhero the star for the first time in the franchise. The film is also being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Short Term 12, which happened to star Brie Larson, which means the film will be helmed by an Asian-American as well.

Also behind the camera, it's been reported that Cate Shorland has been hired to direct the upcoming Black Widow movie.

However, while race and gender diversity are taking some positive steps forward, LGBTQ inclusion is still very much in its infancy at Marvel. The recent Avengers: Endgame was actually the first Marvel film to include a character of any kind who was clearly gay. Hopefully, that's a first step on the way to an LGBTQ superhero. Considering how little we know about the future of the MCU, it's certainly possible there could be plans for such a thing as early as the next phase.

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