Avengers: Endgame Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of Marvel's Big Finale

Avengers: Endgame Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of Marvel's Big Finale

It's been almost exactly 11 years since the experiment that came to be known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born with Iron Man. 22 movies later, the stories of many of our favorite heroes come to a head in Avengers: Endgame. For those that have been on this ride since the beginning, expectations are incredibly high, but for the most part, everybody at CinemaBlend agrees that the film met those expectations, and largely exceeded them.

Nobody would agree with that sentiment more than Cinemablend Events Editor Eric Eisenberg. He wrote the official review for Avengers: Endgame, and he awarded it the first perfect five-star review of the year, saying...

Avengers: Endgame is one of the most ambitious, entertaining, emotional, and stunning blockbusters we’ve ever seen, and the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon thus far.

That's some strong praise, to be sure, but it's not the only praise coming from the team here. Managing Director Sean O'Connell loved Endgame so much that he can barely believe he actually saw it.

Avengers: Endgame is everything Marvel fans need it to be, and more. It's the perfect culmination of 11 years of storytelling, and a beautiful final chapter to 21 previous movies. It's loaded with well-earned fan-service beats, and packed with surprises that both delight and amaze. Seriously, the movie is such a fever dream of Marvel goodness, I'm half convinced that I imagined this film into existence, because there's no way in hell that what I just witnessed actually exists in a finished film. The MCU is a magic trick, the greatest geek accomplishment in our lifetime, and Endgame is the face-melting finale this franchise deserves.

It's hard to believe that so much has happened in barely over a decade. 11 years ago, nobody knew if this idea, bringing comic book style cross-title continuity to the big screen, would actually work. Not only did fans accept it, they embraced it, and the MCU has become the biggest franchise in the history of cinema.

The hardest part of creating any story is probably figuring out where to start, but coming close behind that is figuring out how to finish it. Avengers: Endgame had to do more than most. It had to bring not just one story, but several, to a satisfying conclusion. The film succeeds remarkably well. Senior Movie Contributor Mike Reyes lays the congratulations at the directing pair of Joe and Anthony Russo as well as screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who have largely been responsible for the entire third phase of the MCU.

Avengers: Endgame is a landmark achievement for comic book movies. The film ties up the years and films that have preceded it, and the weight of such history is felt in all the right places. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, along with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have created a film that lives up to the insane hype it's generated, and the entire film is a cross between a victory lap and a sigh of relief. It's blockbuster spectacle crossed with serious, beautiful character work, and packaged in a film that is both self-contained and seriously satisfying when paired with Avengers: Infinity War.

For fans who want to have the experience of watching Avengers: Endgame cold, avoiding accidental spoilers can be a tricky game. The good news, as GatewayBlend Project Manager Cody Beck points out, is that even if you've seen the film's official trailers, you really don't know anything.

It does not feel like 3 hours. The pacing and storytelling keep everything moving along smoothly- and believe me, there’s a lot to tell in this final chapter. The trailers are just the tip of the iceberg- you have seen nothing yet. There are scenes in this movie that I’m still trying to wrap my head around. The throughline to the other 21 films is apparent and so much fun to witness. While It’s not my favorite MCU movie (top 5), I still think it will end up going down as an overall fan favorite. The team-ups, callbacks, and subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) way it pokes fun at the MCU as a whole will have die-hard fans and casual fans alike leaving the theater with a satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga.

For those who have been following the MCU from the beginning, who have been along this journey for every step, there's a definite feeling of finality here. This is the end of the road, even if we don't know exactly how. We all know going in this will be an emotional experience. Marketing Editor Adrienne Jones, admits that it is exactly that, and cautions fans to properly prepare in order to not miss a moment.

Somehow, after over a decade of buildup and 21 movies, Avengers: Endgame has managed to both give fans exactly what they want and what they expect (in many ways) while still completely offering up surprises aplenty. A lot of cool shit happens in this movie. It's funny, but it will also make all but those with the hardest of hearts tear up more than once. It calls back or even resolves some things from past films, but still places us firmly in the future of the franchise by the end. And, all of this is capped by one of the largest, most thrilling battles ever seen on film. So, yeah, cut off all eating / drinking at least two hours beforehand and get all potty breaks out of the way early. You won't want to miss anything.

While nobody at CinemaBlend had any issues with Avengers: Endgame that made it an out right bad experience, that's not to day that everybody thought it was perfect. News Director Jessica Rawden would still agree the movie was an impressive accomplishment, though it's also an impressively long accomplishment, and she disagrees with Adrienne regarding the importance of bladder control.

Funny, smart and sentimental, Avengers: Endgame does what I didn't think it could do: hold its ground against its predecessor, Infinity War. The 3-hour movie has many satisfying moments for fans of the MCU and exciting moments for action fans in general, but dare I say it: You will have time to get up and use the bathroom should you need to.

