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  • Watch the Marvel Movies in Story Order

    Watch the Marvel Movies in Story Order

    Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe. Photo: Marvels Studio.
    Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe. Photo: Marvels Studio.

    It’s fair to say that the Marvel movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, have reached “cultural event” status.  And there’s a strong case to be made that the MCU is a currently a pop culture juggernaut, the likes of which we haven’t since the original ‘Star Wars‘ trilogy hit theaters for the first time.

    Now the MCU saga is continuing on TV, starting with ‘WandaVision‘ and continuing  with ‘Loki,’ ‘The Falcon and the Winter Solider,’ ‘Ms. Marvel,’ ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,’ ‘Hawkeye,’ ‘Moon Knight,’ ‘Secret Invasion‘, ‘Echo‘, ‘Agatha All Along‘, and ‘Daredevil: Born Again‘.

    Not to mention the new “Special Presentation” movies that Marvel has debuted on Disney+ including ‘Werewolf by Night‘ and ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’

    It is a great time to watch the Marvel movies in order now and you can watch them all on Disney Plus in 4K format. You can even plan virtual Marvel movie nights with your friends using Disney+ GroupWatch feature.


    Captain America: The First Avenger

    (L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in 'Captain America: The First Avenger'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.

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    Captain Marvel

    The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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    Iron Man

    After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.

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    The Incredible Hulk

    Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.

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    Iron Man 2

    With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.

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    Thor

    Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

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    The Avengers

    When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!

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    Iron Man 3

    When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.

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    Thor: The Dark World

    Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

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    Captain America: The Winter Soldier

    (L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.

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    Guardians of the Galaxy

    Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.

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    Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2

    The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) true parentage.

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    Avengers: Age of Ultron

    When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

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    Ant-Man

    Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

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    Captain America: Civil War

    Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.

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    Black Widow

    Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

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    Spider-Man: Homecoming

    Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.

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    Black Panther

    Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther in 2018's 'Black Panther.'
    Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’

    King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) 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 challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.

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    Doctor Strange

    After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.

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    Thor: Ragnarok

    Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).

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    Ant-Man and the Wasp

    Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.

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    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 (Josh Brolin). 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 on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.

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    Avengers: Endgame

    After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

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    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

    Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).

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    Spider-Man: Far From Home

    Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.

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    Spider-Man: No Way Home

    Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.' Photo: Marvel Studios.
    Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.

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    Eternals

    The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.

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    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

    Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.

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    Thor: Love and Thunder

    After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

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    Werewolf by Night

    On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.

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    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

    Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

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    The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

    On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.

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    Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

    Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

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    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    (L to R) Kathryn Newton as Cassandra "Cassie" Lang and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2022 Marvel.
    (L to R) Kathryn Newton as Cassandra “Cassie” Lang and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Marvel Studios’ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.’ Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2022 Marvel.

    Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).

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    The Marvels

    (L to R) Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios' 'The Marvels.' Photo by Laura Radford. © 2023 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Marvels.’ Photo by Laura Radford. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), 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 (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.

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    Captain America: Brave New World

    Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios' 'Captain America: Brave New World'. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.
    Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ ‘Captain America: Brave New World’. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.

    After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

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    Thunderbolts*’

    (L to R) Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Bob (Lewis Pullman), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)in Marvel Studios' 'Thunderbolts*'. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2025 Marvel.
    (L to R) Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Bob (Lewis Pullman), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thunderbolts*’. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2025 Marvel.

    After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

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    The Fantastic Four: First Steps

    (L to R) Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Fantastic Four: First Steps'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 Marvel.
    (L to R) Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 Marvel.

    Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).

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    Deadpool & Wolverine

    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Wesley Snipes, Channing Tatum, Dafne Keen, Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Garner in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Wesley Snipes, Channing Tatum, Dafne Keen, Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Garner in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ delivers the ultimate, iconic, cinematic team-up throw-down on July 26.

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    Check out our post where we also ranked all of the Marvel movies from worst to best.

  • TV Review: ‘Murderbot’

    Alexander Skarsgård in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Alexander Skarsgård in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    ‘Murderbot’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

    Arriving on Apple TV+ on May 16th with its first two episodes (then one episode weekly through July 11th, ‘Murderbot’ has Alexander Skarsgård playing a socially awkward security cyborg that has broken free of its programming, only to end up having to protect a new group of humans it can barely understand, much less tolerate… All the while wishing it could just be binge-watching awful TV shows.

    The new sci-fi satire series comes from filmmakers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz and also stars Noma Dumezweni, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Tamara Podemski.

    Related Article: ‘Murderbot’ Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

    Initial Thoughts

    Alexander Skarsgård in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Alexander Skarsgård in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    Adapted from Martha Wells’ 2017 novella ‘All Systems Red,’ ‘Murderbot’ marks the latest attempt by Apple TV+ to turn a much-praised sci-fi story into a series, following the likes of ‘Foundation’ and ‘Silo.’

    Unlike those two more serious chunks of speculative fiction however, ‘Murderbot’ takes a much lighter tone, pitched more along the lines of Douglas Adams’ work, focusing as it does on a creation that comments on the follies of humanity even as it is forced to serve it.

    Script and Direction

    (L to R) 'Murderbot' creators Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz.
    (L to R) ‘Murderbot’ creators Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz.

    With the Weitz brothers in overall charge of the show (they developed the story for television and run the series as a whole, writing every episode), this was never going to be a straightforward science fiction series.

    They’ve certainly found a rich vein of humor, with the title character an endless avenue of sarcastic, socially maladapted (think more Sheldon Cooper than RoboCop) droid who has somehow managed to break his own programming and, following a violent incident at a mining colony, is memory-wiped and rented to a group of free-thinking scientists and explorers charting a distant planet.

    Primarily, this is a character study (partly because Wells’ source material books are themselves more focused in that direction) and the plot engine running underneath is a slim one, largely reliant on some expected conspiracy tropes and political commentary.

    But that is less of an issue here, because the main character is so memorable and adaptable, and has more of a story arc than any of the fleshier people he spends time with.

    Alexander Skarsgård in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Alexander Skarsgård in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    Part of that has to do with the Weitz’ brothers scripts, which offer plenty of chances for our anti-hero to bemoan his existence (one or two moments do feel like the voice-over becomes repetitive) and when action does break out, it’s decently handled.

    One other problem is that book readers will have their own version of Murderbot sitting in their head, and the show’s interpretation may not always mesh with that. Yet the character still works.

    The showrunners also direct a couple of episodes, with Toa Fraser and Roseanne Liang taking the others. On a purely visual level, ‘Murderbot’ is decent, with a clearly decent budget if not perhaps that on the level of its Apple brethren.

    It can be a little washed out and bland at times, but the performances make up for that, even if half of the show appears to be shot in the sort of quarry or local landscape that people used to make fun of genre institution ‘Doctor Who’ for. Better realized (and very silly) are the fictional, often melodramatic TV series that Murderbot loves to watch.

