The 'Avengers' Effect

The 'shared universe' concept has been in fiction for decades. Tolkein's Middle-Earth. The various Star Trek films and TV shows. Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob crossovers. And then, of course, there's the Marvel and DC continuities. Crossovers have always been popular, but the implications of creating an interweaving mythology are far greater. It's a concept that seemed to appeal more to nerds than causal film-goers. Then the Avengers became the third highest grossing film of all time. The Marvel Universe now exists on celluloid, and over the next few years it will continue to grow. But as with any popular show or film, success breeds imitators.

Every decade or so, Hollywood experiences a "paradigm shift." When a certain film gains a huge amount of success, it becomes a game changer that influences how movies are made from then on. "Jaws" and "Star Wars" created the blockbuster format. "The Little Mermaid" led to the Disney Renaissance of animation. "Jurassic Park" led to the CGI boom, which Pixar capitalized on to make "Toy Story" the first all-CGI film. "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings" led to the re-emergence of fantasy epics. "Avatar" showed how powerful immersive 3D technology can be. But now we are in the midst of a new paradigm shift, one where the shared universe concept is becoming dominant.

Before "The Avengers," you could make a solid case for Chris Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy causing a new paradigm shift in Hollywood. The dark, realistic take on Batman has indeed influenced other franchises, most notably James Bond and Star Trek. This year, Nolan will produce the Superman reboot, "Man of Steel," which also looks to use the Dark Knight treatment in grounding the big blue boy scout. But while the Dark Knight films may have grossed over two billion dollars, it's slowly becoming old news. Nolan's trilogy is over, and Batman has been cast aside in favor of the Avengers, an entire team of superheroes. How exactly has Hollywood reacted to the Avengers' overwhelming success since its release? Just look at the news.

Besides Disney/Marvel moving full speed ahead with Phase II, the other Marvel projects at Sony and Fox are taking their leads from "Avengers." This year's "The Wolverine" will, in all likelihood, lead in to next year's "Days of Future Past," a time travel story which promises to cross over the original X trilogy with "First Class." The filmmakers at Fox are expanding the scope, fleshing out the X-Men film universe and straightening their continuity. Crossing over timelines and having films build into a larger story arc is the perfect way to build a shared universe. And the fact that Mark Millar has been brought in to shepherd all of Fox's Marvel properties means that at some point, a rebooted Fantastic Four will get to play in this X-Men film universe as well.

Not only that, but the direction Sony is taking with their rebooted "Spider-Man" series looks like they're also expanding their scope. Besides the Green Goblin build up, we know Rhino and Electro will be the villains and there's reason to believe we may get a build up to the Venom storyline and introduced to the Black Cat. If the rumors are true, Venom may actually get his own spin off film and then unite with Spider-Man and Black Cat in a later film, possibly against the Goblin or even the Sinister Six if Rhino and Electro live to see the credits. Just like X-Men, Sony is hoping to use the extensive cast of Spidey characters to create a larger universe, all in the hopes of getting that "Avengers" money.

But of course DC wants in on the action as well. They've been trying to make either a "Superman/Batman" or "Justice League" movie for years, but every attempt has fallen through. When "The Avengers" made bank, a Justice League film was put into production for a 2015 release. Word has it the script's been scrapped and WB is waiting on the results of "Man of Steel" to move forward with the project, but it's clear at some point DC wants to make this happen. They may not have the momentum that Marvel has, but they're smart enough to see the appeal of crossovers, and if Superman is the massive success they're hoping for, expect a Justice League film sooner rather than later.

Then again, superheroes come from shared universes already. How could all of Hollywood possibly be affected by this, instead of just one genre? Well, there's this little thing called Star Wars that's been in a lot of headlines lately. Not only is Disney moving forward with the long-rumored Episodes VII, VIII and IX, but apparently we're also getting spin-off films for Yoda, Boba Fett and Han Solo. It's obvious that Disney doesn't just want Star Wars to consist of three trilogies charting the Skywalker family- they want an interlocking universe of stories, similar to the Expanded Universe, that focuses on different characters that can then unite in the main Episodes. "The Avengers" model is already influencing one of the biggest film franchises of all time, turning the main series into an entire universe of interlocking franchises that build into one mega-franchise. And if "Star Wars" jumps on the bandwagon, what other series will?

"Star Trek" at one point had three different TV shows airing at once, all of them crossing over with each other. Since the reboot, the universe has been streamlined, but whose to say after they finish rebooting Kirk and Spock they couldn't move on to the Next Generation, Voyager and DS9 crews? It would be interesting to see all of those shows get modernized casts then build up for a massive crossover film, maybe involving the Borg or the Dominion War. Even though J.J. Abrams is jumping ship to Star Wars, he's still producing Star Trek. If Abrams leads Star Wars into the shared universe model, he could do the same for Star Trek as well.

Middle-Earth could potentially do this too, if after the Hobbit trilogy WB decides to adapt the Silmarillion as a series of films focusing on the different stories and characters that forge Middle-Earth's backstory. What if Doctor Who and Torchwood ever get feature films, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel? Will they have interlocking stories that build into a crossover spectacle? If Star Wars does get solo films, Hollywood will see the shared universe concept as more than just world building for superheroes. Any major franchise may get greenlit based on its potential to inhabit a shared universe.

The crossover will be the new paradigm shift, and soon every major franchise will be vying to have its own "Avengers" style event film. Only time will tell if this truly becomes a reality, but given all the news about the future of superheroes and Star Wars, it's not hard to imagine other big franchises capitalizing on the shared universe concept. If it does happen, hopefully the studios will take the time to craft an interweaving mythos that benefits the story and characters, as it did for the Avengers.

Fanfic: Iron Man 3 Revision

Almost a year ago, on a whim, I decided to create a fanfic speculating about what Iron Man 3 would be about, using information I already knew combined with speculation of where Tony would be post-Avengers. Now Avengers is out, the film is coming in May and we already have posters and trailers revealing more info, including the recent Super Bowl TV spot. Between the given footage and all the rumors out there about what may go down, I decided to take all this footage and even the various rumors and work out a new plot for the Armored Avenger's third outing.

We begin the film by exploring the world's post-Avengers mindset. The World Security Council and several government higher ups are pissed off that SHIELD isn't tracking the Avengers and that these powerful super humans aren't under government control. As a result, the government redesigns Rhodey's War Machine armor to give it the friendlier moniker of the Iron Patriot, and takes out a contract with A.I.M. to try and create a new Captain America serum. Scientists Aldrich Killian and Maya Hansen create the Extremis nanotech virus as a result, and begin looking for human candidates.

