For Marvel Studios’ upcoming film The Marvels, they did not lean into some of the more well-known villains from the pages of Marvel Comics. In fact, the film’s “big bad” is a fairly obscure character. One that even the most die-hard Marvel fans have likely forgotten about. Here’s what we know about Marvel’s Kree leader Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton in The Marvels, their comic book origins, and how they factor into the overall MCU.

Who Is Marvel Comics’ Dar-Benn?

So just who is The Marvels‘ upcoming villain Dar-Benn in Marvel’s comics? Dar-Benn is a very minor Marvel Comics villain in the grand scheme of things, making only two appearances in the early ‘90s comics. The comics introduced Dar-Benn in the cosmic Marvel crossover Operation: Galactic Storm, in 1991’s issue #53 of Silver Surfer. A general in the great Kree Empire, Dar-Benn, along with Kree general Ael-Dann, coordinated a plot to assassinate a Kree leader named Clumsy Foulup. (Yes, that was his name. The ‘90s comics were not subtle). Aliens known as Cotati put Foulup in a leadership position. The generals later assassinated Foulup using an imposter robot Silver Surfer, leaving Dar-Benn and Ael-Dann as co-rulers of Marvel’s Kree Empire. However, this was a brief reign.

A brutal tyrant, Dar-Benn considered himself superior to the previous Kree leader. He saw that ruler as weak and believed they should eliminate him. Even the infamous Kree villain Ronan the Accuser was viewed as weak by Marvel Comics’ Dar-Benn. But he met his match when the Shi’ar leader Deathbird, often a foe of the X-Men and Carol Danvers, killed his right-hand man Ael-Dann in front of him. It wasn’t long after that Deathbird killed Dar-Benn too, and she became the new leader of the Kree Empire, now calling herself Viceroy Cal’syee Neramani. The minds of Dar-Benn and Ael-Dann were ultimately absorbed into the Kree Supreme Intelligence, and that was the end of Dar-Benn in Marvel Comics, at least for now. Often MCU appearances can bring comic book resurrections.

The MCU’s Dar-Benn Is the Villain in The Marvels

In the MCU, Marvel gender-swapped Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) is now a former Accuser of the Kree Empire and the villain in The Marvels. This is much like Ronan’s title in Captain Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy. We learn in The Marvels that Dar-Benn was part of the Kree military when Carol Danvers, in an early act as Captain Marvel, destroyed the Supreme Intelligence on Hala, which controlled life on that planet. She actually witnessed Carol doing this, and nearly lost her life.

This act plunged Hala into a decades-long civil war that devastated the planet, and caused the Kree to name Carol “The Annihilator.” In The Marvels, Dar-Benn blames Carol for the fracturing of her planet, and its plunge into environmental disaster. Dar-Been begins siphoning natural resources from worlds Carol has a connection to in order to restore Hala, and also get revenge on her in the process.

Dar-Benn’s Bangle

Another deviation from Marvel Comics is that the MCU version of Dar-Benn wears a bangle identical to the one worn by Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan. We learn in the film that the bangle she discovered buried on a moon is one-half of the Quantum Bands, powerful artifacts that helped map the galaxy eons ago. She uses the band to open jump points in places they don’t belong, hurting the fabric of spacetime. When she steals the other Quantum Band from Kamala Khan, she attempts to use it to siphon the power of Earth’s sun to save Hala’s own dying star. The effort proves too much for Dar-Benn in The Marvels and ultimately kills her.

What Are Dar-Benn’s Powers in The Marvels?

As a very skilled Kree warrior, Dar-Benn is an expert in armed and unarmed combat. Usually, they wield either a gun or a staff that dispels a very deadly energy beam. In The Marvels, it seems Dar-Benn holds the Warhammer, or “cosmi-rod,” of a Kree Accuser. Combined with the power of one of the Quantum Bands, Dar-Benn renames it “the Universal Weapon.” This makes The Marvel‘s villain nearly as powerful as Carol, even though the power is not innate to Dar-Benn, and she needs the weapon to wield it.

Who Plays Dar-Benn in The Marvels?

Actress and filmmaker Zawe Ashton plays Dar-Benn in The Marvels. She’s famous for her roles in Not Safe for Work and the Netflix horror thriller film Velvet Buzzsaw. She has one other rather big MCU connection, though. She and Tom Hiddleston, a.k.a. Loki, are a couple.

The Marvels, starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris, is in theaters now.

Originally published on October 16, 2023.

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Most characters in the MCU draw inspiration from those in the pages of Marvel’s comics. Sometimes, two characters are combined. But usually, it’s a character or characters with a long history, often going back decades. And then, there’s Prince Yan D’Aladna (Park Seo-joon), in The Marvels. Prince Yan has joined the MCU and is making it to the big screen after only one Marvel Comics appearance in an issue of Captain Marvel. Here is everything you should know from Marvel’s comics about alien royalty Prince Yan D’Aladna and everything we know about the version Park Seo-joon plays in The Marvels.

Prince Yan D’Aladna’s First Marvel Comics Appearance

In Marvel Comics, Prince Yan of Aladna’s first and so far only appearance happened in 2014’s Captain Marvel (Vol.8) issue #9. The issue has Carol Danvers, who had only recently become Captain Marvel, and her alien sidekick Tic journeying to the distant world Aladna to help a mutant rock star, Lila Cheney, who also happened to be a cosmic adventurer. Lila Cheney had the mutant power to teleport across the cosmos, which led her to many entanglements with the X-Men and Carol over the years. Now, Lila found herself trapped in an unwanted engagement with alien royalty, and needed her old friend Carol to bail her out. In Prince Yan’s world, everyone has to rhyme when they speak. Good times.

Prince Yan’s Connection to an X-Men Character

When she was a child, and her mutant powers first manifested, young Lila Cheney transported herself to Aladna and fell for the planet’s handsome prince. Lila was an Earth mutant of considerable power who once dated Xavier’s student Cannonball. In Prince Yan d’Aladna’s world, only women could choose their lifemates. Being from Earth, Lila didn’t realize that when she chose Prince Yan, it was a real commitment that would have to be honored. When she returned to Aladna as an adult, they forced Lila to marry Prince Yan, even though neither of them wanted that.

Prince Yan asked Captain Marvel to help him stop the ceremony by formally objecting. During the ceremony, Marlo of Sleen, who wished to rule Aladna, appeared, intending to defeat Lila in combat and marry Yan. Carol represented Lila in battle and won. Now officially betrothed to Yan, Captain Marvel offered him the right to choose whoever he wanted to marry. Hoping to avoid the possibility of Yan being denied the crown if he attempted not to marry, Tic volunteered to become Yan’s wife. Once he became king, Yan abolished this rule for Aladna.

What Are Prince Yan’s Powers?

As far as we know, Prince Yan D’Aladna doesn’t have any superpower, at least not in Marvel’s comics. However, like everyone on his home planet, Yan can always speak and carry on a full conversation totally in rhyme. Essentially, all of Aladna’s people speak musically. So, that’s kind of a power? We’ll have to see if Park Seo-joon’s MCU Prince Yan develops any other powers in The Marvels.

Is Prince Yan Captain Marvel’s Husband?

Although Carol Danvers won the right to marry Prince Yan, she decided not to. She allowed the Prince to choose his own consort. Or rather, the consort chose him. So no, Carol is not married to the Prince in the Marvel Comics and is, therefore, not secret alien royalty. However, that did not stop him from being flirty with her.

That’s the comics’ world though; in the MCU, however, Captain Marvel and Prince Yan D’Aladna end up entangled in a “marriage of convenience,” and indeed, Prince Yan is Captain Marvel’s husband.

Park Seo-joon as Prince Yan D’ Aladna in the MCU

As mentioned, the MCU’s Prince Yan is played by Park Seo-joon. In The Marvels, Prince Yan is still part of the royal family on the planet Aladna. Carol, Kamala, and Monica go to his home planet once they realize that Kree villain Dar-Benn has made the water-rich world her next target. Her plan is to steal water from Aladna, since 90% of that world is covered by oceans. When Carol and the Marvels arrive, she awkwardly reveals to Kamala and Monica that she’s actually the Princess of Aladna, since she married Prince Yan in a diplomatic ceremony.

This is when we discover that the people of Aladna only communicate through song, which leads to much hilarity with the arriving heroes. Park Seo-joon gets to show off his vocal chops in The Marvels when he sings to his lovely princess in her gown, and then shows off his warrior chops when defends Captain Marvel from attacking Kree soldiers. Unlike most of his people in The Marvels, Park Seo-joon’s Prince Yan also can communicate non-musically, as it’s revealed that he is bilingual. The MCU version of Prince Yan got to do what his comic book counterpart did not– marry the superhero. And get to be a hero himself.

The Marvels is now in theaters everywhere.

Originally published on October 23, 2023.

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At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Marvel’ head honcho’s Kevin Feige announced the MCU’s wild Phase Five lineup and even a little bit of Phase Six. The slate will introduce all new characters and stories, but it will also revisits some of the characters we know and love too—characters like Carol Danvers. Brie Larson will reprise the role of the hero in the Captain Marvel sequel, officially known as The Marvels, and she’ll be joined by Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau.

But there will also be other surprise guests in the movie. In previous The Marvels trailers, we got hints that a Thor character may cameo in the film. The iconic Asgardian bifrost appeared in one tease, and Captain Marvel noted, “I called a friend.” Now, thanks to the latest The Marvels trailer, we know that friend is none other than Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. Valkyrie appears at the 1:37 mark to give Carol Danvers some advice. “You can stand tall, without standing alone.” She offers. And we truly do love to see it.

Fans have longed hoped there might be a spark beyond friendship between Valkyrie and Captain Marvel. And although we most likely won’t get a romance between the two in The Marvels, it will be nice to see Valkyrie cameo in the film.

This latest trailer for The Marvels also harkens back to the MCU’s past and Avengers Endgame, showing clips of Iron Man and Captain America—even giving Thanos a new line. In a voiceover, he warns, “My work is inevitable; there will always be more to finish it.” And then we cut to our latest MCU villain, The Marvels‘ Dar-Benn. The MCU heroes and foes of yore will probably live only in flashback, at least for now, but they do serve to set the scene and scope of the movie. The trills of the Avengers theme play very effectively.

Here’s everything we know about The Marvels.

Title

The Captain Marvel sequel is titled The Marvels.

The Marvels’ Plot

We don’t quite know what Brie Larson’s intergalactic warrior will be dealing with in her next venture. She became a full-fledged Avenger after the Snap, but she’s served more as a cosmic independent contractor than as one of Earth’s regular protectors. She was busy keeping the entire universe safe, only returning to Earth to help defeat Thanos. But a synopsis for The Marvels, along with its latest trailer, reveals more about what we can expect from the movie. It shares:

In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.” 

Additionally, we know that, unlike the first Captain Marvel film, the sequel takes place in the present.

Behind the Scenes

Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta will direct The Marvels. This is a change from the first film; Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck directed that one. In January 2023, Marvel revealed the film’s slate of writers including DaCosta, Megan McDonnell (WandaVision), Zeb Wells (Amazing Spider-Man comic series), and Elissa Karasik (Loki). All of these people are obviously well-versed in the Marvel universe, so we can expect this film to fall in line with our MCU norms.

The Marvels‘ Cast

Brie Larson will return. But who’s joining her? Iman Vellani, who played Ms. Marvel in a Disney+ TV series, will appear in The Marvels. Teyonah Parris, who plays a grown-up Monica Rambeau in WandaVision, will reprise her role for the sequel. Nick Fury will return too.

According to Deadline, Velvet Buzzsaw actress Zawe Ashton will play the villain in the film. We don’t yet know which character she’ll play. Park Seo-joon has also joined The Marvels‘ cast.

The Marvels‘ Release Date

The Marvels is scheduled for release on November 10, 2023.

Originally published on January 23, 2021.

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Carol Danvers joined the MCU in 2019 with her own standalone movie, but the powerful superhero won’t be the only “marvel” appearing in her sequel. Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau will star alongside the former pilot in The Marvels. How will these three come together? What moments in their past led them to a future working together? And will Nick Fury be a part of their story? Here’s everything you need to remember from Captain Marvel, WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion before The Marvels flies into theaters.

Who Are the MCU’s Marvels?

The Marvels will feature the trio of Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau. While they have shared specific superhero monikers at various times in Marvel Comics, each goes by a different name in the MCU. (One of which we know for sure thanks to official toys.)

Captain Marvel – Carol Danvers

Nick Fury paged Carol Danvers for help in Avengers: Infinity War before Brie Larson even made her MCU debut. Captain Marvel then revealed how the United States Air Force pilot became one of the most formidable cosmic beings in the universe. She gained incredible powers when an explosion of energy exposed her to the space stone inside the Tesseract. The Infinity Stone, along with an infusion of Kree blood, imbued her with super strength, speed, agility, durability, and more.

She also gained the ability to fly (including through space without a helmet), emit energy blasts, and generate intense heat. Once she unlocked her full potential Carol Danvers was strong enough to overwhelm Thanos. He needed the Power Stone to fight her.

The explosion that gave her powers also caused Carol to experience total memory loss. That made it possible for the Kree to manipulate their powerful new soldier, whom they called “Vers” thanks to her partially ruined military dog tag. Vers was loyal and dedicated, but she turned on the Kree after learning the truth about her past and mentor. Carol then became an ally to her former enemies the Skrulls. She and her new friend Nick Fury helped save the Skrulls before she left Earth again. Carol Danvers returned to her home world after the Snap and joined the Avengers, but she soon returned to space so she could help maintain order on other planets. Her many years away from Earth led to a rift between Carol and the daughter of her best friend, Maria Rambeau.

Carol Danvers last appeared in the MCU as a hologram during a Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings mid-credits scene.

Ms. Marvel – Kamala Khan

The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel introduced young Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan to the MCU. Jersey City’s biggest Avengers fan joined the superhero ranks herself after she accidentally unlocked innate powers while wearing a magical wrist bangle. Kamala’s special abilities, which include stretching her own body, let her both manipulate and generate light into physical matter (“hard light”) both big and small. She does that by accessing energy from the parallel Noor Dimension. That extra-dimensional world was her great grandmother’s original home.

Kamala Khan’s abilities do not come solely from the Noor Dimension. Other Noor people like her grandmother had been stuck on Earth for decades without being able to access their home dimension’s powers. In the show’s season one finale, Kamala’s best friend Bruno figured out why. He discovered Kamala is different because she has a strange genetic mutation. If there were any doubt what that meant for both Kamala and the MCU, part of the X-Men: The Animated Series theme song played during the scene. That all but confirmed Kamala as the MCU’s first official mutant.