    And there’s the distinct impression that the original intent might have been a movie, the story then split into episodes of mostly less than 30 minutes, meaning some episodes tell their part of it in satisfying fashion while others feel like offcuts expanded into whole shows.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Sabrina Wu, David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni and Tamara Podemski in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Sabrina Wu, David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni and Tamara Podemski in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    The clear MVP of ‘Murderbot’ is the title character himself, brought memorably and never mechanically (except when the part calls for it) by Alexander Skarsgård. Like his fellow acting family members, he certainly throws himself into different sorts of roles, and the offbeat droid here certainly plays to his strengths.

    Whether he’s unnerved by the idea of having to maintain eye contact or bemoaning that an invasive command gadget is trying to overwrite his programming, Skarsgård commits, and manages both the witty voice-over and unwilling interactions with the humans around him perfectly.

    David Dastmalchian in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    David Dastmalchian in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    Of those humans, David Dastmalchian (as augmented specialist Gurathin) and Noma Dumezweni (as the group’s empathetic and skilled nominal leader Mensah) make the most impact, Dastmalchian deploying a nice line in sarcasm himself as he worries that the “SecUnit” (Murderbot’s official designation) might just get them all killed.

    Dumezweni, meanwhile, bonds with her new security droid, and the dynamic is a warm, welcome one (at least on her end).

    Among the rest of the cast, Sabrina Wu shines as conflicted fellow scientist Pin-Lee, and the TV shows that Murderbot has in his memory allow for funny cameos from the likes of John Cho, Clark Gregg and Jack McBrayer.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Tamara Podemski, David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni, Sabrina Wu, Tattiawna Jones and Akshay Khanna in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Tamara Podemski, David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni, Sabrina Wu, Tattiawna Jones and Akshay Khanna in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    ‘Murderbot’ finds its own gear, but can still stand happily alongside the other sci-fi shows that have found a home on Apple’s streaming service. And there’s some measure of amused irony about a show where the gadget people rely on could end up doing them more harm than good being produced by the company behind the iPhone…

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    What is the plot of ‘Murderbot’?

    A partly biological security cyborg that privately calls itself Murderbot must hide its ability for free thought whilst completing dangerous assignments and is simultaneously drawn to humans and appalled at their weakness.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Murderbot’?

    • Alexander Skarsgård as Murderbot
    • David Dastmalchian as Gurathin
    • Noma Dumezweni as Mensah
    • Sabrina Wu as Pin-Lee
    • Tattiawna Jones as Arada
    • Akshay Khanna as Ratthi
    • Tamara Podemski as Bharadwaj
    Alexander Skarsgård in 'Murderbot,' premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Alexander Skarsgård in ‘Murderbot,’ premiering May 16, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    List of Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Alexander Skarsgård Movies on Amazon

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  • First Images of Robert De Niro in TV Thriller ‘Zero Day’

    Robert De Niro as George Mullen in 'Zero Day'. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.
    Robert De Niro as George Mullen in ‘Zero Day’. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.

    Preview:

    • The first pictures of Robert De Niro in ‘Zero Day’ have arrived.
    • He’s playing a former President who must investigate a cyber-attack.
    • Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim created the show, with Lesli Linka Glatter directing.

    While movie icon Robert De Niro has certainly guested on his fair share of TV series (‘30 Rock,’ ‘Extras’) and more recently had a bigger role in Argentinian miniseries ‘Nada,’ he’s better known for producing a variety of shows.

    But with ‘Zero Day,’ a new Netflix thriller series, he’s stepping up to star in his first Stateside show, agreeing to both lead and serve as an executive producer on the show.

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    Created by Eric Newman (who has produced a metric ton of movies and shows and worked on the likes of ‘Griselda’ and the ‘Narcos’ series for Netflix), Noah Oppenheim (who swapped a career in TV news to work on shows and movies) and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael S. Schmidt, it tracks the aftermath of a devastating attack on the United States, and the man leading the investigation into what was really behind it.

    Lesli Linka Glatter, a veteran of series such as ‘Homeland,’ ‘Mad Men’ and ‘True Blood’ directed all six episodes.

    Here’s what Newman told Netflix’s Tudum sight about the collaboration with the acting legend that is De Niro:

    “As a lifelong fan of American cinema, no actor looms larger for me than Robert De Niro. To have him as a producing partner and star in this show is beyond our wildest dreams. I’m grateful to Netflix for their continued faith and support and thrilled to be in business with the amazing creative team of Noah, Lesli, and Jonathan [Glickman] on this timely (and terrifying) series.”

    Related Article: Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco Talk Comedy ‘About My Father’

    What’s the story of ‘Zero Day’?

    (L to R) McKinley Belcher III as Carl Otieno, Mozhan Navabi as Melissa Kornblau, Robert De Niro as George Mullen, Jesse Plemons as Roger Carlson and Connie Britton as Valerie Whitesell in 'Zero Day'. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.
    (L to R) McKinley Belcher III as Carl Otieno, Mozhan Navabi as Melissa Kornblau, Robert De Niro as George Mullen, Jesse Plemons as Roger Carlson and Connie Britton as Valerie Whitesell in ‘Zero Day’. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.

    The new series follows respected former U.S. President George Mullen (De Niro), who, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is charged with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyber-attack that has caused chaos around the country and thousands of fatalities.

    As disinformation runs rampant and the personal ambition of power brokers in technology, Wall Street, and government collide, Mullen’s unwavering search for the truth forces him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.

    Lest you think he’s just picking up a paycheck on this one, De Niro was, according to Newman, truly involved:

    “De Niro very much became our partner in this process — very hands-on, very involved, read everything at every stage, and it’s been an incredible honor and privilege. You can count on one hand the actors and actresses in history who bring this level of gravitas, pedigree, and talent to their work.”

    Who else appears in ‘Zero Day’?

    Angela Bassett as President Mitchell in 'Zero Day'. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.
    Angela Bassett as President Mitchell in ‘Zero Day’. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.

    The rest of the cast are as follows…

    Angela Bassett is President Evelyn Mitchell, the current president of the United States. Mitchell is a brilliant and perceptive political tactician who hires Mullen to take on an unprecedented role in American history.

    Jesse Plemons is Roger Carlson, George Mullen’s former aide. Roger is now a trusted fixer and an unabashed hustler who’s seeking a return to the national stage alongside Mullen.

    Lizzy Caplan is Alexandra Mullen, a young congresswoman from New York who’s worked hard to distance herself from her father’s political legacy and establish herself in her own right.

    Lizzy Caplan as Alexandra Mullen in 'Zero Day'. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.
    Lizzy Caplan as Alexandra Mullen in ‘Zero Day’. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.

    Connie Britton is Valerie Whitesell, a savvy, intelligent political operative and Mullen’s former chief of staff who returns to public life to oversee Mullen’s new role back in the spotlight.

    Joan Allen is Sheila Mullen, former first lady and nominee to the federal bench. Elegant and always poised, Sheila is a supportive and present wife and mother with strong professional ambitions of her own — and she’s nobody’s fool.

