Now that we’ve seen the Marvel movies that were slated for release in 2018, it’s time to look back and reflect on the stories that were told. We don’t have another new Marvel movie for quite some time, as Captain Marvel starring Brie Larson won’t be released until March of 2019. That gives us several months to sit and stew, wondering what the Avengers will do to reverse Thanos’ evil deed. Most fans are still reeling from the end of Avengers Infinity War, and the recently released Ant-Man and the Wasp gave us a little bit more information. However, with the recent merger between Fox and Disney, characters like Deadpool and the X-Men will now play a big role in Marvel films to come. With so many moving parts and endless possibilities for where the story can go forward, I’m more excited than ever to dig deep into what Marvel has in store for us.
If you haven’t seen Deadpool 2, Avengers Infinity War, or Ant-Man and the Wasp, you should know that this article will contain spoilers for all the films. I’ll be discussing major plot points, twists and turns, as well as post credit scenes. If you haven’t seen any of these mentioned films, you should go and watch them before reading.
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Infinity War Recap
Although Ant-Man and the Wasp was the latest Marvel film to release, it took place before Avengers Infinity War. It did give us some information regarding Ant-Man’s whereabouts during Infinity War, but we still don’t have a clear idea of what the Avengers next move will be. When we last saw them, the Avengers had experienced a crippling attack from Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet. Although they tried their hardest, the Avengers were unable to defeat Thanos in time, and he ended up obtaining the massively powerful artifact. With a fully charged Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos made quick work of half of the world’s population. With a simple snap of his fingers, Thanos effectively killed off most of the Avengers squad as well. This included fan-favorite characters like Star Lord, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and more. By the time the dust had settled, most of the Avengers had turned to ash, leaving the survivors in awe. For the first time, the Avengers had truly lost. They failed to save the world and paid a horrible price. Generally speaking, Avengers Infinity War has shaken up the Marvel cinematic universe more so than any other film. As we approach the second part of the Avengers Infinity War, the Avengers have the cards stacked against them and will need to pull off a miracle to save those they love.
Answers in Ant-Man
Luckily, Ant-Man and the Wasp gave us some critical information that might reveal a part of the Avengers’ plan. Although Avengers Infinity War was absolutely packed with characters, there are two noticeable absences. Ant-Man was nowhere to be found and Hawkeye was completely missing. Ant-Man and the Wasp finally answered where Ant-Man had been all that time. It turns out he was under house arrest, following his actions during Civil War. While the Avengers were off battling Thanos, Ant-Man was at home trying his best to be a father and leave his life of vigilantism behind. For the most part, the main story that was told in Ant-Man and the Wasp didn’t connect directly to Infinity War. However, some of the new characters that were introduced in the movie will surely play a big role in Marvel films to come. This is especially true for Ghost, a character who we thought was a villain for most of the movie. It turns out that Ghost isn’t as much of the villain as she is a victim. She gained her abilities after being experimented on, which allows her to phase in and out of existence. Unfortunately, this also comes with a great deal of pain that is seemingly everlasting. By the end of the film, our heroes and Ghost put their differences aside and agreed to work together. Ghost’s stealthy abilities will prove invaluable in the fight to come, and even if she’s not a major player in the next Avengers film, Ghost is a great addition to the team.
The most important part of Ant-Man and the Wasp comes at the very end of the film, during the mid-credit scene. Following the events of the film, Ant-Man and his team have worked out a way to shrink Ant-Man down small enough to enter the quantum realm. Before he shrinks down and enters the quantum realm, the recently rescued wife of Hank Pym warns him not to get stuck in a time loop. She warns him that if he gets stuck, they won’t be able to help him. With that said, Ant-Man shrinks down into the quantum realm and quickly loses radio contact with the team outside. When the camera cuts back to the outside world, we see that Hope, Hank, and Janet Pym have all succumbed to Thanos’ snap. In one fell swoop, we got two vitally important pieces of information. First, we now know that Ant-Man has been stuck inside the quantum realm since Thanos snapped his fingers. Second, we know that there is technology that exists within the quantum realm that allows for time travel. It’s pretty likely that we’ll see a rescue operation from the Avengers, who will attempt to save Ant-Man from the quantum realm. In doing so, they’ll probably discover the ability to travel back in time and find a way to reverse the snap. It’s also important to note that the Avengers who died in Infinity War isn’t actually dead, but more likely trapped within the soul stone. While I’m not 100% sure how the surviving Avengers will rescue the rest from the soul stone, I think it would be really cool if they utilized Ghost’s abilities in some way. Either way, the surviving Avengers will need to save Ant-Man from the quantum realm before they make any other moves. With so many Avengers incapacitated, they’ll need all available hands on deck.