Read more about the MCU’s superhero-loving superhero with Kamala Khan’s Powers In Ms. Marvel, Explained, as well as our piece Why Ms. Marvel’s X-Men Revelation Is Exciting.

Photon – Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau made her MCU debut in Captain Marvel, which took place in 1995. Akira Akbar played the young version of the character in the film. Teyonah Parris took over the role as the adult Monica on Disney+’s WandaVision, set in 2023. The show revealed Monica’s mother Maria had died after the Snap (which turned Monica to dust) and before the Blip. During Carol Danvers long absence, the former pilot Maria had established S.W.O.R.D. Her daughter ultimately followed in her mom’s footsteps by joining the government organization.

(A Variant of Maria appeared in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati. In that world Maria became Captain Marvel rather than Carol.)

On WandaVision Monica passed through the Scarlet Witch’s Hex—the magical barrier around Wanda’s false utopian sitcom city—multiple times. Each time she did it rewrote her body’s cells on a molecular level. Monica Rambeau’s third and final push into Westview ultimately turned her into a super powered being. The Hex tried to rip her apart, but Monica fought back by focusing on her past and her mother. When she emerged intact on the other side of the Hex she had super reflexes, energy absorption, and intangibility, which makes it so she can let objects pass through her. Monica also gained spectral vision that lets her see energy waves. Her eyes glow when she uses her powers.

In WandaVision‘s closing moments Nick Fury had a secret Skrull operative tell Monica he wanted the new superhero to join him on the S.A.B.E.R. station in outer space.

Dive deeper into Photon’s story with our explainers on Monica Rambeau’s Super Powers and our piece on Wandavision’s Mid-Credits Scene.

How Ms. Marvel’s Season One Finale Set Up The Marvels

The story of The Marvels began during a mid-credits scene in Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale. It began when Kamala’s bangle started glowing. Kamala then disappeared as someone crashed into her closet. It was Carol Danvers, whose hands were emanating the same cosmic glow as Kamala’s ancient artifact.

Why Is Kamala Khan’s Bangle So Important?

Kamala’s bangle is one of two we know exists. Ms. Marvel never fully explained where it came from or why it’s so important, other than the Noor wanted both and Kamala’s grandmother used magic to send it to Kamala. It also sends Kamala where she needs to go even if she doesn’t know why. That’s how she went to the past to save her family long before she was born.

We do know her grandmother found it in a temple that has connections to Shang-Chi’s magical Ten Rings (which very well might be of alien origin themselves). More importantly, the Noor ClanDestine outcasts found the bangle on a severed blue hand that looked a lot like a Kree body part. The bangle also shares many traits with Marvel Comics Nega-Bands, which could explain exactly what it is and why it switched Kamala and Carol’s places in the universe.

To learn more about Kamala’s bangle, her swap with Carol Danvers, and the Nega-Bands read Ms. Marvel Finale’s Mid-Credits Scene Explained.

Where in the MCU Timeline Does The Marvels Take Place?

The Marvels will take place after Ms. Marvel, which took place in the fall of 2025. The Captain Marvel sequel will also take place after Secret Invasion. That ended with Nick Fury returning to outer space aboard the S.A.B.E.R. ship. He’ll be working with his old friend and her two unexpected partners in the film. All three of them are stuck in a quantum entanglement together.

Trailers for The Marvels revealed Monica Rambeau not only took Fury up on the job offer at the end of WandaVision, she was also part of the switch that took place with Carol and Kamala. When that bangle began to glow Carol ended up in Kamala’s room, Kamala took Monica’s place in space, and Monica went to wherever Carol was at the moment. When one of them uses their powers it causes all three to swap places across the universe.

Not exactly a marvelous situation for the three of them. Especially Monica who doesn’t have much love left for her “aunt” Carol. But that’s exactly why their entanglement should make for an entertaining film when The Marvels go higher, further, and faster together on November 10.

Get ready for the MCU’s new team with Everything We Know About The Marvels. It explains why the film’s villain might already answer some of our biggest questions.

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There’s nothing like a good team-up when it comes with a side of heart. It’s important for cool characters to meet not just for the sake of meeting, but for the sake of bringing their characters to new heights. And that’s exactly what the trailer for the MCU’s upcoming The Marvels, the somewhat sequel to Captain Marvel, promises to bring us. Yes, we love a cosmic hero, and we love three incredible ones even more. But the idea from The Marvels trailer that “teaming up changes everyone”—that’s what we’re most excited about. Not to mention, this latest trailer gives us our best look yet at what The Marvels is about. Take a look below:

The synopsis for The Marvels highlights more about what we see in the trailer, it shares:

Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.” 

Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Captain Monica Rambeau (who may soon go by Photon) all have light-based powers in the MCU. As The Marvels‘ trailer reminds us, Captain Marvel can absorb light, Captain Monica Rambeau can see it, and Ms. Marvel can turn light into physical matter. We feel like our new Kree villain, Dar-Benn, probably intended to steal or suppress Captain Marvel’s powers. But instead, thanks to the MCU’s version of Nega-Bands, Carol is now linked intrinsically with Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau. And these MCU heroes now switch places every time they use their powers. Cosmically, that’s trouble. And when you add in the major discussions that need to happen between Carol and Monica, Ms. Marvel’s ardent love of Captain Marvel, and more, it’s a lot for any hero to handle. But happily, that’s why you build a team.

The Marvels trailer also promises us we’ll get a team-up of cats (or are those Flerken) in the MCU. That sounds excellent. Goose the Flerken will make a triumphant return in The Marvels and we wouldn’t be surprised if she were leading an army.

Higher. Further. Faster. Sometimes, you can’t get there on your own. This The Marvels trailer is just a tease of what’s to come. The movie stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, and Samuel L. Jackson. An excellent cast. We definitely can’t wait to see this epic team-up take shape. The Marvels releases on November 10.

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The Marvels arrives this fall from Marvel Studios, and this week, Entertainment Weekly had a behind-the-scenes cover story on the film. All three leads, Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani, were interviewed. Not to mention Marvel Studios’ Man of the Hour, Samuel L. Jackson, fresh of Secret Invasion, and director Nia DaCosta. And of course, so some juicy tidbits were shared. Not to mention several newly seen photos from The Marvels, which you can check out below. Note: These interviews occurred before the current SAG-AFTRA strike.

So what are the big takeaways from Entertainment Weekly‘s piece on The Marvels? Well, for starters, this should erase any doubts that Nick Fury might not survive Secret Invasion, or retire quietly due to the events of the show. Unless The Marvels is a stealth prequel, which is possible, it looks like Fury will be back to his old self (and maybe in his old job) by the time The Marvels hits theaters.

But that doesn’t mean that he and Carol Danvers are talking much these days. According to Samuel L. Jackson, “He’s been calling her, and she’s off in galaxies far, far away. She’s like, ‘Fury, why are you calling me? I told you not to use this [number].’ He’s like, ‘You gave it to me, so I’m gonna use it. And I’m calling you because I need your help!” Carol, meanwhile, has been spending all her time post-Endgame far away from Earth. It seems she really doesn’t like visiting home often.

The Marvels will of course be a reunion between Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers. Carol last saw Monica as a child in the ’90s, and she was her “Auntie Carol.” But Monica’s reaction to hearing Carol’s name in WandaVision suggested that there was tension in the family. According to Teyonah Parris, that still seems to be the case. She said “Carol is such a huge part of Monica’s life in Captain Marvel. When we see her [as an adult] in WandaVision, you get a sense that she has not talked to Carol in a very long time. So, we have to address the elephant in the room.”

Perhaps the most fun fact we learned, at least for Marvel Comics fans, is that the “location swapping” across space is a nod to the original Captain Marvel comics of the ’60s and ’70s. Back then, Captain Marvel, a.k.a. the Kree hero Mar-Vell, would switch places with teenager Rick Jones using Kree bracelets called Nega-Bands. Hmmm, those sound a lot like what Kamala Khan wears in Ms. Marvel. Rick Jones, who served as sidekick to the Hulk, Captain America, and others, has never popped up in the MCU. If he ever does, it will likely be in another project. Because it seems Ms. Marvel now has his function in terms of the Captain Marvel mythology.

Speaking of Ms. Marvel, the actress who portrays her, Iman Vellani, is well known as a true blue comics nerd. And now a comics writer too. She’s definitely more of a fangirl than her co-stars. But it turns out, director Nia DaCosta is also a huge Marvel Comics nerd. And in particular, she’s a fan of the character of Kamala Khan. She said “I’m a big nerd from New York City, and here was this hero who was a big nerd from Jersey City, writing fan fiction the way I used to when I was that age. It was really fun to feel close to that character in that really specific way, in a way you don’t often feel when it’s Iron Man or Thor.”

The Marvels hits theaters on November 10, 2023.

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Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale mid-credits scene on Disney+ transported Carol Danvers to Jersey City. Only, it turns out she didn’t swap places with Kamala Khan. The first trailer for The Marvels revealed Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan are also entangled with Monica Rambeau. The three women did a cosmic portal dance. For most kids, that would be terrifying, especially when it results in you floating through space. But Kamala Khan is not most kids. And good thing for her new (sort of) teammates she’s not, because they have bigger problems than their unplanned switcheroos. They’ll need to work together to stop a powerful new enemy.

Ms. Marvel was a perfect MCU introduction to Kamala Khan, but this first trailer for The Marvels promises we’ll get to see one of her most enduring traits on full display in this Captain Marvel sequel. No one loves the Avengers more than Kamala does. And, for Ms. Marvel, the mere idea of getting to be a member of the group far outweighs the obvious peril that comes with her entanglement with Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau.

That peril comes from Zawe Ashton’s character, who some reports say is playing a Marvel Comics’ Kree General. And it looks like the new trio of interconnected superheroes will deal with the Negative Zone, which is the only “negative” thing about this very fun trailer for The Marvels. Kamala’s joy is infectious.

No matter who or what they face, though, they’ll have some help. Nick Fury is on the job. As is everyone’s favorite not-cat, Goose. GOOSE! Sure, he’s a little scary before you get to know him, as Kamala learns. But so long as you keep him away from your eye, he’s a great ally to have in your kitty corner.

The logline for The Marvels reveals more about what we can expect:

In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.

Directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman), the film stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, and Samuel L. Jackson. The Marvels teleports to theaters this fall, on November 10, 2023.

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And that includes the unlikely stories behind her auditions for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Captain Marvel.

The latest video from Larson starts with her listing some of the many, many films she auditioned for just from July 2008 until January 2009. That included reading for films and TV shows that could have drastically changed the trajectory of her career (both good and bad). Projects like Sucker Punch, Percy Jackson, The Book of Eli, Get Him to the Greek, Iron Man 2, The Descendants, Thor, Avatar, Jennifer’s Body, Transformers 2, Juno, Pitch Perfect, Into the Woods, Halt and Catch Fire, The Big Bang Theory, and more.

Then there are all of the roles she didn’t get… before she did. Like United States of Tara, Kong: Skull Island, and Unicorn Store. But filmmakers knew what they had immediately when she read for Room, which she took home the Oscar for. And it’s easy to see why she was immediately cast after watching her audition for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. She was Envy Adams before she even knew for sure who Envy Adams was.

What is wild, though, is that she based her character and audition on the stars she saw on the red carpet at the Adult Video Awards. Their confidence and showmanship inspired those traits in Envy. Which we will think about every time we re-watch the movie.

Brie Larson

That story might not be as weird as what it took for her to land her role as Captain Marvel. For that she had to do the unthinkable—stop saying no. Marvel approached her three times before she finally considered it. Multiple billion dollar box offices later, both her and the studio are glad she did.

Larson also provided some advice on what does and doesn’t work during auditions. They’re worth listening to if you hope to someday be fondly telling your own tales of casting calls. But the biggest lesson from these videos is an important one to remember—Hollywood’s biggest success stories are built on lots of failure and disappointment.

Featured Image: Marvel/Universal

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Last year, fans cheered in movie theaters everywhere as Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) kicked a whole lot of Kree butt during the climax of Captain Marvel. After discovering her true cosmic power, she cuts loose on board Mar-Vell’s space station against her foes. Her former alien companions truly learn to regret the day they ever heard the name “Vers.” Now, a behind-the-scenes video of how that moment came to be has been released on Instagram.

The video demonstrates how one of the earliest and most fully realized parts of the film is that big climactic fight sequence. Stuntwoman Joanna Bennett recently shared this rehearsal of the big fight scene via her Instagram. And you can see just how much time—and how much extensive wire work—went into making one of the most satisfying moments to watch in the entire film.

One of the most in-demand stunt women in the business, Bennett’s very long list of credits features work in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DCEU. Along with her stunt double work in Captain Marvel, her resume includes Wonder Woman, Justice League, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Endgame, Aquaman, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and most recently, the CW’s Stargirl. We think with a resume like this, she qualifies for membership on pretty much any superhero team known to exist.

Marvel Studios

After watching that brief video, we certainly hope that Marvel Studios asks Joanna Bennett back for the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel. With the character’s full potential now unleashed, we want to see a whole movie where Carol Danvers gets to lay waste to alien bad guys. We got a hint of “Carol Unleashed” in Avengers: Endgame, but we’re dying to see an entire film of that. Hopefully, our patience will be rewarded soon.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

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Strap on your Vibranium tinfoil hats! With Marvel tapping Candyman director Nia DaCosta to helm Captain Marvel 2, we’re examining some of the wildest fan theories, ranging from Secret Invasion to Galactus and beyond. Join Dan Casey on a brand new episode of Nerdist News as we analyze some of the most popular fan theories about the Brie Larson-starring MCU sequel.

Want even more Marvel goodness? Check out these pieces on Nerdist.com.

Everything we know about Marvel’s Phase 4: https://bit.ly/33ARvUK
What Mulan’s Disney+ release could mean for Black Widow: https://bit.ly/2C2Cgs2
Nia DaCosta is directing Captain Marvel 2: https://bit.ly/2Xx6UkL

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Since Marvel Comics’ earliest days, the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D has been a stalwart defender of the planet against criminal and terrorist threats. But in the early 2000s, the long-running organization got a little competition. With S.H.I.E.L.D defending the Earth from threats born within the confines of the world as we know it, who defends it from other worldly threats?

The answer came in 2003, when S.W.O.R.D. -the Sentient World Observation and Response Department – was introduced. Created by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday for their 2004 run of Astonishing X-Men, S.W.O.R.D. has since become a mainstay of the Marvel Universe. And if the post-credits tag of Spider-Man: Far From Home is any indication, they’ll be playing a big part in the MCU as well going forward. It is very likely they’ll have a sizable role to play in Nia DaCosta’s Captain Marvel sequel.

