The big box office draw right now is undoubtedly the concept of the ‘cinematic universe’. We have Marvel Studios and Warner Brothers/DC to thank for this trend, but the recent slews of movie news have been announcements that other entertainment companies are getting in on the shared world concept seen on TV and in cinemas.
This week’s PCC is more of an opinion piece about what ‘cinematic universe’ means (or should mean), how to effectively make one and will cover the Ghostbusters announcement.
This week’s PCC is more of an opinion piece about what ‘cinematic universe’ means (or should mean), how to effectively make one and will cover the Ghostbusters announcement.
What Makes The World Go Round?
If there’s anything that Marvel Studios can show everyone else in the movie scene right now when it comes to building a cinematic universe, it’s how well it was able to construct a convincingly large world for all of its character to live in. It sounds strangely simple, but it is way harder than it seems. Back in 2008, if you were to say Iron Man, 60% of people would assume you were talking about the Black Sabbath song, 20% would assume you were commenting on how creased their shirt was, 15% would think you’re trying to sell them Activia and 5% would actually know you were talking about a Marvel superhero. Flash forward four years and Iron Man is not only a household name, but so are Thor, Captain America and The Hulk (again), and The Avengers is one of the most financially successful movies of all time.
To do that, though, Marvel had to be confident enough to plant seeds for future payoffs in practically every movie. The first Iron Man introduced SHIELD as an organisation, along with Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, which then leaked into The Incredible Hulk with a cheeky cameo from Tony Stark himself. Hell, look at Iron Man 2, a third of that film is set up for The Avengers. And lest we not forget how badly shoehorned Hawkeye was into the first Thor movie. Then we finished on the first Captain America movie, which literally served the purpose of bringing the magical macguffin into the picture so we have everything we needed for our spectacular team up movie. I’m obviously glazing over a lot of quality filmmaking with that sweeping generalisation, but I’m trying to make is sound easier than it is. You also have to care about all of this.
To do that, though, Marvel had to be confident enough to plant seeds for future payoffs in practically every movie. The first Iron Man introduced SHIELD as an organisation, along with Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, which then leaked into The Incredible Hulk with a cheeky cameo from Tony Stark himself. Hell, look at Iron Man 2, a third of that film is set up for The Avengers. And lest we not forget how badly shoehorned Hawkeye was into the first Thor movie. Then we finished on the first Captain America movie, which literally served the purpose of bringing the magical macguffin into the picture so we have everything we needed for our spectacular team up movie. I’m obviously glazing over a lot of quality filmmaking with that sweeping generalisation, but I’m trying to make is sound easier than it is. You also have to care about all of this.
Image Credit: marvel.com
It’s difficult to deny that the payoff is masterful. In the space of four years, we go from just about knowing who Iron Man is to cheering him and six other heroes on, watching them save the world from a villain we saw in a movie two years prior with a villain introduced that won’t pay off for another 9 years. Crazy, right? But it crafts a world that just feel inhabited. We know that there are other plains of existence and a cosmos full of characters before we even officially go there. A good part of that is the depth of the source material, but it’s inclusion is masterful.
Spider-Plan
This is why the Spider-Man announcement is such a double edged sword. When marvel announced all of the Phase 3 movies, we knew where we were heading. Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, The Inhumans and a huge two-part galactic scale war for the third Avengers movie, with the Civil War story and the Ragnarok story in between. These plans are huge. Then the marvel/Sony deal happens and now we have to factor in Spider-Man into the equation.
Image Credit: dorkly.com
This then shifts the focus off the world building for phase 3 that’s evident in upcoming Marvel films and the expansion of the cosmic side of things, and now all we can talk about is bloody Spider-Man. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic that Spidey is back under Marvel’s roof (for the most part), but it detracts from the whole idea of constructing this multi-faceted world if now all we’re concentrating on is forcing Peter Parker back into it.
Bustin' Makes Me Feel Good?
Okay, onto the actual point of this article. Following the announcement of the all female Ghostbusters reboot, this week saw the announcement of the ‘Ghostbusters Cinematic Universe’, and a new all-male bustin' team getting thier own movie with names like Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt being used in association with it.
First of all, this generated a lot of negative feedback from narrow minded would-be feminist activist writers, and we won’t even explore how dumb they are. As I’ve said in other articles, the content is what I’m concerned with, not this whole ‘patriarchy in pop culture’ bullshit I see spouted everywhere. Here’s my very short radical thought on that whole debacle: Female team? Cool. Male team? Cool. I don’t fucking care. Just make a good movie.
