RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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** spoiler omitted **
Note the War Machine Mk III has it a bit more armored. Vision's blade carved up the entire chest to take out the arc reactor.
I'm just glad we had a movie where Rhodey gave as good as he got. No Job Machine this time.
It could also be related to cooling and energy distribution... It also shoots energy beams (at least in the comics) so it can't be covered. There's no way to know what is the engineering involved in it, after all.
Plus the shield is vibranium.
Yeah Bucky Barnes in full on rage mode wasn't able to disable the arc reactor (in one of the coolest poster shots of the move) and Cap had to bang on the thing multiple times with his shield to finally take it out.
It was very interesting to see a certain...
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Will do my weekly in-depth tomorrow, but a headline had me hop over to BOM and check out the numbers. Civil War did drop almost 60% weekend to weekend, but that 20M death toll difference was more than made up with a M-H that totaled nearly 50M. Put that in perspective, this movie, during the week, made over half of its weekend 2 take. Its weekend estimate is just shy of 300M, and any expectation I had that it wouldn't overtake Deadpool is probably completely shot with the amazing weekday showing this past week. There is still a chance it will drop off heavy, but earning another 70M seems a lot closer with that extra 50M thrown in there. BOM has their estimates at another 160M during its lifetime, which I think is high considering X-Men.
Will do my weekly in-depth tomorrow, but a headline had me hop over to BOM and check out the numbers. Civil War did drop almost 60% weekend to weekend, but that 20M death toll difference was more than made up with a M-H that totaled nearly 50M. Put that in perspective, this movie, during the week, made over half of its weekend 2 take. Its weekend estimate is just shy of 300M, and any expectation I had that it wouldn't overtake Deadpool is probably completely shot with the amazing weekday showing this past week. There is still a chance it will drop off heavy, but earning another 70M seems a lot closer with that extra 50M thrown in there. BOM has their estimates at another 160M during its lifetime, which I think is high considering X-Men.
X-men reviews have been very mixed across the board, with some people liking it, some people meh, and some people hating it. Which makes me think that X-men probably won't be able to completely knock Civil War down, and it should still accrue ticket sales post X-men release.
So I could finally scrap up the time to see Civil War.
Slightly disappointed Peter didn't say the words, but other than that it was as closer to perfect as I could expect.
I loved Peter as a kid from Queens who sounds like he's from Queens.
Plus, The Black Panther. 'Nuff said, true believers.
I loved the fact that they kept cutting Peter off before he could say the words.
Just saw it myself and thought it was really well done.
most of all, the story actually works and makes sense. Actions flow nicely out of the established nature of the characters. Nobody felt forced into their role
Spider-Man and Black Panther both excellent, can't wait for their movies.
I could see us getting Captain America and the Secret Avengers at some point.
well worth the ticket price
I'm not a fan of Peter Parker's secret identity already being known to some people before he even gets his first movie. That's actually one of my pet peeves in the comic books over the past dozen years or so. It seems like everyone who's ever been an Avenger is in on his identity...which isn't smart, considering how often they get mind-controlled, turn evil, etc.
I liked it better when his identity was known by just a handful of other heroes, MJ, Aunt May, Venom, the Black Cat, and my namesake.
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Traditionally, it's been just Norman, MJ and Black Cat. Aunt May was a big reveal.
Then again, what makes it even weirder is someone like him HAVING a secret identity at all these days.
Traditionally, it's been just Norman, MJ and Black Cat. Aunt May was a big reveal.
Yeah, but it was handled pretty wall.
And you forgot Venom...who really only ever was relevant because of that knowledge (despite the fact that he never actually used that knowledge to any real extent).
Then again, what makes it even weirder is someone like him HAVING a secret identity at all these days.
I'm not sure I agree. Especially with him only being a kid.
I think my biggest problem is that it's STARK. If Cap knew, that'd sit easier with me. But Stark is just a jackass...both within the MCU and in the mainstream comics. This isn't just related to Civil War...he's ALWAYS been a jackass. It's one of his defining character traits. He's smart, rich, and a huge jackass.