Who and What is S.W.O.R.D.?

Marvel Comics

S.W.O.R.D.’s task is to monitor all the known inhabited planets for possible threats, keeping tabs on races like the Kree and the Skrull, and countless others. Operating in secret, they remain an unknown organization to most of the world. Technically, so does S.H.I.E.L.D, but it seems by now the “secret” part of that secret organization has vanished. Early S.W.O.R.D appearances show them as an offshoot of S.H.I.E.L.D., kind of like a sister organization. They appear to have full autonomy in later appearances, and don’t seem to answer to Nick Fury or Maria Hill.

Marvel Comics

S.W.O.R.D.’s director is Abigail Brand. The emerald-haired Brand is half alien, half mutant, and has the power to emit energy from her hands that can melt metal. The no-nonsense head of the organization often has to play nice with hostile alien empires, in order to protect the very vulnerable Earth. Brand runs the the show from a massive orbital space station known as The Peak. Brand has placed agents of S.W.O.R.D as spies into different superhero teams on Earth over the years. One of these spies was X-Man Kitty Pryde’s alien dragon Lockheed. For the Avengers, Brand planted Spider-Woman as her mole.

Marvel Comics

S.W.O.R.D. played a key role in Marvel Comics events, such as Secret Invasion and Dark Reign. The Alpha Flight Space Program has seemingly replaced S.W.O.R.D in recent years. Apparently Alpha Flight is serving much the same function as S.W.O.R.D, so it’s not entirely clear whether or not the Alpha Flight Space Program is a replacement for S.W.O.R.D or an extension of it. It seems to be the latter, if only because Abigail Brand works for Alpha Flight as well. The head of the Alpha Flight Space Program in the comics is none other than Captain Marvel. Which leads us straight into our Captain Marvel 2 speculation.

Why Captain Marvel 2 Will Likely Feature S.W.O.R.D. (BIG MCU SPOILERS!)

Marvel Comics

The post credits scene for Spider-Man: Far From Home shows Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is what looks to be some kind of orbital space station. Many (presumably friendly) Skrulls are seemingly working for him. This suggests we are seeing construction of the Peak, and that S.W.O.R.D will soon arrive in the MCU. Since S.W.O.R.D originally began as on offshoot of S.H.I.E.L.D in the comics, it makes sense for the movies to do something similar, and have them founded by Fury himself.

Marvel Comics

Here’s why Captain Marvel 2 will likely feature S.W.O.R.D. in a big capacity. The upcoming Disney+ WandaVision series is showcasing actress Teyonah Parris as the adult version of Monica Rambeau, as seen in set photos that surfaced last year. Rambeau got her introductions as a young kid in the first Captain Marvel. Those set photos show her standing in front of a building which had the S.W.O.R.D. logo on it, wearing a S.W.O.R.D. logo on her chest. That pretty much confirms that she’ll be an agent of the organization in some capacity.

MGM

Captain Marvel 2 hasn’t confirmed Teyonah Parris for a role quite yet. Now that director Nia Dacosta has come on board for the sequel, we wouldn’t be shocked if Parris joins up,  given that they worked together on Candyman. Most importantly, Rambeau herself becomes Captain Marvel in the comics, so it seems like she’s a sure bet to appear.

I suspect that Nick Fury will recall Carol Danvers home and make her the head of S.W.O.R.D, similarly to how she headed up the Alpha Flight Space Program in the comics. Fury will likely sweeten the deal for her by telling her she gets to work with her favorite niece, “Lt. Trouble.” One thing is certain – S.W.O.R.D. is definitely being set up in the MCU. And that means the comic side of Marvel is about to get very interesting.

Featured Image: Marvel Comics

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Hot Toys

The sixth scale collectible figure was sculpted by artist Jang So Young, painted by E-Lee with art direction by JC Hong. The figure matches Brie Larson, who plays Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Let’s just say they did a great job. With her iconic red and blue Captain Marvel suit, cool metallic boots, and the battle damaged Nano gauntlet mounted with the six infinity stones… we’re speechless. There’s no other way to describe it other than freaking awesome.

Hot Toys

An extensive product overview of the figure from Hot Toys:

“As seen in the final battle between the superheroes and the warlord, Hot Toys is excited to present today the latest 1/6th scale Captain Marvel collectible figure from the incredible Avengers: Endgame collection. Beautifully crafted based on the appearance of Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel in the movie, the figure features a newly developed head sculpt with a short hairstyle, a specially designed body equipped with LED light-up function on both sides of the forearms, the iconic red and blue costume with gold star emblem on chest and sash around waist in movie-accurate perfection, multiple energy-blasting effect accessories wearable on arms and hands, LED light-up Nano Gauntlet painted and battle damaged effects, and a movie-themed dynamic figure stand for wide range of aerial poses! The new Captain Marvel figure is a sure way to show off your Marvel fandom!”

Hot Toys has made collectible items for many popular characters, including Spider-Man, The Mandalorian, Black Panther, Wonder Woman and Star Wars. 

The collectible item is slated to be released sometime in Q2 or Q3 of 2021 so while we have to wait a little while longer, these pictures can hold us over until then. See more images below.

Featured Image: Hot Toys

Hot Toys

Hot Toys

Hot Toys

Hot Toys

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One of the best villains in Captain Marvel wasn’t even real. The ruler of the Kree Empire, the Supreme Intelligence, was an A.I. program that appeared to each individual in the form of the person they admire most. It was a fantastic way for the movie to hint at Carol Danvers’ past while also giving much needed characterization in her origin film. It was also a brilliant way to get twice as much Annette Bening in the movie, and it also allowed her to play both a good and bad guy. But the film originally planned to capitalize on the concept in another way. A newly released deleted scene shows Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg speaking to the Supreme Intelligence, which appeared to him as… a silver-haired Jude Law.

Disney shared this bonus deleted scene from Captain Marvel (which we first saw at Newsarama). It shows a worried Yon-Rogg meeting with the Supreme Intelligence; since he was a smug, self-assured a-hole, the Kree’s artificial intelligence appeared to him in the form of the person he admires most: himself, but in more of a silver fox style.

Most deleted scenes are cut for obvious reasons, but this is a great one we would have loved to see. More Jude Law = good. Jude Law talking to an even more absurd, evil Jude Law = gooder.

But sometimes even good scenes don’t work in the context of the larger film, which is why they end up as Blu-ray extras, including this other scene of Kree’s Starforce heading to Torfa. It would have shown a little bit more of the group’s dynamic, but doesn’t add much beyond that.

Know what that scene needed? A second Jude Law, but maybe this time with him wearing glasses or something.

And also more Annette Bening. We really admire the both of them.

Featured Image: Disney Movies

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As we found out from Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers was gone a long time fighting evil in space. As we know from early Avengers: Endgame trailers, Carol does indeed answer that page that Nick Fury sent to her at the end of Infinity War, and returns home for the first time since 1995. You know, to help out a bit with that whole Avengery “let’s kick Thanos’ big purple butt” business. But in this clever new Audi commercial featuring Brie Larson, we see Captain Marvel catching up to speed on a few things that happened on Earth since the heyday of Friends and TLC.

We’re not sure where Carol’s brief is happening exactly. SHIELD are officially back and good guys now, right? But it’s quite amusing that she gets an explainer on just who the primary Avengers are using nothing but an assortment of action figures. But the most humorous part is when Carol has the last twenty-five years of technical advancements explained to her, such as “cell phones becoming a lot smaller, and then bigger again.” Not to mention our cultural need to take pictures of our food and then share it with everyone we know on social media. To be fair, I totally understand Carol’s befuddlement on that one.

Luckily for her, all of Captain Marvel’s ’90s wardrobe still totally fits in with today, as most of that fashion she wore while adventuring with Nick Fury back in the day has come back around and is “retro cool” again. Which is very fortuitous for her. Maybe after she helps finally defeat Thanos and sends his butt hurtling through space, she can use her vast cosmic powers to take on that gluten problem we are all saddled with now. I’m sure a lot of us would be grateful for her help in this regard.

Images: Marvel Studios

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We know very little about Captain Marvel’s role in Avengers: Endgame based on the trailers we’ve seen thus far. We know she shows up answering Fury’s signal, and plans to help the Avengers kick Thanos’ ass. But in the latest clip from the film (which you can view below), Carol Danvers explains to the others just where she’s been these past 25 years.

She mentions “lots of other planets in the universe” that she’s been helping out. Which planets could Carol have been defending? And what do they mean for not only her inevitable sequel, but also possibly for Endgame? Here are our guesses for the Marvel Comics worlds that Captain Marvel could have been the champion of during her long hiatus away from Earth, and what it could mean for the future of the MCU.

Tarnax IV

So at the end of Captain Marvel, we see Carol head off into space in an effort to find a new home for the refugee Skrulls. Supposedly, the long war between the Kree and the Skrulls resulted in the Skrull homeworld getting decimated. So that probably means we won’t see Carol fighting on Skrullos, the original home of the Skrull race.

But in the comics, after the Skrull Throneworld was decimated by Galactus, they found a new home planet called  Tarnax IV. Could Tarnax be the world that Carol takes the Skrull refugees to? And could she have been defending them from the Kree invaders all this time? A long war against the very people who trained her could make her quite the formidable fighter when Endgame begins.

Korbin 

Korbin is a planet in the Marvel Universe which is located in the Burning Galaxy. Eventually, Korbin was attacked by an army of Fire Demons sent to that planet by the giant Surtur, the ruler of Muspelheim. To help stop Surtur, the Korbins chose their greatest warrior and used their technology to turn him in to the Thor-like champion named Beta Ray Bill. But what if Carol went to Korbin to help Bill in defending his home planet?

We know that in Thor: Ragnarok, the God of Thunder defeats the Fire Demon, only to later resurrect him and let him destroy Asgard. But what if he invaded Korbin first, years ago in the MCU, and that world needed to create their own hammer-wielding champion to defeat him? If Captain Marvel assisted Beta Ray Bill once, it would explain why she seems to have an affinity with Thor in the Endgame trailers we’ve seen so far. Because Beta Ray Bill is pretty much Thor, if Thor happened to be an anthropomorphic horse.

Zenn-La

At some point, the MCU is going to introduce the Silver Surfer into the mix. A good way to plant the seeds for his eventual introduction would be to have Carol defending his former home planet of Zenn-La. Now, even if we see Captain Marvel defending Zenn-La some time in 1997, that is still long after Norrin Radd has been transformed into the Silver Surfer. But if she helps to save Zenn-La from some unknown alien force, that could set the stage for a future Captain Marvel/Silver Surfer team-up down the line. And who doesn’t want to see that awesomeness?

Chandilar

This world is the throne world to the Shi’ar Imperium, one of the Marvel Universe’s best known cosmic empires. This space faring race has a long history of tying in to the overall X-Men saga, so that has kept them off the table for use in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Until now, that is. One of Carol Danvers’ best known adversaries in the comics has long been Deathbird, the villainous sister to the ruler of the Shi’ar. While the Avengers were defending the Earth from Loki, could Captain Marvel have been saving the Shi’ar home world from the winged terror called Deathbird? That’s a Captain Marvel sequel we’d like to watch!

Spartax

Speaking of the Shi’ar, one of the planets in the Shi’ar Empire is world called Spartax. In the comics, Spartax is a militaristic planet (Sparta = Spartax. Get it?) It was the home of J’son, who ruled that planet and was the father of Peter Quill of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Now, the movies changed the nature of Peter Quill’s parentage, but that doesn’t mean that Spartax does not exist in the MCU. And considering that Captain Marvel herself was a member of the Guardians for a brief time and helped defend Spartax in the comics, could that have been one of the planets she was protecting during her  time away from Earth?

Images: Marvel Comics / Marvel Studios

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Big spoilers for Captain Marvel contained herein! Be warned!

One of the moments in Captain Marvel that has MCU fans talking is the revelation of how exactly Nick Fury lost his eye, becoming the eyepatch wearing badass we’ve seen for ten years now up on the big screen. In fact, the movie gives us a scene where Agent Phil Coulson presents Fury with a choice of false eyes to replace the one he lost to Goose the cat. But could clues to this scene have been hiding in plain sight for years….and at Disneyland Resort of all places?

Among the many props and artifacts on display in the Collector’s fortress that is the home of Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout at Disney California Adventure is a glass case filled with fake eyes. For a long time, fans paid no attention to this little ocular Easter egg in the line queue, thinking it had nothing to do with any of the movies, and was just decoration. And others thought it was meant to signify that this is where Thor’s robotic in Avengers: Infinity War came from. But now, a reddit user named Mission_Burrito seems to think this was actually a clue to Nick Fury’s fate all along!

Although there is nothing to confirm this, it’s entirely possible. Mission: Breakout! opened at the Disneyland Resort on May 27, 2017. Although Captain Marvel didn’t go into actual production until March of 2018, the script was probably mostly done by the time the attraction opened, meaning that this really could be an Easter egg for fans relating to Captain Marvel‘s plot, just sitting right there in plain sight. There have been other oddities hidden in the Collector’s fortress that fans have wondered might be clues to future MCU offerings, so this oblique Captain Marvel reference doesn’t seem quite so strange.

Images: Marvel Studios

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It’s no surprise that we love Goose the cat from Captain Marvel. The orange tabby totally stole our hearts in her movie debut, even if she isn’t really a cat but merely presents as one.

Still, her appearance in the film gave us total cat fever, and got us thinking about the history of cats in film. With that in mind, we decided to round up our favorite movie cats and rank them in order. This ranking isn’t the most objective, but we hope you’ll enjoy the movie kitties list we’ve conjured up, complete with cats from all sorts of movies: drama, fantasy, horror, animation.

Here are our 25 best movie cats, ranked. (For logistical purposes, we left Goose off the list, but she is No. 1 in so many other ways!)

25. Crookshanks, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

Although he doesn’t get a ton of screen time in the other movies, Crookshanks is a vital part of Prisoner of Azkaban. He knew Scabbers was a bad guy the whole time!

24. Keanu, Keanu 

Jordan Peele may be busy turning into our next great horror director, but we’ll never forget his contribution to this perfect cat movie, about two friends who infiltrate a gang to steal back their kitten. Peele wrote this and then wrote Get Out and then won an Oscar, so we’d like to thank the cat.

23. Jiji, Kiki’s Delivery Service 

Kiki’s pet cat and best friend Jiji is a vital part of the heart and soul of of this Studio Ghibli film. He even gets a family by the time the movie is over!

22. Rufus, Re-Animator 

Maybe a macabre choice but who can forget Rufus, Dan Cain’s cat who dies, is put in a fridge, and then resurrected as a feral monster by the Re-Agent? Things don’t turn out so great for Rufus, but he’s a memorable part of this ’80s horror comedy classic.

