Seven years ago, Iron Man clicked his fingers, bringing the Infinity Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a close. Marvel has had lows since – but some highs too. As the studio races towards its next era-defining film in December’s Avengers: Doomsday, optimism is in the air.
The intrigue began building since last year’s ‘Chair Day’. Across a six-hour livestream, Marvel revealed the film’s cast of twenty-seven names written on chairs in an empty soundstage. 275 million views.
Another stunt followed last month: the release of four teaser trailers.
‘Steve Rogers will return‘
The first of those confirmed that Chris Evans will reprise the role he gave up in Avengers: Endgame. It was always going to happen, wasn’t it?
Steve rides a motorbike up to the house which he settled down in at the end of Endgame. He packs up his Captain America suit, before cradling his newborn baby. Nice baby. Would be a shame if somebody… took it.
More importantly for me, Steve’s return should mean Peggy Carter is back on our screens. If Kevin Feige knows what’s good for him, he’ll make sure Peggy is done justice. After 15 years in the MCU, she has only ever spoken three lines in an Avengers movie: two in a hallucination, and one to someone off-screen. I’m not asking for much – just let her do something.
‘Thor will return‘
The second trailer takes a more sombre tone. Thor is praying to his late father Odin. As of Thor: Love and Thunder, the Norse god is now a father himself. He is asking for strength to defeat something or other – presumably Doom – so he can return home to his daughter.
While Thor: Ragnarok introduced a sillier side of the Asgardian, the poor reception of Love and Thunder has left audiences wanting a return to the more serious, grief-stricken warrior from Avengers: Infinity War. With his hair short, and axe in hand, it seems like that is the Thor we’re going to get.
Do you know what would make him sad? If somebody took his daughter.
‘The X-Men will return‘
“Death comes for us all.”
The poor X-Men never seem to get a break. As they properly enter the MCU, things are not looking bright for them. Charles Xavier’s school is abandoned and desolate. Sir Ian McKellen – back as Magneto – delivers a haunting speech, while locked in one last game of chess with Sir Patrick Stewart’s Professor X.
With the pair both in their eighties, this will be their last appearance together. Charles has already died on-screen about four times – a symptom of the mess that is the X-Men film franchise timeline – will Doomsday feature a fifth, or will the longtime “friends” be able to ride off into the sunset together?
We cut to Cyclops ripping off his visor and unleashing a wave of destruction. Despite being the leader of the team, Scott has never been a big player in a movie before – so it is good to see him getting his moment. I wonder what got him so angry. Maybe somebody took his child?
‘The Wakandans and Fantastic Four will return‘
At long last: a woman. It says something about Marvel at the minute that we had to wait until the fourth of these teasers to get a single line from a lady. Shuri, the Black Panther, narrates the final trailer, which is fairly uneventful: we see Namor, king of Atlantis, preparing for battle, before Wakandan king M’Baku meets Ben of the Fantastic Four.
Shuri says that she has “lost everyone that matters to me”. Does that include her nephew, T’Challa II? Did somebody take him?
The Journey
So, what really is the journey to Doomsday?
A culmination of a coherent, perfectly planned era? No. Thirty characters being gracefully handled by the Russo Brothers? Unlikely. A move of desperation, pulling Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. out of retirement, having spent more than half a decade moving on from them? Who knows.
But a good finale could neatly tie up a chaotic period for Marvel. We get to see thirty beloved characters back on the big screen. Perhaps it is a chance for those left unsatisfied by Steve Rogers’ original ending. Maybe RDJ is going to play an entertaining Doctor Doom.
It’s going to go very well, or collapse under its own weight.
Either way, ‘all roads lead to Doom’.
