At this point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s an inevitable element of predictability to each new movie. Such is the lot of the cohesive film franchise that, 15 entries in, it’s possible to anticipate with some degree of certainty the direction in which new instalments will likely head. The trick for the creative personnel involved is to balance that predictability with enough surprises to keep audiences interested – and, thankfully, this is something at which Marvel is highly skilled. So, the new synopses for Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and Avengers: Infinity War make for intriguing reading because – to varying degrees – they each confirm the expected, while hinting at twists and revelations.
The information comes from License! Global Magazine, and was shared on Twitter by Rochi Shion. There’s much to unpack, so let’s take a look at each synopsis in order of movie release date.
Thor: Ragnarok – “Thor’s world is about to explode in Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok. His devious brother, Loki, has taken over Asgard, the powerful Hela has emerged to steal the throne for herself, and Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe. To escape captivity and save his home from imminent destruction, Thor must first win a deadly alien contest by defeating his former ally and fellow Avenger… The Incredible Hulk!”
Releasing on November 3rd, 2017, Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi – and an excellent trailer has already been released. In it, we see Thor being held captive and also engaging in a confrontation with Hela, played by Cate Blanchett. We also see Thor having to fight Hulk in a gladiatorial setting, before the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) and Loki.
This is where the new synopsis is interesting. Loki has seized the Asgardian throne, but in the trailer, he’s seen to be apparently in cahoots with the Grandmaster. Does this mean that Loki is forced to seek the help of imprisoned Thor, because he’s being challenged by Hela back at home? If so, could it be the case that Loki’s presence in the Grandmaster’s royal box is to negotiate his brother’s release? In which case, the ‘main event’ fight might be part of his release deal.
Next, there is Black Panther, which is one of the most highly anticipated films scheduled for the MCU.
Black Panther – “After the events of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challeneged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with CIA agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakandan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.”
Black Panther is due to head to cinemas on February 16th, 2018 – directed by Ryan Coogler. We already knew, from the circumstances of his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, that Black Panther would revolve around the return of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) to Wakanda, and his early days as that country’s leader. From the casting of Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, we could also surmise that the story would broadly reference that Black Panther enemy’s attempt to stage a coup in Wakanda. The mystery generated by this new synopsis surrounds the mention of “two foes,” however – and there is more than one possibility to consider.
Firstly, we know that the Dora Milaje will play a significant role in the movie and that – in addition to Danai Gurira playing the role of Okoye – Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o will play Nakia. This character is prominent in the source material as a Dora Milaje who becomes an ally of the villainous Erik Killmonger – eventually taking the mantle of supervillain Malice.
Secondly, we know that Winston Duke has been cast as M’Baku – also known as Man-Ape. This is another enemy of Black Panther, who’s also been known to team up with Malice against him in the comic books. The relationships between all of these characters is complex and filled with dramatic potential, but this new synopsis raises questions. Which of these comic book supervillains will be the second “foe” in Black Panther, and will the story be paced in such a way that it leaves room for the other enemy to flourish in a sequel?
Finally, there is Avengers: Infinity War.
Avengers: Infinity War – “As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will upon all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.”
This is perhaps the most predictable of the upcoming MCU movies – simply by virtue of it being a ‘team-up’ chapter and the culmination of the entire franchise thus far. We already knew that Thanos would be the main villain, and the emphasis on the Infinity Stones is right there in the title. As with all the ‘team-up’ Marvel films, the anticipation lies in the interactions between these iconic characters, and the impact each of them has on the action.
The draw here is the fact that the Guardians Of The Galaxy will appear alongside the Avengers for the first time, giving scope for some new relationship dynamics, and some new tensions. The film is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, and arrives in theatres on May 4th, 2018.
Whether it this epic team-up, Thor: Ragnarok, or Black Panther that tops your ‘most anticipated Marvel movie’ list, it cannot be denied that the future looks good for comic book movie fans.