Dave Bautista Is ‘Still Processing’ Avengers: Endgame

Dave Bautista Is ‘Still Processing’ Avengers: Endgame

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. If you haven't seen it yet, check out one of our other stories!

It's been nearly a week since Avengers: Endgame arrived in theaters, and moviegoers are still recovering from the movie's unpredictable events. The Russo Brothers crafted a complicated story that was truly the cumulation of the last 21 movies, rewarding the hardcore fandom for consistently running to theaters and shelling out cash for each new release.

The Russo Brothers threw everything and the kitchen sink into Avengers: Endgame, so there's plenty to unpack from the action-packed blockbuster. While moviegoers' heads are understandably still spinning, that's a feeling that extends to even the cast and crew. Guardians of the Galaxy standout Dave Bautista took to social media following Endgame's release, check it out:

Same, Dave. Same.

Dave Bautista's Tweet makes a great deal of sense, especially considering he was probably kept in the dark regarding quite a bit of Avengers: Endgame's contents. Drax was largely absent from the blockbuster, after he and most of the Guardians faded to dust as a result of Thanos' finger snap of death. So while he was privy for the final battle and the Guardians' ultimate fate, Bautista was likely just as delighted and surprised over Endgame's contents as the rest of us.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were hit hard by Thanos' assault in Infinity War, with only Rocket and Nebula managing to survive the snap. Luckily, the dusted Guardians popped back up in Endgame's final battle with Thanos. After Hulk managed to snap everyone back into existence, all of the galaxy's forces untied against Thanos and his army. Drax and Mantis were one of the first Guardians to appear, and they were a sight for sore eyes.

The Russo Brothers crammed so much into Avengers: Endgame, that the blockbuster is basically begging or a rewatch. This might be exactly what Dave Bautista needs, as he's processing the events of the movie as well. And in the end, Endgame did seem to tease the future of his team of intergalactic heroes.

Related: Why Thor Changed So Much In Avengers: Endgame, According To The Writers

Once reassembled, the Guardians of the Galaxy ended up heading back to space in Endgame, with Thor in toe. Star-Lord is shown searching for the 2014 version of Gamora, who joined the final battle against Thanos before vanishing. The search for Gamora will likely be a major plot point for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and it should be interesting to see if Thor ends up actually joining the team. It's a character pairing that worked great in Infinity War, but Chris Hemsworth has also come to the end of his Marvel Studios contract.

Avengers: Endgame is currently in theaters now, and Guardians 3 is rumored to begin filming in 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Will Avengers: Endgame Save 2019 From A Massive Box Office Slump?

Will Avengers: Endgame Save 2019 From A Massive Box Office Slump?

Although there are some very big movies on the radar for this year, so far the 2019 box office has not had an incredible run. While titles like Shazam!, Glass, Captain Marvel and How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World have done well for theaters, so far the box office is down from its great heights over the last couple of years.

Unfortunately in 2019, the box office is in its worst slump at this point in the year since 2013. Yes, six years ago. Through the weekend, the box office domestically is at $2.74 billion. Any number that begins with a “b” probably sounds pretty good, but actually it's not a great number compared to previous years.

However, what is arguably the biggest movie in a decade is coming out this month in Avengers: Endgame. Will the new Marvel movie be able to save the box office from a massive slump?

So far, early box office predictions have Avengers: Endgame making $200 million to $250 million domestically during opening weekend. That’s a large total. Most estimates have the movie breaking $2 billion and some estimates have it hitting closer to $2.5 billion.

If Avengers: Endgame doesn’t reach at least the minimum of the heights expected of it, it will be a bit of a shock. Ticket pre-sales have already been insane for the movie, hitting records. Allegedly people are even trying to resell tickets for inflated prices for prime showings, which is just wild to think about.

Suffice to say, if Avengers: Endgame doesn’t “save” the box office from a slump in 2019, it certainly won’t hurt.

Once Avengers: Endgame kickstarts the box office into gear, it should hopefully get much easier from here on out. Disney kicked off with Dumbo but has three more live action adventures coming in 2019. The long-awaited Episode IX is also coming from that studio as well.

Then, there are crowd pleasers such as Hobbs and Shaw, The Secret Life of Pets 2, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and even outside-the-box titles like Rocketman still coming in 2019. It’s a little early to get too concerned about the entire year’s box office total yet.