    Matthew Modine is Richard Dreyer, a confident, colorful public figure. As the speaker of the house, he’s an adept politician.

    Bill Camp is CIA Director Jeremy Lasch, the ultimate insider who seems to know everyone’s secret. He can either be a dangerous enemy or a valuable friend to Mullen and everyone in his circle.

    Dan Stevens as Evan Green in 'Zero Day'. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.
    Dan Stevens as Evan Green in ‘Zero Day’. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.

    Dan Stevens is Evan Green, the charismatic, calculating, and divisive host of a wildly popular political TV show who becomes a thorn in George Mullen’s side as his loudest critic and chief public antagonist.

    Gaby Hoffmann is Monica Kidder, a controversial Silicon Valley billionaire whose brilliant vision and technological domination has the power to help or hinder Mullen’s investigation.

    Clark Gregg is Robert Lyndon, a corporate raider, provocateur, and billionaire who has mastered the dark arts of political manipulation.

    Mark Ivanir is Natan, an intelligence operative and Mullen confidant from an era when intelligence — and trust — still mattered.

    When will ‘Zero Day’ be on screens?

    Netflix will launch all six hour-long episodes of the show on February 20th next year.

    (L to R) Robert De Niro as George Mullen and Angela Bassett as President Mitchell in 'Zero Day'. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.
    (L to R) Robert De Niro as George Mullen and Angela Bassett as President Mitchell in ‘Zero Day’. Photo: Courtesy of Jojo Whilden/Netflix © 2024.

    List of Robert De Niro Movies:

    Buy Robert De Niro Movies On Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Thelma’

    June Squibb and Fred Hechinger in 'Thelma', a Magnolia Pictures release.
    (L to R) June Squibb and Fred Hechinger in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Arriving in theaters on Friday June 21st, ‘Thelma’ is combines fun action moments, a winning star turn from June Squibb and some knowing talk about the vagaries of aging, all wrapped up in a confident, humorous tale.

    Not to be confused with the 2017 European movie about a psychokinetic young woman, this ‘Thelma’ is instead more like a cross between a ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie and ‘The Straight Story’, about an aging person on a quest.

    Related Article: Richard Roundtree, Best Known for Playing the Lead in ‘Shaft’, Has Died at the Age of 81

    Is ‘Thelma’ a Possible Mission?

    Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in 'Thelma', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
    (L to R) Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    A crowd-pleasing hit out of the Sundance Film Festival, ‘Thelma’ is a movie that works on various different levels, to differing levels of success. But the whole is more than the sum of its parts, and this makes for a refreshing take on action comedy blended with honest emotion and observation.

    And if you’ve ever wondered whether Tom Cruise might still be looking to do the sort of stunts for which he’s become famous via the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise (a direct influence here, referenced early on) in his later years, June Squibb provides the answer. Admittedly, she’s not jumping motorbikes off cliffs or hanging from planes as they take off, her stunts more limited to some nifty scooter driving, a gentle roll across a bed or hilarious moments wielding a gun, but she certainly gives it her all to a degree that Cruise would surely offer a thumbs up to.

    Script and Direction

    'Thelma' director Josh Margolin.
    ‘Thelma’ director Josh Margolin. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Writer/director Josh Margolin infuses real emotion and truth into his story since it is partly based on his interactions with his own grandmother (also named Thelma and glimpsed in real-life video during the end credits).

    It all powers a story that feels real while also making for a truly entertaining experience. Margolin’s screenplay also works like a finely-crafted watch, setting up concepts that pay off perfectly down the line –– a subtle reference to a class at Ben’s (Richard Roundtree) retirement community that ends up paying off, and a literal example of the Chekhov’s gun idea (even if it ends up going off long before the final act).

    Margolin has also concocted truly watchable characters, the role of Thelma herself a gift for any actor, but perfectly tailored to Squibb’s particular vibe. Don’t go into the movie expecting a pulse-pounding thriller, this is much more a deliberate, quietly-paced comedy drama with a keen eye for small details that add up and creative a convincing world.

    Beyond the driving –– literally in several moments –– central plot of an elderly woman looking to get her money back after she falls victim to a scam, there are carefully observed touches such as Thelma constantly thinking she knows people around town, being befuddled by modern technology and dealing with her anxious family.

    Yet there is no mockery of those at a later stage of life: while she’s introduced trying to get to grips with the confusing world of a computer, Thelma and her fellow pensioners are portrayed as smart, fearless and using the valuable experience gathered in a lifetime to solve problems, including the smart use of a lifeline emergency tracking gadget to evade discovery and real tenacity in the face of danger.

    The resulting film is a real delight, shot unfussily but with real style in a few places, happily spoofing some action movie angles, and, in one pyrotechnic moment, the whole concept of lead actors walking away from an explosion without looking back (in this case, also not being able to hear it). Margolin lets his actors do their jobs without needing to jazz up the frame.

    Performances

    Parker Posey, Fred Hechinger and Clark Gregg in 'Thelma', a Magnolia Pictures release.
    (L to R) Parker Posey, Fred Hechinger and Clark Gregg in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    This is most definitely June Squibb’s film. The actor, who was 93 when she shot the movie, fully engages with the fact that this is her first leading role in a movie. And on the evidence of this (and, let’s be honest, performances in movies such as ‘Nebraska’), it was long, long overdue.

    Squibb brings Thelma to life perfectly, channeling Margolin’s script and working to bring the character to the screens in believably fun ways. And her interactions with the rest of the cast are just as memorable.

    Richard Roundtree –– the man who was Shaft back in the day –– is warm and involving as Thelma’s slightly estranged friend Ben, who she ropes into her mission mostly because she needs his motorized scooter. Roundtree, in his final performance, has easy chemistry with Squibb and the pair play well off of each other.

    Fred Hechinger is also solid as her grandson Danny, a young man still searching for his place in life, who is fresh off a breakup and can’t seem to find the right gear (unless he’s driving). Hechninger has a fun vibe with Squibb, and also his own arc.

    While Parker Posey and Clark Gregg don’t have the same screentime, and the nervy family subplot doesn’t always offer the same compelling reason to watch, they’re always entertaining and put their all into the roles.

    Final Thoughts

    Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in 'Thelma', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
    (L to R) Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    A truly original film that deserves to see success, ‘Thelma’ is well-written and superbly performed.

    Action stars rarely see awards love, and even given the mid-year release, we wouldn’t be surprised if Squibb in particular ends up in the Oscar conversation for a nomination at the very least.

    ‘Thelma’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the story of ‘Thelma’?

    The action comedy follows Thelma Post (June Squibb), a feisty 93-year-old grandmother who gets conned by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger) and sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles, accompanied by aging friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) and his motorized scooter, to reclaim what was taken from her.

    Who else is in ‘Thelma’?

    The cast also features Parker Posey as Thelma’s daughter Gail, Clark Gregg as son-in-law Alan, and Malcolm McDowell as Harvey, the scammer she ultimately confronts.