Traditionally, it's been just Norman, MJ and Black Cat. Aunt May was a big reveal.Yeah, but it was handled pretty wall.
And you forgot Venom...who really only ever was relevant because of that knowledge (despite the fact that he never actually used that knowledge to any real extent).
Then again, what makes it even weirder is someone like him HAVING a secret identity at all these days.I'm not sure I agree. Especially with him only being a kid.
I think my biggest problem is that it's STARK. If Cap knew, that'd sit easier with me. But Stark is just a jackass...both within the MCU and in the mainstream comics. This isn't just related to Civil War...he's ALWAYS been a jackass. It's one of his defining character traits. He's smart, rich, and a huge jackass.
Not nearly the jackass that Marvel rebuilt Cyclops into.
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Traditionally, it's been just Norman, MJ and Black Cat. Aunt May was a big reveal.Yeah, but it was handled pretty wall.
And you forgot Venom...who really only ever was relevant because of that knowledge (despite the fact that he never actually used that knowledge to any real extent).
Then again, what makes it even weirder is someone like him HAVING a secret identity at all these days.I'm not sure I agree. Especially with him only being a kid.
I think my biggest problem is that it's STARK. If Cap knew, that'd sit easier with me. But Stark is just a jackass...both within the MCU and in the mainstream comics. This isn't just related to Civil War...he's ALWAYS been a jackass. It's one of his defining character traits. He's smart, rich, and a huge jackass.
Stark is also carrying a lot of guilt and trying to cover it over. He was pretty paniced when he saw Spidey was down. He does not want another dead kid on his concience.
Interesting thing is he could be looking at Peter as some kind of redemption. Help this kid achieve his potential and maybe that makes up for some of the other things.
Pretty much Stark in a nutshell really. Guilt + and Ego that says "I can fix this"
Tony Stark is also probably looking at the fact that this 'kid' has come up with something (Peter's custom webbing) on a broke student's budget.
Homage to IM, IM3, perhaps?
"Tony Stark built *THAT*. In a CAVE. FROM SCRAP!"
Is there any good in-universe reason why Stark shouldn't incorporate the web-shooters into the Iron Man suit?
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Is there any good in-universe reason why Stark shouldn't incorporate the web-shooters into the Iron Man suit?
[tangent] I'd love to see a non-lethal 'EMT' version of the suit with firefighting and emergency rescue applications, such as the Rescue suit worn by Pepper briefly in the comics, or the 'Peacekeeper' battlesuit from the Algernon Files super-hero RPG setting. Web-shooters would be totally appropriate for such a suit. [/tangent]
In the comics, Tony does incorporate web-shooters into the Iron Spider suits he builds, first for Peter, and then for his own 'Spider-Slayer' operatives. Since they seem to be promoting a Spider-Man / Stark connection in the MCU, perhaps that will happen sooner rather than later?
But yeah, branding probably prohibits Stark from building web-shooters into his own armor, just as Thor will never show up with an indestructible Asgardian shield, and the Black Widow & Hawkeye & Captain America will never strap on Falcon jet-packs and stop having to run everywhere. Can't be poaching each others 'schticks,' I guess.
I heard in the next Iron Man movie, he sues Falcon over his drone technology.
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I heard in the next Iron Man movie, he sues Falcon over his drone technology.
Would that be IM4: Litigation Day?
I heard in the next Iron Man movie, he sues Falcon over his drone technology.
I know that youre joking but since Falcon's inital pair of wings was destroyed during the climax of Winter Soldier I thought that maybe this upgrade that he has in Civil War (The Redwing drone, the bulletproofing from small arms fire, the targeted rocket strikes) was probably designed and built by Stark? The man was in a previous life a weapons manufacturer. I'm not the only one who thought that right?
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OK, so I missed last week's post, so i'll try to make it up to you guys!