21. The Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland 

The pink smiling cat is a real tease, but he’s an iconic part of the Disney cat lexicon.

20. Catbus, My Neighbor Totoro 

Another Studio Ghibli cat, this one is… quite literally a cat bus. The character was a breakout star of Totoro and has since appeared as an Easter Egg in a number of other properties. He was even featured in the short film, Mei and the Kittenbus, about his cat child who is also a bus.

19. Oliver, Oliver & Company 

This ’80s animated Disney film is a modern retelling of Charles dinkens’ Oliver Twist, following  a scrappy orphaned kitten as he’s taken in by a gang of street dogs.

18. Princess Unikitty, The LEGO Movie 

Who doesn’t love Unikitty, the ruler of Cloud Cuckoo Land with a proclivity to broad emotions? She was a breakout star and for good reason. She’s as cute as she is feisty.

17. Puss in Boots, Shrek 2

Those big eyes! Puss may be suave and dashing, but we’re still not over the big-eyed purr moment.

16. DC, That Darn Cat!  

DC is a mischievous Siamese cat who gets wrapped up in a robbery scheme in this 1965 Disney classic starring Hayley Mills and Dean Jones, who would later play the villain in another animal movie, Beethoven.

15. Milo, The Adventures of Milo & Otis 

This 1986 Japanese film, which was later re-dubbed for an English-language release, follows two farm animals who go on an adventure. Milo is the cutest thing, and this movie is burned into our brain from childhood.

14. Mrs. Norris, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Argus Filch’s red-eyed Maine Coon is technically a villain in the Harry Potter movies, but we really can’t get over just how special her bond is with the cranky old Hogwarts caretaker. Remember when he dances with her at the Yule Ball?!

13. Mr. Jinx, Meet the Parents 

The cat who famously pees in the ashes of a family relative, Mr. Jinx is the key behind so many jokes in this 2000 comedy classic.

12. Vito’s cat, The Godfather 

This cat is here for sheer iconic-ness alone. The image of tough guy Marlon Brando clutching his feline companion is a famous still from film history. It’s made even better because Brando was a huge cat fan in real life.

11. Mr. Bigglesworth, Austin Powers 

Another comedy cat. This fluffy guy eventually went hairless. That’s what happens when you’re owned by a guy named Dr. Evil!

10. Sassy, Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound tugs at the heartstrings in so many ways, but we’re eternally grateful for Sassy and her plucky attitude after her and her two dog siblings are separated from their owners and forced to find their way home.

9. Orion, Men in Black

This cat has the weight of the world on his shoulders – quite literally. We can’t think of a movie cat with more of a cosmic significance.

8. Mr. Cat, A Cat in Paris 

We love a good mystery-solving cat, and Mr. Cat is exactly that. This 2010 French animated film is a beautiful, award-winning story that we definitely recommend you seek you if you’ve never been put under its spell.

7. Cat, Breakfast At Tiffany’s

Another cat who is just so iconic, it’s hard to put him anywhere else but the top 10. Holly Golighty’s cat is integral to her storyline, which is all about growing up and learning it’s OK to depend on the important things in your life.

6. Tonto, Harry & Tonto 

This one might be unfamiliar to those reading this list, but Tonto is truly one of the greatest cinematic cats of all time. The film its lead Art Carney an Oscar for his role as a widower forced out of his home who travels the country with his reliable feline friend.

5. Church, Pet Sematary 

Poor Church. Named for Winston Churchill, he bites it pretty early into the movie and is reanimated as a zombie cat that screams madly at his owners and chillily forebodes an even worse tragedy to come. He’s great in the 1989, but we’re also looking forward to new Church in the upcoming remake.

4. Jonesy, Alien

The USCSS Nostromo’s cuddliest crew member, and one of the big survivors. Like Ripley, we can’t help but love this guy, who epitomizes cat loyalty and companionship in life’s hardest moments – like battling a giant space alien trapped on your ship home.

3. Binx, Hocus Pocus 

Thackery Binx is a teen boy trapped in the body of a black cat who helps a group of kids thwart a trio of witches. Binx rules.

2. The Gorfeins’ cat, Inside Llewyn Davis 

Oscar Isaac famously hated working with the orange tabby in this Coen Brothers film, but that doesn’t hinder our love of the cat, who might be two cats, and who goes on an Odyssey-like journey with our eponymous lead as he cycles through depression and a failing music career. Cats are good at being there when you need them most.

1. Berlioz, Marie, and Toulouse, The Aristrocats 

It’s hard to think of three more adorable little kittens in the whole world than the trio of cat siblings in Disney’s The Aristocats. The film boasts several beloved cat characters – we’re not forgetting Thomas O’Malley or Duchess – but we had to single out these little tykes, who are the movie’s heart and soul.

Images: Disney, Marvel, Warner Bros., 

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Everybody’s favorite Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. may owe a massive debt of gratitude to everyone’s favorite cat. We have a new theory about how Captain Marvel’s breakout star Goose is indirectly responsible for bringing Agent Coulson back from the dead. Plus, we even got Coulson himself, actor Clark Gregg, to weigh in on it. Join Dan Casey as we dive in to the MCU madness on a brand new Nerdist News Edition!

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Earth has a new mightiest hero to help in the fight against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame: Captain Marvel! But before any of that can happen, Iron Man needs to find a way back to Earth. We have a theory about how that could happen and it’s all about Carol Danvers. Join Dan Casey as we strap on our vibranium tinfoil hats and start speculating on a brand new Nerdist News Edition!

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This post contains spoilers for Captain Marvel.

Everyone in the cast of Captain Marvel was pretty amazing. From Brie Larson to Samuel L. Jackson, to the movie’s secret MVPs Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, and Akira Akbar as young Monica Rambeau. But it seems that one of the most beloved characters from the latest installment of the MCU is none other than Goose, the cat who’s actually a Flerken. This cat steals every scene she’s in.

So, naturally, when Marvel released the newest trailer for Avengers: Endgame and it featured Carol Danvers, fans wondered about Goose. We have no idea if the Flerken is in Endgame, but we’re practically drooling over this poster:

“Not the hero we need, but the hero we deserve.” #GooseTheCat #AvengersEndGame Art by the legend @mistermorris55 pic.twitter.com/kDZGNR7ynH

— Thank You Stan Lee (@ForAllNerds) March 14, 2019

Twitter user For All Nerds shared this poster, from artist mistermorris55, that gives Goose a huge promotion. Goose’ beautiful face replaces the heads of every single character in the brand new Avengers: Endgame poster. Well, except for the big bad Thanos; he remains firmly un-Goosed. Maybe in this version of Endgame, Thanos’ snap didn’t turn half the world into dust (including even the animals), it just made everyone in the world an adorable house cat. Or should we say, the snap turned everyone into an adorable Flerken, as that’s what Goose really is.

The mice of the world would be no match for the Goose Avengers…and maybe more eyes would be in trouble. Goose only took out Nick Fury’s eye by accident, but what if she or her fellow Flerken pointed those claws at Thanos’ big purple face?

Goofy and fun fan-created posters aside, it is possible we could see Goose again? I mean, she’s not an actual house cat, despite appearances to the contrary. Who knows what the average Flerken life-span is? If Carol Danvers comes back in Avengers: Endgame with Goose in tow, we think people would cheer in the theaters.

Images: Marvel Studios   

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Avengers: Endgame will represent a dividing point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, when the old guard hands the reigns over to a new generation of Earth’s mightiest heroes. We know Carol Danvers will be a big part of that new crop of superheroes leading the franchise into the future, but for us time in the the MCU will forever be split between “BG” and “AG.” There will be the era “Before Goose” the cat was in our lives, and now we live in a time “After Goose.” And soon we’ll be able to worship that lovable orange Flerken with her very own idols, thanks to new Captain Marvel Funko POPS.

However, if you haven’t seen the film yet these figures are more than meets the cat’s eye and are full of spoilers.

Funko announced three new POP! figures for its Captain Marvel line; they’ll be coming to stores soon. The first is the latest one of Carol Danvers. She’s sporting her Kree-free, iconic blue, red, and gold suit, and is holding the Tesseract (this is where the Tesseract has been in the MCU timeline, by the way) in its easy to carry “containment vessel.”

The other two new figures both feature the best pet in the MCU, Goose, in all all of her Not Quite a Cat glory, because these showcase her Flerken form.

The first shows Goose with her tentacles fully out, grabbing hold of the Tesseract for safe keeping.

However if you’re more of a Talos than a Nick Fury, and seeing a gorgeous Flerken in action frightens you, Funko is also releasing a limited-edition chase variant. This 1-in-6 figure shows Goose only midway through her transition into her true alien-form.

Aww, look at the cute alien who can create bubble dimensions of space and time inside her. Aww.

We love her so much we hardly remember the time before her she was in our lives, and we’re not sure we want to.

Images: Marvel, Funko

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The name “Captain Marvel” is unique among comic book superheroes in that it has been shared by nine different characters spread across three publishers.

The original hero called Captain Marvel, who currently goes by the name Shazam, was one of the most popular superheroes of the Golden Age of the 1940s. Introduced as young Billy Batson, a boy reporter for WHIZ Radio, he became the superheroic Captain Marvel once he uttered the magic word “Shazam,” the name of the wizard who granted him his powers. From 1940 to 1950, Captain Marvel was the comic book industry’s biggest hit, with spin-off titles galore. He was a certifiable cash cow for publisher Fawcett Comics.

But National Publications, known today as DC Comics, saw Captain Marvel as a knockoff of its own Superman and sued Fawcett. Eventually DC won, and Fawcett was forced to retire publishing Captain Marvel, leaving the name completely unused. In 1966, once the name Captain Marvel fell into public domain, a minor publisher named MF Enterprises created their own Captain Marvel—one that almost no one remembers today.

This Captain Marvel wasn’t only a knockoff of the ’40s Cap; he ripped off Superman too! This Captain was an alien android powered by an M-emblem medallion on his chest, who had been sent to Earth by his creators to escape the atomic destruction of their planet. Apparently Superman didn’t even have dibs on his own origin story.

In another instance of ripping off Superman, he took on the secret identity of a journalist named Roger Winkle. Borrowing from Batman, he had a young ward named Billy Baxton. (The original Captain Marvel’s real name, let us remind you, was Billy Batson. We know, it was pretty shameless.) This Captain Marvel even managed to rip off Archie Comics, as he lived in the small idyllic town of Riverdale… uh, we mean Riverview, USA.

The android Captain Marvel’s powers were among the worst in comics history. He would yell out the world “Split!” and his limbs would come apart, and then project themselves at his enemies, leaving the good Captain just a torso with a head. It was as terrifying looking on paper as it sounds.

This version only lasted five issues, from 1966 to ’67, the likely reason being that Marvel Comics was in the middle of their most fertile creative period and wanted the name Captain Marvel badly. Legend has it they paid off MF, which was tiny publisher, for the rights to the name, after which they secured the trademark. Although unconfirmed, the timing certainly holds up, as in late 1967, they introduced Mar-Vell, A Kree warrior who protected the Earth. He would soon gain his own title, which lasted throughout the entire decade of the 1970s.

Meanwhile, DC Comics acquired the rights to produce new material featuring Fawcett’s original Captain Marvel, which was ironic seeing as how they once sued that character right off the printed page. But because Marvel had their own legally trademarked Captain Marvel, they could not print a comic with “Captain Marvel” as the title, nor would they likely want to. So all comics featuring their Captain Marvel were now called Shazam! and his heroic name could only be used inside the comics themselves. To sum up, at this time, there were two official heroes named Captain Marvel—one owned by Marvel and one by DC. This wacky scenario would last four whole decades.

While Billy Batson remained as DC’s Captain Marvel during all this time, Marvel’s Captain went through several iterations of heroes using the name. Mar-Vell lasted from 1967 through 1982; then there was Monica Rambeau, who was introduced as Captain Marvel in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 and would go by the handle until the mid ’90s (she would go on to use names including Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum).

Immediately afterward was Mar-Vell’s son Genis-Vell—who, after being introduced as Legacy in 1993, became Captain Marvel in Captain Marvel Vol. 3 in 1995—followed by his sister Phyla-Vell, who came along in 2003’s Captain Marvel Vol. 5. Then there was another Kree named Noh-Varr, who became Captain Marvel in 2009’s Dark Avengers #1. There was even a Skrull named Khn’nr who was brainwashed into believing he was Mar-Vell, and he was Captain Marvel for a brief period of time between 2007’s Civil War: The Return and 2008’s Captain Marvel series.

Eventually, the former Ms. Marvel, Mar-Vell’s former love interest and protégé and longstanding member of the Avengers, finally became the Captain Marvel in 2012. Fans had been campaigning for this for years.

Also in 2012, DC was in the middle of the massive New 52 reboot. Their own Captain Marvel got a reboot as a part of that, thanks to creator Geoff Johns. The first thing he did was get rid of the name Captain Marvel and rename him Shazam officially. Because the comic had to be called Shazam! for legal reasons, most people referred to the character as such already, and had for decades. Getting rid of the Captain Marvel name in an official capacity just seemed like the smart thing to do.

In the final analysis, there have been nine Captain Marvels altogether over the years, with the great number of them coming from Marvel Comics. But even Stan Lee himself could have never envisioned a scenario where arguably the two most famous bearers of that title enjoyed their big screen debuts within a month of each other. Only in Hollywood.

Images: Marvel Comics / Marvel Studios / DC Comics / Warner Bros.

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Captain Marvel might be the star of her own record-breaking movie, but another character in particular is just as aww-inspiring: Goose the Cat. Nick Fury couldn’t resist the cute kitty, and neither can the rest of the world! A new meme has popped up on Twitter as Captain Marvel fans put their own cats in a starring role on the movie’s poster. And it is Flerken fantastic.

#캡틴마블_우리집구스 pic.twitter.com/M0LvvVVcZ8

— 옹알아리 (@wfCXid8ToDAPddm) March 11, 2019

The viral Photoshop trend started in Korea with the hashtag #캡틴마블_우리집구스 , which can be loosely translated as #CaptainMarvel_GooseAtOurHouse. Goose starred in his own movie poster for the Marvel blockbuster, and proud pet owners were inspired to put their own loyal sidekicks in the spotlight. The result is just as spectacular as any Marvel movie.