    Theatrical one-sheet for 'Thelma', a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
    Theatrical one-sheet for ‘Thelma’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

    Other June Squibb Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy June Squibb Movies on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Being the Ricardos’

    Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in 'Being the Ricardos'
    Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in ‘Being the Ricardos’

    Currently, in theaters, before streaming on Amazon Prime December 21st, is the biopic ‘Being the Ricardos,’ which was written and directed by Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin (‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’). The film follows the working and personal lives of legendary television pioneers Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, as the married couple try to produce their hit show ‘I Love Lucy’ the same week Ball is accused of being a communist during the height of the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.

    The movie boasts a stellar cast of actors that includes Oscar-winners Nicole Kidman (‘The Hours”) as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem (‘No Country for Old Men’) as Desi Arnaz, respectively, as well as Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons (‘Whiplash’), Nina Arianda (‘Stan & Ollie’), Tony Hale (‘Toy Story 4’), Alia Shawkat (‘The Runaways’), and Clark Gregg (‘Avengers’). The result is a brilliant, moving and entertaining movie that illuminates Ball and Arnaz’s groundbreaking work and difficult marriage, while featuring Oscar worthy performances from Kidman, Bardem, and Simmons.

    The film begins like a documentary with several interviews from former ‘I Love Lucy’ writers, now in their 80s, narrating the story, which then cuts to the set of the series in the 1950s and focuses on a specific week in history. As the movie begins, ‘I Love Lucy’ is the most popular show on television and Lucy and Desi have become the biggest stars in Hollywood. But trouble begins when it is reported on the radio that Lucy is a former member of the communist party, which happens at the height of both her fame and McCarthyism. Fearing that it is true, the heads of the network and the advertisers meet with Desi, who assures them it was just a mistake, and that Lucy simply checked the wrong box. But Lucy would rather have the country know the truth, that she was influenced by an Uncle, rather than think she made a “ditzy” mistake.

    Meanwhile, Lucy is also dealing with her new-found fame, Desi’s adulteress behavior and being pregnant, which also threatens the future of the show. Understandably stressed out, Lucy focuses on work, taking time to make sure everything on the show is done right, which begins to anger the director, writers, and other cast members. Lucy’s co-star, Vivian Vance (Arianda) is battling her own demons playing the “frumpy friend” on the series, fighting to have her character appear “prettier” on the show. While Lucy’s other co-star, William Frawley (Simmons) has a hard time staying sober through the day, he also hates communists but sympathizes with Ball instead of condemning her. The story culminates with the production of that week’s episode and Lucy discovering if America will still love her or not when they discover the truth. The film also flashes back periodically to important moments from Ball and Arnaz’s lives, including how they met and fell in love, and what led to their career resurgence and the creation of ‘I Love Lucy.’

    I’ve been a fan of Aaron Sorkin for a long time. The first play I ever read was ‘A Few Good Men,’ and I was a huge fan of ‘The West Wing.’ While he did not direct them, I love many of the movies that have been made from his screenplays, including ‘Charlie Wilson’s War,’ ‘Moneyball,’ ‘Steve Jobs,’ and ‘The Social Network,’ for which he won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. However, his first directorial effort, 2017’s ‘Molly’s Game’ didn’t work for me. The dialogue and characters were great, but cinematically I was not impressed. That changed with last year’s ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7,’ which was visually stunning but still had the weight of strong characters and fascinating dialogue.

    But ‘Being the Ricardos’ is Sorkin’s best work yet as a director, creating an almost flawless movie that seemingly jumps time periods without ever losing the audience or the themes of the story. The writer/director also hits on many themes from the 1950s that still resonate today, like political fear and women’s rights, through the lens of Ball’s unusual predicament. I expect the film is in the running to receive Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nominations, and maybe even a Best Director nomination for Sorkin too, at the 2022 Academy Awards.

    The supporting cast is terrific with a lot of familiar TV faces to recognize including ‘Arrested Development’s Tony Hale and Alia Shawkat, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Clark Gregg, and even ‘Alice’s Linda Lavin as the older version of writer Madelyn Pugh. While she will probably get left out of this year’s Oscar race, actress Nina Arianda should definitely not be! She gives a tremendous supporting performance as Vivian Vance and brings a lot of humanity and vulnerability to the role. But I’m really hoping J.K. Simmonds will get an Oscar nomination this year for his role as William Frawley. You think that the usually drunk and crusty Frawley is going to be an antagonist to Ball in the beginning, but he becomes one of her strongest supporters thanks to a beautiful and earnest performance from Simmons.

    But there is no doubt in my mind that Kidman and Bardem will receive Oscar nominations for their performances in ‘Being the Ricardos’ this year. Bardem will have a tough time winning, since this is “Will Smith’s year,” but Kidman could very well win her second Academy Award for this performance, but she will have to beat front-runner Kristen Stewart first. Bardem is absolutely mesmerizing as Desi Arnaz and gives one of the most multifaceted performances of his career, both singing and dancing as the charismatic performer. I can’t say I’ve always been a Nicole Kidman fan, but she was nothing short of incredible as Lucille Ball. She was so good that there were times I actually forgot I was watching Kidman and thought it was Ball, and that’s probably the best compliment you can give an actor that is portraying a real person. Kidman perfectly captures the drive, confidence and determination it took for Ball to become the legend she is, and has wonderful onscreen chemistry with Bardem.

    In the end, ‘Being the Ricardos’ hits a new level for Aaron Sorkin as a filmmaker and is fairly close to a perfect film. It’s entertaining, moving, funny, and tells a true story that still feels relevant today.

    ‘Being the Ricardos’ receives 5 out of 5 stars.

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  • ‘Captain Marvel’ Star Clark Gregg on How He Wants a ‘Riverdale’ Version of Agent Coulson

    ‘Captain Marvel’ Star Clark Gregg on How He Wants a ‘Riverdale’ Version of Agent Coulson

    Marvel Studios

    Clark Gregg has had a fascinating relationship with his Marvel Cinematic Universe character Agent Phil Coulson. The character showed up in the very first MCU movie, “Iron Man,” as sort of a throwaway cameo and a tip of the hat to the very big things the studio had in store. But little by little his cache grew, until in “The Avengers,” he was responsible for the formation of the team (at the expense of his life, unfortunately). From then, things have gotten really unpredictable; the formerly dead agent has been the focal point for a primetime television series called “Agents of SHIELD” (it’s run for more than 100 episodes) and, with this week’s “Captain Marvel,” we get to go back in time and see a young, fresh-faced Agent Coulson as he navigates the organization in the mid-1990s.

    We got to sit down with Gregg and talk about his character’s unexpected journey, including a really tantalizing idea for a “Riverdale”-style spin-off.

    Moviefone: Let’s start at the beginning. You did the original “Iron Man” as a favor to director Jon Favreau, correct?

    Gregg: No it wasn’t a favor. I was wary about it because in the script it was a guy named Agent and he had about six lines, which I still would have done, because I love “Iron Man” and that was an amazing cast. But I think I had just been cut out of something except for like one thing. It was an extraneous storyline.

