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Saturday night is the main event
for Comic-Con attendees; it’s the
moment that Marvel Studios reveal
new footage and trailers, hint at what’s in
store for the next phase of their expansion,
and assemble a star-
studded line-up of
special guests. Hall H is
the place to be!
The Thor: Ragnarok
panel included Chris
Hemsworth, Tom
Hiddleston, Mark
Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett,
Jeff Goldblum and
director Taika Waititi,
and the crowd was
treated to a new trailer
that gave them a first
look at Sakaar, a world
surrounded by cosmic
gateways.
This is where the
Hulk’s been hanging out
for the last two years,
and “he'll be damned if
he’s gonna go back to
Banner,” said Mark Ruffalo.
The green one can also
say more than “Hulk
smash” this time around,
although “don’t expect
Shakespeare,” he added.
Of the newcomers to
the MCU, Jeff Goldblum
revealed his character, the Grandmaster, is
brother to The Collector, while Cate Blanchett
noted, “Marvel is a universe I’ve been
happily dragged into because of my kids.”
Then of course there is Loki. Last seen
impersonating Odin in Thor: The Dark World,
Tom Hiddleston wasn’t about to say where
the trickster’s allegiance lies in Ragnarok, but
did offer that he’s since “directed his energy
into narcissistic self-glorification and not
governance.” That sounds about right.
As for the God of Thunder, Hemsworth
not only got a new haircut, but also “wanted
to push Thor into something unique for the
Marvel Universe – he gets his arse kicked in
this one!”
The new trailer suggests that this will be
the most vibrant looking Thor film to date,
and also the most comedic; did we really
expect anything else with Taika Waititi in
control?
When asked about the challenge in
crossing over from indie
comedies to a big tentpole
blockbuster, the amiable
Kiwi simply shrugged it
off as business as usual.
“At the end of the
day, whatever is inside
the rectangle is all
that matters,” he said.
“It may be 500 more
people on the crew, but
as long as the actors
learn their lines and
are convincing saying
them, that’s all that
matters. And most of
these people did not
learn their lines.”
Black Panther looks
to be shaping up
as another unique entry
in the MCU, with its
distinct African tribal
culture and high
tech. Moreover,
director Ryan
Coogler (Creed,
Fruitvale Station)
is another
interesting
choice to bring the world of
T’Challa and Wakanda to
the screen.
“Bringing this comic
book to life means
everything to me. I
wanted to find a comic
book with a hero that
looked like me,” he said.
A new trailer and
an extended clip
were exclusive to the
presentation (so don’t go
looking online) and received a standing
ovation. The latter featured a casino brawl
and Andy Serkis’s Ulysses Klaue – last
seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron – sporting
a new robotic arm that doubles as an energy
weapon.
As to forthcoming Marvel projects, the
costume for Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel
was unveiled as well as the latest on Ant
Man and the Wasp, which has added
Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne and
Walton Goggins to the cast. We’ll also
see more of the tiny hero’s Giant-Man
incarnation, as seen in Civil War.
And the one that every Marvel fan was
hoping for, Avengers: Infinity War was saved
until last, with the footage screened at
Disney’s recent D23 Expo presented to the
ecstatic crowd.
“There’s no way in hell we’re not going
to show you some footage,” said co-director
Joe Russo.
Featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy,
Thanos, Thor, Loki, Black Panther, Doctor
Strange, Spider-Man, and of course the
Avengers team, the MCU simply doesn’t get
any bigger than this!
Thor: Ragnarok is in cinemas on October 26, with
Black Panther to follow on 15 February 2018, and
Avengers: Infinity War due 25 April 2018.
022 AUGUST 2017
visit
MARVEL Black Panther and Thor:
Ragnarok panels headlined
the super studio’s
presentation this year.
There’s no way in
hell we’re not going
to show you some
footage...
Black
Panther
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