If one thing is clear, it's that fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are likely to have an wonderful time with this movie that culminates three phases of storytelling. However, CinemaBlend VP of Product, Mack Rawden, maybe isn't the world's biggest MCU fan, and as such his enjoyment of the film was somewhat tempered.

Endgame is the most Marvel movie that has ever Marveled. It's the most fitting possible culmination to everything that has come in the first three phases, and how much you enjoy it will likely be proportional to how much you've bought into the MCU. The Russo Brothers know their characters well, and all the major ones are given extended runs and special moments in Endgame. To many fans, each of these moments will feel earned and wonderful. To others less enthusiastically on board with the franchise, they'll sometimes feel a bit long and self-important. It's the right climax for this franchise, and because I'm only casually on board, it makes sense I'd be the same on this movie. If you're someone who loves the MCU, you'll have a blast.

Avengers: Endgame may not technically be the final chapter of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it is still the end in many ways. However, Endgame isn't just the final part of the story, it's also a celebration of every chapter that came before. This is why fans who remember all those pieces will be rewarded for being there every step along the way.

As far as myself, I largely fall in line with those that were simply taken by surprise by just how well Avengers: Endgame handled its impressive responsibility. The film will likely give fans exactly what they want, and while that may frustrate some who are looking for more surprises, there's nothing ultimately wrong with getting everything you ever wanted.

If I had made a list of everything I wanted to see in Avengers: Endgame, I can't think of anything that would still be on it. Very little of it is surprising, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful. Sometimes you get not only the ending you deserve, but the one that you want.

Whatever you think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the sheer fact that the franchise has succeeded to this point is impressive, and a moment worthy of note in cinema history. What comes next? Nobody knows, except maybe Kevin Feige, and he's not talking.

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5 Ways Tom Holland's Spider-Man Is Different From His Predecessors

5 Ways Tom Holland's Spider-Man Is Different From His Predecessors

Ever since his fun, memorable introduction — and the character's third (at least) iteration on the big screen — in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland's enjoyable and heart-tugging performance as Spider-Man has renewed public interest in the amazing character and provided audiences with a variation of the character that's winningly unique while also staying true to several of the bedrocks of the character's foundation. By that, what we mean is, this Spider-Man is still the same old Spider-Man, but he's also noticeably different in several ways too.

Through this new version of the character, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has allowed itself the opportunity to change some key details about Spider-Man and provide audiences with a take on the character that's different enough to keep the constantly-seen character feel fresh and vibrant. Without further ado, let's break down the ways that Tom Holland's Spider-Man is different from the previous Spider-Man performances we've seen before him. Of course, we should expect to have a few more examples when Spider-Man: Far From Home swings its way into theaters in just a few months.

Spoilers for a lot of Spider-Man and Marvel movies follow!

He's Younger, And More Boyish/Jubilant, Than Other Spider-Men

While the character of Spider-Man has almost always been in high school or at least in his early-to-mid twenties, with his origin story happening around the time he turns 15, the movies have been flexible — to say the least — when it comes to Spider-Man's age. In Sam Raimi's flicks, the character is believed to be around 17-18 years old, to accommodate for actor Tobey Maguire's 26 years of age when he made that original movie.

Additionally, while it's never clear exactly how old Peter Parker is in The Amazing Spider-Man movies, he's believed to be around the same age, and the age disparity is even starker. Actor Andrew Garfield was 28 when he played the titular web slinger. These actors would be stretching it playing college students — let alone high schoolers. Yet, it wasn't until Tom Holland that we got an actor closer to his teens signed on to play the youthful hero.

While Tom Holland is currently in his early twenties, the actor signed on to the role when he was 19, making it at least a little more believable that he would be 15-18 years in the movies. It also helps that Holland has an earnestly boyish face and captures the youthful enthusiasm vital for this version of the part. The actor gives the role a fun jubilance that was only captured temporarily in the other takes in the past, which makes his supporting appearances in the Avengers movies and Captain America: Civil War all the more memorable, while giving his own movies a goofiness and lightheartedness that separates them from the slightly more serious-minded Marvel movies that came out —away from Thor: Ragnarok —at the time.

The Stories Are Set In Cooler Locations Than Other Spider-Man Movies

At his heart, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is still New York City's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But in the character's newfangled MCU take, Spidey doesn't always find himself staying squarely in the Big Apple. When we're introduced to this version of the character in Civil War, it doesn't take long before Tony Stark ships him off to Berlin to meet up with the other Avengers in the midst of internal battle. And in Spider-Man: Homecoming, his daring super-skills are put to great use when a field trip to Washington D.C. goes awry. Hell, in Avengers: Infinity War, Spider-Man even found himself in space.

That tradition will continue with this summer's sequel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, which will find the character leaving New York City again, as the title doth suggest, in order to go to Europe for a summer vacation with his friend. Sure enough, there will be dangers that arrive in this destination. Different place, same troubles, right? No matter where Spider-Man may be, there are dangerous foes lurking around. And in this variation of the popular web-slinger, Spider-Man gets around.

