While I quite enjoyed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I think I'd still rank the first Doctor Strange movie higher than it, for a couple of reasons. First, it had a better, more cohesive story (extensive reshoots and cuts reportedly altered the sequel's original narrative), and more importantly it had Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One. Her presence was missed. I haven't seen the new Fantastic Beasts film yet, but I'll be sure to check it out when it hits streaming for some fun Dumbledore spell casting action.
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No love for Nabu?
I'm guessing the Bad Guy is Merlin's mutant impostor. The X-men foe previously known as "The Warlock" and "Maha-Yogi." Only, this time, he's somehow gotten hold of...The Infinity Horn!
Sorry, Ross. But, all that facial hair suddenly made me remember Dreadstar.
If I couldn't get one of my own suggestions for my birthday,* this is the next best thing. What an awesome collection! If you ever bring this group back, they could try dealing with the many identities of Nathaniel Richards. (Well, again; I suspect that Kang's who they're "confronting" in this story.)
As for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, that's what got me thinking about Captain Carter the other day -- she is a character who has appeared in the comics (by way of Exiles), unlike this movie's version of Captain Marvel. Like you, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and heard the collective gasp of joy when "the smartest man alive" made his entrance (I won't spoil that for any readers who haven't seen the movie yet), though my own favorite reveal was a bit earlier, with Anson Mount.
Patrick Stewart, of course, was a major treat (and one that people knew about ahead of time, so it's no spoiler that he's in the film). He was initially reluctant to reprise the character until it was explained to him that this is an alternate version of Professor X than he portrayed in the movies; in fact, this is more closely based on the animated Professor X from the 90s. But he's how retaken the record for longest time playing a live-action superhero,** at 22 years; and may also now have the record for most death scenes as the same character,*** which I'd think would be a special treat.
And of course I'm looking forward to seeing what twist on this tale What If...? eventually gives us, and whether Loki gets to visit Earth-838. Regardless, with what we've seen of the multiverse with this film, What If...?, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, the rest of Loki should be loads of fun. We might even get to see revisits of Marvel series that we otherwise wouldn't.
I'm not sure whether I'll go see the movie in the theater again, or wait until it's on Disney+ for my next viewing, but I'll be listening closely to the musical cues during the Illuminati roll call.
As for cover ideas inspired by the movie (other than Captain Carter and Batwoman), I'll wait and put them in a separate comment later.
@Dark Avenger: DC's represented by Shazam here. I actually was wondering if there'd be any room for Prospero.
@Cary: "Thy face is valenced since I saw thee last. Comest thou to beard me in Denmark?" (You triggered my memory of that line from Hamlet, which was spoken to me in a 2005 production. It's a pleasant memory.)
*61.
**He and Hugh Jackman had shared the record from X-Men to Logan, at 17 years, until Tobey Maguire and Willem Defoe took it from them last year, with 19 years from Spider-Man to Spider-Man: No Way Home.
***Characters like Jack Harkness and the Highlander don't count; their repeated "deaths" aren't actual, final deaths. I don't think I'd count deaths in "time loop" stories either, but rather focus on deaths in separate productions.
A cohesive, SIMPLE story is doubly important with multiverse or time-travel stories. You can add complications along the way, as Endgame did, but it's easy to lose the thread with new character upon new character. The current reshoot mania has been particularly hard on complex tales.
Well, if it's any consolation, Unknown, you can bet Disney will never do a remake of "Song of the South."
Love this. The central notion is just great.
Though perhaps the Council should be tagged The Weird Beards...
Or, if their headquarters were in Shakespeare's hometown, they could call themselves...The Immortal Beards of Avon!*
*Suddenly starts dodging a torrential downpour of tomatoes.
@Dave/Cary: No. Just no.
@Unknown: My understanding is that the reshoots on DSITMOM happened mainly because its release order was switched with Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Surely Burt Ward holds the record for longest portrayal of a live action superhero? First appearances in 1966, final appearance in 2019, on the Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths?
And if we discount Burt Ward because it was "only" television: I think Michael Keaton's Batman will soon hold the record (1989 - 2023 or so).
Cheech Wizard?
@my namesake: In immortal words of Bob Greenwade: "No. Just no."
@Dr. OTR: I'd count TV, but Burt's latter appearance was a cameo. On the other hand, I understand that Mr. Keaton's role in the planned Flash movie will be a major one, so he'll take that pretty easily -- enough that a photo cover with him and Sir Patrick would be appropriate here, representing the longest portrayals in each of the two major superhero universes.
But I think Sir Patrick still holds the Most Death Scenes record.
@Bob: I'd settle for a movie-poster simulation with Michael Keaton as Batman, Sir Pat as Prof. X, and one of those giant Johnny 5's from the original TERMINATOR in "The Think Tank Strikes Again!"
Getafix!
I'm still highly in favor of "the Immortal Beards of Avon." ;-)
@Bradley: sounds more like a TV home improvement series.
*Sigh* Dumbledore, huh? In 2022? Alright, whatever.
@Booyaka: he might have rejuvenated himself using the same method employed by June Lockhart's character in the 1986 fantasy comedy TROLL (co-starring June's real-life daughter, Anne Lockhart).
@Carycomic Not because he's dead, because of who created him.
I take it you're not a JK Rowling fan, then. No biggie. I can sort of empathize. I mean, I do think she over-relied on the quidditch matches for the first four books!
It's not the writing, you TWIT! It's the bigotry!
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