Meanwhile, Tony is becoming more paranoid after his journey through the portal traumatized him. Convinced he needs to be prepared should another large scale attack happen, Tony rapidly speeds through several armor designs and gets to the Mark XLII, a version that he can mentally control with a tech-com link. When he begins having nightmares about being unable to save Pepper, the armor subconsciously springs to life to check up on her, making Tony wonder if his paranoia and obsession with upgrades is causing him to lose his humanity.

Killian grows desperate for human trials and, through shady deals, meets the Mandarin, leader of the Ten Rings society who had dealings with Obadiah Stane, Ivan Vanko and Justin Hammer. Mandarin seeks revenge against Tony and also wishes to enact a master plan to remove the public's idolization of super heroes, while consolidating his own power. He hires mercenaries Eric Savin and Jack Taggert to undergo the Extremis procedure, and they are transformed into Coldblood and Firepower. Mandarin sends helicopters to blow up Tony's home, and he escapes in his suit while Rhodey saves Happy Hogan. During this time Pepper finds out Tony, in his paranoia, built a suit of armor for her, called the Rescue armor, should she need to escape a hostile environment. She escapes the crashing mansion in the Rescue armor.

Tony, utterly defeated, finds his way to Russia, realizing he needs to get off the grid. He works his way to China to rondevue with Dr. Chen Lu and Maya Hansen, who has left A.I.M.'s employ after learning of Killian's deal. Rhodey, Pepper and Hogan meet up there as well. It turns out that Lu is already under the Mandarin's employ and sells them out to Killian, who sends Coldblood and Firepower to deal with them. Lu is given an Extremis dose and is transformed into the Radioactive Man, who kills Hogan. Tony, Rhodey and Pepper fight Coldblood, Firepower and Radioactive Man, and the fight ends with the former villains killed and the latter taken into custody by a mysterious female SHIELD agent.

In the fight, Pepper's Rescue armor and Rhodey's Iron Patriot armor is heavily damaged, forcing Pepper to discard her suit and Rhodey to resort to the War Machine armor. Tony is badly injured, and the only way to save him is to undergo the Extremis procedure himself. When he emerges, he finds he no longer needs a tech-com link and can mentally summon the armor by thought alone, as well as communicate with other forms of technology via the nanobots that run through his system. Tony resolves his identity crisis when he realizes that technology will improve him but never consume him.

Killian, using footage from the Coldblood, Firepower and Radioactive Man trials, boards Air Force One for a meeting with the President and the rest of the Executive Branch, hoping to make his case for Extremis as a viable military application. The meeting is a ruse to rig the plane, killing the Executive Branch so Mandarin can make his move: unleashing a homeland invasion of America with an army of Extremis infused Ten Rings mercenaries. Iron Man and War Machine board Air Force One as it explodes. War Machine captures Killian while Iron Man saves the 13 freefalling passengers.

As Mandarin's army marches, Tony, Rhodey, Pepper and Maya travel to Stark Tower, where Tony reveals his secret weapon: a fully functional Hall of Armors, almost 40 different models all able to be remotely activated and controlled. He used a combo of his Mark XLII tech-com link and reverse engineered Hammer Drone tech to accomplish this. Tony has himself, Pepper, Rhodey and Maya each control 10 armors, leading them into battle against Mandarin's Extremis army.

With the fight ended, Tony races off for a final confrontation with the Mandarin, who reveals that he named his Ten Rings organization off the ten rings that he wears. The rings were miniature repulsion drives for an ancient alien starship that crash landed in the Middle East thousands of years ago, which Mandarin found and fashioned into rings. He studied them but could never get them to work, but after injecting himself with Extremis he is now mentally bonded to them and can unleash devastating blasts of energy at his opponents. Iron Man and Mandarin engage in an intense battle that ends when Tony forcibly cuts off Mandarin from his rings, a process which eventually kills him.

The mysterious female SHIELD agent returns to talk with Tony, and reveals herself to be Janet Van Dyne, a high ranking scientist and partner to one Henry Pym. Janet thanks Tony for collapsing Mandarin's Ten Rings empire, and says they have Killian in custody and have confiscated the rest of Extremis. Mandarin's story of the rings gets Tony thinking about what other threats are lying out there in the stars. Donning a new deep space armor, the film ends with Tony rocketing off into the cosmos after saying goodbye to Pepper.

In an after credits scene, Janet meets with Dr. Pym, who is pouring over the Extremis tech and leftover Iron Man drones pondering the possibilities of A.I. Wanting to know more, Janet takes him to meet Radioactive Man, where Pym asks him to tell him everything he knows.

I have no idea how accurate this plot will be to the final product, but this was created through what I know of the story, what plot points I could gather from the trailers, and the various rumors floating around online about who will show up and what will happen. Whatever we end up getting, I hope that Iron Man 3 doesn't dissapoint.

Fanfic: Shaping the Marvel Cinematic Universe

       

To the uninformed fan, walking out of the Avengers hailed an interesting question: if Avengers is the team up of Marvel's greatest heroes, where was Spider-Man? Or Wolverine? Or the Fantastic Four? The informed fan would answer that the film rights to those characters are owned, not by Disney/Marvel, but by Sony and Fox. But what if Disney/Marvel did own the film rights to those characters? After giving this a fair bit of thought, this elaborate fanfic was born, wherein I reimagine these franchises to coexist alongside the Avengers.

With Spider-Man, I'll build off the Amazing Spider-Man reboot and make it work within the Avengers world. The Lizard incident is pre-Avengers, and while Spidey is on SHIELD's radar he's obviously too young to join the Initiative, so for right now Fury's just keeping tabs on him, hence Peter's world is still isolated from the other heroes. Peter was in Queens when the Chitauri invasion struck, and Aunt May wouldn't let him leave the house so he was confined to watching the attack on TV.

Amazing Spider-Man's sequel, Spectacular Spider-Man, introduces MJ, the Bugle, the Osborns, the Rhino and Electro. Electro and Rhino deliver Spidey to Osborn, who mixes Spidey's blood with Connor's serum to turn himself into the Green Goblin. Astonishing Spider-Man has Peter gain the symbiote and learn about his father through the shadow man, Osborn's henchman Chameleon.  Chameleon sabotaged the Parker's plane when they wanted to go to SHIELD to report how Osborn funded the Parkers' cross species and symbiote projects to cure his cancer. When Osborn kills Gwen, a symbiote enhanced Peter kills him, before discarding the suit. Web of Spider-Man has the fragmented symbiote bond with Harry and Uncle Ben's killer, Cletus Kassady, to form Venom and Carnage. Harry sacrifices himself while both symbiotes are destroyed, and Peter, now in college, begins a relationship with MJ.