#캡틴마블_우리집구스

꼭 당첨되고 싶습니다!!!!! pic.twitter.com/daxGmjGxix

— 우주고양이 (@aKIXQrv5NLlytVP) March 9, 2019

띠요오오옹#캡틴마블_우리집구스 pic.twitter.com/7C6uVWwKLw

— 태풍나라의 오구오구 (@tp59cat) March 10, 2019

크아앙+새침 버전??? #캡틴마블_우리집구스 아 너무 귀여워ㅠㅠㅠㅠ pic.twitter.com/UCKEDTWfyW

— 호랭 (@brisk_fall_days) March 11, 2019

#고양이구스⁠ #캡틴마블⁠#CaptainMarvel⁠ ⁠ #GoosetheCat⁠#캡틴마블_우리집구스 #우리집구스
(•ؔʶ̷ ˡ̲̮ ؔʶ̷)!!?캡틴 점순이 얼룩이?(ᵒ̴̶̷̤́◞౪◟ ᵒ̴̶̷̤̀ )!! pic.twitter.com/7r48DYe2ER

— ᵍᵉᵒʳᵍᵉᵗᵗᵉ (@rhap06) March 11, 2019

#캡틴마블_우리집구스 pic.twitter.com/NwYmsMuaUy

— 두송이 (@twosongcats) March 11, 2019

And it’s not just cats that are getting the starring role.

랜선조카 이잉이의 뉴스진출을 축하하며
우리 곰이두♡#캡틴마블_우리집구스 pic.twitter.com/dj9fwPAxyb

— ?강곰이네누나? (@122kgom) March 11, 2019

The trend has even made its way to other countries, as Captain Marvel fans worldwide can’t resist joining in the fun.

So…can I go ahead and throw my cats in with this hashtag ? #CaptainMarvel #캡틴마블_우리집구스 pic.twitter.com/8Atr23Lxis

— JMV (@Its_JMV_Bro) March 9, 2019

Vous pardonnerez mon absence de skill en montage photo, j’ai tout fait avec Snapchat x)
Regardez moi ce super sidekick ♡ #CaptainMarvel
#캡틴마블_우리집구스 pic.twitter.com/WxVEZAtwWp

— Justine Bicolore |:| \?/ (@FelixFeli6) March 11, 2019

Goose the Cat is obviously a new hero for the ages. If you can’t get enough of the famous feline, you can watch one of the four cats behind the character for an hour thanks to this livestream direct from Marvel.

What is your pet’s superpower? Tell us in the comments.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

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How did you spend your weekend? Based on its huge box office haul there’s a pretty good chance you spent part of yours in a theater watching the latest installment in the MCU, Captain Marvel.

However, if you were really lucky, you didn’t just get to see Carol Danvers’ first foray on the big screen—you got to see Brie Larson herself, in the flesh. Marvel’s new star celebrated the release of her superhero debut by making some surprise appearances at screenings, and she did it while wearing the greatest track suit ever.

#CaptainMarvel herself, @brielarson, popped in to a few theaters on Saturday night to surprise fans on opening weekend! #HigherFurtherFaster pic.twitter.com/3hToHKTois

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 10, 2019

The real Captain Marvel didn’t just enjoy her super opening weekend in some pretty amazing threads (and they really are amazing), she even got behind the concessions counter to hand out some soda and popcorn to fans.

The ultimate #CaptainMarvel experience! @BrieLarson helped fans get their popcorn and soda at a theater on opening weekend! #HigherFurtherFaster (1/2) pic.twitter.com/GC14AQ356q

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 10, 2019

The next time we’re feeling terrible about the world we’re just going to look at all these pictures.

last night me and my friends went to go see Captain Marvel and right when we were about to leave the theaters, we saw Brie Larson!! She was so nice and it was amazing seeing her in Clifton commons. Brie has the most purest heart as well and is the nicest person you will ever meet pic.twitter.com/WVShDHNDCO

— Angelina Colarusso (@angiecolarusso) March 10, 2019

While we love that Larson took time to pose for photos with her thrilled fans, this one of her enjoying a soda with her picture on it while also holding a giant tub of popcorn that also has her picture on it belongs in some kind of museum of awesome.

The ultimate #CaptainMarvel experience! Brie Larson helped fans get their popcorn and soda at a theater on opening weekend! #HigherFurtherFaster (2/2) pic.twitter.com/G8uq2qGOkM

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 10, 2019

How do you make your opening weekend standout when its the 21st entry in a franchise? By going the extra mile and surprising your fans.

Higher, further, faster indeed.

Featured Image: Marvel

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Captain Marvel‘s opening weekend box office went higher, further, and faster than some predicted, taking in huge tickets sales in both the U.S. and around the world.

This past weekend, the first-ever female led installment of the MCU flew into theaters, and it did not disappoint. Box Office Mojo reports Brie Larson’s space-faring hero brought in an estimated $153 million in U.S. ticket sales (and that number might end up being even higher after Sunday’s final numbers are included). That’s the seventh highest opening (of 21) for the MCU, and it ranks as the third best opening weekend for any March release ever.

Box Office Mojo also notes that Captain Marvel‘s 55% male/45% female audience breakdown, similar to Black Panther and Ant-Man and the Wasp’s, “is the smallest gender divide among films in the MCU.” Also interesting is the fact that “64% of the film’s opening weekend crowd was aged 25 or older, which ranks as one of the older audiences for an MCU film.”

Carol Danvers origin story wasn’t just a hit here at home though. The film also had the fifth highest opening ever internationally, pulling in an estimated $302 million. Combined with U.S. sales that gives the movie a whopping $455 million opening.

With ticket sales like this, it’s almost a guarantee that Captain Marvel will still be in theaters when Avengers: Endgame comes to theaters on April 26, much like Black Panther was still being screened when Infinity War was released last year.

For anyone who really wants to go higher, further, faster, that should make for one really great Carol Danvers double-feature.

Images: Marvel

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Avengers: Infinity War’s final scene left many fans confused about why Nick Fury would leave his best trump card out of the previous two movies. MCU mastermind Kevin Feige has finally fessed up, but what broader implications does his explanation hint at? Find out in today’s Nerdist News!

More Captain Marvel news: https://nerdist.com/topic/captain-marvel/
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Agent Coulson himself, Clark Gregg, stopped by the Nerdist office to talk all about Captain Marvel, why this movie is so important to the MCU, and why the people preemptively complaining about the movie need to grow up already.

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Today is the much anticipated release for Captain Marvel! But just how does this 90s throwback tie into the greater MCU, specifically with Avengers: Endgame? Amy breaks down the post-credits scene in today’s Nerdist News!

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Today is the much anticipated release for Captain Marvel! But just how does this ’90s throwback tie into the greater MCU, specifically with Avengers: Endgame? Amy breaks down the post-credits scene in today’s Nerdist News! Spoilers ahead!

This Nerdist News is brought to you by FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, premiering Wednesday, March 27 on Fox.

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We’ve known since the Captain Marvel film was first announced that Carol Danvers was headed to the ’90s, which meant a ripe opportunity for great music from the era. Now that we’ve seen the film, we can confirm the soundtrack is, indeed, awesome, featuring a number of hits and angry girl music that’s perfectly in toe with Carol’s characterization: disaffect, hair-in-face, flannel grunge girl.

To celebrate the film’s musical offerings, we’ve compiled a list of ’90s songs featured in the film along with the music videos from the bands that brought them to life.

“Whatta Man” – Salt-N-Pepa feat. En Vogue

This 1993 song by R&B group Salt-N-Pepa was a sampling and remix of the 1963 tune “What a Man” recorded by Linda Lyndell.

“Only Happy When it Rains” – Garbage

Garbage was one of the key alternative rock girl-led groups of the ’90s, and this song–released in 1995–came off their seminal album, Garbage.

“Man on the Moon” – R.E.M.

R.E.M. was one of the biggest bands of the ’90s. “Man on the Moon” came off their 1992 album, Automatic for the People. Another R.E.M. song, “Crush with Eyeliner,” also appears in Captain Marvel.

“Waterfalls” – TLC

It’s hard to stress to anyone who didn’t grow up in the ’90s just how huge TLC used to be. The three-person girl group was all over the radio, and this song from their album CrazySexyCool spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995. The song also won two Grammys, for Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

“You Gotta Be” – Des’ree

British singer Des’ree is a ’90s staple for a lot of reasons, the first arguably being her performance of “Kissing You” in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. But this 1994 song was also a huge radio staple, and has appeared in movies The Next Karate Kid and The Object of My Affection, in addition to Captain Marvel.

“Come As You Are” – Nirvana

Arguably the most recognizable song in the film, this beloved Nirvana song plays during a key moment in the film. It comes off the band’s 1992 album, Nevermind.

“Just a Girl” – No Doubt

This song was the emblem of girl power during the ’90s, so it’s no surprise that it plays over one of the biggest action moments in Captain Marvel. No Doubt was impossible escape in the ’90s and this music video was iconic. We still want to be Gwen Stefani!

“Celebrity Skin” – Hole

Captain Marvel is a family affair, as it features music from both Nirvana and Hole– bands led by real-life married couple Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. This song plays over the credits of the film, and is from the 1998 album of the same name.

Images: Disney, Marvel 

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Warning: The following images may spoil specific moments from Captain Marvel.

It seems unspeakably cruel that after having waited four years since Captain Marvel‘s official announcement, ten years since the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and 45 years since Carol Danvers made her comic book debut, some of us still have to wait until the end of the day before we can actually enjoy the hotly anticipated superhero film in theaters. (Lousy day jobs.)

But for those of you who can barely take another moment sans Vers, we’ve got a few dazzling images from the film to tide you over until showtime tonight. These are straight from Classic Stills, a gallery offering officially licensed fine art prints from movies and TV series. That means you can purchase any of the below images from their US website or UK website and bring them home.

Since Carol Danvers herself (played by Brie Larson) is no doubt the main attraction, we’ll begin with a slew of photos showcasing her in action.

Of course, no Kree is an island, and Captain Marvel doesn’t shoulder the entire movie on her own. Next up, take a gander at some of Carol’s supporting players, friend and foe alike. Present and accounted for are Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg, Carol’s Starforce mentor; Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau, Carol’s Air Force copilot from her tenure as a mere Earthling; Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, who should need no introduction; Ben Mendelsohn’s nefarious Skrull leader Talos; and finally, the real star of the show, Goose the cat.

For a bonus, we’ve also got a couple behind-the-scenes photos, one showcasing the majesty of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s expansive extraterrestrial reach, and the other just some good old-fashioned fun between Captain Marvel costars Larson and Jackson. They do seem like real life pals, don’t they? That’s what we prefer to believe, anyhow.

We hope these images have given you some relief until you can zoom out of the office and to the nearest theater for an opening weekend showing of Captain Marvel. (At least the Goose pic must have done the trick, right?)

 Images: Marvel 

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Warning: This post contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Captain Marvel and its end credits scene.

“Where’s Fury?” That’s one great question, but we have a few others after seeing Captain Marvel‘s first end credits scene. While we always expected a connection to Avengers: Endgame, we were not prepared for that gasp-inducing moment when (a longer-haired) Carol Danvers answered Nick Fury’s final page, especially because of when it happens in the MCU timeline.

In the scene, Steve Rogers still has his long hair and luxurious beard (RIP) from Infinity War, which have been totally absent from the Endgame teasers, indicating it didn’t take very long for Carol Danvers to come back to Earth after the Snap. Also, the urgency in that scene that we see in Steve, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, and James Rhodes strongly points to them having found Fury’s pager shortly after Thanos snapped, and that Captain Marvel arrived soon after that.

While Carol’s arrival among the Avengers is an incredible moment on its own, it raises a whole bunch of new questions for us to obsess over.

What happens in the immediate aftermath of the Snap?

The final shot of the Avengers in Infinity War shows the survivors silently grieving in the forest of Wakanda, totally crestfallen. In the Captain Marvel post-credits scene, they are hard at work on something. How quickly did they gather themselves and spring into action? The planet certainly needed them, since half of every government on Earth has vanished, so the faster they regrouped the better for everyone.

Who found Fury’s pager and when?

The remaining Avengers were all in Wakanda when Fury turned to dust, so who actually located his pager and brought it to the team? Was it one of them, or some other survivor who had the means to help them? How long after the Snap did that take place? The fact it was found at all and given to the right people is good news, since it means there is still some level of infrastructure, even in the face of global mayhem.

How soon after Infinity War does Captain Marvel show up on Earth?

It’s clear it was soon after, but was it a couple of days or a couple of weeks? We at least know that it was long enough that the Avengers hooked the pager up to an outside power source.

Either way, the arrival of a secret super-powered hero who can crisscross galaxies in a short time is a huge boon for the devastated Avengers, either in the form of a major reinforcement, some much-needed hope, or just to have access to someone who is more familiar with the rest of the universe and can go do intergalactic reconnaissance or missions with them. Carol Danvers could be exactly what Earth’s mightiest heroes need, and the faster she gets there the better.

Where was Captain Marvel between films and what was she doing?

We know she said she was going to end the Kree war and mend the universe, but how long did that take? Was she still doing that during the Snappening, or had she moved on to other missions? Did her travels through the cosmos the last 24 years bring her into contact with any of the Infinity Stones, Thanos, or any other powerful beings who might be of use now? What did she learn during the time she was away? And did Fury ever page her back to Earth previously?

Where is Captain Marvel between the end-credits scene and the time jump (where we see a clean-shaven Steve Rogers)?

With Carol Danvers arriving shortly after the Snap, but Endgame looking like it will have a gap of at least a few years before the Avengers put their major plan into action, where is Captain Marvel during that time? Is she on Earth with them (and possibly the “missing” Avenger from the last teaser)? Is she flying through the universe looking for the Mad Titan or any information that will be helpful? Is she recruiting powerful allies (maybe some old Skrull friends)? And if she did leave Earth again, when will she come back? Is she out looking for Tony Stark?

How will Captain Marvel’s abilities help reverse the Snap?

Carol Danvers gained her incredible powers when she blew up Wendy Lawson’s lightspeed engine, which exploded in a wave of energy. It gave her nearly unparalleled abilities in the MCU, including the ability to shoot photon blasts with her hands and fly through space. But the source of those powers might be more relevant than the powers themselves. Lawson made her drive from the Tesseract, which contained the Space Stone. We know that gives Captain Marvel an intimate connection with the Infinity Stone, because Wanda Maximoff also gained her powers from the Mind Stone (which was trapped in Loki’s scepter). That was how Scarlet Witch was able to destroy it at the end of Infinity War, before Thanos used the Time Stone to undo it.

Captain Marvel’s connection to the Space Stone could help her locate it, and prevent Thanos from getting it in the past before the Snap. She might also help the Avengers collect the Stones themselves, but it won’t be enough for them to just undo the Snap, they’ll need to destroy the Stones so it can never happen again.

There’s no question Carol Danvers will be important to saving the universe. The question is whether she’s the best hope.