    What was it?

    I can’t remember that I knew I was traumatized by it because friends of mine were like, “Did I see you in this?” And I went, “Oh this is so humiliating.” When I’m 40. I am 40 and they’re saying to me, “Was that you in that?”

    And I was afraid with that cast that would happen again. So I had a very tiny moment of hesitation before my wife slapped me in the back of the head and said, “You love this stuff. Yeah, go do it. Maybe they won’t cut you out.” And that thing happened that never happens that you always fantasize will happen where they go, “You know, we think we might add some more stuff for your character.”

    And that was during production?

    Yeah.

    And then when did you know that you were coming back for other things?

    Well, I thought it was weird. It was weird because again, even when it was like seven lines or something, they were like, “Would you want to make a three-picture deal?” And I was like, “Oh wow.” And they said, “Let’s just what they’re doing, they’re doing it with everybody, you know, the background is making a three-picture deal.” So I said “okay” but I didn’t think they would actually use it. And then four or five months later they said, “Listen, there’s a couple of scenes in ‘Iron Man 2,’” but I think one of them got cut out. It’s on the DVD. It’s me and Gwyneth during the hearings talking about chili and talking about how Tony Stark is blowing it.

    I kept thinking, Well, that was fun, that was really cool, I love what they’re doing. And then they keep going, “Well, actually I think you’re going to be the one to find Thor’s hammer.” So I got to geek out over and over again.

    Marvel Studios

    And then you’re the catalyst for the Avengers getting together.

    Yes. It was a funny phone call. I had been at Comic Con. I mean funnily after watching the panels at Comic Con, they said, “Actually you’re in the panel this time, in ‘Thor,’ you’re in the panel.” It’s like that’s cool. And I was backstage, I can’t believe I survived any of this. I was backstage waiting to do the panel and then a guy who I knew to be Joss Whedon comes up and goes, “Hey listen, the big surprise is we’re going to introduce the cast of ‘The Avengers’ and I’m writing something really great for you. Will you come on stage with the cast of ‘The Avengers?’”

    At that point I thought it was la Make-A-Wish thing, just nobody had told me I was dying. And then I went out there. A couple of months later they said, “Hey, Joss wasn’t kidding. He really wrote you some great stuff in ‘The Avengers.’” So I was like, “Wow, this is amazing.” And they said, “Yeah, what happens to you is what brings the Avengers together.” And it was, that was the first moment I went, “Oh.”

    So how did Joss tell you?

    That was it. They sent me the script and I was like, “Wow, that’s so glorious.” I don’t think I’m dead, you know. But yeah, I mean, is this real? Do you guys want to shoot an alt version where I’m just wounded by Loki? They were like, “No, no, no.” Here’s what we can offer you. And they came over with an iPad and they showed me the early digital pre-viz of Hulk smashing Loki like a rag doll. I was like, “Well that makes me feel a little bit better.” But it was done. And then I don’t think anyone was prepared for, certainly not me, for the Colson lives [movement]; the hashtag and the global outrage. And I guess it was enough people that they thought, Maybe there’s a TV show here. I think Bob Iger said, “You know, I’ve seen some of these One Shots, why don’t we do a show?” And next thing you know I get a call from Josh and Jeff Loeb saying, “We think you might not be so dead. And here’s the interesting mythology that makes this a cool buy back.”

    And “Agents of SHIELD” connects to “Captain Marvel” in the sense that you were resurrected with Kree technology, right?

    Correct. Kree Technology and blood. There was a Kree body and there are those already who are suspecting it may be someone from this [“Captain Marvel”]. That was originally used as part of a, a super-secret program called the Tahiti project. And they had this in case they needed to resurrect the fallen Avenger. Why Nick Fury chose or ABC chose to use that on poor old Phil Coulson, because apparently it was a miserable experience and then to wipe all those memories because he was so traumatized, remains to be seen. But it became this metaphor for the cost of being brought back and post-traumatic stress. And it became this whole mystery all through the first season that was artful and brilliantly thought out by Joss.

    Yeah, but now, you’re dead again.

    Go figure.

    Do you still enjoy playing the character?

    I do. It’s really fun. If I didn’t, it would suck and I would have found a way to stay dead. But so far I go, “Really? I’m n still not dead?” And then they’re like, “Well listen, here’s our idea. What do you think?” And then tell me what, what the Whedons Jed and Mo now, what they have to say … I’m always kind of like, this is not going to be good. And then I hear it and I go, “Okay, that is too cool. I have to try to do that. That’s insane.”

    Marvel Studios

    So what was your reaction when they said we’re doing, a 90s-set buddy action movie?

    I mean the idea of anything in the 90 sounds cool to me because I knew that I knew that Ryan and Anna would have a bad ass playlist involved and the idea of stripping away the jaded, battered SHIELD agent that Phil Coulson is in season five of “Agents of SHIELD” shield and going back to early days when he’s just man-crushing on Nick Fury and trying to figure out what the hell SHIELD really is, that sounded fun to me.

    Did the technical aspect of it seem daunting?

    I didn’t have to do it. They said, “we’ll get you a trainer” and they said “dude, there is no trainer who can get me back to the 90s.” And they said, “Well, not your face. And there was a really gruesome, I forgot about this … They said, “Can you stop by hair and makeup, they really want to meet you on Captain Marvel?” And I was like, “Okay.” So I go over, cause they’re at Sony and I’m shooting ‘SHIELD’ in Culver Studios about a mile away. And I go over and I walk in the trailer and it’s so funny, they’re like doctors. All of a sudden I had all of them crowd, about three or four different people within six inches of my face going, “Look at that. Okay, but we’re going to do about that.” Looking at my hair like, “Oh that’s not good. What are we going to do about that?” I mean it’s taken me months to recover from what’s happening, right. This is horrible. And they said, “Oh sorry, never mind. We were saying that out loud? No, it’s fine. You look great actually.” I said, “What do you want me to do, do you want me to move into a Botox clinic?” And they said, actually no, they need the wrinkles. Well good then I’ve got some stuff for them to use. And, uh, and then on the day it’s just really black dots on me, white dots on Sam, and we’re just imagining each other younger and fresher.

    Where do you want to see Asian Colson go next?

    I mean, I feel like I would be greedy to say anymore. I’ve already gotten so many periods of his life. You know, I would love the idea of a teenage, kind of “Riverdale” of SHIELD where some younger person got to put in the long hours, and I just came in to be like the voice in “How I Met Your Mother.” 

    “Captain Marvel” is everywhere tonight.

  • More Secrets from the Set of ‘Captain Marvel’

    More Secrets from the Set of ‘Captain Marvel’

    Marvel Studios

    Last year we got a chance to check out the set of the upcoming Marvel film “Captain Marvel,” starring the great Brie Larson. In our final report from the set, here is what directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Gemma Chan, Lashana Lynch, Djimon Hounsou and executive producer Jonathan Schwartz had to say about the first Marvel film to star a female lead.