An after credits sequence has Mariah Hill of SHIELD visiting Peter and telling him they've been watching him and considering him as an Avengers candidate. Sometime down the line, after Spidey has had a few team ups under his belt, I'd like to see two more solo films (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man) that show Peter's encounters with the Black Cat, his adult career at Horizon Labs, his marriage to MJ, and his battles with the Sinister Six (Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Kraven, Vulture, Sandman, Scorpion). The Six will be featured as henchmen of Octavius, who runs Horizon Labs but moonlights as mob boss the Master Planner. His henchmen are the Enforcers in the first film, led by Herman Schulz, who through Horizon tech becomes the Shocker. When Shocker is imprisoned, an enraged Octavius, bonded with his tentacles, kills him before battling Spider-Man and getting imprisoned himself. He breaks out in the last film and turns his Enforcers into the Sinister Six. Peter is in a love triangle with MJ and Black Cat, but he eventually chooses MJ and marries her.

 X-Men, Fantastic Four, and the other Marvel properties will get full on reboots so they can gel with the Avengers films. X-Men will be a trilogy. The first film, Uncanny X-Men, will start with Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants (Mystique, Pyro, Toad, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Blob) committing terrorist acts against humans, revealing the hidden mutant culture to the world and causing the government to commission the Sentinel program to round up all mutants who don't come out for questioning. Two teenagers, Bobby Drake and Kitty Pryde, discover their abilities and run away together, only to be found by a Sentinel. They are rescued by the X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast, and Storm) and taken to Xavier back at the mansion, where they are given the codenames Iceman and Shadowcat and trained in the Danger Room.

Magneto offers the X-Men a chance to join him, but they refuse. Knowing the Sentinels were tracking him, Magneto led them to the mansion. In the aftermath of an attack, Iceman believes humans will never accept them and leaves to join Magneto. Another fleet of Sentinels arrives at Magneto's base, and using his powers he reprograms them to attack humans and head for Washington DC, aiming to kill the President and usurp the government. Iceman warns the X-Men, leading to a final battle where the Sentinels are destroyed, the Brotherhood rounded up and Magneto braindead after Xavier psychically attacks him with his helmet off.  For the first time, the X-Men are embraced by the public. The film ends with Xavier being visited by Nick Fury, who sanctions the X-Men and appoints Xavier to deal with any mutant crises that may arise.

The second film, Astonishing X-Men, has the American/Canadian black ops division Weapon X send in their best operative, Wolverine, to assassinate Charles Xavier. Wolverine grows to like the X-Men when they treat him like a human being instead of an animal. Weapon X sends in their augmented mutants (Sabretooth, Deadpool, Juggernaut, Omega Red, and Lady Deathstryke) to capture the X-Men. They are imprisoned at the Weapon X facility, run by Professor Cornelius and Nathaniel Essex. There the X-Men meet other mutant captives, including Rouge, Gambit, Collossus, and Nightcrawler.

Wolverine expresses guilt over betraying the X-Men and helps them escape, including the captive mutants. During this time Beast is experimented on to gain his blue form, Angel is fused with metallic wings, and Jean's telekinesis gets a massive boost. The Weapon X soldiers fight the X-Men, but in the end the main facility is blown up and Cornelius is killed. The soldiers, led by Essex, escape with Jean in their custody. They bring her to Emma Frost, and we learn that Weapon X was set up by the Hellfire Club, which inducts the Weapon X soldiers and the remaining Brotherhood members into its ranks. They speak of using Jean in their plans.

The last film, Ultimate X-Men, reveals that Essex and Frost serve En Sabbah Nur, the first mutant, an immortal who once ruled Ancient Egypt. Nur is currently hibernating and needs a powerful form of energy to recuperate his strength. The Hellfire Club uses Jean's increased telekinetic powers to wake Nur from his slumber. Nur takes the name Apocalypse and, using Frost's telepathy, mindwipes Jean into believing she is Apocalypse's Queen, the Dark Phoenix. Apocalypse hopes to use Jean's powers to scorch the Earth, creating a world where the Hellfire Club rules and only the fittest survive.

The X-Men work to get Jean back, and get assistance when two mutants from the future, Cable and Bishop, travel back in time using Bishop's temporal powers to prevent Apocalypse's dark future from happening. A final fight between the X-Men and Hellfire Club ends with Apocalypse destroyed, but an enraged Jean goes beserk and tries to execute Apocalypse's plan of scorching the Earth. Cyclops is forced to kill his love to save the world. In the end the Hellfire Club is defeated and the X-Men are victorious.

Fantastic Four will also be a trilogy. The first film, The Fantastic Four, begins with Reed Richards, Sue Storm, and Victor Von Damne working on a portal to the Negative Zone in the Baxter Building, a SHIELD think tank. Something goes wrong with the portal and Victor is scarred, forcing him to return to his homeland of Latveria. Years later, Reed, Sue, her brother Johnny and their friend Ben get funding from Nick Fury to recreate the N-Zone portal. They attempt to harness the cosmic energies of the N-Zone using a scepter-like device of Reed's own making, but the initial experiment goes awry and the four are doused with N-Zone radiation, giving them their powers. Giant creatures also escape from the N-Zone, and when Reed leads his friends against them in public they are christened the Fantastic Four.

Von Damne, having renamed himself Doom, has become dictator of Latveria. The first accident years ago gave him the ability to channel cosmic energy, and he has been trying to recreate the portal to increase his power. After hearing about the FF, he sends a squad of Doombots to infiltrate the Baxter Building and steal the scepter, which Reed is trying to reverse engineer so to return them to normal when Ben hates his condition. Doom steals the scepter, and although he has diplomatic immunity, Fury allows the FF to leave for Latveria in Reed's newly designed Fantasticar to retrieve it. Doom uses the scepter to augment his own abilities and open a stable portal to the N-Zone, which he plans to feed off of to make himself a god. The FF fight an army of Doombots, steal the scepter back and trap Doom in the N-Zone. Reed and Sue then marry and Ben comes to terms with his new form.

The sequel, FF: Annihilation, has the FF explore the N-Zone and discover Annihilus, who makes a deal with Doom: if Annihilus lends Doom his army, the Annihilation Wave, to take over Earth, Doom will give him the scepter to rule the N-Zone. The two villains break into our world and begin wreaking havoc, but Annihilus betrays Doom and steals the scepter for himself, wishing to control this universe and leave the N-Zone behind. The FF destroy Annihilus and imprison Doom, and Sue reveals she's pregnant.