Images: Marvel

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Thanks to their arrival to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain Marvel, the alien race known as the Skrulls are about to become known to a lot more people. These aliens have been part of Marvel lore for some sixty years, and new fans might want learn more about these pointy-eared green aliens.

Maybe you’ve heard of things like the Kree-Skrull War in Avengers, or the villainous Super Skrull in the pages of Fantastic Four. Here are five Skrull-centric stories that shook the Marvel universe:

The X-Skrulls (Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet #1, 2000)

Marvel’s Skrull stories tend to be centered around the Fantastic Four or the Avengers. But one X-Men story has deep ties to the shape shifting alien race. Everyone knows mutants in the Marvel universe are beings born with powers; because of those powers, the human shuns and hates them. And when Skrulls start to develop mutations, their race treats them just as badly. Professor Charles Xavier decides he’s going to instruct these alien mutants just as he did the human ones, and Cadre K is born. Xavier goes to space to help them out, but eventually, the Skrulls settle as humans on a ranch in South Dakota.

Spider-Woman: Alien Queen (New Avengers #40,  2008)

Jessica Drew, a.k.a. Spider-Woman, was one of the most popular Marvel heroes of the ’70s and early ’80s, but she more or less disappeared from the scene for twenty years. Writer Brian Michael Bendis brought her back with much fanfare when he began his run on New Avengers in 2004. Then Marvel pulled the rug out from everyone, as New Avengers #40, which tied into Secret Invasion, confirmed that the Spider-Woman who had been an Avenger all this time was really a Skrull. Not just any Skrull either, but the Skrull Empress Veranke, who was behind the whole Secret Invasion thing!  The real Jessica of course came back, but this reveal was one of the most memorable Skrull moments ever.

I Married A Skrull! (Fantastic Four vol. 1 #357, 1991)

In one of the weirder twists to the Fantastic Four saga, fans learned Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, had actually been married to a Skrull for years. Ben Grimm (the Thing) had a longtime girlfriend in blind sculptress Alicia Masters in the earliest days of the Fantastic Four comics. When Ben took off for deep space, his buddy Johnny started dating Alicia. He eventually married her! And no, Thing was not cool with it. But after several years, Marvel revealed Alicia was a Skrull named Lyja. Her alliance shifted and she became a good guy, but Johnny never got over the initial betrayal.

The First Invasion (Fantastic Four, vol. 1 #2, 1962)

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced the Skrulls to the Marvel universe in the second ever issue of Fantastic Four. Skrulls planned to get the Fantastic Four out of the way by replacing them and destroying their reputation in hopes that the heroes would end up in prison. This all to make a Skrull invasion of Earth go more smoothly, so the aliens could infiltrate everywhere and look like anyone. Remember, this was very early in the Marvel Universe, when the Fantastic Four were the the only superheroes on Earth. Once Reed Richards outsmarts them, he uses hypnotic suggestion to have the Skrulls turn themselves into cows. Yes, you read that right. This crazy ending led to an even crazier story thirty years later, which brings us to the next entry.

The Craziest Skrull Story Ever (Skrull Kill Krew #1, 1995)

So about those Skrulls who thought they were cows. No one heard from them for decades—until writers Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, early in their careers of wild and surreal comics, came up with an instant classic sequel to that story. In Skrull Kill Krew, we discover milk from the Skrull cows infected any humans consuming it because it was contaminated with Skrull DNA.

This contamination resulted in a disease; survivors developed shape-shifting powers just like Skrulls, resulting in burning hatred for those green skinned invaders. Banding together as the “Skrull Kill Krew,” the infected took out an entire small town of Skrulls living as humans, wiping out a population of 3,678 people. They even killed a version of the Fantastic Four that (of course) turned out to be Skrulls. This is one of the wildest takes ever on the Skrull mythos.

Images: Marvel Comics 

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The following contains spoilers for Captain Marvel. 

My cat is my best friend. I get side-eyes and worried looks when I admit this, as if I’m a friendless goon, a sad 30-year-old cat lady, a loser indebted to my loserdom. But I don’t care. My cat has been my life partner for six years now, a loyal friend and family member who brings joy to my life. We’ve moved across the country together. We’ve mourned together. I wake up every morning to his fluffy body wrapped around my legs, fast asleep and latched to me. My symbiotic cuddle buddy.

That’s why it always pains me when people talk ill of cats, as if they’re all standoffish and evil. Some are more guarded, absolutely. But so are some dogs. Every animal has a distinct personality. In reality, cats are ridiculously cool. They regard the world with the same disdain a misanthrope like myself does, but they also find joy in the most bizarrely mundane: plastic wrappers, lint, the shine of a phone.

It’s always saddened me that cats get passed over for dogs in films so often. I imagine some of that has to do with training limitations, but it’s still a disservice to this strange, beautiful creatures. That’s why Captain Marvel‘s Goose is such a unique joy. Finally, some good kitty representation!

Though Goose is not an average house cat—she’s actually an alien creature known as a Flerken—she presents as one, and instantly wins over surprise cat-lover Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). I can’t remember the last time a cat got this much love and consideration in a big-budget film since Jonesy in Alien, another ginger tabby with survival skills. But Goose gets even more of a spotlight in Captain Marvel; she’s there for most of the action and feels like a member of the team. It’s a genuine delight to watch how she prowls across the screen, soaking up love and attention.

But not only does Goose add an extra dose of cute to Captain Marvel—she also saves the day. In the final act, when her Flerken identity is revealed, she uses her tentacles to knock out the evil Kree soldiers and help Fury, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), and the rest of the surviving Skrulls escape. She also swallows the Tesseract, which helps the good guys smuggle it away from Yon-Rogg (Jude Law)—if you stick around for the post-credits scene, you’ll get even more Goose/Tesseract goodness.

Goose is just the first in line for what looks like a huge year for cinematic felines. We’re also getting Church in the new Pet Sematary, Rajah in the live-action Aladdin, and a bunch of big kitties in The Lion King.

You heard it here: 2019 is the Year of the Cat. Thank you Goose for putting a good, brave name to your kind. It’s about time.

Images: Disney, Marvel, Paramount Pictures

The post An Ode to Goose the Cat from CAPTAIN MARVEL appeared first on Nerdist.

Warning: This post contains SPOILERS for Captain Marvel.

Even though we had to bid a sad farewell to Stan Lee last November, we knew we were going to see him make a cameo in Captain Marvel. Still, we were not emotionally prepared for that beautiful tribute during the opening credits sequence, and we also weren’t expecting his posthumous appearance would raise a bunch of strange, existential questions. Because if he was playing himself like the scene suggests, it means Stan Lee the comic book writer actually exists in the MCU and his fictional creations came to life.

In case you missed it in Captain Marvel, which is set in 1995, the late comics legend was seen on a train reading the script of Kevin Smith’s Mallrats. Lee has a memorable cameo in that film (which came out in October of ’95) where he unquestionably plays himself.

He is credited in Mallrats with creating The Hulk and Spider-Man. Since that movie exists in Captain Marvel, presumably the cameo with Stan Lee is also included in the script (which is why he was reading it), meaning the real Stan Lee who created those characters exists within the MCU.

Take a moment if you need to, because this is only going to get weirder.

If Stan Lee exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where he created the comic book characters Bruce Banner and Peter Parker, then they went from being his fictional ideas to fully formed, fully realized people in that same world. That means in the MCU, Stan Lee, famed comic book writer, was either a prophet or a literal god.

While this isn’t the first time he ever played himself in a movie (he was Stan Lee in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and in the Deadpool: No Good Deed promo), we’re only concerned with what this means for the MCU. The only other time he might have played himself in there was as a WWII vet who drunkenly says, “Excelsior!” in Age of Ultron, but that is much less definitive than his Captain Marvel cameo.

However, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Lee is in space speaking with The Watchers, where he referenced his time as a Fed-Ex delivery man in Captain America: Civil War, indicating he played the same intergalactic being in every MCU appearance. Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige said at the time, “Stan Lee clearly exists above and apart from the reality of all the films,” and James Gunn confirmed that, saying, “He’s this same character who’s popped up in all these films, the same person.”

Before Captain Marvel that just meant he was a supernatural/transcendent/ageless cosmic being who was keeping an eye on important heroes. But now it looks like that guy IS Stan Lee, comic book legend who created these real heroes within the MCU. And that’s awesome.

It means Stan Lee is responsible for creating Earth’s mightiest heroes both off and on the screen, and when they save the day, both our world and the world of the MCU can thank him for giving us the Avengers.

Now that’s one hell of a tribute.

Images: Marvel

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Warning: Spoilers for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe all the way through to Captain Marvel contained within

The original Macguffin of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the Tesseract, which played a pivotal part in Captain America: The First Avenger, and Avengers. And now, a missing part of its history is revealed in Captain Marvel.

Of course, to trace the true history and timeline of the Tesseract, we have to go back to the very dawn of creation in the MCU. The Tesseract is the cube which houses the The Space Stone, which is one of the six fabled Infinity Stones, the only known remains of a singularity that predates the universe as we know it. By controlling space itself, it allows whoever possesses it to travel across the galaxy instantly, and is a source of nearly unlimited power.

At some point eons ago, the Space Stone was housed within the Tesseract, a cube-shaped object which can harness its energy. No one is sure who created this “cosmic cube,” or even exactly when. All that is known is that thousands of years ago, it came into the hands of the Asgardian civilization. The Tesseract was kept inside of Odin’s Vault, and for unknown reasons, it was eventually brought to Earth and left in Tønsberg, Norway, where it was guarded by devout human Asgardian worshipers. This occurred in 965 A.D.

We see the Asgardians on ancient Earth in the original Thor film during a flashback, and it could be assumed that they brought the Tesseract with them to this planet around this same time period. Why they would leave something of such incredible power behind on a primitive backwater world isn’t really addressed, but for some reason, they did. It’s possible they thought humans far too primitive to ever harness its energy, and no one would think to look for it on our crappy little mudball.

The next time we see the Tesseract chronologically is in Captain America: The First Avenger, during the 1942 opening sequence. In that film, we witness how the Tesseract was secured in ancient tomb, somewhere in Norway. It is then stolen by Johann Schmidt/the Red Skull, leader of HYDRA, who used the Tesseract to power enhanced weaponry in order to defeat the Allies during World War II. Captain America defeats The Red Skull  in 1945, at which point the Tesseract fell into Arctic waters, where it was recovered by inventor Howard Stark.

As we now know from viewing Captain Marvel, the Tessaract came into the possession of the United States Military, where an alien scientist named Mar-Vell, who was an undercover operative on Earth, was using the Tessaract to try to create a light speed engine, one which she could use to help Skrull refugees that her people, the Kree, had hunted to near extinction. She hid the cube in her cloaked space station orbiting the Earth. In 1995, the Tesseract was then secured by Carol Danvers, who left it in the care of SHIELD. Well actually, she left it in the care of an alien Flerken, who spit it up after consuming it, and then it was in the care of SHIELD.

The Tessaract remained with SHIELD, lying mostly dormant for years, until it awoke again around the year 2012. The Asgardian prince Loki used it to get to Earth, where he stole it for himself. He then used the Tesseract to open a wormhole that allowed the warrior species the Chitauri to invade New York City and conquer the Earth for him. He would later deliver the Tesseract to his master, Thanos.

Following the Battle of New York, Thor took the Tesseract and Loki back with him to Asgard, where the cube went back into Odin’s vault. This brings us to Thor: Ragnarok. Right before Asgard is destroyed, Hela noticed the Tesseract in the vault, and later so did Loki, who stole it once again. When Thanos destroyed an Asgardian refugee ship carrying Loki in the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, he managed to get the Tesseract from him, and then he crushed it to retrieve the Space Stone inside it. He inserted the stone into his Infinity Gauntlet, and I think you know the rest.

Images: Marvel Studios 

The post The Timeline of the Tesseract in the Marvel Cinematic Universe appeared first on Nerdist.

Carol Danvers received a plethora of powers when she hybridized with the Kree space aliens, but her most extraordinary is the ability to survive in space. Just how does she do it if no life forms thrive there? Kyle splices for answers in this week’s Because Science!

Learn more:
EXTREMOPHILE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremophile
TARDIGRADE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade
CRYPTOBIOSIS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptobiosis
DSUP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dsup
HUMAN ADAPTATION TO SPACE: http://www.mdcampbell.com/HumanAdaptationtoSpace.pdf
TARDIGRADES SURVIVE SPACE EXPOSURE: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(08)00805-1
SEA NOMAD ENLARGED SPLEENS: https://news.berkeley.edu/2018/04/19/enlarged-spleen-key-to-diving-endurance-of-sea-nomads/
GAS EXCHANGE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_exchange#Exchange_membrane
DIVING REFLEX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving_reflex

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Following the December release of Nike’s Air Jordan I Retro “Origin Story” for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, illustrator and comic book artist Jen Bartel revealed a new Adidas colorway Wednesday commemorating Marvel’s latest superhero film, Captain Marvel. The red, blue and gold running shoe, an Adidas AM4, was designed by Bartel especially for the film, and is set for release at nationwide Foot Locker stores on Friday, March 8, the film’s opening day.

This Friday 3/8 ?? #HigherFurtherFaster Limited Edition #CaptainMarvel Adidas AM4s designed by me, available exclusively at Foot Locker Flagship Stores & https://t.co/EifShUG9h8. Unisex sizing. International shipping available (with some limitations—please check ahead of time) pic.twitter.com/mb9Lsv5zLi

— Jen Bartel (@heyjenbartel) March 6, 2019

Bartel, the co-creator and artist for Image Comics’ Blackbird, conceived the look of the shoes with the graphic qualities both of her art and the comics medium itself in mind. “I wanted to create a design that was extremely wearable but unique and still had some elements of my illustration work,” she said via Twitter on Tuesday. They feature the character’s signature colors along with a white sole, and strong light blue lines and “stars” covering the toe box for a decidedly cosmic look.

Additionally, the AM4 is a unique shoe among Adidas’ expansive styles of footwear designed to be a canvas for artists and designers, as they’re “created through the Speedfactory concept that leverages innovation through local creators of art, sport and music,” as described on the Adidas website. That said, they’re built from various parts of their other hugely-successful styles and engineered to satisfy the wearer’s needs whether they’re rolling to their local theater to watch Captain Marvel again or actually running a marathon. Bartel published an unboxing video late Tuesday for fans to see what they look like in person:

Dropping 3/8 ?? #JenBartelxAdidas #HigherFurtherFaster #CaptainMarvel pic.twitter.com/w3qDXY4F2q

— Jen Bartel (@heyjenbartel) March 5, 2019

According to Adidas, “they feature responsive Boost cushioning and state-of-the-art glueless, fused bonding that gives you the most direct Boost comfort and energy return ever. They enable a steady and adaptive stride via the SPEEDFACTORY Torsion bar that floats in the outsole for optimal flexibility. The knit upper features tension patches for a digitally-crafted fit, and a connected eyestay gives you all-around stability.”

