Sci-Fi Storm

Captain America is hanging up his shield.

Actor Chris Evans said farewell in a tweet today:

“Officially wrapped on Avengers 4. It was an emotional day to say the least. Playing this role over the last 8 years has been an honor. To everyone in front of the camera, behind the camera, and in the audience, thank you for the memories! Eternally grateful.”

Officially wrapped on Avengers 4. It was an emotional day to say the least. Playing this role over the last 8 years has been an honor. To everyone in front of the camera, behind the camera, and in the audience, thank you for the memories! Eternally grateful.

— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) October 4, 2018

As of Tuesday’s haul at the domestic box office, Captain America: Civil War has reached over $206 million, in just 5 days. This, coupled with Disney’s Jungle Book holding as the #2 movie after four weeks and passing $300 million soon, you would think Disney would be up on the news – but after an earnings report that didn’t meet expectations, owing in large part to the television business, especially ESPN, softening, saw stock its stock prices take a 4% hit, and Disney announcing it would close down its console gaming business, primarily the Disney Infinity line, and taking a $147 million charge to do it.

So how was the movie? [very minor spoilers perhaps ahead] On a rare occasion that I was able to see it opening weekend, I enjoyed it overall. It relied less on the incessant barrage of fighting action that was the hallmark of Avengers: Age of Ultron, and more on the story. However, some of the justification for what was ripping apart the team seemed contrived, and I think a lot of people may generally dislike the idea of friends taking differing sides and fighting each other, and at times be jovial about it. But that joviality also lightens the movie up, which otherwise be a major downer. It does, however, seem to be setting the stage for Infinity War, which is sort of expected…

Oh my…

Although it looks a bit more like “Avengers Divided” than a Captain America-specific movie, this is going to rock! And there is a little surprise at the end…

This is looking GOOD…the Avengers fracture into two teams – one led by Captain America, and the other by Iron Man, while the government seeks to control them all…

In theaters May 6th!

Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the writing duo behind all three Captain America films including the upcoming Captain America: Civil War (which started filming today), as well as Thor: The Dark World and all three Chronicles of Narnia films, and also created Marvel’s Agent Carter (man these guys are BUSY!), have been signed to take on what will be the climax of Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Avengers: Infinity War, Parts 1 and 2.

Marvel announced today that Martin Freeman is joining the cast of Captain America: Civil War.

That’s it. Not a single detail.

Martin Freeman, of course, is known for playing Dr. John Watson on Sherlock (for which he won the 2014 Supporting Actor Emmy) and Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.

Captain America: Civil War is expected to be released on May 6th, 2016.

Marvel is staking out its claim for dates as much as 5 years out, setting release dates for more sequels and the Phase 3 titles. This includes a third Avengers movie, which will be split into two.

Here is a quick rundown [The initial version of this article neglected to list Captain Marvel due to an editing error]:

2016:

• May 6th: Captain America 3: Civil War, which will introduce Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman (42)
• November 4th: Doctor Strange

2017:

• November 3rd: Black Panther

2018:

• May 4th: Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1
• June 8th: Captain Marvel, Marvel’s first female-lead superhero movie, based on the Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers version
• November 8th: The Inhumans

2019:

• May 3rd: Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2

Domenic Cooper will return as Howard Stark, Tony Stark/Iron Man’s father, for the ABC series, Marvel’s Agent Carter. Cooper played the role previously in Captain America: The First Avenger, as well as Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter, which helped prompt the creation of the series.

The series stars Haley Atwell as Peggy Carter, the role she also played in Captain America: The First Avenger, and is set back in 1946, after Steve Rogers disappears and Carter joins the secret Strategic Scientific Reserve, a forerunner to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Among the plethora of ads aired during the Super Bowl last night included trailers for three blockbusters – The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Captain America: The Winter Soldier…if you didn’t see them, or want to see them again, in no particular order:
(continue reading…)

Joseph Henry “Joe” Simon, who created or co-created many comic book characters during the “Golden Age” of comics, and notably Captain America, and member of the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 98. Often partnered with Jack Kirby, Simon worked at the forerunners of current comic powerhouses DC and Marvel.