Tom Holland Is More VulnerableThan Previous Spider-Men

As we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. Peter Parker was taught this lesson by his late mentor figure, Uncle Ben, and it has been his guiding principle throughout every iteration of the character to date. At least, until Tom Holland's version. Truth be told, it's unclear if Uncle Ben is even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Unless I'm forgetting something, he hasn't been mentioned or brought up, not even in passing, in any MCU film to date, and it's possible that he doesn't play a part in this variation of the character. With that, as seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man can often be a little more silly and carefree with his superpowers, tending to be a pretty silly person the way most teenagers can often be goofy individuals. With that said, though, Tony Stark has proven himself to be the primary mentor/father figure for Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While it's perhaps a bit of a leap to assume that he is the intended Uncle Ben of this version, it's probably not a coincidence that he passed away so shortly after giving Spider-Man his sense of responsibility and moral obligations (in addition to a bunch of cool new Spider-Men suits). With that in mind, Spider-Man's youth and lack of responsibility in his first film provided a more vulnerable version on the character than we've seen to date. To be clear, that's not to say that he doesn't have his own sense of obligations and desire to do good. It just comes off a bit differently than the rest.

He's A Little Jokier Than Other Spider-Men (Or More Jokey Than Peter Parker)

Spider-Man is always quick to throw a joke. Part of the reason why he gets under the skin of his various nemesis is because he's making fun of them while he's taking them down. It's part of Spider-Man's charm, and one thing that has been seen more readily in the new versions of Spider-Man is the character's open willingness to throw jokes around while he's fighting bad guys. Sure enough, Tom Holland's Spider-Man is always quick with a joke.

But more than that, Spider-Man's sense of humor in Spider-Man: Homecoming and his various appearances in The Avengers movies can notably be different than his persona as Peter Parker. While he isn't the best at keeping his identity a secret, his version of Spider-Man is a little cockier and bolder, and therefore more joke-friendly, when he's wearing the Spider-Man suit opposed to his normal, everyday demeanor, which tends to be a lot more shy and reserved.

Compare that to Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man, where his sense of humor isn't that much of a departure from the one he gave Peter Parker, and you see how Tom Holland's Peter Parker is a little better at maneuvering between his public persona and the one he adopts with the mask.

He's A Little More Relaxed About His Secret Identity (Kinda, Sorta)

If there's one thing that people often associate with superheroes, it's their inherent need to keep their secret identity, you know, secretive. With the sole exception of Tony Stark, who wasn't afraid to boast that he was Iron Man at the end of his first movie, superheroes like Batman and Superman have been notorious about keeping their real identity unknown by the public-at-large. Oftentimes, particularly with Batman and Spider-Man, the identity of anyone being Spider-Man makes them a bigger symbol of hope and justice. Literally anyone could be Spider-Man; the mystery keeps the spirit alive.

With this new version of Spider-Man, however, much like Tom Holland himself, Peter Parker has a hard time keeping secrets — particularly about his secret identity — from key people in everyday life. For instance, it didn't take long for Tony Stark to figure out who Spider-Man is in Captain America: Civil War. Similarly, in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker was a little too clumsy about keeping his super persona a secret, ultimately spilling the beans — unintentionally— to his best friend, Ned, and his primary guardian and caregiver, Aunt May.

In Avengers: Infinity War, Peter Parker revealed his identity to Doctor Strange only moments after he met the guy. There is a theory — perhaps we should call it a plain ole' rumor — that Spider-Man: Far From Home will end with Peter Parker revealing his identity to the world, much like his late mentor Tony Stark did at the end of Iron Man. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe, to be perfectly blunt, based on what we already know about Tom Holland's Spider-Man.

These are only a few examples we can give explaining how Tom Holland separates his version of Spider-Man/Peter Parker from the other actors and performances before him. But we're sure there are other examples of how this Spider-Man is different from the rest, and we'd love to hear them. Be sure to let us know in the comment section below what makes Holland's version of Spider-Man different to you. We're sure you have a few examples of your own you can give and we look forward to hearing them from you.

Meanwhile, for more updates on Spider-Man and other MCU-related news bits, you can always be sure to check back with us right here at CinemaBlend for the latest news, developments and a whole lot more.

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The Russo Brothers Explain Their Decision On The Avengers: Endgame Credit Scene

The Russo Brothers Explain Their Decision On The Avengers: Endgame Credit Scene

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. If you haven't seen the latest Marvel blockbuster, look away!

It's been nearly a week since Avengers: Endgame arrived in theaters, and moviegoers haven't stopped discussing and dissected every frame of the record-breaking blockbuster. The Russo Brothers brought everything imaginable to Endgame, including plenty of wild plot twists and surprise cameos. And following the film's runtime, there was one more surprise that gobsmacked the hardcore fandom.