FF: Doomsday has Sue give birth to Franklin while SHIELD detects bizarre anomalies stemming from a being called the Silver Surfer. The FF are brought in as opposed to Stark or Banner because Richards is the expert on this type of energy. Reed uses the cosmic scepter to capture the Surfer, who reveals he's faithful to a massive, planet consuming energy being called Gah Lak Tus. Doom drains the Surfur of his powers and escapes, and the FF and the Surfer team up to stop him before Surfer confronts his master. Reed uses the scepter to trap Gah Lak Tus in the N-Zone, where it has an unlimited amount of energy to feed on. Doom is killed, the Surfer is freed, and the FF celebrate their growing family.

As for Daredevil, Blade, Punisher and Ghost Rider, I'd prefer they be (re) introduced through the SHIELD tv show before teaming up in a Marvel Knights film, alongside Spider-Man. They would all be potential Avengers candidates brought together by SHIELD to solve a crisis the regular Avengers can't handle.  Following this, I'd like to see a massive team up film with the Marvel Knights, X-Men, FF, and Avengers together, in a film that adapts the Infinity Gauntlet. At this point in the main Avengers' story, I'd like them to fight Masters of Evil for Phase Two and Ultron for Phase Three, all being set up by Thanos to lead into the Infinity Gauntlet storyline. This would be followed by a final trilogy of films to end the MCU, which would adapt Civil War, Dark Reign and Seige and lead into a bright Heroic Age for the future. While right now this is a pipe dream, I hope one day that a true Marvel Cinematic Universe can be seen on screen.

Fanfic: Justice League

            Last year DC announced they were finally moving forward with a Justice League movie. Their aim was for 2015, the same year Avengers 2 launches. Now I may be a cynical nerd, but it's obvious that DC is only pushing JL to compete with Avengers. Many fans believe the world's greatest heroes deserve solo films before leading up to JL. Then again, Batman already has a trilogy, the Green Lantern movie tanked, and Superman is getting a new film this year that may lead into the film anyway. Maybe it's best for DC to use JL to intro their other heroes, then give them spin-offs depending on their popularity. It's a long shot, and a lot of variables can go wrong, but it could work with the right story. So after a fair bit of thought, I came up with what I believe to be my ideal Justice League film.

          The film would begin with a newscast spotlighting the various heroes of Earth. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and Aquaman are the only public heroes, and have been met with reactions ranging from awe and wonder (Supes, WW, Flash) to mistrust, ridicule and outright hostility (Batman, GL, Aquaman).

          We then cut to STAR labs in Central City, and meet Barry Allan and Wally West. We learn they got their speed powers from an accident involving a lightning storm and a particle accelerator. Barry is the Flash, and Wally desperately wants to help him but Barry refuses, confining him to lab work. They are a light hearted uncle and nephew and love cracking jokes at each other. A portal opens up and alien Parademons pour out. Barry suits up and he and Wally fight the aliens. When the lab is compromised Barry orders Wally to go to his aunt Iris's house while he gets help.

           Barry races to Coast City and Ferris Air, where he meets with his best friend Hal Jordan to discuss the Parademons. Hal is featured as a brazen and cocky hero who thinks his ring gives him the power and authority to do whatever he wants, although he generally trusts Barry. Another portal opens and the Parademons storm Ferris Air and begin wreaking havoc in Coast City. Jordan becomes GL and he and Flash fight, but eventually are forced to retreat when the Parademons seize the city. Jordan is devastated, even more so when his ring won't tell him what the creatures are. GL and Flash decide that they must go to the other heroes to defeat the aliens.

           We then get a montage of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman dealing with Parademons in their respective cities, with cameos from Lois Lane, Steve Trevor, Commissioner Gordon and Alfred. When Batman returns to the Cave, he finds Supes and WW waiting for him. While Bats distrusts other heroes due to their powers, he has worked with Supes and WW in the past and decided to tell them who he is. Bats also mentions his sidekick Robin has left his employ to pursue a career in Bludhaven, so right now he's back to being a solo hero. While he doesn't want to go back to being part of team, Batman admits that the alien situation requires a response from the world's metahumans and agrees to an alliance.

          GL and Flash find the cave when GL uses his ring to hone in on Superman's location, since he's an alien presence. GL says the ring is detecting another alien in the cave other than Supes. Detective John Jones of the Gotham PD steps out of the shadows (he was introduced earlier working with Gordon) and reveals himself as J'onn J'onnz, the last Martian. J'onn knows something about the aliens, but before he says anything Batman says they should relocate to somewhere more remote in case the aliens compromise the cave. Superman suggests his Fortress of Solitude. WW leaves to try and recruit Aquaman, since Themyscira has a relationship with Atlantis, and she agrees to meet with the others at the Fortress. En route to the Fortress, however, the government intercepts the heroes, thinking they're working with the aliens, and captures J'onn.

         GL, still reeling from abandoning Coast City and his girlfriend Carol, thinks rescuing J'onn is a waste of time and they should focus on taking back the cities. He claims that as the GL of Sector 2814 he has the highest authority during an extraterrestrial crisis. Batman yells at him about how his powers make him reckless and that rescuing J'onn could be the key to defeating the aliens, but Hal spits back at Batman why he should take orders from a man with no powers and the two start fighting. Superman and Flash get in between the two, causing Bats to turn on Supes and GL to turn on Flash. Bats wips out a kryptonite ring Supes gave him and starts wailing on him while GL throws constructs at Flash. Eventually the two talk Bats and GL down, with Flash using his friendship with GL and Supes helping Bats understand the importance of teamwork and trusting others, despite Robin leaving him. The four decide to rescue J'onn.

         Meanwhile WW travels to Atlantis in her jet (a gift from Steve Trevor upgraded by the Amazons with submarine and cloaking capabilities). As the ambassador of the Amazons, she is granted an audience with Aquaman, king of Atlantis. Aquaman, who demands to be called King Arthur, shoots down Diana's offer to join the other heroes on the surface. He claims the surface world hates him and that it's best he focus on being a king to his people. To further emphasize this, he shows Diana his left hand, cut off in a battle with surface pirates and replaced with a hand made of hard water. Diana tries to make Arthur understand that he has an obligation to help make the surface world a better place, just as she wanted to do when she left her island with Trevor. Arthur still refuses, saying unless the aliens attack Atlantis it's not his problem.

         Supes, Bats, GL and Flash break into the government facility holding J'onn and free him, at the cost of ruining their reputation as heroes to the public. They reunite with WW at the Fortress, which Flash is in awe of (Bats and WW have been there before, and GL and J'onn are familiar with alien architecture). J'onn links them all telepathically and we move to a flashback. The parademons serve Darkseid, the ruler of the planet Apokalips. Thousands of years ago, Darkseid sought to conquer the universe and began raiding planets. Apokalips' sister planet, the peaceful New Genesis, teamed with the GL Corps and stopped Darkseid after his parademons wiped out the Martian civilization, leaving J'onn the last of his race.