Why is the box office down? Titles like Hellboy and Missing Link have actively bombed. Other titles have failed to do as well as expected, including The LEGO Movie 2, which made less than half of what its predecessor The LEGO Movie made worldwide.

Even expected hits like Happy Death Day 2U were sluggish. Although that movie was made for $9 million and went on to make over $64 million worldwide, the original Happy Death Day was reportedly made for $4.5 million and made $125 million+ worldwide. Franchises such as those have definitely been a case of law of diminishing returns.

Previously industry experts have not seemed concerned with the slow start to the box office. The last few years have seen boosts early on from titles like Black Panther, Beauty and the Beast, Logan and Deadpool, so there is not necessarily a reason to worry because a flick like Shazam! or Dumbo isn’t reaching the exact same heights.

Related: Shazam! Box Office – The DC Hit Repeats And Bests All Newcomers

Still, the last couple of years, the movie theater box office has been pretty incredible, breaking records for overall totals ($11.9 billion domestically in 2018) and for individual studios. It’s been helped in part by the convenience of early ticketing, the addition of movie subscriptions like Stubs A-List or Cinemark Movie Club, and a general wealth of movies hitting broad swaths of audiences.

Still, services like MoviePass have faltered and it may also be true that people are less excited about frequenting the movies as they were when these types of subscriptions were brand spanking new.

I suppose there is a future where titles like Hobbs and Shaw or Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker also don’t do as well as expected, provided Avengers: Endgame is everything the box office has anticipated, the movie theater business should still be in good if not great shape this year.

If you want to get in on the fun ahead of the release of Avengers: Endgame on April 26, join our Marvel death pool.

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Captain Marvel’s Powers Explained

Captain Marvel’s Powers Explained

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Captain Marvel are ahead!

We’ve met a lot of superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, each with their own unique powers and/or skill set. This weekend marks the introduction of one of the mightiest yet: Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. Teased last year at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, Carol is being primed to be one of the new leading protagonists in the MCU going forward, and the Captain Marvel movie turns the clock back to 1995 to tell her origin story. Lest you think that’s the last we’ll see of her this year, Carol will be return at the end of April to help out the surviving Avengers in Avengers: Endgame.

Captain Marvel is a heavy hitter in the Marvel Comics universe, and for years it’s been promised that she’ll be incredibly powerful; perhaps the most powerful of the Marvel protagonists. But what exactly are Carol Danvers’ powers? What is she able to do after absorbing the Tesseract’s energy and being turned into a human/Kree hybrid that makes her such a formidable opponent and a key ally in the upcoming rematch with Thanos? Let’s go over the special abilities she shows off in the Captain Marvel movie to get the full scope of what she’s capable of (and no, traveling through time is not one of those things).

Super Strength

When Carol Danvers was brought back to the Kree homeworld Hala after the Light-Speed engine was destroyed, she was given a transfusion of Yon-Rogg’s blood. As a result, Carol, a.k.a. Vers during her amnesiac days, has the enhanced physiology that all Kree have, thus making her faster, more durable and agile than your average human. However, perhaps the biggest advantage of having Kree DNA is the super strength. Even before her powers kicked up several notches in Captain Marvel’s climax, Carol was throwing punches that would send opponents flying across the room and bent a steel bar around some door handles to delay some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents from capturing her and Nick Fury. Even when her hands were handcuffed so she couldn’t use her energy powers (more on that soon), Carol managed to fight off a squad of Skrulls.

After her powers kicked up several notches, Carol’s strength increased far past what you’d expect from a normal Kree, allowing her to stop one of the missiles Ronan the Accuser launched at Earth and send it back to the other missiles. But even that strength boost is just the tip of the iceberg, as Brie Larson said last year that Carol is able to move planets, a feat only Thanos has previously been able to accomplish with the help of some Infinity Stones. Someone’s clearly been eating their Wheaties.

Energy Manipulation

Manipulating energy is definitely the most visual of Carol Danvers’ powers, although she was led to believe during her time as Vers that this ability was a gift from the Supreme Intelligence, and one that could be taken away. This placed limits on Carol was initially able to do with this gift, but she nonetheless put it to good use, mainly through the use of photon blasts, which she could either use as projecting force or to enhance her already impressive strength. Carol was also able to generate enough energy to melt through steel doors and walls, as well those Skrull power-dampening cuffs after several minutes of effort.