Avengers: Endgame included an epic curtain call, which recognized just about everyone who has had a major role in the massive shared universe. Following that fitting sendoff, moviegoers stayed glued to their seats to see what the end-credits scene would tease for Phase Four. But the scene never came, a first in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Russo Brothers recently explained this unexpected decision, with Anthony Russo recently saying:

The reason why there's no end credits is because our goal on this movie was simply to bring to a conclusion the 22 movies now that comprise the MCU for these 10 years of storytelling. … I think one of the great creative upsides for Joe and I, as story tellers on this movie, was that this is the first MCU movie we got to tell where we weren't thinking about the future. We were simply thinking about the past, the journey that we've all been on together since that first Iron Man movie. And how do we bring the most epic sense of closure to that the journey that we can possibly do. So that was our goal, and that was really why we had no tag.

As if the wild events of Avengers: Endgame weren't enough of a mic drop, the Russo Brothers delivered one more shocking twist. The new release was the cumulation of 22 Marvel movies, so the brothers decided the movie deserved a proper ending. No teases, no credits scene, just the end of the Infinity Saga and the MCU as we know it.

Anthony Russo's thoughts about Endgame's ending come from a Q&A that Joe and Anthony Russo did following an Endgame screening in Washington D.C. just last night-- with CinemaBlend in attendance. Now that the movie is finally in theaters, the Russos no longer have to worry about guarding its secrets, and giving cagey answers to fans and journalists. The cat is out of the bag, so the directors can finally be open about their creative process, and the myriad bold choices made throughout the course of the expansive film.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced the post-credits scene to moviegoers back with Iron Man, which featured the debut of Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. These bonus clips have become commonplace since, teasing that's next for each franchise, and offering deeper connections to the shared universe. And considering how almost nothing is known about the MCU in Phase Four, moviegoers expected to get some idea through Avengers: Endgame's credits.

But it turns out that The Russo Brothers don't know much about the MCU's future either. While they set up a new Captain America and a path for Thor, the studio is gong to have new architects planning the next slate of movies. The Russo Brothers did masterful work with Phase Three, but it appears that Avengers: Endgame is their last entry for a while.

During the same Q&A in Washington D.C., Anthony Russo maintained just that: they couldn't tease the future of the MCU in Avengers: Endgame because they simply don't know what's coming next. As he explained:

There are people at Marvel thinking about the future of Marvel. Joe and I don't have any plans to continue with Marvel after this. We may end up doing another Marvel movie down the road if the right idea comes up that we all connect with. Because we love Marvel. We've had the most amazing experience of our careers, but on this movie, and I give a lot of credit to Kevin Feige for this because he's such a genius producer. We've always spoken to Kevin about where these stories go. On this movie, we did almost none of that talk with him.

Well, that's definitely not how Marvel fans expected things to go down. After crafting narratives that includes all of the MCU's biggest characters, they bid goodbye to the Avengers and Guardians following their pair of Avengers movies. And without speaking with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige about the future, they had no advanced knowledge to craft a credits scene from.

Related: The Guardians Of The Galaxy Cameo You Probably Missed In Avengers: Endgame

The Russo Brothers made their debut with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is widely considered one of the best installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following that movie's massive success, the brothers helped to craft the story of Phase Three, directing three large ensemble projects in the process. They've spent years worrying about the events of the MCU, so it stands to reason that they might want to have a break following the release (and insane success) of Endgame.

Clearly Marvel Studios is happy with what the Russo Brothers were able to accomplish within the MCU. And as such, Kevin Feige and the powers that be gave them the freedom to craft their Avengers movies, without worrying what may or may not be coming next dow the pipeline. As Anthony Russo went on to explain:

Because again, he was like leaving it to us to close the story, and that was entirely our focus. So I think that that was the goal of the movie. That opened up a lot of creative opportunities for Joe and I, in the process of making the movie. And I think part of the fact that there's no tag is testament to the fact that you were not thinking forward at all.

The stakes were extremely high for Infinity War and Endgame, so it's surprising to see how hands off the larger studio was regarding The Russo Brothers' narrative choices. But that relationship also functioned as a two-way street, because Anthony and Joe didn't look to the future or ask for details regarding what's next. So it looks like they'll be able to enjoy future Marvel movies just like the rest of us.

The future of the MCU remains a total mystery, in part thanks to the lack of an Avengers: Endgame post-credits scene. Smart money says the studio may keep their cards close to the chest at least until Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in a few months.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and the MCU will pick back up when Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives on July 2nd. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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How Spider-Man: Far From Home Can Wrap Up Marvel's Phase Three

How Spider-Man: Far From Home Can Wrap Up Marvel's Phase Three

The conclusion of Avengers: Endgame really did feel like the end of an era. The Marvel epic provided fitting closure for two of its core characters, it featured a massive battle sequence with just about every MCU character yet (hell, even Howard the Duck showed up) and could quite possibly become the highest grossing movie of all time. But Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has stood his ground on the fact that Spider-Man: Far From Home is the last film in MCU Phase 3, not Avengers: Endgame.