The X-Factor
Recently, Disney spent quite a lot of money to obtain the licenses for characters like the X-Men and Deadpool from Fox. This means that we might see some crossover cameos if we’re lucky. I don’t think this means that we’ll see Deadpool right next to Iron Man in the forthcoming Avengers film, but we might get some fun and unexpected characters now that Fox and Disney have merged. Despite the rumors that several X-Men films will be canceled, I think there’s a better chance that we’ll see the X-Men make a cameo in the Marvel universe soon. We most recently saw them during Deadpool 2. In the scene, Deadpool complains to Colossus about the X-Men headquarters being too empty. As the camera turns to Deadpool, we see an open door. Behind that door is James McAvoy’s Professor Xavier, along with a few other X-Men. If anything, this shows that despite not having a film for a few years, the X-Men are still a focal group of characters when it comes to superhero movies.
Who Will the Avengers Fight Next?
Although the Avengers still have to finish their fight with Thanos, many fans are wondering who the next villain will be. This conversation has gotten especially interesting, considering all the rights to various superheroes that have been gained by Marvel. With the recent acquisition of Fox, not only has the Marvel universe absorbed the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, it has also absorbed their villains. This has led to some wild speculation from fans, citing some of the more prominent crossover villains in comic book history. Realistically speaking, there’s a good argument for almost every major villain to appear on the big screen next. In my opinion, there are a few theories that hold more weight than others.
One of the more realistic picks is Kang the Conqueror. While this villain doesn’t possess any extraordinary supernatural powers, he is an absolute genius. His mastery over the human intellect and his ability to time travel has granted him enormous power. Kang the Conqueror would also be a good villain to leapfrog off the end of the Thanos storyline. It seems like the Avengers will solve the Thanos issue by using time travel in some way, so what better time than now? Kang the Conqueror is also a villain who has seen many iterations over the long-standing comic book history. Because of this, I think fans would be more accepting of character changes that are needed to fit him into the MCU.
Another villain that I personally hope the MCU will explore is Galactus. Galactus is less of a villain and more like a super evil entity. If you think Thanos lacks a moral compass, then Galactus will absolutely stun you. Using his godlike powers, Galactus feeds off planets by draining them of their energy. Thanos just wanted to wipe out half of the population, whereas Galactus basically eats worlds without regard. If we ever get the chance to watch the Avengers take on this larger-than-life antagonist, it’s going to take some time. Some of the characters that are getting introduced now will have to be fully fleshed out. There will have to be a decent shift of focus on the more cosmic side of the MCU, including characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy. Galactus also originates from the Fantastic Four, so we might see an attempt to bring those characters into the MCU. However, the most recent Fantastic Four movie was an absolute flop, so it’s more likely that those characters will be left alone for quite some time. Galactus might not be in the near future for the MCU, but if these movies continue to make as much money as they have been making, it might be a realistic choice for Phase 5.
There have been other suggestions, like the return of Ultron or the reintroduction of the Green Goblin. Although these villains do play a major role in some Avengers storylines, I don’t think they’d be appropriate for the movie adaptation of the comics. We’ve already seen the Avengers fight Ultron, and given the vast amount of villains to choose from, it would be silly to double down on one of the less interesting villains. When it comes to the Green Goblin, I simply don’t think it would work. I’m glad that the Spider-Man franchise has been revitalized in the modern MCU, but I think the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy still has a lot of staying power. We also saw the character pop up in the more recent Amazing Spider-Man movies, and in this case, I don’t think the third time will be the charm.
All told, the Marvel cinematic universe is at an extremely interesting and critical point in its existence. The most recent Avengers film rocked fans and pop culture unlike any superhero film has before. Behind the scenes, more and more superheroes and villains have been added to the potential roster of upcoming movies. The fandom behind these films is at an all-time high, so the next handful of years are going to be critical. It will be interesting to see the judgment calls made and the stories that will be told in the future. If anything, the next few years of Marvel movies will definitely stir up a conversation.
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