When Carol’s memories returned and she learned that her energy powers actually came from absorbing the energy emitted from the Tesseract when she blew up the light-speed engine on Earth, that was just the key to awakening her full potential. After destroying the device on her neck that had actually been inhibiting these powers rather than giving them to her, Carol’s photon blasts were powerful enough to easily knock down numerous Starforce operatives and once and shoot down several Kree ships. This cosmic energy Carol can unleash is arguably what distinguishes her most from the other Marvel heroes, and it could be the key to finally defeating Thanos, particularly since, just as was the case with Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, this power came from an Infinity Stone.

Flight

Originally, like any other normal human and Kree, Carol Danvers was earth-bound. When the escape ship she used to get off the exploding Skrull ship in the beginning portion of Captain Marvel was destroyed, she helplessly fell to Earth, and it’s only because of her Kree physiology and whatever energy reserves she could draw on that she survived that crash into the Blockbuster store. She also had to travel with Nick Fury, Talos, Maria Rambeau and Goose to reach Mar-Vell’s hidden base aboard that enhanced aircraft. But once that Kree inhibitor device was gone, Carol was given free reign to the sky and space.

During Captain Marvel’s climactic conflict, once again, Carol found herself crashing to Earth, but at the last minute, she stopped her fall and began floating. From there, it was easy enough for her to fly back into space to stop the Kree attack on Earth. But Carol’s isn’t just flying at ‘normal’ speed; as a result of her cosmic powers fully awakening, Carol can now fly at the speed of light, as she accompanied the Skrull refugees on their journey to find a new home. Mar-Vell indirectly succeeded in creating light-speed travel, it just wasn’t a ship that received that capability, it was a person.

Longer Life Span

I’ve already discussed how durable Carol Danvers is after becoming a human/Kree hybrid, and this enhanced physiology also means she heals faster from the wounds she does receive. That said, Carol also now ages more slowly compared to the average human. This was shown in Captain Marvel’s mid-credits scene when she suddenly appeared at the New Avengers base after Nick Fury’s pager was activated and she looked exactly the same as she did over two decades ago.

Most aliens in the MCU have much longer lifespans than humans, and now we can count Carol among them. Similar to when Steve Rogers was awakened after almost 70 years on ice, it will be interesting to see Carol back on Earth both reuniting with people from her past who are now much older and acclimating to how times have changed since she was last home, although I doubt this will be explored in-depth during Avengers: Endgame since that movie has a lot on its plate. Unlike Steve, though, if the MCU ever decides to release a movie set decades or even centuries in the future, there’s the potential for Carol to appear and either still look the same or only slightly older. She may not live as long as someone like Thor, but Carol could continue leaving a big impact on this superhero universe when most of the other heroes around now have passed.

Be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Captain Marvel and stay tuned for more updates on Carol Danvers’ future. As for what else is coming down the MCU pipeline, look through our handy guide for that information.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Proved He's Still Got Conan The Barbarian Moves

Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Proved He's Still Got Conan The Barbarian Moves

If that third Conan movie ever actually happens, Arnold Schwarzenegger will be ready for it -- even at age 71.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has had a fascinating life so far. He started as a bodybuilder -- becoming the youngest-ever Mr. Universe with his first win at age 20 -- before becoming a Hollywood movie star, and even later governor of California. He's still active with bodybuilding, including in the annual Arnold Sports Festival. Schwarzenegger is currently at the Arnold Sports South America event, and showed that he's still got those Conan the Barbarian moves he first showed off in 1982:

Nice. Let's hope his 1980s self doesn't sniff at that and insist he would've hit the bullseye.

If you're curious to see more of the Arnold Sports action -- and Arnold's reaction to the action -- check out @ArnoldSports to watch more inspiring clips like this:

Arnold Schwarzenegger still has a big heart for the warriors of the world.

Conan the Barbarian was one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's first major film roles. But his first lead was as Hercules in the 1969 film Hercules in New York. After playing Conan in the 1982 movie, he returned to that role for the 1984 sequel Conan the Destroyer. And then ... no third movie. Yet?

