Updates and Random Thoughts - Part 2

Usually if some movie news happens or if I announce certain blog-related things around the time I'm typing up my NFL picks for the week I'll just stick them in at the end of that post.  But I felt these needed their own post.  And with this post I have already matched the number of blog posts I wrote last year with two months left to go.  Then again I didn't start this blog until the end of the first full week of April last year but oh well.  On with the updates and random thoughts.  

With DC last week announcing their future film slate for their cinematic universe, it of course was only a matter of time before Marvel made announcements of their own.  This particular announcement concerned what will consist of Phase 3 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, scheduled all the way through 2019.

• 2016
  'Captain America:  Civil War' (May 6)
  The Russo Bros., who directed 'Winter Soldier', will return to helm this installment.  Robert Downey Jr. recently signed on to co-star and early rumors point to this movie dealing with a superhero registration act.
  
  'Doctor Strange' (November 4)
  A character I haven't really heard of until the rumors starting popping up a few years ago of a possible Doctor Strange movie and when the character was teased during 'Winter Soldier'.  Scott Derrickson, who directed 'Sinister' and 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose, will be directing and a deal is being worked out for Benedict Cumberbatch to star.
  
  
• 2017
  'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' (May 4)
  The first 'Guardians' was a lot of fun.  With the same cast and crew coming back for this sequel, it should be another fun ride.
  
  'Thor:  Ragnorak' (July 28)
  No idea who will be directing or what all cast will be returning.  The only thing I know is that while looking up what exactly 'Ragnorak' meant I found out that it refers to the Norse apocalypse.  Dark times appear to be ahead for Thor & Co.
  
  'Black Panther' (November 3)
  Yet another superhero who I never really heard of until movie rumors had started popping up.  Apart from the release date the only other confirmed thing is that Chadwick Boseman ('42', 'Draft Day', 'Get On Up') will be starring.
  
  
• 2018
  'Avengers:  Infinity War - Part 1' (May)Not even a week after it was announced that the 'Justice League' movie would be split in two, we now have confirmation that 'Avengers 3' will also be following suit.  Sure I could complain about these movies being split in two, but I'm gladly going to see them anyway.  Not sure yet if Joss Whedon will be returning behind the camera or if someone else will.  Heck, I'm not even sure which superheroes will actually be a part of the Avengers by the time this movie comes out.
  
  'Captain Marvel' (July 6)Once again, another comic property of Marvel's that I had never heard of until movie rumors started flying.  I'm sensing a pattern here...anyway the only thing I know about this is that this will serve as Marvel's first female centered superhero movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
  
  'Inhumans' (November 2)
  Have I made it obvious that I don't read comic books and with more and more superhero movies coming out it's reaching a point where movies are being made off of characters I had never heard of?  Well that continues with this movie, which from reading about the Inhumans for this post I guess they are a group of superhumans engineered by the Kree (who were seen in 'Guardians of the Galaxy).  No cast or crew has been announced yet.
  
  
• 2019
  'Avengers:  Infinity War - Part 2' (May)
  Not much I can add here that I haven't already talked about for Part 1
  
  

Personally I'd have liked to have seen a third 'Hulk' movie on the schedule, but oh well.

So if you include the DC Cinematic Universe, Marvel's two entries next year ('Avengers:  Age of Ultron' and 'Ant-Man'), Sony's 'Spider-Man' series, and Fox's 'X-Men' and 'Fantastic Four' series, from 2015-2020 there will be 29 superhero movies that are being planned to be released.  Obviously it's subject to change, but still.  That's a lot.  A few different websites have complained about oversaturation of the superhero genre and an eventual audience burnout over superheros.  I tell you what. As long as the movies are actually good I don't think we'll see any burnout.  

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Well in other news today it was announced that 'The Divergent Series:  Insurgent' will be released in 3D.  Having seen 'Divergent' in 2D but not having not read any of the books I don't really see a need for this to be in 3D except for to try and make more money.  The first movie only made a little over $288 million against an $85 million budget.  A mild success, sure, but nowhere near the numbers of either of the 'Hunger Games' movies ($691.2 million and $864.6 million).  Heck, it wasn't even as much as the lowest grossing 'Twilight' movie (The first movie only made $392 million worldwide).  We'll find out in March if 3D helped or not.

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Well that about does it for this update post.  Tomorrow I'll have more Halloween movies to talk about, ones that in my opinion are actually worth watching.  In November reviews will return, I'll have more NFL picks, I'll be talking about sequels I'd like to see happen, about miserable times in a movie theater, and perhaps a few more things that I can't think of right now.  Stay tuned.