    Boden and Fleck spoke about the film influences for “Captain Marvel,” comparing it to “RoboCop,” though Boden said that the film isn’t dark. She said, “I think that what is exciting to us about ‘RoboCop’ was this idea of a character who’s finding himself and finding his past and even though it’s a dark movie its also like extremely emotional in that way.” She spoke about the scene in “RoboCop” where the main character walks into his house and remembers his past. She told us that it was all about self-discovery, as Carol Danvers has forgotten her past on Earth now that she’s working for Starforce. Fleck also mentioned films like “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and “The French Connection.” Color us intrigued!

    They also spoke about having writer Kelly Sue DeConnick as part of the process. DeConnick is known for her run of “Captain Marvel” comics and recreating the character in her most recent form. Boden said the two were thrilled to meet her and had read her entire “Captain Marvel” run. She said that many of the references and ideas about Carol Danvers, and the things they pitched to Marvel were influenced by DeConnick. Fleck, who joked that he does what Boden tells him on set spoke about what attracted him to the character. “It was just her voice. It was the humor in her attempts at humor. You know, I think that sometimes she’s funny and sometimes she tries to be funny and it’s just like nice try at that joke and she doesn’t care she just keeps doing it you know.” Hey, who has to be funny when you can push an actual Jeep up a hill!

    Schwartz gave us an overview of what we’re going to see, and with everyone watching the trailers over and over to get a sense of what’s coming, the info is invaluable. He explained that the film starts with Carol already working with Spaceforce and fighting for the side of the Kree in the Kree/Skrull war. Mar-Vell (Jude Law) is in charge of the mission, which doesn’t exactly go well. Carol is captured by the Skrull, and ends up on Earth, crashing through the roof of a Blockbuster Video. We learned that the film is about 50/50 in terms of space scenes and Earth scenes, and that the big Earth plot ties it all together. He also told us that we’re going to see the first meeting between Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). We can only hope for the ultimate Marvel Cinematic Universe meet cute.

    Gemma Chan (who plays Minn-Erva) spoke to us about her character, who is a member of Starforce. She’s also blue, and Chan told us that she spent hours in the makeup chair. We finally got to see her full costume by the end of the set visit’s second day, and you can understand why it took so long. She also said that the costume was less than comfortable, and that doing stunts was challenging, but that she loved it. She also praised the hair and makeup team for their work.

    Chan explained that there is a “slight rivalry between the two characters. I would say that to a certain extent, Minn-Erva doesn’t quite trust Carol but they’re all, as a team, they’re very efficient and they get stuff done.” She continued, “I suppose before Carol joined the team, Minn-Erva was probably kind of the star of this Starforce team, and she was probably the favorite of the commander who is played by Jude Law. So yeah, so I suppose there’s more to do with their abilities rather than affections as such. It’s kind of playful rivalry.”

    While on set we saw a scene where Starforce is getting ready to go out on a mission, and the joking between the characters as they give Carol hell for being overly enthusiastic on their last mission bore that out. We watched them in their green costumes, laying down on slabs and being transported to their next mission.

    In “Captain Marvel” we’re going to see a familiar character or two, from Agent Coulson to Nick Fury. We’re also going to see Korath when he was a member of Starforce. Djimon Hounsou told us that he’s still a “killing machine” like he is in the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” film. He’s younger here, but there isn’t much difference in his personality and sensibility.

    Hounsou talked about the scene we saw and explained, that the mission is, “to retrieve the subject basically. We’re heading on a mission, we’re not back from the mission yet, we don’t know what the mission reserves — what are the attributes around the mission and certainly the issues around the mission.” He explained that the mission was supposed to be “simple.”

    Hounsou also spoke about Korath’s relationship with Carol. He told us, “I feel like Carol is the type of person that takes a joy at taking the piss at me all the time, cause I’m sort of very machine-like, very framed, very driven. The lack of not being so flexible and playful, she takes a piss at that, I think.”

    We asked him about what the film means for him, and he told us that it really mattered to him. He said, “Well the thrill for me this time around is not even so much about this film, other than the fact that it’s great to be part of this one, but I think the one that really leverage all films for me, it’s ‘Black Panther.’ In a way that I’ve never heard in my own country, championing our kids, going to movies. Parents are even putting money on the side for them to just get that one ticket to go and see a movie like that.”

    Marvel Studios

    Lashana Lynch plays Maria Rambeau, mother of Monica Rambeau, whom comic book fans know and love (for a time Monica was Captain Marvel). Lynch explained who Maria is, saying, “She is a fighter pilot, very strong, very bold, very in control of herself. I’d say, in high demand with the industry that she’s in.” She told us that Rambeau and Danvers are best friends and she’s been dealing with the grieving process of losing her. When she shows up again, Maria has to, “reverse that grief and make it work for this, picking up of a friendship, which is kind of strange but ends up really beautifully.” Lynch expressed joy in the fact that she got to bring a lot of personality to her character because she wasn’t completely fleshed out.

    Lynch also spoke about what a film like this means for her. She explained that having black superheroes in “Black Panther” meant a lot to her, and to kids who are finally seeing themselves on screen. She compared that to the role of Maria, saying, “in creating Maria, it made me realize that the younger generation, are going to have what I didn’t have as a kid, which is seeing themselves on screen. So this will be a classic film for the new generations to come, which is crazy. And also the new normal, which I can’t wait to be.”

    She also explained the dynamic between Maria and Carol. “They have a very dry humor together,” she said. “They’re kind of… you know when you love someone and you pretend like you hate them? They have that little bit of a slightly unlikely boisterous, yet very loving, deeply loving, caring sister love. They have a sisterhood about them that is really nice to see in a Marvel movie. Carol Danvers is someone who is an aunt to my child, like she is family and that’s why her death take such a big effect on her life because she actually is her life. They’re in a male-orientated environment and industry, and all they have is each other, those female fighter pilots.”

    Captain Marvel zooms into theaters on March 8.

  • 14 Things You Never Knew About ‘Iron Man’

    It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since “Iron Man” first hit theaters.

    That blockbuster birthed an entire cinematic universe and paved the way for countless other Marvel characters to make their way to the big screen. To celebrate that anniversary (and the impending debut of “Avengers: Infinity War”), here are 14 interesting facts you might not know about “Iron Man.”

    1. “Iron Man” was trapped in development hell for nearly two decades before finally seeing the light of day. The film rights passed from Universal to Fox to New Line before ultimately reverting back to Marvel.

    2. Quentin Tarantino was approached to direct “Iron Man” in 1999. Other potential directors included Joss Whedon and Nick Cassavetes.MOMA Quentin Tarantino Tribute3. An early draft of the screenplay positioned Tony’s own father Howard as the main villain, with Howard becoming War Machine in the film’s climax.

    4. Another early script featured a connection to Sam Raimi‘s “Spider-Man” trilogy, with Tony being revealed as the inventor of Doctor Octopus’ robotic tentacles.5. Sam Rockwell was another top contender for the role of Tony Stark. While Robert Downey, Jr. eventually won the part, director Jon Favreau turned to Rockwell again to play Justin Hammer in “Iron Man 2.”