Anyway, right after his second Conan movie, his Hollywood career really took off. He landed the role of T-800 in The Terminator and went from that to Red Sonja, Commando, Predator, The Running Man, Twins, Total Recall, Kindergarten Cop, T2, Last Action Hero, True Lies, Junior, Eraser, Jingle All the Way, Batman & Robin, End of Days, Collateral Damage, The Expendables, and now more Terminator in Terminator 6, Dark Fate.

Phew! He made a lot of movies around those titles, too, and somehow had time to do other things -- like run for office and even host The Apprentice, briefly, after Donald Trump left.

Age is just a number, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is still relatively young at 71. I'm excited to see him back for Terminator: Dark Fate this November, and also -- hopefully -- alongside his 72-year-old buddy Sylvester Stallone for The Expendables 4. As Sly recently posted with a photo of both Arnold and Bruce Willis, they are "the last of the breed."

Not everyone loves sequels, but Arnold Schwarzenegger has definitely embraced the franchise life -- from Terminator to The Expendables. He has been trying to get a third Conan movie -- or TV series -- off the ground for a while, and recently explained why that has been such a trial.

As we wait for Terminator 6 to arrive this fall, cross our fingers for The Expendables 4, and maybe just pray for Conan the Barbarian, keep up with everything headed to the big screen this year with our 2019 movie guide.

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Avengers: Endgame Writers Reveal If Captain America Could Wield The Infinity Gauntlet

Avengers: Endgame Writers Reveal If Captain America Could Wield The Infinity Gauntlet

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. Seriously, look away if you haven't seen it.

It's been over two weeks since Avengers: Endgame arrived in theaters, and the fandom is still recovering from the wild ride. The Russo Brothers exceeded expectations and even Infinity War in regards to scope and character-driven story, delivering countless plot twists in the massive blockbuster. Chris Evans' Steve Rogers was the subject of more than one twist, although he never got to wield the Infinity Gauntlet himself.

Avengers: Endgame was largely focused on the surviving heroes, as they attempted an epic time heist to gather the Infinity Stones and reverse Thanos' snap. And throughout the movie's insane third act, both Hulk and Tony Stark himself used the Gauntlet to snap their fingers, to major physical harm. But could Captain America have withstood the power of the Gauntlet? Endgame co-writer Christopher Markus recently addressed this possibility, saying:

I think Steve would be toast.

Despite being worthy enough to wield Thor's hammer Mjolnir, it looks like Captain America isn't quite strong enough to handle the immense power of the Infinity Stones. So if he were to slip on the Gauntlet and snap his fingers, Steve Rogers would have ended up thoroughly dead.

Christopher Markus' comments to THR may puzzle some hardcore Marvel fans, as Avengers: Endgame proved just how powerful Cap has been all along. He faced off against Thanos directly, despite not having the same abilities as Thor and Iron Man. And about halfway through their original scuffle with Thanos, Captain America wielded Thor's signature weapon, and laid the smack down to the Mad Titan.

But if he was the one to steal the Infinity Stones from Thanos in that battle, Cap would have been "toast" At least, according to the Avengers: Endgame's writer. Instead, that honor was given to both Iron Man and The Hulk, and it took a lot of both OG Avengers.

Related: Every Marvel Studios Movie, Ranked By The CinemaBlend Staff

Hulk was the first Avenger to wield the Infinity Gauntlet, or at least Tony Stark's version of it. Bruce Banner thought he was the best candidate to wield such power, as the radiation coming from the Stones was primarily Gamma. And he was right, although Hulk got severely injured in the process. His entire right arm was burnt and shrunken from the Gauntlet, a condition that should remain throughout his future in the MCU.

While Bruce Banner succeeded in snapping his fingers and reviving the fallen, the fight wasn't quite over. Thanos traveled through time with his armies, determined to lay waste to the planet. In order to stop him once and for all, Tony swiped the stoles from Thanos and snapped his fingers to reduce the Mad Titan's army to dust. But the power was too much for an average human, and it was a move that ultimately cost him his life.

On the flip side, Captain America was finally given the ending and happiness he deserved. It was a fitting conclusion to Chris Evans' tenure in the MCU, and one that Marvel fans didn't expect to see come to fruition. And if Cap ended up trying to snap Thanos out of existence himself, he'd never have gotten a chance to live out his life with Peggy Carter.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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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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