10 Ways Phase 3 Could Ruin The Marvel Cinematic Universe
5. By Changing Everything
For the most part, Phase 1 and 2 have been about Marvel tinkering with their formula for a perfect blockbuster, and then effectively employing that formula throughout all their movies. There are creative touches, different themes and visual styles throughout their films, but every one of them - through Iron Man up to Guardians Of The Galaxy - has essentially the same basic plot and structure. And terrible bad guys, too. They've also mostly gone with building up the Avengers team and then giving them sequels, with Iron Man on three films, Cap and Thor on two, and then the odd bone thrown in the direction of Guardians. Phase 3 promises to change that up with Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Black Panther and the like. Which is refreshing, but it could also be the moment their house of cards comes falling down. Why mess with that winning formula? Especially when the Phase 3 watchword seems to be change, with Ant-Man leading in from Phase 2 as a more straight-up comedy than any Marvel film so far and Doctor Strange going for a horror vibe with director Scott Derrickson. The formula won't work with them.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