Even Captain Marvel star Brie Larson wants a pair:

NEED!

— Brie Larson (@brielarson) March 6, 2019

Bartel didn’t give away too many details about the shoes other than the price ($150), but other AM4 sneakers feature an embedded chip in the tongue “offering authentication and a unique digital experience,” so there’s a possibility that the Adidas x Jen Bartel will too. Regardless, these sneakers–available in unisex styles from Foot Locker starting Friday morning, March 8–are sure to make any wearer feel like a superhero.

Featured Image: Foot Locker/Adidas

The post Jen Bartel’s CAPTAIN MARVEL Adidas Are Made for Stepping on Skrulls appeared first on Nerdist.

Captain Marvel is finally soaring into theaters! The highly-anticipated film brings Carol Danvers, a character with a long history in the Marvel Comics universe, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a bang. (Have you read our review yet?) Gear up for the movie’s release with our picks of just some of the Captain Marvel-ous merchandise out there.

From apparel to accessories, to toys, to books for your kids, there’s something for every Captain Marvel fan out there–which is about to be everyone.

Captain Marvel Premium Hoodie

If a full leather suit isn’t quite your style, Marvel has just the hoodie for you to show you’re a member of the Carol Corps in comfort. This premium hoodie, offered by Merchoid, is cut for women and features shiny gold foil on the emblem and stripes. How could you not feel like a superhero when you wear this? ($72.99)

Captain Marvel Vintage Sweatshirt

This Captain Marvel sweatshirt is even more suited for those of us who prefer a more casual style. The vintage hoodie comes in junior sizes at several retailers, including Walmart. The slightly distressed style in a soft navy blue feels like a homage to Carol’s military beginnings. ($39.99)

“Stained Star” T-Shirt

We dare you to look at this T-shirt and not get a Nirvana song stuck in your head. Inspired by the Nirvana T-shirt everyone owned in the 1990s, the time period of Captain Marvel, this shirt from SuperHeroStuff is an instant conversation starter. ($21.99)

Maria Rambeau T-Shirt

Carol isn’t the only one flying high in Captain Marvel! Show your love for Maria “Photon” Rambeau, Carol’s friend and fellow Air Force pilot, in this uniquely cut women’s T-shirt from ShopDisney. ($26.95)

Captain Marvel Wristwatch

Add some Captain Marvel fashion to your everyday style with this bold and bright watch exclusively offered by SuperHeroStuff. It comes with an adjustable strap and a golden face that will catch the attention of anyone who spots it on your wrist. ($39.99)

Green Starforce Wallet

You can always count on Loungefly for high-quality accessories and bags, and this new green Starforce wallet inspired by Captain Marvel is no exception. The faux leather wallet, inspired by Carol’s time with the Kree, matches the green backpack also offered by Loungefly. ($39.00)

Higher, Further, Faster

If you’re looking for a way to get your middle or high school aged kids into Captain Marvel, or if they need more of the story after walking out of the theater, this new young adult book by Liza Palmer is a fantastic option. Higher, Further, Faster is a prequel story that follows Carol during her first year in flight school, where she meets Maria Rambeau. ($17.99)

Funko Pop! Goose

Of course you need more Pop! figures in your collection! Funko offers quite a few Captain Marvel figures, from Carol in her different costumes, to villains and allies. But we have a soft spot for Goose the cat, and consider Captain Marvel’s feline friend a must-have. ($10.99)

Blockbuster Enamel Pin

For a one-of-a-kind homage to Captain Marvel, it’s hard to do one better than this creative Blockbuster Video pin by Etsy seller ShopKizzer. The enamel pin is a throwback to the film’s setting that you’ll love to stick on your favorite denim jacket. ($10.00)

Carol Corps Necklace

If you prefer a more subtle way to have Captain Marvel’s logo emblazoned on your chest, this necklace from Etsy seller NavekaDesgins might just be what you’re looking for. The Carol Corps necklace is offered in three different metals so you can choose exactly the right necklace for you. ($18.00+)

Captain Marvel Charm Bangle

This antique gold bangle, designed by Alex + Ani and offered by ShopDisney, will shine bright on your own sparklefists. The striking take on Captain Marvel’s logo will make you feel like a superhero yourself every time you slip it on your wrists. ($44.95)

What piece of Captain Marvel merch is your must-have? Tell us in the comments.

Featured Image: Funko

The post CAPTAIN MARVEL Merchandise to Take Your Marvel Fandom Higher and Further appeared first on Nerdist.

If you’ve ever been to an Alamo Drafthouse theatre, you know the drill. The Texas-based cinema chain is known for a few things: serving dinner and drinks, curating incredible programming for ardent cinephiles, and a strict no-talking, no-phone policy.

If you frequent Drafthouse you’ll also know they enforce that last part in “Don’t Talk” PSA form before the film starts. The videos often feature talent from the film about to play, and are recycled and re-applied to all films that screen at the theatre chain. Past videos have included Kyle Chandler from Friday Night Lights, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke from Before Sunrise, Armie Hammer and Timotheé Chalamet from Call Me By Your Name, and icons like Mark Hamill, Jeff Goldblum, R. Lee Ermy, and many more.

Now, a new duo of heroes from Captain Marvel have stepped forward to threaten you into silence: Samuel L. Jackson and Brie Larson. We have an exclusive look at their PSA:

The Captain Marvel pair are promoting their upcoming Marvel movie with this humorous bit. As the theme music from the film plays in the background, Jackson reminds folks that movies are a place to “turn off and tune out.” As the music builds, so does Jackson’s annoyance levels and voice volume. “Silence your cell phones or else you and I are gonna have a problem,” Jackson warns. “A problem with an intense solution. And that solution, my girl Brie Larson’s gonna come out there and SHUT. YOU. DOWN.”

Cue Brie Larson, holding a bucket of popcorn and slurping a soda, pretty nonchalant to the whole “threatening” thing. We love these two and their attempts at angry faces.

If you’re like us, you’re also counting down the days until Captain Marvel hits screens. The good news: We don’t have to wait that much longer! The superhero flick soars into theaters this Friday, March 8. You can buy your tickets now on the Alamo Drafthouse website. Just remember: Don’t talk or text, or Brie Larson will SHUT. YOU. DOWN.

Images: Alamo Drafthouse

The post CAPTAIN MARVEL Stars Want You to Turn Off Your Phones in Alamo Drafthouse’s New PSA appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve been eagerly anticipating Captain Marvel over here for the past few years. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first female-centric film is a big deal no matter how you cut it, and with a cast of Brie Larson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, and returning cast members like Samuel L. Jackson, there was so much to be excited about. But does the film actually live up to those insane expectations?

According to reviews… sort of! Though they’re less glowing than some of the MCU’s other first reactions, it sounds like Captain Marvel is a super fun origin story for Carol Danvers, even if it does come up a little short of expectation. More than 20 films and 10 years into the MCU, it’s clear that people had their sights extra-high for the studio’s first solo female superhero film. Though it may not have corrected Marvel’s origin story “problem,” critics still seem pretty charmed by the overall product, with extra praise for the cast and the cat!

Here’s a breakdown of what critics are saying about Captain Marvel.

via GIPHY

Nerdist‘s own Rosie Knight: “Captain Marvel is a fun, fresh take on the superhero movie and hints at an interesting future for the MCU. It’s a sci-fi heavy actioner, which is at its best when it’s being sincere and is a good first step to rectifying some of the problems of the franchise’s past. But coming after groundbreaking films like Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, and even Wonder Woman means that sometimes Captain Marvel’s impact feels like it would have been bigger had it come out closer to the era it was set.”

Kayti Burt, Den of Geek: “This movie is no Black Panther or, if we’re expanding the field of comparison, Wonder Woman, which benefitted greatly from being the first major superhero blockbuster to headline a female protagonist—frankly, a milestone race that was Marvel’s to lose. Luckily, Captain Marvel doesn’t have to be better than all of the MCU’s previous films to be something enjoyable. The MCU has a pretty impressive narrative median, but, past that, like the Avengers, this is a team sport and Captain Marvel is nothing if not a team player.”

David Sims, The Atlantic: “Any time the story settles into its central mystery, the script is far more involving; there are even a couple of satisfying major twists at the midpoint. But the amnesia required comes at the cost of Carol as a character, and coupled with the uninspiring action, that makes Captain Marvel more of a solid building block for future endeavors than a must-see solo adventure.”

via GIPHY

Susana Polo, Polygon: “There is nothing inherently female about Carol’s origin story, and it is possible, and permissible, for a story about a woman to not be a story about Being A Woman. Captain Marvel takes up that torch anyway. To paraphrase the words of Marvel’s first female superhero to star in her own film: She doesn’t need to prove anything. And nevertheless, she does.”

Helen O’Hara, Empire: “Once Danvers connects with Fury, their odd-couple banter blasts the film into the stratosphere. There are small but fun fight scenes highlighting Danvers’ tenacity, and the joy of seeing Fury having things explained to him for once. There’s a friendly cat called Goose who takes a shine to Fury and threatens to steal the entire film. It all unrolls to a killer ’90s soundtrack, with bangin’ choons from such decade-defining artists as TLC, Elastica and Hole. And as Danvers spends time with [Maria] Rambeau, we get our first real glimpse under her skin and into her humanity.”

Hoai-Tran Bui, /Film: “Larson and Jackson’s buddy-comedy routine becomes the heart of this film, and Fury’s introduction is where the film finally settles into its rhythm. The two partner up after Carol crashes into a Blockbuster store, with Fury at first in pursuit of this errant alien soldier before allying himself with her upon witnessing a Skrull attack. With this duo at the center, Captain Marvel seamlessly moves from road movie, to heist film, to mystery thriller.”

via GIPHY

Mike Ryan, UPROXX: “There are some legitimately strange scenes and imagery in Captain Marvel, and not “strange” in the quirky tone of, say, Guardians of the Galaxy. This is a full-on, strange, sci-fi film. Some of the scenes reminded me of Rey snapping into the endless mirrors during The Last Jedi. This is a movie that features a cerebral, psychedelic fight set to Nirvana’s “Come As You Are.””

Hannah Woodhead, Little White Lies: “In the age of the dour superhero flick, Captain Marvel strikes a pleasing chord, at once delivering levity, gravity and spectacle. Danvers is constantly told that ‘emotions are weakness’, a line that has been parroted at women for centuries, and it is both thrilling and poignant to see her overcome her male oppressors.”

Yolando Machado, io9: “It feels like a little wink that we find ourselves in the era that had no idea cat videos would be huge trend of the future, and yet, gives us one of the best cats on film—Goose! Goose is the real MVP and I need him in every MCU film from now on. To tell you why would be a big spoiler, so I won’t ruin it for you, but if you weren’t a cat fan before, you most definitely will be now.”

Images: Disney, Marvel 

The post CAPTAIN MARVEL Reviews Are Out, and They Are Mixed appeared first on Nerdist.

Like many movies in the MCU, the first act of Captain Marvel is its strongest, with directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck making a great case to helm the next iteration of the Star Trek franchise. It’s a tight intergalactic introduction with a brilliant fight sequence, plenty of excellent creature work, and a splendid score by Pinar Toprak.

It’s a smart move to avoid the classic origin format here as we meet Carol when she’s already a seasoned member of the Kree’s elite Starforce, a team of warrior heroes whose only goal is to defeat the notorious Skrulls, an alien race who have been devastating the Kree’s home planet of Hala.

All is not what it seems in Carol’s world; after being ambushed by the Skrulls, she has a rude awakening and comes crashing down to Earth—literally—sparking a quest to uncover the mysteries of her past. There’s a little Thor in amnesiac Carol’s return to her home planet as she navigates the would-be alien world, and there is, of course, a bit of Captain America as she too is a woman out of time.

As we get ever deeper into the lore and films of the MCU, it’s going to be harder and harder for these tropes to seem fresh, but on the whole Boden and Fleck do a great job shaking up what we’ve come to expect from a superhero debut. It helps that Larson is a charming lead as the sarcastic and confident Carol, whose performance sells every single beat.

Larson’s primary co-star is Samuel Jackson. His Nick Fury is presented here less as the hardened S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent we’ve come to know and more as the resigned pencil pusher—that is, until he meets Carol. The pair are a joy to watch play off each other. Their real-life friendship comes across, though some of the narrative decisions do seem a little forced when it comes to establishing Carol’s influence and impact on the man who has for so long been at the core of the MCU.

The much-hyped ’90s setting works best as a background, and the film is at its weakest when it pushes too hard for nostalgia. Sadly, some of the music beats are so obnoxiously obvious—would it have hurt to go a little deeper and have gotten some Breeders or Sleater Kinney?—that they distract from the scenes they’re soundtracking, which is a shame as Toprak’s Vangelis-inspired score is one of the best the MCU has offered up yet.

Beyond this, the film struggles to truly break any new ground when it comes to representation. The film falls into the trope of introducing diversity through villainy, failing to build on some of the great cast. It’s also hard to ignore that the first woman to hold the mantle of Captain Marvel was a black woman named Monica Rambeau and though they pay homage and introduce the character played by the wonderful Akira Akbar—far too briefly—narratively there’s no reason that Monica couldn’t have been at the center of this story. Another of the film’s underused highlights is Lashana Lynch as Monica’s mother Maria. It’s a great turn from Lynch, as the emotional heart of the film, though the slightness of her role is to the film’s detriment.

In the end, though, Captain Marvel is a fun, fresh take on the superhero movie and hints at an interesting future for the MCU. It’s a sci-fi heavy actioner, which is at its best when it’s being sincere and is a good first step to rectifying some of the problems of the franchise’s past. But coming after groundbreaking films like Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, and even Wonder Woman means that sometimes Captain Marvel’s impact feels like it would have been bigger had it come out closer to the era it was set.

3/5

The post CAPTAIN MARVEL Is Fun and Fresh, But Could Fly Higher (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.

Earth has a new mightiest hero, and her name is Captain Marvel. But how will she stack up against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame? We asked Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and more to answer this burning question on a new Nerdist News Edition!

The post Can CAPTAIN MARVEL Defeat Thanos? (Nerdist News Edition) appeared first on Nerdist.