It doesn’t make sense, does it? What’s our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man doing – coming in, swinging past the small ocean of nerd tears Avengers: Endgame poetically manifested in us with its ending and closing this chapter of MCU history with his own movie? But after a look at the new spoiler-y trailer for Far From Home that came out this week, it’s starting to become more clear. There are some loose ends that Endgame didn’t tie up that the next Spider-Man movie will address, thus closing out Phase 3 and the Infinity Saga. Here’s why it makes sense for the summer release to end this chapter:

The Impact of Endgame

Avengers: Endgame was so focused on Earth's Mightiest Heroes undoing Thanos’ snap and bringing closure to the stories of Tony Stark and Captain America that it glazed over one important impact of the whole situation: what’s next after the giant upheaval that killed off half the population of the universe and then brought them back? While part of living creatures will be dealing with a world back at maximum population after mourning and picking up the pieces for five years, others will be coping with the time they’ve lost and the changes to the world since they were snapped out of existence.

Spider-Man: Far From Home will need to address the situation a bit before Phase 4 can begin and framing the last MCU film through the hero’s world is a clever way for the studio to do this. As Jon Watts recently explained to Fandango, Peter Parker has the “ground-level perspective” into daily life that other heroes such as Thor or Hawkeye would have. He may be rolling with the Avengers now, but under the suit he’s just a normal kid. He still needs to go to high school… which means his movie needs to deal with the shift in dynamic of that post-Endgame.

Spider-Man: Far From Home makes sense as a Phase 3 movie because it should answer a bit of our curiosities about a changed world after the Avengers’ fiercest battle yet. Although it seems like most of Peter’s immediate friends (Ned, MJ, Flash, Betty) and Aunt May are dealing with the side of being snapped and coming back, they will come in from that unique perspective of what it’s like to come back to a world you were dusted from, whereas Endgame dealt with the people who were left alive. As audiences, we need both of those sides for the storyline to find balance about the events.

The Death of Iron Man

Since the MCU started with Iron Man, the franchise has always been rooted in Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. Avengers: Endgame didn’t answer the question about how the franchise will move on sans Iron Man. Spider-Man: Far From Home is the perfect opportunity for the MCU to explore this, especially since Tony was established in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming as Peter’s mentor and Avengers father-figure. While as an audience we feel a bit lost about what’s next for the franchise without our favorite playboy, billionaire, philanthropist, so will Spidey.

In fact, it looks like the theme of the movie will revolve around Peter coming to terms with Tony’s great sacrifice and finding his place in the world without him being there to call up, bail him out or give him a pep talk. The trailer threw around “the new Iron Man” a couple times and will explore the hero as he tries to ignore his “great responsibility” to be a normal teenager. He can send him to voicemail, but he can’t run from Nick Fury’s call to a big mission involving the Elementals and the Multiverse.

Spider-Man: Far From Home will answer one question that Avengers: Endgame just didn’t have the time for: what’s next for the Avengers Initiative? How does it look like now? Nick Fury is calling on Spider-Man this time around, so does that mean he will be a prominent figure in the MCU now? Will he be the new Iron Man? Maybe a new dynamic all together will form within the confines of Far From Home that will wrap up and bring closure to what started with Iron Man in 2008 and give us a hint about how we move forward.

The Next MCU Saga

Another aspect of Avengers: Endgame that doesn’t make it feel like the definitive end to Phase 3 is there’s still a lot up in the air where exactly the MCU is going next. The team may have assembled and taken down their ultimate enemy when they stopped Thanos from using the Infinity Gauntlet the second time, but we don’t know enough about how that’s changed things enough to know how it will mold into the next saga. Spider-Man: Far From Home for example seems to already be giving us a hint about just why we need it to clue us in.

The latest trailer sets up the Multiverse when Nick Fury explains that the snap (although it’s unclear which one) tore a hole in our dimension and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio is from one of the alternative worlds. This new detail made it especially clear to me why Spider-Man: Far From Home is an MCU bookend. The movie is building off the events of the MCU thus far, so it can be placed in the Infinity Saga category, but it’s also opening up a portal (quite literally) into the potential of what could be to come. Will the next phase revolve around the Multiverse? The set-up for Far From Home certainly seems to hint at it.

From here, Spider-Man: Far From Home looks to be a fitting last film in Phase 3. It does seem like a lot to cover in a Spider-Man sequel, but the new trailer seems to deliver on just about every front of touching on these unanswered questions that I didn’t think it was capable of doing before, so I’m confident it will fittingly be the end of the Infinity Saga and mark the impending beginning of a new one.

Spider-Man: Far From Home will spin its web in theaters on July 2, so be sure to keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more coverage.

