STACK NZ Aug #76

PHASE THREE

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a raccoon and a walking plant a voice. Robert Downey Jr. probably wouldn’t still have a career if he hadn’t played Iron Man. The supporting players are often equally high profile, with veterans like Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Bridges, Ben Kingsley, Michael Douglas, William Hurt and Stellan Skarsgård all getting their Marvel on, and enjoying themselves immeasurably in the process. Two things that remain constant throughout the MCU are a cameo from 93-year-old Marvel Comics godfather Stan Lee, and a post-closing credits scene that will lay the groundwork for films/characters to come. Certain otherworldly artifacts are also a key component in the MCU – after a few films you’ll recognise a Tesseract and an Infinity Stone when you see one. Once you’ve sampled just a fraction of the MCU, you’ll begin to appreciate the grand scale of the place, and want to explore further. In the words of S.H.I.E.L.D. (as in Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) boss Nick Fury, “You’ve become part of a bigger universe, you just don’t know it yet. WHERE TO START Movies in the MCU don’t necessarily have to be watched in order of release, although you will get a better appreciation of the universe’s scope and grand design if you view them in sequence. Recurring themes, character arcs, plot threads and payoffs will have greater impact and you won’t be left wondering, “What? Who? When did that happen?” That said, you should ideally start with Captain America:The First Avenger (2011). He’s the oldest Marvel hero and one of the most important, as Kevin Feige explains: “We could not have created this notion of an interlinked Marvel Cinematic Universe without Captain America – not only in the history of our comics, but within the overall notion of enhanced humans.” You’ll also discover why the righteous Cap (Chris Evans) is one of the best Marvel characters. who also gets the best movies, with subsequent adventures The Winter Soldier and Civil War both highpoints in the MCU. Now backtrack to the first official Marvel Studios production, Iron Man (2008), which introduces the character who will subsequently shape events to come – Tony Stark, a billionaire weapons manufacturer who dons a full metal

jacket to become a crusader against evil. The film’s success is largely due to Robert Downey Jr., and it even manages to make Gwyneth Paltrow likeable. Another major player is Thor (2010), and you should make his acquaintance next. Our very own Chris Hemsworth has the looks, locks and muscles to play the eponymous, hammer- wielding warrior from the mythical realm of Asgard. But he’s upstaged by bad brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who ultimately steals the film and consequently becomes a villain you’ll want to see more of (and you will). The fantasy element distinguishes Thor from other Marvel offerings, and Kenneth Branagh directs like he’s shooting Shakespeare, giving the film a bonkers sensibility that somehow works in its favour. It’s time to get the gang all together to battle Loki and save New York from an alien invasion, in The Avengers (2012). Joss Whedon deftly juggles a big cast in a massive movie, which introduces Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and raises the benchmark for future MCU installments. FURTHER VIEWING The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constructed in ‘phases’, and now that you’ve experienced the best from Phase One, proceed into the post-Avengers world where the stakes are raised even higher and the action is even more spectacular. This is where you’ll find

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVILWAR (2016)

When is an Avengers movie not an Avengers movie? When it's a Captain America movie that features most of the Avengers members (and Spider-Man), who must choose sides in the clash between the Cap and Iron Man.

DOCTOR STRANGE (2016) Benedict Cumberbatch is the surgeon inducted into an arcane world by Tilda Swinton's bald Sorcerer Supreme. Directed by Scott Derrickson ( Deliver Us from Evil ), expect this to lean toward the dark side, with some cool Inception -like reality bending.

the very best films in the MCU to date, which are also, curiously, the most atypical. Captain America: TheWinter Soldier (2014) is a propulsive Bourne-like thriller, and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) a tongue- in-cheek sci-fi romp featuring

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.2 (2017)

Peter Quill/Star Lord searches for his father (who may be Kurt Russell) in the hotly anticipated follow-up to one of the greatest Marvel movies – all set to the music of Awesome Mixtape #2, of course.

obscure Marvel characters and a soundtrack of ‘70s hits. Both are essential. Guardians doesn’t directly connect to the films and characters established in Phase One, so can be

watched anytime (and the sooner the better), however The Winter Soldier requires familiarity with the MCU for maximum impact. If you’ve made it this far, you’ll have already filled in the gaps – Iron Man 2

THOR: RAGNAROK (2017) Currently shooting on the Gold Coast, plot details are yet to be revealed, but we know that Loki is back, and the Hulk is also onboard for Thor's third outing, as is Kiwi director Taika Waititi ( Hunt for the Wilderpeople ). Look out, too, for: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War - Part 1 (2018) and Part 2 (2019), Black Panther (2018) and Captain Marvel (2018).

(2010), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015) – and discovered the true extent of this colossal cinematic universe. And with Phase Three delivering a further nine films over the next three years (see right), the MCU is about to get a whole lot bigger!

Stan Lee spotted in Guardians of the Galaxy

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