After over a decade, we are getting our first female led Marvel movie and the Carol Corps are standing at attention waiting for the best way to celebrate the release of Captain Marvel on March 8, a.k.a International Women’s Day. Disney’s very own Hollywood theater, the El Capitan, has announced a fan event and an exclusive Carol Danvers inspired patch just in time to get us even more excited for the highly anticipated film. We have a first look at the patch, too!

The gorgeous design features the hero’s iconic motto “Higher, Further, Faster” and is inspired by Carol’s pre-superhero career as an Air Force pilot. It’s modeled after a patch worn on her military uniform. You’ll be able to get the patch if you attend the theater’s opening night celebration on March 7, which will feature ’90s costumes and all kinds of goodies.

El Capitan’s official description of the big night teases.”Be among the first to see Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel! Live DJ, Fun & Surprises! $35 per person. Each guest will receive a reserved seat, popcorn in a souvenir tub with one refill, a 20 oz. bottled drink and a limited-edition Captain Marvel themed embroidered patch! Plus, come in your best 90’s attire!”

Don’t worry if you’re not able to make that night, as fans will be able to get the patch at any screening at El Capitan as long as supplies last. Plus the ’90s nights will continue on Thursday, March 14 and March 21. And El Capitan has an exhibit area, so attendees will be able to see costumes from the movie. Get your girl gang together and get ready to see Captain Marvel hit one of the most famous screens in Hollywood!

You can buy your tickets for Captain Marvel at the El Capitan here, and get more info about the fan event on Facebook!

Images: Disney, El Capitan Theater

The post Get a Rad CAPTAIN MARVEL Patch from El Capitan Theatres’ Fan Event and Screenings (First Look) appeared first on Nerdist.

What if Captain Marvel actually came out in the mid-1990s!? Check out this VHS copy of 1995’s summer blockbuster hit, Captain Marvel: Earth’s Mightiest Hero, starring Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Irons. This action thriller has the greatest explosions, car chases, and state-of-the-art special effects of its time in this Nerdist Remix!

CREDITS:

Narrated by Josh Petersdorf

Produced by Andrew Bowser, Jason Nguyen, and Erik Kozura

Written & Edited by Matt Caron

Graphics & VFX by Charles Shattuck

The post Captain Marvel – 1995 Trailer (Nerdist Remix) appeared first on Nerdist.

Rotten Tomatoes has always been a contentious corner of the internet.

The review aggregate site announced this week that it will remove the “want to see” function of their site, which lets audiences rate their interest in a film pre-release, distinct from the audience rating of the film that’s meant to reflect public response after having seen it. The decision to ditch the “want to see” function likely comes after Captain Marvel‘s score dropped to 50% following a series of comments Larson made about including diverse journalists in the film’s press tour. That’s the lowest for any Marvel film to date, which looks especially troubling considering this is the first female-driven film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It’s also evident of an upsetting trend in the audience section of the site. Two other recent movies that saw their audience scores hijacked were Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Black Panther. The former boasts a female lead and racially diverse cast, and the latter is the first predominantly black cast for a Marvel film. While we’re willing to believe that plenty of those audience voters probably had legitimate storytelling reasons for giving a low score, as Rotten Tomatoes noted in their announcement, the audience section has also “seen an uptick in non-constructive input, sometimes bordering on trolling, which we believe is a disservice to our general readership.” In the same announcement, the site noted it will also turn off comments for a film until after its release, so as not to poison the waters with unwarranted, politically-motivated hate ahead of release. 

via GIPHY

It remains to be seen just how effective this plan will be. It’s possible the decision will anger the trolls even more, leading to more aggressive smear campaigns once the film opens and they can leave scores and comments. Or maybe it will generally curtail the haters, and inspire more genuine reviews of the film itself, instead of the gender or race of the cast.

One thing we do know for sure is that so far, the Rotten Tomatoes audience scores haven’t harmed the targeted films. Star Wars: The Last Jedi made $1.33 billion, was the highest-grossing film of 2017, and the eleventh highest-grossing film of all time. Black Panther made $1.34 billion, is the highest-grossing solo superhero film of all time, and was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Captain Marvel looks likely to join their ranks; despite a 50% “want to see” Rotten Tomatoes score, the movie is on track to earn $150 million opening weekend, and trails only Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther in advance tickets sales.

If the audience score hijackers are trying to make a point, it hasn’t worked.

Images: Disney, Marvel

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Based on the first reactions to the film, our instincts about Captain Marvel seem to have been proven totally right. No, we are not talking about how it looks to be another great entry into the MCU, or even that Carol Danvers will be one of the greatest superheroes in the franchise. We’re talking about how her feline friend Goose totally steals the movie. The Marvel–ous kitty is primed to be one of the movie’s biggest breakout stars, possibly the greatest animal friend in the all the MCU (non-talking Raccoon division). And it seems like the studio knows how much Goose content we are going to crave, because right now they are holding their greatest live-streaming event ever. They’re showing the super cat doing totally normal cat things, and we’ve never been more fascinated watching so little happen.

Thousands of people are happily watching Goose do nothing more than take naps, walk around, and occasionally chase a laser. That might not sound all that epic, but thanks to a pounding, intense score, and a countdown clock that tells you when Goose will go “somewhere new,” it somehow feels like the fate of the entire world depends on how sleepy an adorable ginger cat is at any given moment.

We’re not going to tell you how long we have been watching this because it’s probably embarrassing, but we will admit that when Goose ran out of the main shot and had to be coaxed back with a laser pointer it was riveting. And if we’re this excited to watch Goose get some rest, how good is Captain Marvel going to be? We already had high hopes for it before, but if a live-stream of its main cat doing nothing other than be a cat has us this emotionally invested in the story, what’s gonna happen when things actually start happening to people?

Our instincts say it’s going to be pretty good.

Featured Image: Marvel

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Although Carol Danvers has fighting crime for over 40 years (under many different codenames until becoming Captain Marvel), she’s largely had to deal with the villains of other famous super heroes—notably bad guys that debuted in the pages of Iron Man or Avengers—rather than enemies of her very own.

However, there have been a few villains that made their first appearances in books starring Carol Danvers before finding bigger fame elsewhere, or who debuted in other Marvel titles but became most prominently associated with Carol. Below, we take a look at five Captain Marvel villains who have stood out as her most infamous over the years… and who would be ideal for a Captain Marvel sequel.

Mystique

Although the mutant shapeshifter Mystique has long been viewed as an X-Men character (Carol has a history of facing off with X-Men characters), she debuted as a villain for Carol Danvers, way back in Ms. Marvel #16 in 1978. Over a three-issue storyline, Mystique used her powers to masquerade as Nick Fury in an effort to use S.H.I.E.L.D. resources against Ms. Marvel, but was ultimately discovered by Carol.

Writer Chris Claremont had planned to use Mystique as a main villain for Carol’s series, but his plans were scuttled when Ms. Marvel’s original ongoing comic ended in 1978. In fact, the story where Mystique’s adopted daughter Rogue drained Ms. Marvel was originally meant to occur in Carol’s series before it was canceled; it was later used in Avengers. With the Disney/Fox merger around the corner, maybe Mystique can make her MCU debut in Captain Marvel 2.

Deathbird

The winged alien warrior known as Deathbird is another villain traditionally associated with the X-Men lore, but she actually debuted in the pages of Ms. Marvel as an adversary. Deathbird, who had avian powers including wings and deadly sharp talons, was really Cal’syee Neramani of the Ruling House of the Shi’ar Imperium, who was exiled from her home world after the murders of her mother and sister. Her younger sister Lilandra became ruler of the Shi’ar and a major player in The Uncanny X-Men, but Deathbird started out as a villain for Carol Danvers. It would be interesting if the Shi’ar and their whole world made their MCU debut in a Captain Marvel sequel and not in an X-Men film.

Titannus

A more recent villain, having debuted in 2005, the being called Titannus has come into conflict with both the Avengers and Carol Danvers. Just as humanity had its own Super Soldier Program that resulted in the creation of Captain America, so too do the alien Skrulls have a similar program to create a super soldier of their own. Titannus didn’t have the shape-shifting abilities most Skrulls had, so he became one of the subjects of the Super-Skrull project, giving him enhanced strength and a healing factor that allowed him to recover from almost any injury. Given the Skrulls’ significance in the upcoming film, Titannus’ origins as Skrull weapon would make him perfect for a Captain Marvel sequel.

Moonstone

Karla Sofen, better known as Moonstone, is a villain who debuted in the pages of Captain America, but who eventually became an enemy of Carol Danvers, at one point even going as far as taking Ms. Marvel’s original name and costume as a part of Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers team. Karla possessed a Kree gravity stone, which was found on Earth’s moon, which gave her strength and energy powers comparable to Carol’s.

Karla has usurped Carol’s identity not only as Ms. Marvel but even as Captain Marvel, making the real Carol not exactly a fan of Karla’s. Due to her tangled history with Carol, and her powers being derived from Kree tech, it would make sense for Moonstone to be a possible villain in a Captain Marvel sequel.

Doomsday Man

Nope, not Doomsday—that’s a DC/Superman bad guy. Doomsday Man was actually created first, as a villain for the Silver Surfer. An giant artificial life form, The U.S. Military created the Doomsday Man for supposedly for deep space exploration, but once they realized what they’d created and how dangerous it was, they tried to shut it down. But it was too late, as Doomsday Man began to think on its own and started to wreak havoc.

Although defeated by the Surfer, he later came into the control of the terrorist group A.I.M., who used it against Ms. Marvel. When she defeated it, Doomsday Man then came after the entire Avengers just because she was a member on the team. He might need a redesign (his face is kinda silly) but who doesn’t want to see Carol fight a giant robot in Captain Marvel 2?

Images: Marvel Comics

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Captain Marvel had its first public screening last night, and Twitter is ablaze with reactions! Jessica rounds up the choicest spoiler-free comments in today’s Nerdist News!

The post First Spoiler-Free Reactions to Captain Marvel! appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve been waiting more than a decade for the first female-driven Marvel film to hit screens, and the time is finally here! Critics were treated to a first look at Captain Marvel tonight, and it looks like we were right to be excited about this one: The reactions are glowing, with plenty of praise for the film’s stars, soundtrack, and effects.

Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who’s turned into one of the galaxy’s mightiest heroes. After the Los Angeles preview screening, critics flocked to Twitter to praise Larson’s history-making turn as the first solo female action hero to headline a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

#CaptainMarvel is pure joy. I cannot wait for the generation of little girls who will grow up with Carol Danvers as a hero.

— Devan Coggan (@devancoggan) February 20, 2019

Captain Marvel is everything that I hoped it would be. It feels completely unlike any other Marvel film. A unique and fresh take on an origin story that feels new. Brie Larson is fantastic as Carol Danvers. This is one of my favorite Marvel movies of all time. #CaptainMarvel pic.twitter.com/0ou7HU93MY

— Scott Menzel (@TheOtherScottM) February 20, 2019

YASSSS wow, do dudes feel this good after action movies all the time?! #CaptainMarvel #reaction pic.twitter.com/yhWWDaPc8H

— Markeia McCarty (@markeiamccarty) February 20, 2019

There’s an earnestness to #CaptainMarvel that feels different than other MCU films. I got chills watching Carol Danvers get back up over & over & over again.

— Anna Klassen (@AnnaJKlassen) February 20, 2019

They did it. That was my girl. ‘#HigherFurtherFaster, baby.’

— Amy Dallen (@enthusiamy) February 20, 2019

But it sounds like Brie isn’t the only cast member who excels in the film. Ben Mendelsohn, who plays the villainous Talos, and Carol’s pet cat Goose are also major highlights.

The future of the MCU gets even brighter adding #CaptainMarvel to the mix. Really fell for @brielarson’s sass, strength & energy in the role. Same with @LashanaLynch too! Ben Mendelsohn is A+ casting as Talos. And yes, Goose is a scene stealer. 2nd viewing can’t come soon enough.

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) February 20, 2019

#CaptainMarvel is a great origin story. Brie’s buddy cop chemistry with @SamuelLJackson is so much fun and her relationship with Lashana Lynch is the real heart of it. Ben Mendelsohn and the cat both steal the show.

— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) February 20, 2019

My kingdom for a Nick Fury & Goose buddy comedy #CaptainMarvel

— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) February 20, 2019

CAPTAIN MARVEL isn’t what I expected based on marketing. It’s pretty much an “all in” cosmic space movie. Also, it’s a lot weirder than I expected. Ben Mendelsohn is awesome as Talos.

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) February 20, 2019

#CaptainMarvel was my ultimate 90s nerd girl fever dream + a cat. ?? ? ✈️ Ben Mendelssohn gives Samuel L Jackson a run for his scene-stealer $$$. But it’s ultimately cool AF to see @brielarson harness the power of being “just a girl” ? pic.twitter.com/bFHUwa3Gb8

— Angelique Jackson (@angelique814) February 20, 2019

Others were hyped on the film’s ’90s nostalgia, with what sounds like a totally rad soundtrack.

#CaptainMarvel is (takes deep 90s breath) TOTALLY AWESOME. Never related to a Marvel character quite like Carol. She’s the stubborn witty 90s kid I like to think I am. pic.twitter.com/H6Q9s90KHA

— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan) February 20, 2019

#CaptainMarvel⁠ ⁠ is very fun. And I am thrilled to announce Brie Larson wears my EXACT SAME NINE INCH NAILS tee for more than half the film. Seriously. I’ve never seen anyone else with this shirt.

— Anna Klassen (@AnnaJKlassen) February 20, 2019

Some initial #CaptainMarvel reactions:

1. Cat people will love this movie.
2. Several truly magnificent music moments for this 90s kid.
3. Carol’s hero moment was very cathartic/true to the female experience, imho.
4. The MCU feels more complete now that Carol is in it. ♥️

— Kayti Burt (@kaytiburt) February 20, 2019

And not wacky weird like the GOTG movies. Think more “Rey snapping into endless mirrors” from The Last Jedi type scenes. Also, finally, the MCU and a Nirvana song come together (as Kurt Cobain wanted)

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) February 20, 2019

And, because this is a Marvel movie, it looks like we can expect some surprises.

Captain Marvel is a blast! Has some cool surprises that I definitely didn’t see coming, and the mystery/origin it weaves is engaging and fun. Brie Larson is awesome, and makes a fantastic first step into the MCU #CaptainMarvel pic.twitter.com/oqrRtgDQrp

— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) February 20, 2019

Lots of fun Easter eggs in #CaptainMarvel that link it to the history and other films in the MCU. Watch closely.

— Anna Klassen (@AnnaJKlassen) February 20, 2019

Suffice it to say, we are utterly thrilled to see what the buzz is all about when Captain Marvel soars into theaters March 8.

Images: Disney, Marvel

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