        The entire planet Apokalips was imprisoned in the Anti-Matter dimension, where Darkseid quickly conquered it while waiting to break out into our universe. The Guardians covered up this war to all future Lanterns, which is why Hal's ring couldn't decipher who the aliens were. J'onn tells them that the parademons are systematically attacking cities to set up portals, called Boom Tubes, that will move Apokalips into Earth space, destroying the Earth in the process. J'onn went into a dormant state following his race's extinction, but after sensing that the rift between the two dimensions was growing weaker, he left for Earth, taking on the John Jones identity in Gotham to help humanity should Darkseid emerge.

        The heroes travel to Metropolis, where Darkseid himself comes out of a Boom Tube to oversee Apokalip's transfer to our dimension. A wave of parademons descend on the city, but Aquaman arrives to help turn the tide, having decided to aid the surface world. When GL makes fun of Aquaman's powers, he summons an army of sharks and a giant squid to cripple Darkseid's fleet from the coast, and uses his water hand to create water bursts and summon a trident out of hard water to fight. Back in Central City, Wally witnesses the battle on TV and races off to help his uncle. He arrives in Metropolis, and Barry reluctantly allows him to fight. Darkseid witnesses the eight heroes crippling his army and descends to battle them personally. He decimates the heroes, bringing them all to their knees.

        After crippling the heroes, Darkseid returns to the Boom Tube and retrieves an Apokaliptian device, one that when activated will enlarge the Boom Tube to envelope the entire planet, destroying it so Apokalips can materialize in its place. Batman realizes they need to take out that device and formulates a strategy to do so. J'onn will telepathically scramble Darkseid's mind while Supes, WW, Aquaman and GL gain up on him. The Flashes will retrieve the device and work with Batman to disarm it before it activates and destroys the planet. The plan goes smoothly until they realize that the device cannot be deactivated. Batman comes up with a back-up plan: reverse the flow of the Boom Tube so Darkseid and the device are sucked into it before the device goes off. In order to do this, the Boom Tube needs to have its vibrational frequency reversed, something only a speedster could do without advanced equipment.

         Wally volunteers, but before he can do anything Barry takes off. Darkseid disables J'onn, allowing him to gain the upper hand over WW, GL and Aquaman until he's engaged in a one-on-one fight with Superman. Barry runs around the world a couple of times and approaches light speed, and is surprised to find Wally running almost as fast in an attempt to catch up with him. Barry tells Wally he can't run that fast, but dares him to try and says "Tag, you're it." Converting into pure energy, Barry hits Darkseid with a powerful concussive force and knocks the tyrant to his knees. Barry then reverses the vibration of his molecules and merges with the Boom Tube, reversing its polarity and causing it to suck in anything in its path. The device, the parademons, and finally Darkseid are sucked into the portal, with Darkseid warning that he will return. The Boom Tube becomes unstable and collapses.

          The heroes emerge victorious, but Wally is in a state of shock at Barry's sacrifice. After seeing the heroes in action, the public comes to wildly embrace them. When faced with the press, Wally decides to stand in for his uncle when he finds his Flash costume, and becomes the new Flash. Superman speaks on behalf of the heroes and declares their intent to react against any threat too big for one hero to face alone. He names them the Justice League. All the heroes secretly mourn Barry's loss and his true heroism, but also embrace Wally as the new Flash. They put aside their differences and absolve to remain a team. Batman has Wayne Enterprises' aeronautics division fund a space station to act as the League's base, and names it the Watchtower. The film ends with the heroes looking down on Earth, before rushing into battle when the satellite picks up a giant alien starfish-like creature attacking the planet.

Movies in 2013: Looking Forward

        With films like Avengers, Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit, 2012 was a year I was hyping up immensely. Thankfully, 2013 is shaping up to be just as great a year for films as 2012 was. There are numerous films coming out that look promising, but of them I've singled out 13 that I'm hyping up above all others.

13. GI Joe: Retaliation-  The first GI Joe film wasn't much to look at, mostly because the only redeemable thing about it was Ray Park's Snake Eyes. This new film, however, looks to be an improvement in every way. More ninjas, Cobra Commander looks like himself, and Marlon Wayans has been replaced with the Rock and Bruce Willis. As bad as the first film was, I'm willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt.

12. Anchorman: The Legend Continues- It's the sequel to one of my favorite comedy films ever, which also happens to be one of the most quotable movies of all time. After all these years, Ron Burgundy returns. What's not to like?

11. Elysium- The world needs more original science fiction movies, and District 9 director Neal Blonkamp is just the man to do it. With Matt Damon as the star and a plot about the widening gap between the poor and the privileged, everything about this film looks promising.

10. Monsters University- Monster's Inc. wasn't my favorite Pixar film, but I have a lot of fond memories seeing it as a kid. Now that I'm in college, the idea of Mike and Sully as college kids really appeals to me. I don't know if this is the true return to form I've wanted from Pixar, but at the very least it should be a great nostalgia trip.

9. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire- The second installment in Suzanne Collins' trilogy was my personal favorite of the novels, with a realistic love triangle worked in amid an escalating war for the fate of the Districts. Catching Fire improved on the Hunger Games in every way, and if the movie follows suit it'll be fantastic.

8. Kick-Ass 2- The first film was a violent yet heartfelt upending of superhero movies, and the sequel comic certainly continues that trend. The violence may be toned down, but as long as the core story is intact this'll be just as good, if not better, than the original. Jim Carrey joining the cast as a badass hero named Colonel Stars doesn't hurt either.

7. The Wolverine- Let's be honest: X-Men Origins Wolverine was an utter mess. Having said that, Fox started to right the ship with First Class, and this one shows promise since its adapting Frank Miller's famous Japan story arc. We may finally get a solo film worthy of the feral mutant, so here's hoping.

6. Pacific Rim- Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro is directing a film about giant robots fighting giant monsters. It sounds too good to be true, but it's happening. I don't know how good it'll be. For all I know it could be the Transformers films mixed with the Godzilla remake. But the concept alone is enough to intrigue me, and the first trailer promises breathtaking action scenes if nothing else.

5. Thor: The Dark World- The second of Marvel's Phase Two films, I find the Thor sequel interesting because of its promise to explore more of Asgard and the Nine Realms. I'm looking forward to what will hopefully be Marvel's first full blown fantasy epic, with more of Thor's relationships with Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three and his battle with Christopher Eccleston's dark elf Malekith.

4. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug- I was a little dissapointed that Smaug the dragon didn't show up in An Unexpected Journey, but given the new trilogy format I understand. Given this film's title, I expect Smaug front and center.  I can probably anticipate what events this film will adapt, spiders, elves and dragons included, but that doesn't lessen my anticipation for the next foray into Middle Earth.

3. Star Trek Into Darkness- After four long years, we are finally getting the sequel to J.J. Abrams' fantastic Star Trek reboot. With Benedict Cumberbatch on board as the mysterious villain and a story that promises to test Captain Kirk's mettle, this sequel is shaping up to outdo its predecessor in every way.

2. Iron Man 3- The Mandarin, Iron Patriot and Extremis are all weaved into this next chapter of Tony Stark's life, following him on a darker, more personal tale in the aftermath of the Avengers. With Tony's archfoe finally stepping into the limelight and an edgier take on the material, my anticipation for Marvel's first Phase Two film couldn't be any higher.

1. Man of Steel- Superman may be my least favorite super hero, but with Watchmen and 300 director Zack Snyder behind the wheel and Nolan producing, this looks like the modern interpretation of the Big Blue Boy Scout we've been waiting for. A rebooted origin it may be, but having General Zod means Supes can actually punch something, and with his powers that's something I've wanted to see for a long time.

While these are the 13 films I've been hyping up the most, there are others that have piqued my interest. Gangster Squad. Oz: The Great and Powerful. World War Z. The Lone Ranger. A Good Day to Die Hard. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Ender's Game. All of these are also on my radar, but the above films are the ones I'm really looking into. 2013 has just begun, and I hope whatever films I do end up seeing don't disappoint.

Movies in 2012: Looking Back

           There's no getting around it: 2012 was an enormous year for movies. Some franchises ended while some started anew, and some features became blockbusters while others tanked. Superheroes, spies, archers and hobbits all made a dent in the box office, but even among the smaller films there were some gems. I've only seen a fraction of what 2012 had to offer, but of the films I have seen I've decided to rank them in descending order, from worst to best. 

31. Taken 2- The first Taken was a surprising, tense action thriller that proved Liam Neeson was an action star. Its sequel showed none of what made the first film so fun, simple and thrilling. Horrid action, even more horrid editing, stupid decisions by its main characters, and an attempt to subvert the first film with a cliche revenge scheme all add up to one completely unnecessary sequel. 

30. The Three Stooges- A decent enough comedy that faithfully recreates the Stooges' antics, but unfortunately falls flat with uninspired jokes and a cop out of an ending. 

29. Hotel Transylvania- Once great horror monsters are given cardboard personalities and drained of all their scariness in this hyperactive kids flick made only for ADD raddled youngsters. A cliche story about letting your children go doesn't help the proceedings. 

28. The Lorax- While I did enjoy the character arc given to the Once-Ler in a flashback that takes up half the film, this expansion of the Dr. Seuss story tries too hard to shove an environmental message down children's throats while literally sugarcoating it to make it bearable. 

27. The Dictator- Sacha Baren Cohen's new character is a great parody of Middle Eastern dictators, and the plot does show promise, but the jokes that are actually funny are few and far between. Too much physical humor and not enough political satire, which is what I thought they were aiming for. 

26. Premium Rush- Joseph-Gordon Levitt is fantastic as a daredevil bike messenger, but while the action and pacing are fast the story just doesn't hold together. Too many flashbacks to help explain the plot muddle what could have been a tightly paced film about the cat-and-mouse game between a bike messenger and a dirty cop. 

25. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter- What should have been the premise for a cheesy sci-fi B movie is played straight, and the fact that we're supposed to take this seriously only makes things worse. The film is great for a laugh, but not much else. 

24. Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos-This film, which is set in the continuity of the Brotherhood anime, was given a limited theatrical run and I only saw it once it hit DVD. As a fan of FMA it was enjoyable, but the film is a standalone narrative that doesn't impact the series storyline at all, and the story it does have gets needlessly complicated. It's a fun anime adventure for FMA completists, but you won't get much out of it if you're not already a fan. 

23. Prometheus- This was supposed to be the epic, hard sci-fi film of the year, the one that would set the Alien franchise back on track. I liked it at first, and the production design is still amazing, as is Michael Fassbender's performance as David. But the sheer stupidity of the scientists, the lack of answers to any of the questions raised, and the shoehorning of elements to tie into the first Alien film make this one of the year's biggest dissapointments. 

22. John Carter- The first film I saw in 2012 was one I really enjoyed when watching. Time has made me see that the movie does have flaws, mostly to do with the execution of the plot. Still, this is a faithful rendering of Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom series and has great performances from Willem Dafoe and Lynn Collins. The marketing can be blamed for its box office failure, but I see this becoming a cult hit down the road. 

21. Men in Black 3- For a sequel that didn't need to happen, it was surprising how much I enjoyed it. Props to Josh Brolin for his spot on Tommy Lee Jones impression, and Will Smith is charismatic as always. 

20. Ted- Seth McFarlane's live action directorial debut is everything I expected from the creator of Family Guy. Some of the humor goes a little too far, but the chemistry between Mark Walberg and the CGI teddy bear is great and the overall film has no short of laughs and genuine heart. 

19. Lawless- Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce are great in this film about moonshiners in the Prohibition-era South. An effective historical drama that even gives Shia Labeouf a decent performance. 

18. 21 Jump Street- Another film that surprised me, 21 Jump Street was one of the funniest films I'd seen in years. It's so self-conscious I couldn't stop laughing while admiring its genius. High school films, cop films and  even remakes themselves are all sent up, and Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill make for an effective comedic duo.

17. Chronicle- I don't care much for the found footage genre, but Chronicle is different because it doesn't focus so much on the camera gimmick as it does on the development of the characters, especially lonely Andrew as his newfound telekinesis turns him into a straight up supervillain. A powerful ending and a well executed premise make this one of the more creative entries in the superhero genre. 

16. Dredd- Karl Urban is the Law. Deal with it. Urban embodies the futuristic cop from the comics a million times better than Stallone, and while the plot is a little too simple it's effective in showing off what Dredd can do. A dark and gritty reboot that gets the material right and delivers an intense action film. 

15. The Hunger Games- Jennifer Lawrence is the perfect Katniss Everdeen in a film that wonderfully portrays the brutality of the world of Suzanne Collins' novels. Aside from some issues with the camerawork (too shaky) and a few subtractions from the plot, this was an entertaining and thrilling adaptation of the first novel in the trilogy. 