    6.A Christmas Story” star Peter Billingsley was one of the producers on “Iron Man.” He also has a small cameo role in the film as a scientist being yelled at by Obadiah Stane.7. Paul Bettany took on the role of J.A.R.V.I.S. as a favor to director Jon Favreau, and recorded all of his lines in about two hours. At the time, he wasn’t aware of what film he was working on.

    8. J.A.R.V.I.S., in the comics, stands for “Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.” Fans of the TV series “Marvel’s Agent Carter” would come to learn that the Stark family had an actual human butler named Jarvis.9. Filming began before the script was completed, and much of the dialogue was improvised on-set, often to the chagrin of studio executives.

    10. One scene features Stane playing a piano piece by composer Antonio Salieri, whose rivalry with Mozart was made famous in the film “Amadeus.” That musical choice was meant to subtly foreshadow Stane’s betrayal of Tony.

    11. Clark Gregg‘s Agent Coulson proved to be one of the breakout characters in “Iron Man,” but originally the character had a much smaller role. At first he didn’t even have a name — just “Agent.”

    12. Near the end of the film, Tony can be seen reading a newspaper with a grainy photo of his Iron Man armor on the front page. That photo is actually taken from real-life paparazzi footage shot during production.

    13. The three armors in the film were built by the legendary Stan Winston Studios. “Iron Man” proved to be the final film Winston worked on before his death in 2008.14. The post-credits scene featuring Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury was removed from preview cuts of the film in order to preserve the surprise.

  • ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’: Clark Gregg Is ‘Nervous Just Talking About’ a Coulson & May Romance

    Clark Gregg and Ming-Na Wen in Marvel's AGENTS OF SHIELDIt’s looking like the action may about to get even hotter for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s” perpetually under-fire operative Phil Coulson — or make that steamier.

    Coulson and his longtime colleague and increasingly close friend Melinda May have, of course, been through a multitude of Marvel Cinematic Universe wringers over three and half seasons, and in recent weeks it looks like the two espionage veterans may be inching closer to pushing their relationship beyond its professional boundaries.

    It’s a dicey proposition for the heroic agents, not to mention the show — despite a very vocal fan contingent that’s long been rooting for a Coulson-May hookup; as the show launches its new midseason “LMD” storyline on Jan. 10, even star Clark Gregg admits to Moviefone that he’s feeling his own set of stomach-fluttering butterflies at the prospect, even given his potent chemistry with co-star Ming-Na Wen — especially since May’s been replaced with an A.I. duplicate.

    Moviefone: How do you think the “Philinda” fans, the Coulson-May ‘shippers, are going to feel about the latest turn the show is going to take? It’s partly a dream come true, and partly not exactly what they’ve been crossing their fingers for, as it’s not necessarily a given that’s it’s the real May he’s getting closer with.

    Clark Gregg: Yes, one of the things that goes on in television and in our universe now is our fans are very active. They make it known which romances they’re interested in, which they’re less interested in. Certainly, there have been very vocal supporters of what you call the Philinda relationship. I think in different moments, it’s certainly something that has to have popped into the head of both Phil and Melinda.

    I love the difficulty of it. I love how dangerous it is because this is a job where family relationships really are not possible in the normal sense. These people become family. She is so much more to him than a coworker. I think there’s a reason that they’ve been working together for more than 20 years, off and on, without crossing that line, because it’s a dangerous line to cross as everyone knows. Certainly, with the passing of Andrew Garner, her ex, and some of the business she did about that, something is different now, and that possibility is being explored.

    I think some of the moments that we’re not sure which Melinda we’re dealing with, that’s certainly a whole new part of the equation — but I think that there’s something going on in the actual Phil and the actual Melinda that is different. I don’t know. I have really passionate feelings, pro and con, you know what I mean? We’ve all been in a situation like this with a very close friend, I think, and boy, it makes me nervous just talking about it.

    Tell me about having those conversations with Ming to move this forward as you guys are figuring it out, developing that chemistry, and pushing it forward. What’s been fun about collaborating with her?

    There’s a lot of chemistry just to begin with.

    Ming kind of has that with everybody.

    I know. It’s true — she’s a chemistry-full person! There’s always been something there. It’s a little bit: these poor horses at some point should be let out of this barn before they kick the rest of the slats out. On the one hand, alright already! If it’s going to happen, let’s go! But nothing is that simple on this show.

    I’m excited to play out the various permutations you mentioned. I’m wary of talking about them because I don’t really know what’s going to happen. If it’s anything like the rest of the show for poor Coulson, it’s going to end up in heartbreak.

    Or another missing limb.

    Yeah.

    You mentioned that sense of family. At the close of the “Ghost Rider” arc, his S.H.I.E.L.D. “family” has reunited. It has to feel good for Coulson that his wayward children have come back into the fold. Tell me what that means to him and where that positions him going forward.

    He’s vastly relieved to have Daisy at least within sight of him on the base, but I think the idea that just because she’s moved home means that the damage is healed, and the guilt that she feels is healed, is naive. He’s too savvy. I think he knows that the person who comes back still is really hurting and not sure now to open up again. So it’s hard. It’s complex.

    As Coulson learns more about Director Mace, he’s an interesting character because we still don’t know which way the wind blows with him, necessarily. Tell me a little bit about where that’s going and what’s been fun about discovering that relationship for you.

    I love what the writers have done with the character Jeffrey Mace, the Patriot. We did not know what to make of him. He was very much someone we believed was thrust upon them. Later, we learn he’s an Inhuman, and that Coulson requested an Inhuman to be running S.H.I.E.L.D., which is a very smart move. It puts Coulson back in the field, which he likes, and someone else is running S.H.I.E.L.D. and making decisions that he doesn’t endorse quite often.

    I also love that they haven’t made him a villain, at least as far as I can tell. He’s a flawed person who happens to have powers, which is a smart, logical extension of this idea of Terrigenesis. Some people are going to be weird PR freaks who may not be necessarily the greatest leaders who suddenly have powers.

    What Jason [O’Mara] has done with him is so surprising and compelling that it’s really hard for Coulson to hate the guy. There is something about him that wants to do the right thing and, as Coulson knows, has been thrust to an impossible job.

    For you, what has been the creative thrill of this particular season, and as we move forward with Coulson now?

    There’s so much from the beginning, the reveal of HYDRA, the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D., rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D., the Sokovia Accords — I don’t know. I guess, to have the HYDRA plot, the Grant Ward plot, really played out so magnificently and finished to a certain extent, for now anyway, and to be playing with new things, LMDs, the magical elements of the Marvel Universe that are connected to “Doctor Strange.” That’s exciting.

    But I think our version of the Sokovia Accords, the way Inhumans are being treated as The Other, and registered, and treated as some kind of different species than the rest of us, though they didn’t change because of any choice they made, I don’t know, suddenly feels remarkably timely: I read about an idea of having a Muslim registry yesterday. I went, “Wow, OK.”