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The Gambit Movie Has Been Shelved

The Gambit Movie Has Been Shelved

Earlier today, Disney announced a lot of new release date information, which included three new Star Wars movies being slotted and both the Avatar sequels and The New Mutants being delayed. But there was one movie conspicuously absent from the updated Disney calendar: Gambit. Yes, it appears that after years in development hell, Gambit has finally been shelved.

Ever since Gambit was officially announced back in 2014, five years after Taylor Kitsch played the first live action incarnation of Remy LeBeau in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it’s been repeatedly been delayed, and when last we heard, it was supposed to come out on March 13, 2020. However, now Disney has acquired 21st Century Fox, and rather than continue that studio’s pattern of pushing Gambit back, the Mouse House has opted to just take the movie off the board entirely.

Barring some surprise announcement later down the line, the five-year saga of attempting to give Gambit his own solo movie has ended. That’s a shame for Channing Tatum, who’s been attached to play Tatum since Gambit officially entered development. Maybe he’ll find another opportunity to play a superhero down the line, but throwing energized playing cards is not in his future.

Even if Disney had been willing to still release Gambit, there’s no way it would have been ready to go by that March 2020 date. Following the departures of Rupert Wyatt, Doug Liman and Gore Verbinski over the years, Gambit had still not found a replacement director. The movie also changed a lot from how it was originally conceived, but alas, we won’t get to see this particular tale unfold.

Gambit’s removal, as well as the cancellation of all the other X-Men spinoffs in development, further signals the end of the X-Men franchise that began in 2000. Dark Phoenix is wrapping up the main X-Men film series next month, and while Disney is insistent that we’ll see The New Mutants next year, it’ll likely just be a standalone tale rather than spawn sequels.

The only thing that will be staying the same when it comes to Marvel’s mutant properties is Deadpool, as Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently said that there are no plans to change the Merc with the Mouth. But other than that, it’s believed that the X-Men franchise will be rebooted to fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity, although it will be a while until that happens.

Maybe there’s a future for Gambit within the MCU’s forthcoming X-Men adaptations; just because he was never able to star in his own movie doesn’t mean he can’t be an important player in ensemble pieces. Regardless, fingers crossed that someday there’s a book written about all the effort that went into trying to get the Gambit movie off the ground.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest updates concerning Marvel movies. You can learn what’s coming to the MCU in our comprehensive guide, or you can plan your trips to the theater later this year with our 2019 release schedule.

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Cillian Murphy's Odds To Play James Bond Have Gone Way Up

Cillian Murphy's Odds To Play James Bond Have Gone Way Up

The next James Bond movie has been slightly delayed, but the movie is happening, and Daniel Craig will be back in the lead role. Of course, it seems quite likely that Craig will be done after this next film and whatever happens, at some point, sooner rather than later, Craig will be done playing Bond, but the role will certainly go on. The question of who the next James Bond will be will exist until there is one, and right now the odds on Cillian Murphy getting the role just got a lot better.

When I talk about the odds, I'm speaking quite literally, as I'm talking about bookmakers in Britain who actually do keep odds on who the next James Bond will be. Cillian Murphy had seen odds of 7/1 but those odds have just dropped to 100/30 (slightly worse than 3/1 if you don't want to do the math). He's not the front runner, but he's now in second place behind Tom Hiddleston and Richard Madden who both have 2/1 odds.

If there's a reason the odds have gotten so much better for Murphy, it's not entirely clear. His name has never been entirely absent from any conversation about the next James Bond. When Danny Boyle was set to direct the next film, but before Daniel Craig had agreed to return, Yahoo says Murphy's name had come up a possible replacement, but obviously it never came to that.

Murphy may be best known for playing the villain Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. He also had a role in Nolan's WWII epic Dunkirk and has had a successful TV run on the series Peaky Blinders.

Considering the time that it took to get Daniel Craig to commit to playing James Bond one more time, it seems likely this will be his last go-round as the super spy, though the film has not been announced to be his last. If he hasn't already told producers this is his last, then assume we'll all go through the "will he, won't he" one more time as Eon Productions tries to get him to do one more movie, before the producers even consider looking elsewhere.

Once we get there, however, there are a lot of interesting candidates. Everybody from Idris Elba to Tom Hardy has been rumored as a possible Bond in the past. Expect all of them to get thrown into the mix once again. Even an actor who might not have been a hot prospect a couple years ago when producers were last looking could be in a very different place a couple years from now when the hunt is on again. There will probably be some young actors who aren't even on our radar now who will also be contenders.

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Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Everything We Know About Walt Disney World's New Land

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Everything We Know About Walt Disney World's New Land

Star Wars' existence in Disney theme parks actually pre-dates the company's purchase of Lucasfilm, but everybody knew it was only a matter of time once the purchase happened before Star Wars' presence saw a massive increase in Anaheim and Orlando. That is set to happen later this year when Walt Disney World in Florida, and also Disneyland in California, see a major upgrade in the form of a new land called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

While we won't get to really see or truly experience Star Wars Galaxy's Edge until the land opens later this year, there's still a lot that has been revealed about the new area and what it will contain. Here's everything that we know about the newest part of the Disney parks.

When Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Will Open

Originally, Walt Disney World had been given a window of Late Fall 2019 for the opening of Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge with Disneyland set to open in the summer of the same year. This meant a lot of people were surprised when the actual opening dates were revealed as Disneyland was announced to see the land open May 31 with Walt Disney World following on August 29.

There's a catch however. With the earlier date it was announced that only one of the E-ticket attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run would be open to the public. The other attraction, Rise of the Resistance will come later as part of a second phase opening. No date was given for when that will happen beyond both parks seeing phase two come sometime in 2019. It seems likely each park will see the second attraction close to the original opening date.

How To Get Into Galaxy's Edge

With the popularity that Disneyland and Walt Disney World already have, combined with the popularity of Star Wars, it's clear that Galaxy's Edge is going to be a popular place when it opens. However, Disney is doing what it can to alleviate crowds.

For the first three weeks of Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland, May 31 to June 22, a separate reservation will be necessary to access the new land. On May 2 reservations were made available to the general public, but they were all taken in less than two hours. Now, the only way to get in during that opening period is by booking a stay at a Disneyland resort hotel. A hotel reservation will get you access to a four hour long reservation at Galaxy's Edge during one day of your hotel stay.

Once the reservation period has ended a "virtual queueing system" will be utilized to prevent a standby liner from forming.

There has been no reservation system announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios.

How Galaxy's Edge Will Be Different

One of the ways that Star Wars Galaxy's Edge will be a unique land for a Disney park is that it is being designed to feel, in its entirety, like it exists as a planet in the Star Wars Universe. The idea is that this isn't simply a space in a theme park that looks like Star Wars, but an actual part of Star Wars canon, just like any movie. The name of that planet is Batuu. It can be found on the outer edge of the galaxy, thus the name of the land, but is also a location of importance to both the Resistance and The First Order. We've never seen Batuu before, as it's a brand new creation by Disney. However, the Star Wars multimedia machine has already begun to sprinkle the location throughout other forms of Star Wars media as a way to prepare us for the planet.

Of course, even Disney's largest single land expansion ever isn't going to feel like it's actually a whole planet, so the focus will actually be a single settlement on that planet

Black Spire Outpost

While Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will exist on its own planet, the focus of the land will be on a specific place on that planet. Named for the petrified trees that have transformed into the planet's unique geology, Black Spire Outpost will be the hub of activity where guests will find the attractions, the restaurants, and the merchandise available for sale. The Black Spires actually received a reference in Solo: A Star Wars Story, showing that this new area will be intimately tied to the larger Star Wars universe.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

There will be two E-ticket attractions as part of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. The most exciting is probably the one that will put you in the pilot seat of the Millennium Falcon. Within the story of the ride, Pirate Hondo Ohnaka, known to Star Wars fans from his appearances in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Rebels animated series, has made a deal with Chewbacca. He will help fund a refurbishment on the Falcon if Chewie will let him use it to run some less than legal goods through the galaxy. As a guest, you're actually a freelance smuggler, looking to make some cash by signing up to work for Hondo.

Groups of six riders will be given one of three crew positions, pilot, gunner, or engineer. When it comes time to actually do your flying, It isn't just a ride. Guests will have to actively use the controls in the Millennium Falcon cockpit in order to successfully execute the mission. If gunners don't fire fast enough, the Falcon will take damage. If that happens, engineers may have to extinguish fires.

While it apparently won't be possible to completely fail the mission, different outcomes are possible. You'll even be able to see the damage that you've done. With numerous possibilities for the ride, the re-rideability of the attraction looks to be quite high, even if you weren't simply looking to fly the Falcon again and again, although who wouldn't want to do that?

Rise Of The Resistance

The other major attraction at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is an attraction that will put you in the middle of a battle between The Resistance and the First Order. Rise of the Resistance will see guests become members of the Resistance and go on a mission on their behalf before being captured by a First Order Star Destroyer. Then guests get into trackless ride vehicles for an escape that promises to be one of the biggest and most exciting rides of any theme park ever.

Rise of the Resistance is the marquee attraction of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. It's biggest selling point may be that the attraction is simply massive. Based on the description the experience will have multiple segments that will see guests both walking and riding between them. A resistance flight deck with full-sized X-Wings will be in one area. While full size First Order AT-ATs will be in another.

In addition to the awesome set pieces, guests will also feel like they're part of the Star Wars universe because several characters from the current trilogy will also be part of Rise of the Resistance. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver have all recorded scenes that will be part of it all.