14. Brave- Pixar's first female hero is a treat to watch on screen, as Princess Merida's fiery hair, rebellious personality and fierce Scottish brogue make her stand out from all the other Disney heroines. Her story, however, is just rehashed from every other fairy tale out there. It's a perfectly decent kids flick, but I was expecting a lot more from Pixar in their first real foray into fantasy. 

13. The Amazing Spider-Man- Of the big three hero films this year, it's sad to say my personal favorite comic book character gets the weakest of the three films. It's not that it wasn't good: I thoroughly enjoyed it, specifically the action, performances and the new interpretation of the Spidey mythos. But while Avengers was an epic crossover spectacle and Dark Knight Rises the culmination of a trilogy, this was a rehash of a beloved film from 10 years ago. I still love it, but reflecting on it now I do kinda wish it did something more original for its first half. 

12. Wreck-It Ralph- My favorite animated film of 2012, this one surprised me with its cast of well rounded characters, unique world building and a solid premise that made me care about the virtual heroes and their fates. You don't have to be a video game fan to appreciate it, but recognizing all the nods and cameos to fan-favorite games definitely increases the enjoyment. 

11. The Cabin in the Woods- This one almost made it into my top ten, but even though it didn't it doesn't change the fact that this is a daring film. In a lot of ways it's really ambitious. It's part horror, part comedy, part satire and even partially apocalyptic. But its very premise is so brilliant in that it allows for the complete upending of every horror cliche you can think of. It's well-made, well acted and just fun to watch. 

10. Life of Pi- It had a stupid title and was about an Indian boy surviving a ship wreck with a tiger. So why did I enjoy it so much? The visuals were stunning, the story simple yet inspiring and the character of Pi fascinating to watch, especially his interactions with said tiger. The film has a profound moral about perception, overcoming the odds, and the power of belief, and in many ways it was film-making at its finest. 

9. Skyfall- It's not Casino Royale, but this Bond flick is miles better than Quantum of Solace, and in many ways represents why Bond has stood the test of time for 50 years. It's a little slow at times and the plot takes one too many cues from Chris Nolan, but Daniel Craig still makes for the best Bond since Connery, and the deliciously meta plot transitions the rookie we saw in Casino and Quantum into the womanizing, ass kicking secret agent we've known since the '60s. Well done, James. 

8. Cloud Atlas- In many ways this film has problems, but none of them alter the fact that this is one of the most ambitious films I've seen in a long time. The narrative weaves six separate time periods into an overarching story about how human beings overcome adversity through the ages, and how love and compassion can affect others even decades into the future. Props to the star-studded cast, including Tom Hanks and Hugo Weaving, for playing multiple characters across racial and gender boundaries. Intelligent and heartfelt, with a little something for everyone, Cloud Atlas isn't a film so much as an experience. 

7. Les Miserables- I don't usually go for musicals, but I'm glad I made an exception for this one. Based on the hit Broadway play that was in turn based on the classic novel, "Les Mis" boasts amazing performances from Hugh Jackman and Russel Crowe. But the real star is Anne Hathaway, who nearly had me in tears when she sang "I Dreamed A Dream." The production design is amazing and really brings post-Revolution France to life. The third act doesn't really live up to the first two, dragging with too many characters that detract from Jackman's Jean Valjean, but the songs are still memorable and the overall film is a wonder. 

6. The Dark Knight Rises-  I've thought about this film more than any other this year, and have had time to analyze all its strengths and faults. But while I could count on all ten fingers the plot holes that exist, Nolan's ambition and sheer knack for movie-making made this third Batman flick an amazing ride. Batman got the film trilogy he needed and deserved, and on the whole I couldn't be more satisfied with how Nolan chose to end Bruce Wayne's story. 

5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey- To say I was hyping this up is an understatement. Lord of the Rings was one of the biggest filmmaking achievements of the past decade, and to see Peter Jackson return to the sandbox with the Hobbit was a dream come true. I enjoyed every minute of this film. Yes, it drags a little at the beginning, and yes, I still doubt whether there's enough material for a trilogy, even with more Tolkien elements. But Jackson brought me back to Middle-Earth, and seeing the brilliant Martin Freeman's Bilbo Baggins talk with Ian Mckellan's Gandalf and play riddle games with Gollum while battling trolls and orcs alongside those awesome dwarves made me beyond happy. Come what may, I'm pumped for the next two films. 

4. Argo- This was a film I had no intention of seeing that I ended up enjoying far more than I expected to. Detailing the CIA's attempt to create a fake film to forge convincing covers for trapped Americans during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, this had history, real humor, heart pumping suspense, developed characters, and even a little love for the magic of filmmaking. Argo was, quite simply, a fantastic film that kept me hooked from beginning to end. 

3. Looper- Now this is what I expect from a science fiction movie. Looper is that rare blend of smart story, great action and pitch perfect characters that makes for not just an awesome sci-fi thriller but a great film in general. The time travel is handled so well, but what's great is that it doesn't dominate the story and merely serves as a backdrop to develop the characters. Joseph-Gordon Levitt is becoming one of my favorite actors, and his role here is nothing short of amazing. 

2. Django Unchained- Classic Tarantino. That's what I was expecting and that's what I got. Christoph Waltz, Leo Dicaprio and Sam Jackson all pull off spectacular performances in this very gory western about slavery, but Jamie Foxx's freed slave Django and his relation to Waltz's bounty hunter King Schulze really sell the film. Dicaprio is ruthless as a southern slaveowner, as is Jackson as Leo's main servant. The dialogue crackles, the tension rises and the shootouts are breathtaking. It's Tarantino at his finest. 

1. The Avengers- There are many who would disagree with me on this, especially as there are other films on this list that seem more deserving, but I believe Avengers is my favorite 2012 film mainly for one reason: rewatchability. I've seen this spectacle in theaters four times, and I've lost count how many times I've watched it or paused it or replayed it since buying it. Maybe part of it is seeing four years of hype pay off in the largest and best way possible. Maybe it's fulfilling a sort of childhood fantasy of all these heroes teaming up. But I honestly think it's just recognizing what makes both comics and movies work and how they can combine into something that's just pure entertainment. Who cares about the plot holes? In terms of sheer enjoyment, there's no other film in 2012 that was more fun to watch, and isn't that ultimately what we go to the movies for anyway? 

     There were other films I wanted to watch but never got around to seeing. Lincoln. Moonrise Kingdom. The Raid: Redemption. Snow White and the Huntsman. Hell, I even wanted to see Battleship at one point just to see how bad it was. But the films I did see all offered something unique, with quite a few surprises. 2012 was a great year for film, and I hope 2013 is even greater. 