    We’ve heard that General Talbot is coming back, and I love the dynamic between Coulson and Talbot.

    Me too!

    What are you looking forward to? Do you want to see them butting heads? Do you want to see them on the same side and butting heads?

    Usually, they end up trying to do the same thing with such radically different styles that they end up at each other’s throats half of the time, but also, they’ve gradually built a lot of respect from when Talbot was first hunting us down.

    We all get happy when The Three Stooges.”

    New episodes of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” return to ABC on January 10th.

  • ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Season 4 Revealed: Ghost Rider, LMDs, Inhumans, and More

    Agents of SHIELD castThe secrets of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 4 just got a lot less classified.

    During their whirlwind tour of Comic-Con International, the key creative personnel made public some of the new elements of ABC’s Marvel series’ upcoming season — including the addition of a fresh incarnation of the classic superhero/horror character Ghost Rider and greater access to the stable of established Inhuman characters — and zeroed in on some of the finer details after their panel.

    After a third season that severely tested its characters’ resolve in the extreme — to the point that by the season-ending time jump Daisy Johnson (Chloe Bennet) had left S.H.I.E.L.D. to pursue her own agenda and Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) stepped away from his duties as Director to return to the field — things are about to get even darker, and more than a little mystical.

    Enter Ghost RiderComic-Con International 2016 - "Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D" Panel“The show’s gotten darker as you put the characters through their paces,” said executive producer Jed Whedon. “I think that’s just a natural thing that happens really with any show … People have to go through a journey, so you end up putting everybody through pain. Now, pretty much everybody’s had some gnarly experience, so they’re all more weathered and seasoned. So I think it’s only natural for the show to take on a darker tone.”

    “The fact that we have Ghost Rider now going to be on the show, that in and of itself comes with some pretty hardcore violence and grittiness — and cars on fire,” added executive producer Maurissa Tancharoen.

    The Ghost Rider in question is not the traditional comic book character Johnny Blaze, the demonically possessed, flaming skulled stunt motorcyclist played by Nicolas Cage in the 2007 Sony film that predated the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The new version is derived from a more recent 2014 reworking from Marvel’s comic-book division: Robbie Reyes is an East L.A. teen with a taste for high-octane muscle cars who, after being gunned down in a gang-related shooting is inhabited by a similarly skull-blazing entity which happened to be his deceased uncle, a Satan-worshipping serial killer.

    The introduction of Ghost Rider comes just as Marvel’s feature film side is about to open the door to the MCU’s magical side with the fall release of “Doctor Strange.” “It’s one of the reasons we feel like Ghost Rider will fit this year,” says Whedon. “The Cinematic Universe is sort of being opened up into that world. But the Marvel approach is that magic is science that we don’t yet understand. So we’re going to have both the introduction of magical elements on our show, as well as very hardcore science … I don’t really want to explain magic. So ‘Doctor Strange’ will do it.”

    Tripping on LMDJohn Hannah in AGENTS OF SHIELDIn terms of that hardcore science, the concept of Life Model Decoys — lookalike artificial intelligence stand-ins for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents — has been part and parcel of the S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books since the 1960s and occasionally obliquely name-checked on the show. The concept will finally be explored in the fourth season, says Whedon, “not necessarily a threat — though, down the road, any new technology maybe won’t go great. For us right away, it represents their desire to control things in a way. They don’t like what happened last year. They don’t want that to happen. The whole concept of the decoy is that someone else could be sent in to do that job. So it comes from an altruistic notion, initially.”

    The team’s new resident, kind-of-mad scientist Holden Radcliffe (John Hannah) will lead the LMD charge, said Whedon, largely out of his “desire to prove that he’s a good guy, and the things that happened were beyond his control. And yes, he has a scientific mind, but his heart’s in the right place.”

    “[But] we know that in the Marvel Universe, the exploration into A.I. has had some dire consequences, in ‘Age of Ultron,’” added Tancheroen.

    His First Name Is ‘Agent’Clark Gregg in AGENTS OF SHIELDCoulson’s self-demotion from the leadership seat he inherited from Nick Fury back to foot soldier makes perfect sense to Gregg after the series of life-and-death big picture calls he’s been required to make. “I’m not surprised he’s not the Director anymore,” says the actor. “Once again, he’s a guy who’s first name is ‘Agent,’ and I think there’s a comfort factor there. He didn’t like being on Zephyr One calling in the different units.”

    “We’ve had Coulson on this journey, as a director — it’s harder to be the Director,” says executive producer Jeff Bell. “You’re sending people into battle. Lives are being lost. You lose a hand. Suddenly, you’re losing some of your own humanity. How dark do you go? Coming back out of that, it felt like he had done that.”

    “And, honestly, we love Coulson from ‘Iron Man,’” added Bell. “We love the guy who goes out to talk his way out of anything. We like him boots on the ground going into situations. And as director sometimes, there was conflict with doing that. So to find him, been there done that, sort of world-weary at that, and then suddenly not … is something Season 4 will look at.”

    “How does he feel about the new director?” muses Gregg about the mystery character that will be running S.H.I.E.L.D. in Coulson’s wake. “A little bit hard to tell so far. I don’t know. We don’t know too much about the new director yet. All I can tell is that it seems like S.H.I.E.L.D. is no longer an outlaw organization. It has now fallen under control of some governments in line with the Sokovia Accords, and those ‘powers that be’ have chosen somebody else they’re comfortable with. It remains to be seen if any of us from the S.H.I.E.L.D. team will be as comfortable with them. The rumors I’m hearing are exciting. It’s an interesting idea that they’ve got about where that might go.”

    “Because the world around them has changed, S.H.I.E.L.D. has had to change,” explained Bell. “The Sokovia Accords and what happened in the last ‘Captain America‘ movie will also trickle into how our world is. So with the rise of the Inhumans, our characters had to engage that, although we were very secret. So that will continue to evolve as we go forward this season.”

    Bring on the Giant Teleporting DogChloe Bennet in AGENTS OF SHIELDMarvel Studios cancelling its plan for a big-screen “Inhumans” film suggests that the race of super-powered characters had proven a better fit for “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” where one leading character, Daisy, was ultimately revealed to have Inhuman ancestry. The door now looks significantly more open for some of the classic Stan Lee / Jack Kirby-created comic book Inhumans, including royal family members like Black Bolt, Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton, and Crystal. “We like [the Inhumans] in our world,” said Bell. “So you’ll see more of that this season.”

    “We do have a little more freedom,” revealed Whedon. “We’ve told a couple seasons of stories, but now we do have some more freedom. So when we return to focusing on Inhumans, we’ll be able to do a little bit more … Right now, that’s not our focus, but it’s out there.

    “You want the dog, right?” laughed Bell, referencing the enormous Inhuman canine Lockjaw, who can teleport himself at will. “To be discovered,” he grinned.

    “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Season 4 premieres September 20th at 10 p.m. on ABC.