The Food

One of the highlights of any Disney vacation is all the great food the park has on offer and we can be sure that Star Wars Galaxy's Edge will not be an exception. It has been confirmed that blue milk will be on offer, as well as countless other delicacies of the galaxy far, far away. Black Spire Station will also have a cantina available. There will also be a table service restaurant as well as a separate quick serve-type establishment. This is likely going to be a tough reservation to get, as many will surely want to eat in the galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will also bring what may be the single biggest change to Disneyland in its entire history as it will be the first place alcohol has ever been available to the general public. Star Wars themed cocktails as well as a selection of wine and beer made exclusively for Galaxy's Edge will be available at Oga's Cantina. You can bet finding a seat will be tough there, in fact, the word is the layout has been designed mostly for standing room for simply that reason, so that more people will be able to fit in the space. If nothing else, you'll be able to listen to some solid music as RX-24, or R3X, the original Star Tours pilot, has found a new job as a DJ.

Docking Bay 7 will be the table service restaurant at Black Spire Station. Recognizable by the transport ship on the roof, Docking Bay 7 is the home of Chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs, who honed his craft at the castle of one Maz Kanata before taking his show on the road and finding himself on Batuu.

Ronto Roasters will be the quick service food location, providing roasted meat that's been cooked on what used to be a pod racing engine. Considering that the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ restaurant used to be on the location of Galaxy's Edge, it's a nice way to pay homage to the popular spot that we no longer have.

There are a couple of other places to grab a bite or something to drink. Kat Saka's Kettle will offer a variety of flavored popcorn. There will also be a Milk Stand allowing you to try the popular blue or green milk from the Star Wars universe. These beverages will actually be fruit flavored smoothie's when you find them on Batuu.

The Merchandise

Nobody knows how to sell stuff quite like Disney and no place is the company better at it than inside the theme parks. However, merchandise is where one of the more interesting aspects of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge comes in. Rather than being full of t-shirts and ball caps with the Star Wars logo like you might expect, none of that will actually be available inside the new land. Instead, the shops will be part of the lands theming, containing only the sorts of items you might expect to find in an alien marketplace. There will certainly be plenty of clothes and toys, but only items designed to look like they came from Batuu.

The highlight of the cool stuff on display is likely the shop that will let you buld your own lightsaber. This is going to be serious business as you'll need to schedule a time for your lightsaber build. There will be many different options to choose from that will let you build a blade in your own special way. Expect to pay something around $100 just for the hilt, and $50 more if you actually want to be able to attach a blade. But it sounds like the final product will look like something you see in the movies, so that will likely make things worth it.

A droid building shop will be available, allowing you to build your own remote controlled R2 or BB unit, and who doesn't want of those.

There will be a toy shop, run by a Toydarian, because why not. It will house plush dolls that look like your favorite Star Wars characters, because they've become famous throughout the galaxy,

There will also be clothing shops so that you can dress like a member of either the Resistance or the First Order. There will actually be different shops depending on which side you want to join, because, again, the storytelling is even built into the shopping.

The Technology

While we know a little about the big things that Star Wars Galaxy's Edge has planned, what Disney Parks are better than anybody at is the small stuff, the little details that help flesh out the world so it feels real. Quite a few of those little details are hinted at in the form of patents that Disney has filed for in recent months. We've seen one that could create the look of blaster fire, and another that could create holograms in an attraction. Based on descriptions, it sounds like both of these will be used as part of the Rise of the Resistance ride.

However, what may be even more interesting is the way Disney is going to use your smartphone to create an even more immersive Star Wars experience. Via the existing Play Disney Parks app, a whole host of new experiences will be available to guests.

One game will let you use your phone to "hack" surveillance boxes set up around Black Spire Station by the First Order. Once hacked, you can either deactivate them, to help the Resistance or reactivate them to help the First Order.

You'll also be able to use the app to translate Aurebesh writing found throughout Batuu, a lot of things won't be in English, since nobody on Batuu speaks the language.

You'll also be able to use the app to pick up and complete odd jobs. These can also be handled in different ways and the decisions you make will help dictate whether you end up joining the First Order or the Resistance.

In addition, the events of some of the attractions will also carry over into other aspects of the land. If you bring the Millennium Falcon back in less than ideal condition from Smuggler's Run, then a bartender might make reference to that when you visit the cantina.

The Hotel

One thing that won't be opening in the late fall of 2019 at Walt Disney World, but is on its way, is a special Star Wars-themed hotel that will be attached to Galaxy's Edge. More than simply being a place to keep your stuff while you're in the park, the hotel is set to be an attraction unto itself, where guests check in for a set number of days for an all-inclusive, completely immersive, Star Wars experience. You'll be able to dress the part and interact with other guests and staff as if you were on board a starship flying through the galaxy, far, far away. It sounds like nothing anybody has ever experienced and we can't wait to check in.

Needless to say, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is promising a lot. With Disney's history, there's a good chance it will be successful in pretty much everything it wants to do. The only real question is, just how insane will the crowds be when it opens and how much of a problem will those crowds be in trying to enjoy the immersive Star Wars world. We'll find out later this year.

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