Civil War put up 33M this weekend, getting creamed by the Angry Birds. Its a further 55% drop off from the previous weekend, but the 3 week total is now up to 347M, just 15M shy of Deadpool. At this point, Deadpool has all but lost his #1 spot, with the lowly 15M gap being a very obtainable goal for weeks 4-9. I figure we're probably looking at another 25M on the domestic take before the run ends, putting it decidedly below 400M. I'm still surprised, though, how much lower than anticipated it performed at home.
Has the market reached peak superhero? Have comic book movies finally achieved a critical mass? Probably. This year we're getting 6 comic book based movies, only 1 of which can be said to not have a blockbuster budget (Deadpool). That's 1.25B in production budget, and probably 2B in marketing budget. The three out already have pulled in 2.5B, so even if the final three are duds, three very poorly performing movies will break even (3.25B+) for the three studios overall. On top of that, we have TMNT2, Divergent 3, Jason Bourne, Max Steel, Miss Peregrine's, Underworld 5, and Assassin's Creed for generic superhero action. That's seven more, plus some borderline fantasy (Warcraft, Fantastic Beasts) or heroic action (Ghostbusters, ID4:R, Star Trek Beyond, Star Wars Rogue 1), bringing it up to well over a dozen superhero movies in a single year, inclusive in a rough score of related genre films.
As for me, I'm still mostly into the genre, having seen both Civil War and Deadpool on their opening Fridays. I passed on BvS, mostly due to I have been following it for a year and constantly losing any expectations, and I doubt we'll get to see X-Men 6: The 80's before it comes to Blu. In the fall, I will probably make it both to Strange and Suicide Squad, since their releases coincide nicely with nothing else important. My other genre films will probably round out with Star Wars Rogue 1, ID4:R and Ghostbusters, but I'm not ruling out my 4 year old daughter dragging me to TMNT2.
Is six (20) superhero films too many for one year though? A cursory google search gives us the following for 2017:
Comic: 7
Thor 3
Guardians 2
Justice League 1
Wolverine 2 or 3 depending on your acknowledgement of Origins
Spiderman the Re-Reboot
Lego Batman
Wonder Woman
Other: 8
Star Wars 8
Transformers w/ Marky Mark 2
Power Rangers
xXx 3
Resident Evil: The "Final" Chapter (before the reboot)
John Wick Chapter 2
GitS
6 Billion Dollar Man
Fast 8
That's a staggering list, especially knowing that I will see maybe half of them before they come on HBO or Encore or FX. With two (likely more, I don't feel like doing historical research) years running of nearly 2 score superhero movies (not counting made for TV animated like DC Superhero Girls movie my daughter loves), how are we supposed to continue to be invested in these productions. If you're a Marvel or DC guy alone, you've got 3 circled dates each, well maybe 2 for DC for you folks who don't appreciate the best Batman put to the screen (DARKNESS! NO PARENTS!). More if you want to watch some from both studios. Its overkill, but still profitable overkill. The question, though, becomes how much longer the consumer base is willing to hold up this many genre films in a single year. Are the 2025 plans on the studios' walls even feasible, or are they just pie-in-the-sky?
My gut tells me that studios are going to be looking more closely at properties with lower budgets, or adaptations that further distinguish there films more from the existing formulas. I am pretty sure Civil War was hurt in part, not because people are tired of this genre in general, but because it's themes were a bit too close and to soon to B vs S, which people found disappointing.
I disagree that movies like Fast 8 or Star Wars fit into the same category as comic book adaptations. I don't see those movies resulting in a souring of people on comic book movies in general. Star Wars is really it's own thing.
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Certainly not in the same "Comic" category, but Star Wars is certainly a "Superhero" franchise, whether we call it space opera or not, with Jedi (magic wielding heroes) saving the galaxy from tyrants. And F&F franchise became superhero fantasy about 3 movies ago. Point being, beyond just the "Comic" flavor that is this decade's fad (vs Video Game adaptations in the 00's, broody in the 90's, and "Dad Movie" action in the 80's), there are a significant amount of other properties that fall into similar or adjacent genres that many fans are going to have to choose between when dollars are squeezed. When the last weekend in July / first weekend in August comes and "Superhero" fan only has money for 1 film, they have the competing films of Jason Bourne and Suicide Squad to choose between.