First of all, this generated a lot of negative feedback from narrow minded would-be feminist activist writers, and we won’t even explore how dumb they are. As I’ve said in other articles, the content is what I’m concerned with, not this whole ‘patriarchy in pop culture’ bullshit I see spouted everywhere. Here’s my very short radical thought on that whole debacle: Female team? Cool. Male team? Cool. I don’t fucking care. Just make a good movie.
Image Credit: joblo.com
Pictured: The cast of the new Ghostbusters movie. The gender is not relevent, just don't make a sucky movie, girls.
What is of note, and should be bought up more, is the notion that two movies that focus on the same subject do not a cinematic universe make. The 'Ghostbusters Cinematic Universe' is not a thing until you have other characters of note running around in this world that are connected to the original team in a loose enough way to make their own solo adventures a worthwhile standalone experience.
I’m reminded of 300: Rise of an Empire. Leaving aside that it is an acting ‘masterclass’, as my PopScorn co-host Darren Gutteridge has said many times, Rise of an Empire is a movie that runs parallel to the original 300, where the most interesting thing about it is the fact that the events of the first 300 movie happens literally in the next canyon over, or on the other side of a lake. I would not call this the 300 Cinematic Universe, I would call it ‘The good 300 movie and the bad 300 movie’, as it more accurately describes them.
I’m reminded of 300: Rise of an Empire. Leaving aside that it is an acting ‘masterclass’, as my PopScorn co-host Darren Gutteridge has said many times, Rise of an Empire is a movie that runs parallel to the original 300, where the most interesting thing about it is the fact that the events of the first 300 movie happens literally in the next canyon over, or on the other side of a lake. I would not call this the 300 Cinematic Universe, I would call it ‘The good 300 movie and the bad 300 movie’, as it more accurately describes them.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Shitty world building off the port side!... Oh, and also ROCKS!
In all seriousness though, the point of the Marvel and DC universes is that there are multiple characters with multiple and often conflicting agendas all sharing the same space. This is easy in comic books, with heroes, villains, anti-heroes, mercenaries, deities, aliens and clones to name but a few ideas that makes comic book the convoluted mess they are. Were a Ghostbusters Cinematic Universe to happen, I doubt the exec boards would get past ‘reboot it’, ‘make a ghost movie’ and ‘have we done it in Lego yet?’.
So, male and female separate teams are fine, but those are technically sequels. Again, a team up of the two teams (A team team up, if you will), fine, but still focusing on the same style of characters and the same brand of action. Bustin’ makes us feel good, yes, but when you say ‘cinematic universe’, what you really mean is ‘variations on the same style’. Marvel have tech wars, magic fights, period films and monster movies. There’s only so many contexts you can bust ghosts in. I’m half expecting gritty Pac-Man, Casper and Haunted Mansion reboots entering this universe at this rate.
So, male and female separate teams are fine, but those are technically sequels. Again, a team up of the two teams (A team team up, if you will), fine, but still focusing on the same style of characters and the same brand of action. Bustin’ makes us feel good, yes, but when you say ‘cinematic universe’, what you really mean is ‘variations on the same style’. Marvel have tech wars, magic fights, period films and monster movies. There’s only so many contexts you can bust ghosts in. I’m half expecting gritty Pac-Man, Casper and Haunted Mansion reboots entering this universe at this rate.
OH JESUS CHRIST IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING HOW DO I UNSEE THIS MONSTROSITY?!
Sorry if this was ranty, but news is dry and I just wanted to share a personal gripe. Future articles won’t be this disjointed.
Besides, for my next article about cinematic universes, I have a lot of research to do.
Besides, for my next article about cinematic universes, I have a lot of research to do.
Image Credit: screenburn.com
Oh boy...
By Mike Owen
@ThatMikeOwen
The Editor in Chief of Foul Entertainment, Mike edits most of what you see on the site. He runs the production of all three of our current podcasts, he is responsible for logo, art design and site design, and does a good deal of writing across the spectrum.
@ThatMikeOwen
The Editor in Chief of Foul Entertainment, Mike edits most of what you see on the site. He runs the production of all three of our current podcasts, he is responsible for logo, art design and site design, and does a good deal of writing across the spectrum.