Consider the Trilogy Part III: The Franchise Rises

            We now approach the end of our journey through the effectiveness of film trilogies. If we are to truly understand how trilogies help and hinder the overarching narrative of a film series, we must now ask ourselves: can going beyond a trilogy work in some series' favor? Would it be better to just focus on making one or two really strong films rather than ruin their accomplishments with a third? Or are some stories just naturally fit for trilogies, meaning going beyond three installments will spell their doom? This is what I intend to find out.

           When Quentin Tarantino was making Kill Bill, he decided to take what was originally one film and split it in two. After watching them back to back, I can see where he's coming from. Tarantino's films are very dialogue-driven, and Kill Bill Vol. 1 breaks from this formula by having the action drive the plot. However, when Vol. 2 arrived Tarantino reverted to his original M.O. Volumes 1 and 2 do form one story that has a single narrative thread and a logical conclusion, but they are two entirely different films, thus the split was justified. There have been rumors about a Volume 3, but Tarantino says it's unlikely. I"m glad he thinks so. Volume 2 wrapped up the films perfectly. There is no reason to tarnish two perfectly good films that already have a conclusion just for the sake of reaching a trilogy. Kill Bill is one of the very few series where two films is all it takes to make a great story. A trilogy is not always necessary. 

          

           While this may be true, there are times when a perfectly good trilogy is ruined because the filmmakers decided, for whatever reason, that a fourth film was needed. Take Indiana Jones for instance. The first three films formed a loose trilogy of standalone stories, but with Last Crusade Indy is revealed to have formed his adventurous persona to distance himself from his father. Last Crusade gives the loose trilogy a sense of closure by having Indy reconcile with his father. When Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was made, we have an older Indy reunite with Marion and learn of his illegitimate son. What's the point of giving Indy a family when his reconciliation with Marion and his father came in Raiders and Crusade? Kingdom gives Indy nothing to further his character more than we already saw in the first three, so it feels like a useless epilogue rather than an integral part of the franchise. 

           And then we get to the enigma that is Pirates of the Caribbean. What was originally a well-made standalone film was expanded into a trilogy, with two films interconnected to build off the narrative and character threads of the first film. 2 and 3 have their problems, mainly that 2 has a lack of plot and 3 too much of it, but ultimately both films expand on the story of the first and form an effective trilogy. With the fourth film, the series reverted to the standalone roots of the first one, undoing the ambitious storyline about the extinction of piracy from the last films. The Fountain of Youth thread may have been resolved from 3, but other than that there was no reason to make another movie. Disney couldn't decide whether they wanted an epic interlocking franchise or a series of standalone films, and with Pirates 4 this really shows. 

        

          I should thank Hollywood, then, for deciding to craft a film series out of Harry Potter.  Anyone who's read the books knows that by story's end, Harry Potter is largely a coming-of-age tale, with the story morphing from an innocent children's fantasy to a dark war story about love and loss. The films emphasize this change in tone perfectly. Having multiple directors helped to ease the transition from light-hearted kids movies to adult fantasy fare. All the principal actors return, and it's rewarding to see Harry, Ron and Hermione literally grow up right in front of us. Rowling planned the series to have seven parts, and the filmmakers did well to realize each installment was necessary to make the story and character arcs work. Harry Potter works exactly because it's a longer narrative that culminates in an enormous climax with a huge payoff. Harry's maturation could not be presented effectively if condensed into a trilogy. 

           But if we're talking long-running series, we can't leave out Bond. This is a franchise that has literally been around for 50 years. Agent 007 is a secret agent who goes out saving the world from megalomanical villains. The character doesn't really change, and he and his world are so malleable you can make films about him until the end of time. The three most recent films (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall) form a loose story arc about how Bond goes from rookie 00 agent to the suave spy we all love. But even if the most recent films form a trilogy, they set up for further adventures because the very nature of Bond allows the films to work as ongoing, standalone stories. Bond will always return, and it's completely unfair to force him into a trilogy when an ongoing series fits the character better. 

           While Bond may show off how a series can go on without being forced into the trilogy format, it's not really fair to use it as a perfect example because, with the rare exception of the Daniel Craig films, all the movies are standalone features that don't carry any story arcs through from their predecessors. The Marvel Cinematic Universe works differently, with part of the Avengers charm being that it references story arcs from the previous Iron Man, Thor, Cap and Hulk films. You can watch the solo films to understand the characters, then when the threat gets big enough they team up for an epic crossover spectacle. Stark, Thor and Rogers will all probably get solo trilogies, but their adventures will continue in other films, ensuring their story arcs can survive beyond trilogies. The Marvel comics universe is ever expanding, and with the films now emulating the style of the source, they have a hit franchise that can continue for years without trilogies that, unlike Bond, maintains an ongoing continuity. 

          There are countless other franchises I can use to further my point that extending a franchise can either help or hinder it. Franchises like Planet of the Apes, Jurassic Park, Alien, Terminator, Die Hard, Rocky, Rambo, Shrek, Jaws, Ice Age, and the first Superman and Batman series would have benefited from either being standalone films or limiting themselves to two or three films tops. Horror movies like Nightmare On Elm Street, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Hellraiser, Resident Evil, Saw, and Paranormal Activity would have been better as standalone films, as their abysmal sequels will tell you. 

           Star Wars, Star Trek, and LOTR, on the other hand, have unique worlds that make them ripe for further adventures. Star Trek, however, works because there are multiple shows and crews to base adventures on, so it emulates the style of the Bond films. Star Wars and LOTR are different in that further films are structured into trilogies. so the franchise can be seen as a series of trilogies in a sense. There's no question that the Star Wars prequels are inferior to the originals, and while the first Hobbit was great it's still up in the air whether the story deserves the trilogy format. But if you stop looking at Star Wars and LOTR as a series of trilogies and see them as larger sagas, the further films do help expand the narrative and make the universe feel larger and more lived in. Both franchises, in a way, benefit from going beyond the single trilogy format, even though there are many that disagree with this.  

          At the end of the day, we can't change the fact that Hollywood loves a good trilogy. Sometimes they succeed, most times they fail. Even when they do succeed, they often become so popular that they get even more films, which undo the magic the films had as a trilogy. But ultimately, the deciding factor is the story. If you intend to build a franchise, you have to ask yourself whether the world and the characters deserve to be expanded. And if they do, how big should you go? 

           It's great to dream big, but sometimes too much ambition will lead to failure. If the world and the characters have the potential to reach a trilogy or even go beyond one, go for it, but only if you can execute it with care and passion. Hopefully future filmmakers will look at film series as stories rather than paychecks, but for many the lure of the trilogy is just too strong. As long as a trilogy is made to naturally extend the story rather than create a moneymaking franchise, we'll have cinematic stories we can treasure for years to come.