Eventually, they'll stop choosing those, as there is a new Superhero release every other week (getting close), and go see a different genre film, perhaps Bad Moms, Sausage Party, or save up for the all white, no Jews or Italians Ben Hur.
Yeah Comic Book movies can't sustain this. They'll wind down just like Swords and Sandals, Disaster Movies, Westerns etc. did. I hope the MCU continues though.
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Yeah Comic Book movies can't sustain this. They'll wind down just like Swords and Sandals, Disaster Movies, Westerns etc. did. I hope the MCU continues though.
I wouldn't mind if they had half the run that Westerns did.
Yeah Comic Book movies can't sustain this. They'll wind down just like Swords and Sandals, Disaster Movies, Westerns etc. did. I hope the MCU continues though.I wouldn't mind if they had half the run that Westerns did.
Yes, but the rate of change is faster now (especially given the high Special Effects cost of Superhero films).
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Yes, but the rate of change is faster now (especially given the high Special Effects cost of Superhero films).Yeah Comic Book movies can't sustain this. They'll wind down just like Swords and Sandals, Disaster Movies, Westerns etc. did. I hope the MCU continues though.I wouldn't mind if they had half the run that Westerns did.
I agree that there are a ton of factors these days. The percentage of income from non-US showings is huge. However, many countries limit the number of foreign films shown. Also, there been a large growth of the film industry outside of Hollywood that produces great dramas and musicals. These factors dictate fewer but bigger movies. This in turn pushes Hollywood towards the big special effects Blockbuster.
I am pretty impressed that Superhero movies have done so well actually. The marvel movies in particular have developed almost a brand following in non-US markets.
Certainly not in the same "Comic" category, but Star Wars is certainly a "Superhero" franchise, whether we call it space opera or not, with Jedi (magic wielding heroes) saving the galaxy from tyrants. And F&F franchise became superhero fantasy about 3 movies ago. Point being, beyond just the "Comic" flavor that is this decade's fad (vs Video Game adaptations in the 00's, broody in the 90's, and "Dad Movie" action in the 80's), there are a significant amount of other properties that fall into similar or adjacent genres that many fans are going to have to choose between when dollars are squeezed. When the last weekend in July / first weekend in August comes and "Superhero" fan only has money for 1 film, they have the competing films of Jason Bourne and Suicide Squad to choose between.
Eventually, they'll stop choosing those, as there is a new Superhero release every other week (getting close), and go see a different genre film, perhaps Bad Moms, Sausage Party, or save up for the all white, no Jews or Italians Ben Hur.
Yeah but the definition of superhero movie you provide is...well it's basically the same as "any movie with action in it" in which case the trend we are seeing isn't even remotely new, and probably extends to before I was born.
Like I have seen every MCU movie in the theater, but have never seen a single Jason Bourne movie or most of the Fast and Furious series. I don't think these movies have a all share the exact same audience.
Finally saw it.
It was okay.
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Finally saw it.
It was okay.
~faints from shock~
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You know he only said that because there's no involvement from Joss Whedon, right?
GASP!!! ~faints from shock~
What? The movie was thoroughly okay. A few amazing scenes, some interesting characterization, but nothing stellar.
What? The movie was thoroughly okay. A few amazing scenes, some interesting characterization, but nothing stellar.
GASP!!! ~faints from shock~
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I'm betting Blankman and Howard the Duck.What? The movie was thoroughly okay. A few amazing scenes, some interesting characterization, but nothing stellar.Out of curiosity, what are your favorite comic films?
What? No mention of Superman IV: A Quest for Peace or Steel?
Tomb Raider?
My Dinner with Andre?